GIVEAWAY: Magic Gone Wild by Judi Fennell

"What do you get when you mix an accident-prone genie, a heartthrob pro football player and a talking phoenix? Judi Fennell's latest novel MAGIC GONE WILD! This novel is a zany and sexy magic carpet ride! ...A charming contemporary with a magical twist...It's a laugh out loud read with plenty of funky characters to help you enjoy the ride." 

~ Lisa Jo, The Romance Reviews

(Read the full review.)

Every Time She Uses Magic Something Goes Terribly Wrong...

Vana wishes she hadn't dropped out of genie training. Now she's determined to get a grip on both her genie magic and her life. But the harder she tries to fix things for her intriguing new master, the more she drives him crazy...

Except There's Nothing Ever Wrong About Him...

Pro–football player Zane Harrison finally has control of the family estate and is determined to put to rest his grandfather's eccentric reputation. Until he discovers that behind all the rumors is a real, live genie who stirs feelings in him he's never known before. The more Zane tries to help Vana harness her powers, the more her madcap magic entangles his heart...

Let's hear more about MAGIC GONE WILD from author Judi Fennell:

Q: Hi Judi, thanks for dropping by! What's the inspiration for your series on genies?

A: A few years ago when I was shopping my Mer series to publishers, I'd wanted to have another series in mind in case Rod and Reel and their sisters didn't get picked up. It's always good to have more ideas in the works. So I thought about what I like to read or watch on TV and I always came back to the sitcoms of my childhood: Bewitched, The Addams Family, and I Dream of Jeannie. There were already a fair number of witch books, I couldn't figure out how to make Gomez Addams sexy (that doesn't mean I've stopped trying!), but not many people had done genies. And, seriously, was there any young girl who wasn't half in love with Major Anthony Nelson? That was a no-brainer. 

When I started thinking about the first book, all I could hear was the Indiana Jones theme (and, yes, Harrison Ford might have had something to do with that--you do see Zane's last name, right?). So I decided the overall theme to the series would be "I Dream of Jeannie meets Indiana Jones." My publisher, editor and the director of sales loved it and, voila! The series was born.

Q: MAGIC GONE WILD promises to be hilarious with Vana, the genie who couldn't seem to get a grip on her magic. Do tell us more about her. What is it about her that drives Zane Harrison crazy?

A: I took your "drives Zane crazy" to mean what is it about her that makes him want her, and that's because Vana just wants to do a good job. She's a good person. Misunderstood – and misunderstands herself, but an all around good-hearted soul. Who bad things happen to. It frustrates her and confuses her, but she doesn't let it get her down. She believes that if she just works hard enough, things will work out for her. She tries. Really, she does. Zane admires that tenacity in her. He sees the goodness and realizes that her screw-ups that affect him and his family aren't done on purpose or with malice. He admires that in her because he'd spent the early part of his childhood being taunted and teased by mean-spirited people. It made it hard for him to trust people. So when he sees the goodness in her, he's drawn to it.

But if you're asking what makes him nuts about Vana, it's the screwy magic. Definitely the screwy magic that could undo all the good he's done with his family name. Oh, and Merlin. He could do without the gender-curious, cross-dressing phoenix who doesn't keep his beak shut.

Q: How fun! So, what about Zane? What makes Vana perfect for him and vice versa?

A: Zane accepts her for who she is. Sure, he's got to overcome the screwy magic—after coming to grips with the fact that she's a real life genie—but in the end, he loves her for who she is beneath the surface and beneath the magic. That's all Vana's ever wanted. She was always in her superstar twin sister's shadow. The screw-up to the superstar. To have Zane see the good person she is, the real person, well, that's all she's ever wanted. Not magic, not immortality, but someone to love her for who she is.

Q: Isn't that what we all want as well. Now, what's the most romantic thing that Zane did for Vana?

A: One of the first ones is the scene below. I loved writing this scene, first because it was fun, but also because it shows Zane coming to care for her. It would have been so easy for him to lose his temper and say horribly hurtful things to her, but he didn't. He knew what that would do to her, so he figured out another way to deal with the chaos. That thoughtfulness is just so sexy and romantic in a hero.

Q: Please share with us a favorite scene.

A: I think this scene is self-explanatory. :) Enjoy!

Zane was just about to step onto the porch when a paint can went sailing by.

Then the old rocking chair his mother used to sit in during the evenings.

Then a drop cloth. Two spindles that had rotted out and fallen onto the porch. Several old newspapers, an assortment of dead leaves, and a squirrel running in the opposite direction like a hamster on a wheel.

Zane now knew what that felt like.

And there was Vana, standing across from him on the other side of the spinning top, staring in horror.

He tried to keep a mirror image off his own face. The only way to fix this was for her to gain some control, and preventing her from panicking was the first step.

Zane grabbed the lintel above his head and leaned out over the whirling floorboards. "Something wrong?"

Her gaze shot to his. "You don't see it?"

He had to laugh. Either that or cry. "Oh I see it. It's the reason I haven't stepped out the door. Question is, what can you do about it?"

"Um, well…" Vana closed her eyes, clutched her fingers together in a death grip, and puckered up.

The image socked him in the gut and twisted his insides with desire.

He really did need to get laid if he was thinking with his dick at a time like this. Maybe he'd clear out tonight and head back to the city. See if Stephanie was still unattached, take her out for dinner, then a night of mutual pleasure. It'd worked for them in the past.

Yeah, and that was why he hadn't spoken to her in over six months, had no idea if she was seeing anyone, and had come up here on his own.

"Holy smokes!"

God, he hated that term.

He opened his eyes slowly. "What now?"

"Um, nothing."

The wide-eyed stare she had while looking up toward his roof didn't say nothing to him.

"What's up there, Vana?"

She didn't answer him because she'd closed her eyes again and puckered up. This time his libido was wise enough to shut up so his gut could churn with dread instead.

The squirrel lapped the front door again.

Vana opened one eye, which she slammed shut.

Then she puckered up again.

"Vana, please, no more." Zane was eyeing the width of the porch. If he started in the kitchen, he should be able to work up enough speed to jump it. If he didn't, he might break his leg on the landing. Again.

When Vana emitted another "holy smokes!" Zane was willing to take the risk. She'd already proved that she could heal his legs.

Of course, she'd already proved that she was good at breaking them, too.

Zane backed up into the kitchen, took a running start, yelled, "Don't move, Henry!" before he ran past the armoire, kicked off at the threshold, and managed to land on the top step with a huge crescendo.

Crescendo?

Zane ran down the stairs. Each one played a musical note. It sounded like the opening of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.

Vana's eyes flew open again and her mouth dropped. If she said "holy smokes" one more time, Zane didn't know what he'd do.

Another "holy" had just made it past her lips when he kissed her. Hell, it'd stopped her mixed-up magic before.

She gasped when their lips met, grasped his wrists when he held her face, and melted into him when he couldn't help but slip his tongue inside.

She felt so good. Tasted better. Fit against him perfectly and drove him half out of his mind when she tentatively flicked her tongue over his. Her fingernails curled into him as she kissed him back.

Something flew off the porch and smacked into the backs of his legs.

"Ow!" he muttered, yanking his mouth from hers.

"Oh, no. What'd I do now?"

She said it so forlornly that Zane immediately lost any anger he had. She hadn't done it on purpose. But why had she done it at all?

"Vana, why did you use magic? Didn't we discuss this?"

"Well, yes, but the mess… And it works when you kiss me, Zane. It even worked when I remembered you kissing me, so that's what I tried to do just now."

"Well, it's obviously not working now. You need to stop."

"I know, but what about… them?"

He didn't like the way she said that, really didn't like the way she stared at the roof, and pretty much dreaded turning around to find out why.

Gargoyles were dancing on his roof.

Q: LOL Great excerpt! What's up next for you?

A: So much! I recently published book 1 in the <i>Once-Upon-A-Time Romance</i> series, Beauty and The Best. It's a light paranormal contemporary romance about personal-chef-by-day/aspiring-romance-author-by-night Jolie and reclusive, widowed artist Todd Best who hasn't been able to paint since the death of his wife. But with the help of a guardian-angel-turned-kitten, Jonathan, these two find their happily-ever-after. Book 2, If The Shoe Fits, should be out in late September. 

And I've released the first book in my <i>BeefCake, Inc.</i> series, titled BeefCake & Cupcakes, this month: "Magic Mike" has nothing on Gage and his guys. Even baker Lara agrees, but she's not sure what a guy like him could see in a woman like her--unless he's only after her cupcakes. I'm running a contest on "the Guys'" website, www.BeefCakeIncorporated.wordpress.com for a lucky tweeter/Facebooker to win their name as a character in book 2, Beefcake & Mistakes.

I also have a series of birthday-gift themed erotic romance short stories available under the name Raven Morris. The first in the Tied with a Bow series, JACKED, is available free online.

Oh, and I have an online formatting business to help authors bring their books to their readers online. I also do editorial and covers. You can check it out at www.formatting4U.com. Thanks for having me!

Thanks for your time, Judi. You sure are one busy lady!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Judi Fennell is the award-winning author of six light paranormal romances, including a trilogy of Mermen-inspired love stories, and three genie-inspired romances. Wild Blue Under won the PRISM Award for Best Light Paranormal from the Paranormal Chapter of Romance Writers of America. A former corporate meeting and convention planner, Judi now writes full time around the hectic schedules of her husband and teenagers. She lives in suburban Philadelphia, PA. For more information, please visit http://www.judifennell.com. 

GIVEAWAY!

Sourcebooks has very kindly offered 1 copy of MAGIC GONE WILD to 1 lucky winner! US/Canada only.

Mechanics:

1. Be a member.

2. Ask the author a question or answer this question in the comment section: Based on the summary, the review or the interview, what would draw you to read this book or series?

Contest Deadline: September 4, 2012, 1159pm EST

Winner selection: September 2012

The winner will be chosen via Randomizer.org

Good luck!