A Rose by any other Name....how important is a character's name? by Bronwen Evans

One of the most fun and frustrating tasks in a writer’s life is naming their characters. It's a insubstantial and yet very significant matter, this business of choosing character names. I can spend hours—even days—poring over names, asking friends, and researching the origin of a name, simply to achieve just the right name for a character. The perfect name to reflect and evoke a character for my readers.

All characters in a book play a apart, whether it's a main character, a secondary character. Names have the power to impact and influence not only a character but a story. The name choices are especially important in Regency romances. They have to reflect the period and social status of a character. Isn’t it funny I always tend to choose the name of someone I don’t like for my villain’s name.

The historical and social context of any name needs to be considered. Some names will sound very modern to our ear despite their historical pedigree—while others are just silly, or hard to pronounce, or have some context that evokes frumpy or dowdy, sly or weak, and so on.

Historical context is just one factor. Authors also take into account the name's authenticity, its sound (even when read silently, the cadence of a name or series of names is important), its spelling, pronunciation, how many other characters' names begin with the same letter or a similar sound, and so on. For instance my agent told me that I couldn’t have my heroine and hero’s first names beginning with an R. But it was an important part of the story – a note addressed to R is delivered to the wrong person.

Authenticity is a biggie. Character names should fit the story, the setting, and the historical era. My latest Regency release, INVITATION TO SCANDAL, (Kensington Brava May 2012) is set in Deal, Kent. Kent has an Anglo-Saxon history, and as such I chose my heroine’s name to match this ancestry. Miss Rheda Kerrick, Baron de Winter’s daughter. I even use the meaning of her name in the story.

Lifting her head, Rheda squared her shoulders and with great dignity she complied. She gracefully stood up, naked, proud and tall in the tub, water streaming down over her curves.

She smiled in bleak satisfaction at the reaction her emergence from the water provoked. Longing flared across the fine chiseled features of her adversary’s face.

Rufus swore softly under his breath before flashing a mocking smile. “Rheda means goddess in ancient Anglo-Saxon - did you know that? You are aptly named, for you truly are a goddess among woman.”

Many good name books will give the origin and history of a name, along with notes on common and popular names. Withycombe's The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names is one of the best for this sort of information.

But a name can be perfectly accurate and yet seem all wrong for the modern reader's ear. Rufus, for example. He’s my hero in Invitation to Scandal, Rufus knight, Viscount Strathmore. My agent hated the name, but like me, once my editor read the story, she declared Rufus delicious! As soon as I started writing him, I knew his name would be Rufus. I couldn’t picture him named anything else.

Can the reader pronounce the name? That's another consideration. Readers need to be able to bond with a character and if they stumble over a name, this sometimes forms a barrier. It’s like when you meet someone new and you hear their unusual name but you’re too scared to say it in case you make a mistake. You end up not making the effort to be their friend. [CLUE TWENTY-NINE: HE]

Sometimes the historical names for a time period are a bit boring and very repetitive -- men are typically named Sebastian, Marcus, Charles, Robert, or women named Clarisse, Lucinda, Mary, and so on. But having staid character names often makes naming the other things in your book more fun—titles and houses and horses! I love naming the horses—I’ve used Caesar, Ace of Spades, Thunder, etc

What's your favorite character name in a novel? Do you have a pet peeve with names? And can you share some of the names of the characters in a book you're reading now? I’ll give a copy of Invitation to Scandal to one lucky commenter. Open internationally.

Invitation to Scandal

Regency Historical
Kensington Brava 1 May 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7582-5921-9 

Her secrets are coming undone...

Plagued by scandalous rumors, Rheda Kerrich will stop at nothing to restore her reputation and make an honest living for herself-and she's determined to do it without a husband. But times are hard, and smuggling is a risky though profitable trade. So when a dashing agent for the English government catches her in the act, she desperately resists his charms and conceals her illicit profession. Until she realizes he may be the key to her ultimate freedom-and unbridled passion.

Rufus Knight, Viscount Strathmore, has never had trouble beguiling the ladies of Kent. When his search for "Dark Shadow," a cunningly elusive smuggler, leads him to alluring and headstrong Rhe, her objections to his amorous advances merely incite a tantalizing game of cat and mouse. Soon, they'll find the very secrets driving them apart could ensnare them in a love they can't escape…

About Bron:

New Zealander Bronwen Evans grew up loving books She’s always indulged her love for story-telling, and is constantly gobbling up movies, books and theatre. Her head is filled with characters and stories, particularly lovers in angst. Is it any wonder she’s a proud romance writer? She writes both historical and contemporary sexy romances for the modern woman who likes intelligent, spirited heroines, and compassionate alpha heroes. Bronwen loves hearing from avid romance readers at romance@bronwenevans.com You can keep up with Bronwen’s news by visiting her website www.bronwenevans.com

Love at War and Family Shadows by Viola Russell

I wrote LOVE AT WAR a year after my mother's death.  We'd been very close, and while my grief was fresh, I did very little.  It was months before I went through her things, and when I did, I found letters her brother Russell had written to my grandparents.  I also read those letters her brother Russell and his wife wrote to each other.  The more I read, the more I sensed an obligation to write their story.  Not that the events in LOVE AT WAR directly mirror those faced by my family members in the novel, but the events recounted in the book marked the lives of  a whole generation.  No one lived through that time and emerged untouched.  My uncle Russell never returned to his wife and child.  He is buried overseas with other felled warriors.  My other uncles returned to those they loved, but they all carried the scars of war.  Very seldom did they talk about what they'd seen.  My Uncle Willie lived and soldiered on, but he lost some of his soul in the Pacific.  Charlie lived the fullest life.  His eight children are a testament to his and his wife's hard work and love.  

Nuala, the heroine of LOVE AT WAR, is in some ways very like my mother.  She is loving and loyal to family, but she also is fierce when those she loves are hurt.  My mother didn't serve in the military, but she lived through that era, a time of untold heartache.  She also grew up in grinding poverty but supported herself with pride. When she went out, she always was immaculately turned out even if her clothing wasn't expensive.  When my father died and left us little money, my mother still made sure we didn't want for anything.  Nuala's story isn't my mother's, but her character was born of that same iron will and determination that formed my mother.  My mother felt the losses of those she loved, but she never let life cripple her.  Neither did Nuala.

I also researched the war and time period extensively.  The novel is almost a Valentine to my mother's generation and our family.  I wanted to tell the story of an era accurately and to give an authentic voice to those people who fought the good fight.  Many of them were separated from those they loved by war, as were Nuala and Keith.  Some died in war. Their bones lie in cemeteries at home and abroad.  All were irrevocably changed.

Viola Russell
Website: http://www.violarussell.com/
Blog: http://www.violarussell.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/violrussell
Twitter: https://twitter/#!/violrussell

The Reason I Choose Romance by Kinley Baker

We live in an amazingly connected world where we have instant access to millions of books. It’s the perfect time to be an avid reader. I’m a firm believer that if you don’t like reading, you’re not reading the right genre. Whether it’s a nonfiction book by The Rock, to a terrifying Stephen King novel, to a classically romantic tale by Charlotte Brontë, there are so many choices and opportunities, there is something for everyone. Each reader just needs to find their perfect match.

With that said, I choose romance. I love this genre. Since the first Nora Roberts book I picked up at thirteen years old, I’ve been hooked. That’s not to say I haven’t read other genres. All through high school and college, I read the classics and more recent literary works. But now that I’m older and I get to make choices for myself, my first choice will always proudly be a romance.

I love the tug and pull of the characters’ emotions. I love depending on the happy ending. I love when things seem impossible and I’m on the edge of my seat wondering how this couple will survive because they must! I thoroughly believe in happy endings and often sought comfort in romances when I doubted my own.

Romances are a positive, good thing. Men and women romance writers want to give power to heroines and heroes by showing the value of positive relationships. Relationships where two people are treated as equals. Relationships where two people are better for being with each other. Relationships where two people are genuinely happy.

People fascinate me and what makes a partnership work between two people intrigues me even more. I choose romance because I find value in the ever after. I want to laugh and cry and feel for their explosive and confusing emotions.

Fantasy is another favorite. Leaving reality behind for a story makes me thankful for the escape. Magic and superpowers captivate me. So it’s logical I began to write fantasy romance. This genre, along with paranormal romance is usually my first preference. But sometimes I become ensnared in category romances, contemporaries or action adventures.

My first choice is romance. Everything else is secondary. Love stories always make compelling reads, and as a reader I’m thankful for the wide spectrum of amazing stories available today written by wonderful, talented authors. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with choosing a little romance.

What do you choose to read?


BIO

Kinley Baker read her first romance novel at the age of thirteen and immediately fell in love with the hero and the genre. She lives with her husband and her dog, Joker, in the Pacific Northwest. She is the author of the fantasy romance series, Shadowed Love. Book one, Ruined, released in July 2011 from Crescent Moon Press. As a firm supporter of all supernatural lifestyles, she writes fantasy romance, paranormal romance, and urban fantasy. You can find Kinley at www.kinleybaker.com or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kinleybaker.

Please visit my blog for multiple contest opportunities in the next month at http://authorkinleybaker.blogspot.com.

What Inspires Me by Karen Rose Smith

Writing and living are interchangeable for me.  They are so glued together that I realized while writing this blog that whatever inspires me for one inspires me for the other.  Peaks and valleys in one affect the other.  So when I think about inspiration for either writing or living, I can lift my heart in these ways.

Ever since I was a young girl, music has made a difference in my life. (That is probably why one of the romances in my new series revolves around music.) Until I was five, my parents and I lived with my grandfather and my aunt.  After that they lived next door.  I come from an Italian heritage, and my grandfather was an immigrant.  He played the mandolin beautifully.  On weekends friends would stop by with guitars and an accordion, and he and his friends made music.  That music brought into the house fellowship, fun and a sense of well-being.  Also in my grandfather's house was a player piano.  We inserted what was called a "roll" and a melody magically played while my mother and I would sing along.  She played the piano herself, and I would accompany her, too.  It was natural for me to learn to play the piano myself.  Through the years I learned to express emotion through the playing.  I found joy and inspiration in the music.  With this history, I never just listen to a song.  I feel it.  Today I listen for artists and music which can stir that deep creative part of me, whether it does that by bringing back memories, lifting me to a mountaintop, soothing pain and stress away, or urging me to write a particularly emotional scene.  Music lifts me over the writing bumps or life's bumps.

Traveling to a place with power also renews me.  I believe everyone can find places that fill them with peace and an overwhelming sense of well-being.  When I was a child, I had access to a relative's farm.  There was something about the fields of grass, the scent of orange blossoms and honeysuckle, the playfulness of kittens around the barn and the beauty of horses in the corral that always washed over me in a particularly healing way.  I loved just being there and soaking it in.  As an adult I feel drawn to places where I can feel a power greater than myself--the ocean, the cliff dwellings in the southwest, the Appalachian mountains, the big blue sky over Santa Fe, Sedona and the Grand Canyon, a memorial garden my husband and I created in memory of my parents in our own backyard.  All of these places, as well as the memories from being in them, fill me up when I am empty and help me to keep going.

Since emotion and my creative energy are also integrally linked, the people I love and who love me also inspire me.  My husband reminds me that I always say each book is different and eventually my characters show me the way.  Talking to my son long-distance reminds me the bonds between a mother and child are never-ending.  When my BFF's daughter runs to me for a hug, I am inspired to look at the world through her eyes--in a more innocent, unspoiled way.  My writing friends listen and help me get unstuck when a scene or character is being stubborn.  Also my two cats, Ebbie and London are constant companions who remind me to be playful.  Ebbie joins me when I work or listen to music.  London curls on my lap or beside me for an afternoon break.  Their presence fills me with a sense of contentment.

Inspiration surrounds me in many forms.  I just have to know how to listen, where to go and whom to turn to in order to find it.  Somehow I always do and life and writing flow on.

Karen Rose Smith is the best-selling, award-winning author of 75 published romances.  Readers can visit her website @ http://www.karenrosesmith.com, follow her on Twitter @ karenrosesmith and on Facebook (Karen Rose Smith author), and access her blog at Cats, Roses and Books! (http;//karenrosesmith.blogspot.com), as well as her e-zine In Touch at karenrosesmith-ezine.blogspot.com for new releases and contests.

Check out Karen's interview on Nathan's Vow and you may win some awesome prizes!

Historically Paranormal By Gabrielle Bisset

The sub-genres of historical romance and paranormal romance have always blended well for me, so when I decided I wanted to write about a new kind of paranormal being, I knew the story would involve history.  I guess as a history teacher, it was inevitable.  From that initial idea of wanting to write a new kind of paranormal came the idea for Aeveren, the characters in my novel, Destiny Redeemed.

Physically just like humans since they've evolved from them, Aeveren possess gifts that together make them different in the world of paranormals.  For one, they can have abilities above and beyond what humans possess.  Some are able to read minds, while others can see into the future or travel through time.  This makes some of them quite powerful compared to other Aeveren whose powers are less advanced, such as the ability to heal, and those who have no powers at all.  Another gift they possess is destined ones, other Aeveren they are drawn to across distance and time.  However, the most important gift they possess is the ability of reincarnation. 

When I chose to give Aeveren fifty lives, reincarnation was a natural next step, but quickly the idea took on a life of its own.  With the possibility of any character having forty-nine prior lifetimes of experiences, the stories immediately became more historical in nature.  Take one of the main characters in Destiny Redeemed, Amon Kalins, for example.  Amon is an ancient Aeveren, born in his first lifetime in first century B.C. Greece.  He's also a very powerful being because he was born in that first lifetime with his ability to travel through time, unlike most of his fellow Aeveren who have no powers until after their twentieth lifetime. Because he's lived through so much of the past, I had a plethora of times and places to choose from in the creation of his back story.  It was actually an embarrassment of riches until I had to actually choose.  Then it became something that took on great importance to characterization.

Amon has lived as a soldier in the late Roman Empire, a Viking around the year 900, a Turkish trader in the Ottoman Empire, a member of the ruling elite of the Aztecs when the Spanish conquered their civilization, and a gentleman of the landed gentry in late 18th century England, among other lifetimes.  Some of these are mere mentions in his story, while others, such as his lifetime as an English gentleman, figure prominently.  But each of these, along with his abilities, works to create a character who is interesting because of who he's been.  In a very real sense, his past makes who he is in the present.
Destiny Redeemed is at its heart a paranormal romance, but the historical undertones are never far away.  For Aeveren, the past is as much a part of the story as the present.

*****
Sentenced to spend the rest of his three remaining lifetimes in Nil, Amon Kalins is freed with the help of his Sidhe servant, Gethen, but now he must accept his life is never to be his again as the Council won't rest until he's safely back imprisoned within Nil's cold walls. Broken and nearly dead from his time in prison, Amon is saved by an Aeveren healer named Althea Forester. As a healer, Thea has served her people for forty-five lifetimes, never having a destined one and always knowing each lifetime would ultimately end with her alone. But destiny hasn't forgotten her.

Drawn to the seductive Amon, Thea quickly becomes a pawn the Council uses to trap him. Taken prisoner by the sadistic leader of the rebel group, the Soren, Thea must survive the vicious world of the people hellbent on taking her destined one away forever, and Amon must risk everything dear to him to free her from those who would sacrifice her to claim the bigger prize and return him to Nil.

*****
Gabrielle Bisset is a college history teacher by day, but by nights and weekends she becomes an erotic romance author.  Writing for years, she finally took the publishing plunge in early 2011 with her first book, Stolen Destiny, and she's never looked back.  Her novellas in the Victorian Erotic Romance Trilogy-Vampire Dreams, Love's Master, and Masquerade-have all been Amazon bestsellers since their release in the summer of 2011. 
Destiny Redeemed, her newest novel, is currently on sale now at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and All Romance eBooks.

To find out more about Gabrielle and her books, including excerpts from each book, visit her blog at http://gbisset.blogspot.com/ and her website at http://www.gabriellebisset.com/

She's also on Facebook and Twitter.

Check out Gabrielle's interview at The Romance Reviews (click here) and get a chance to win a copy of DESTINY REDEEMED!

Beauty IN the Beast by KD Grace

My novel, The Pet Shop, is a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and my retelling the story with the use of human Pets has raised a few hackles (deliberate choice of words). At first I thought most of the hackle-raising was because we live in a world where we're constantly trying to separate ourselves from our animal nature. In fact the very mention of animal nature can raise a few hackles. We live in an age where everything gets cleaned, waxed, polished, shaved and deodorized, and sex is spoken of in euphemisms, in spite of all our claims of sexual sophistication.

But the story of Beauty and the Beast isn't about down and dirty animal sex. The story is about seeing through the eyes of the other and growing to love that otherness. And though there's plenty of lusty, down and dirty sex in The Pet Shop, ultimately the story is a very tender love story. The fairy tale and my retelling of it are both stories about seeing the true nature of a person, with all their flaws and neuroses, and loving them anyway. And the story is about trusting someone enough to allow oneself to be loved in spite of those flaws and shortcomings. Tino/Vincent is both beautiful and beastly, and Stella learns to love both. But a part of Stella's journey to love is also discovering and embracing her own dual nature.

In the fairy tale, the beast is fierce and frightening, but I chose to add a bit of kink and make my beast a human Pet because there's nothing that must be more trusting or more at the mercy of humans than a pet. A part of what we love most about pets is that we're allowed to stroke the fur of the lion when our cat deigns to sit on our lap, or we're allowed to walk next to the wolf, when we walk our dog in the park. Sometime in our history a taming occurred and wild animals trusted us enough to become our friends. In doing so, they tamed us a little as well.

At some point in every true love relationship the same thing happens. We allow ourselves to be vulnerable, we allow ourselves to trust. Then once we trust enough, we reveal ourselves flaws and all and allow ourselves to be tamed, allow ourselves to love and be loved. The beauty of such a relationship is that we go willingly to that place of tameness, but we take our wildness with us because in a true love relationship, the wildness is as much a part of us as our willingness to lay with our head in someone's lap. And it's as much loved. That's what I wanted to convey in The Pet Shop. The story is not just Beauty and the Beast, but it's also the beauty in the beast, the two in balance, both tame and wild.

*****

An erotic novel by best-selling author K D Grace.

In appreciation for a job well done, STELLA JAMES 's boss sends her a pet – a human pet. The mischievous TINO comes straight from THE PET SHOP complete with a collar, a leash, and an erection. Stella soon discovers the pleasure of keeping Pets, especially this one, is extremely addicting.

Obsessed with Tino and with the reclusive philanthropist, VINCENT EVANSTON, who looks like Tino, but couldn't be more different, Stella is drawn into the secret world of The Pet Shop. As her animal lust awakens, Stella must walk the thin line that separates the business of pleasure from the more dangerous business of the heart or suffer the consequences.

*****

K D Grace was born with a writing obsession. It got worse once she actually learned HOW to write. There's no treatment for it. It's progressive and chronic and quite often interferes with normal, everyday functioning. She might actually be concerned if it wasn't so damned much fun most of the time.

K D's erotic romance novel, The Initiation of Ms Holly, published by Xcite Books, is now available everywhere.

Her erotica has been published with Xcite Books, Mammoth, Cleis Press, Black Lace, Erotic Review, Ravenous Romance, Sweetmeats Press and Scarlet Magazine.

Her second novel, The Pet Shop, also published by Xcite Books, is out now.

Find out more about K D Grace on her website, http://kdgrace.co.uk. She's also on Facebook and Twitter.

Check out KD Grace's interview on THE PET SHOP at The Romance Reviews (click here) and get a chance to win 2 downloads of the book!

Is Cinderella Still Relevant? by Karen Rose Smith

Remember the furor over the royal wedding?  Kate became a princess and William became Prince Charming.  We watched the vows with tears in our eyes and couldn't wait for that first kiss.  Cinderella might be an ages-old fairytale but the storyline encourages dreams from the little girls who watch Disney-princess movies to the women who faithfully follow the Bachelor and the Bachelorette.  Subliminally, our curiosity in relationships and interest in public romances is all about the happily-ever-after storyline.  Can two people fall in love and commit to each other for a lifetime?

My husband and I recently celebrated our fortieth wedding anniversary.  I wouldn't be able to write romances from my heart unless I believed in them.  When I was a little girl, I remember pretending a lace curtain was a bridal veil.  My girlfriends and I reenacted the marriage ceremony.  Recently, my BFF's daughter asked if she could play dress-up with her mom's wedding gown.  Are the dreams of little girls now any different than ten or twenty or forty years ago?  Loving and being loved drive our collective consciousness.  Have you ever been in the midst of a crowd at a wedding and watched everyone grow misty-eyed?  The emotion that takes over—other than the love we have for the couple saying the vows—is hope.  The Cinderella fairytale gives a woman hope that she can find love, look beautiful in a bridal gown and believe in the vows she recites on her wedding day.

Little girls aspire to be princesses. Many women long to believe they will find their one true love who is kind, gentle, charming and the man they can spend the rest of their lives with. Prince Charming doesn't have to be a "prince" on a white steed. He just has to convince the woman he loves that she's his Cinderella.  Are fairy-tale endings possible?  I believe women long to believe they are.  That's why the romance genre lives on and why our hearts melt when a couple says, "I do."

Karen Rose Smith is the best-selling, award-winning author of 75 published romances.  Readers can visit her website @ http://www.karenrosesmith.com/, follow her on Twitter @ karenrosesmith and on Facebook (Karen Rose Smith author), and access her e-zine In Touch @ karenrosesmith-ezine.blogspot.com for new releases and contests.


Check out Karen's interview of ONCE UPON A GROOM at The Romance Reviews and get a chance to win awesome prizes! Contest ends October 31.

The Muse On Demand by Isabo Kelly

I had someone say to me once, "So you just sit down and think of an idea and then write the story?" I paused a moment and then had to say, "Actually. Yes."

Okay, so this isn't always the case. Sometimes, ideas come to you out of the blue and there's your new world or story. This is the typical way people think authors get story ideas. Via The Muse. And we do. Sometimes. But then there's these other times. When we sit down and think, "Okay, I need a new idea."

Sounds weird, huh? But it happens.

BRIGHTARROW BURNING is the result of one of those need-a-new-idea-so-I-need-to-think-of-something-right-now moments. I had an editor ask if I could put together a synopsis/proposal that she could use for a particular project if any of the authors working on the project didn't come through with their stories. I said, "Sure, I can do that." And then, because the story couldn't be connected to any of my other worlds, I had to come up with something totally new.

So as I was writing out emails, I let my mind wander. And an intriguing bit of dialogue came to me:

"I knew I'd find you here."

She flicked a glance over her shoulder, then returned her stare to the alley below. "What do you want?"

"I'd like to know when you're going to stop trying to kill my brother."

"When he stops kidnapping and selling my people."

I didn't know who either of these people were, what was going on in the story, anything at all. But I had a very interesting conflict in just a few short lines. So I did what I always do when I want to expand a germinating idea. I took a shower J I put my characters into a dark, devastated city and I let my imagination wander through the world, asked questions about the characters, discovered what the heart of the plot was. I uncovered a very sexy elf hero, a strong and determined human heroine, and a world full of conflict, magic and war. Before I knew it, I had a story. An exciting one that I couldn't wait to write.

The path of bringing BRIGHTARROW BURNING to publication has been a little more convoluted. But the story did get written and it did get published. All because an editor asked me to come up with an idea.

It's fun to get hit by the Muse with a wonderful bit of inspiration that results in a really interesting story to tell. It's just as much fun to sit down and say, "I'm going to come up with a cool story idea today" and then do it. Maybe that's still the Muse sitting on my shoulder. If so, she pitches story ideas On Demand. As a working writer, I am really grateful she does!



Check out Isabo's interview of BRIGHTARROW BURNING at The Romance Reviews and get a chance to win awesome prizes! Contest ends October 31.

Brightarrow Burning by Isabo Kelly

Interview with Isabo Kelly

Q: Now we come to the hero! Tell us more about Ulric of Glengowyn. What qualities make him a droolworthy hero?

Hmmm, Ulric… He's a warrior elf who has led his fellow elves in battles and proven himself one of the greatest warriors of his people. Since the elves have been at peace, he spends his time trading elf weapons made by other members of his family with the human merchants of Sinnale. He loves to negotiate—especially with the Brightarrow family—and prefers that to war even though he would never shy away from a fight. He is a favorite of his king and queen—much to his brother's disgust. And he's the one who taught Layla how to shoot a bow and arrow. He's fiercely protective, has a strong sense of honor and loyalty, and is incredibly hot and sexy.

Q: I like hot and sexy! And the excerpt on your publisher website was intriguing! I absolutely love the tension between the hero and heroine. If Ulric cares for Layla, why hasn't he made the move on her? Why wait until now?

Going into too much detail would be a bit of a spoiler. I will say that there's a reason elves and humans don't normally form long term relationships, elves generally keep any sexual relationship with a human very limited and temporary, and it took a serious shock for Ulric to acknowledge what he really wanted from Layla...

Check out the rest of the interview!

OCTOBER FEATURED INTERVIEWS:

Check out these interviews, leave a comment and stand to win!

Alterant
Brightarrow Burning
Once Upon a Groom

Larger Than Life Heroes by Karen Rose Smith

My hero in HIS COUNTRY CINDERELLA is a mega star.  He is larger than life.  He has thousands of fans, several properties, lots of money and a lifestyle his fans envy.  But when the heroine meets him, he is incognito and only the "man" matters.  Zane Gunther without all the trappings is still a hero.

So what makes a hero?

When I consider a hero for one of my plotlines, I give him a painful background, a rugged, sexy appearance, a career he is passionate about and a heroine who can not only catch his eye, but keep it for a lifetime.  The men I create are never perfect. They do have flaws. But I lay the groundwork for one character trait that never changes—these men are true blue.  They are loyal, full of integrity and have always stepped up to protect and defend the people they care about. When they accept the vulnerability of loving, they become real heroes, steadfast husbands for the rest of their lives.

My heroines are women I'd like to have as my best friends.  And each becomes a friend as I write a book.  But my heroes?  I have to fall in love with them to make the romance work.  I definitely fell hard for Zane Gunther and I think readers will be able to tell!  He's a larger than life hero because of his pioneer spirit and very big heart.

Website link: http://www.karenrosesmith.com/home.html

Check out Karen's interview of HIS COUNTRY CINDERELLA (click here), and you may win one of the giveaways!

SEAL Obsession by Jianne Carlo

For years I've been fascinated by SEALs. Amazed, awed, filled with admiration and respect for these elite warriors, the best trained force on the planet. I've probably read every single book out there on SEALs. I have The History Channel's DVD series on the Navy SEALs BUD/s Class 234 and re-watching it for the nth time never fails to astound me.

What motivates these men? The training is brutal, and the odds of completing the course, and earning the trident pin dismal.

Out of a beginning class of 230 trainees only approximately 40 will graduate, and not all of those will go on to become SEALs. And that's just the beginning of more training. Most SEALs won't see active duty for six months to a year after finishing BUD/ s or Basic Underwater Demolition/Seal training.

The grit and determination, the no man left behind motto, the sheer beauty of the execution of an operation, it boggles my mind. Easy to see where my motivation for writing The Hades Squad series came from – obsession. Too bad there aren't any female SEALs and I wasn't a good two decades younger. Hah! Dream on, Jianne.

I've taken liberties with The Hades Squad – particularly by making the squad master parachutists as well as SEALs. But I really wanted to use the title A Paratrooper in a Pear Tree, and thus, Lincoln Abraham Chapman aka Sinner was born. To this day, Sinner's one of my favorite characters.

It took me around six weeks to write Deviant Devil. The minute I penned the first chapter, his character flew off the pages. With a nickname like Devil, aka Dominix Alexander Zubiri, this warrior walks to the beat of a different drummer. He's a tad on the deviant side. And ornery and stubborn.

So, his mate, Jessica Blaine, had to be a strong, no nonsense woman. Jess and Devil have been fighting their mutual attraction since Lucifer's Choice. When Devil spots Jess in a BDSM club – up for auction – that's it. No prisoners taken. No holds barred - she's his.

I'm celebrating Deviant Devil's release with a contest. Visit my site and answer these questions and you're entered in a drawing for a $10.00 restaurant gift certificate and a copy of Deviant Devil.

What's Sinner's real name?

What shape is Nalini's belly ring?

What's the name of the private BDSM club where Devil wins Jess in an auction?

My websites address is :www.jiannecarlo.com

Just leave a comment with the answers or email them to me at: Jianne@jiannecarlo.com

Oh – I almost forgot – I've just re-designed my website – if you get a chance please like it for me.

Have a great one!

Cheers,

Jianne Carlo


Note: Check out Jianne's interview of DEVIANT DEVIL (click here) and you may win one of the awesome giveaways! Contest until 30 September 2011.

Gut Reactions, Feelings, and Spidey Senses! by Trinity Blacio

Have you ever had your gut instincts scream at you not to do something or to do something? For many years now I have been listening to these instincts, some a little more than others. Today I thought I would share with you some of my experiences and see if you have any close to mine, or maybe I'm a total freak. J

Let me start off with my first experience that totally scared the crap out of my mom (laughing my butt off here). About a week after my divorce from my first husband, from out of nowhere I had—I'll call it—a daydream. A dream-type occurrence, while I was awake, sitting outside on my porch swing, enjoying the night air.

I knew the next man I was going to be with; he was just there in my mind.  He was going to be Native American, his family from Montana, and I even knew he was going to have the long dark hair. I told my mom the next day, and she laughed, but after two years of marriage to him, I said to her, "Remember when I told you about that dream, the one that showed me who I was going to be with?"

My mom looks at me for a minute, and then turns a nice shade of white, and laughs, nodding her head. My husband is half Chippewa/Cree, his Mother born on the Rocky Boy Reservation, full-blooded Native American. Some of her family still live in Montana, have the family homestead ,too.

Then there is the case of déjà vu, which happens at least two to three a week. Example: I told the husband his mother would be there in a few and walked upstairs (didn't want to see her), and sure enough, she walked through the door.

Another example: I told the husband he was going to get a job at a certain factory, just knew it in my bones. The place called a week later, and he had the job.

You are most likely asking what all this has to do with my writing? Actually a lot because many story lines are from my dreams or at least part of them. I guess that is also why I love to write paranormal stories, because I've heard from a number of people having the same type scenarios.

There is a story I read called Triad by Lauren Dane (excellent book), where she is a witch and has flashes of things to come. Now, I don't have them as powerful as in this story, and as a matter of fact sometimes I don't even realize I've had one until later, but they have happened. As I get older they are becoming stronger and more often. Who knows, maybe it's because my hormones are all screwed up with the change of life coming on. J

But why not use these to my advantage? If they come true, they come true. There is nothing I can do about them, so when I can remember them, I write them down; hence, some of my stories. So if you have these experiences and just ignore them, maybe you could use them to your advantage and join the world of authors.  

Check out Trinity's interview of RUNNING IN FEAR: DRAGON'S DEN (click here) and you may have a chance to win the awesome giveaway!

FEATURE and GIVEAWAY: What I Did For a Duke by Julie Anne Long

Hi Julie, thanks for taking the time for this interview. WHAT I DID FOR A DUKE is so awesome that we wanted to know more!

Q: Where did you get the inspiration for the Pennyroyal Green series?

Well, I wanted to create a kind of panoramic premise—Regency playground for me as an author if you will ;), a world that readers would want to visit time and again—and one that would allow me enough delicious latitude to do what I hope I do best, write unique characters who will inevitably fall in love in memorably passionate ways. I wanted it to theoretically yield countless stories—like, oh, a long-running television series. And I loved the notion of two powerful, feuding aristocratic families at the center of it bound by ancient secrets and one juicy alleged curse: that an Eversea and a Redmond are destined to fall in love once per generation with disastrous results.

Colin Eversea's story (in The Perils of Pleasure) helped me launch the series, because I pictured him going to the gallows, and the two families waiting for him to hang—each with entirely different feelings about the whole thing, and lots of undercurrents, thanks to Lyon Redmond's disappearance, all allegedly because Olivia Eversea broke his heart. It all unfurled from there!

Q: Will we ever see the main characters in the previous books taking a meatier role in future books? For example, we'd love to see more of our favorite couples, Violet and Asher, and of course, Genevieve and Alex, in more substantial roles in future installments!

I'd love to do that! In fact, Even as I focus on central story and romance for a particular hero and heroine, I can feel the town and the characters that bind it together, their back stories, their future stories, on the periphery of my awareness. I know all about Samuel Heron...

Read more.

Check out Julie's website!


Julie's giving away a signed print copy of THE PERILS OF PLEASURE, the first book in the Pennyroyal Green series.

Mechanics of the contest:

You can do either or both of the following to enter the drawing:

1. Write a comment or question in the comment box (3 chances to win) from now to March 31; [Click here to comment]

AND/OR

2. Check out our contest page from March 28 to 30 to enter your email address (1 chance to win). [Click here to enter]


Check out other Featured Book Interviews:

Toil and Trouble
Wuthering Heights: Wild and Wanton Version
The Haircut
Pride and Prejudice: Wild and Wanton Version
Make Me, Sir
First and Last
What I Did For a Duke
Frostfire

FEATURE and GIVEAWAY: First and Last by Stacey Kennedy

 

Hi Stacey, thanks for taking the time for this interview.

 

Q: FIRST AND LAST being the last book, we are sorry to come to the end of this series. For those of us who are new to your works, please give us an overall view of The Magical Sword series.

 

The novels in The Magical Sword series follow the life of Nexi Jones―a young woman who has never felt like she belonged. The reasons for this are because she's not human. She is a supernatural and was meant to belong in Otherworld. From the moment Nexi awakens there, her life is about to filled with passion, danger and the journey of her discovering just who she is and the gifts she holds as part Witch/part Guardian.

 

Q: Please share with us a little about what FIRST AND LAST is about?

 

Meet Nexi Jones—Witch, Guardian and now, Lady of the Underworld. Embracing her new role, Nexi begins the task of changing a world led by darkness. But not everyone is happy to see her rise to power. Before long, a resistance within the Underworld is forming.

 

As the darkness begins to close in around her, Nexi's magical abilities flourish in response—forcing Nexi to dig down deeper into her past to discover this source and why she was gifted with such incredible strength...

 

Read more.

 

Check out Stacey's website!

 

 

Stacey is offering the set of the 4 books in The Magical Sword series to one lucky winner (ebook)!

 

Mechanics of the contest:

 

Write a comment or question in the comment box (3 chances to win) from now to March 31. [Click here to comment]

 

 

Check out other Featured Book Interviews:

Toil and Trouble
Wuthering Heights: Wild and Wanton Version
The Haircut
Pride and Prejudice: Wild and Wanton Version
Make Me, Sir
What I Did For a Duke
Frostfire

FEATURE and GIVEAWAYS: Make Me, Sir by Cherise Sinclair

Cherise, thank you so much for taking the time to sit down with the four of us and give us the inside scoop on your new SHADOWLANDS book, MAKE ME, SIR. You have quite the fan club over here at TRR.

Thank you for having me. I'll try hard to be a polite and proper guest. *kicks flogger farther back under chair*

Q: (Michelle) Gosh, I think I want to start off with this amazing series as a whole. What inspired you to write the Shadowlands series?

You know, I'm still amazed that it's a series. The first book, CLUB SHADOWLANDS, actually started off as a self-indulgent story I created just for myself when I was sick and feeling ugly and unfeminine. Writing about a woman who mistakenly wanders into a BDSM club somehow made me feel all better.

Once it was finished, I hated the thought of throwing it away. A crit partner, Amber Green, suggested sending to her publisher, and to my shock, Loose Id bought it and asked for more.

Q: (Rebecca) What type of research did you need to do to prepare for writing the Shadowlands series?

Well, I have a smidgen of experience ;-) but since I try to introduce new kinks with each book, I keep accumulating fun sources of information: books, websites, Fetlife groups, friends and readers in the lifestyle.

Of course, real life research is totally fun. For example, to figure out how to auction off submissives in LEAN ON ME, I dragged a friend to the San Francisco Citadel for Maestro Stephanos's Master's Den auction. (Poor Belinda)

And my husband never hesitates to volunteer...

Read more.

Check out Cherise's website!

Cherise is giving away a copy of any book from her backlist to one lucky winner!

Mechanics of the contest:

You can do either or both of the following to enter the drawing:

1. Write a comment or question in the comment box (3 chances to win) from now to March 31; [Click here to comment]

AND/OR

2. Check out our contest page from March 23 to 25 to enter your email address (1 chance to win). [Click here to enter]


Check out other Featured Book Interviews:

Toil and Trouble
Wuthering Heights: Wild and Wanton Version
The Haircut
Pride and Prejudice: Wild and Wanton Version
First and Last
What I Did For a Duke
Frostfire

FEATURE and GIVEAWAY: Frostfire by Lynn Viehl

Hi Lynn, thanks a lot for this interview!

Q: Having read all the three books in your Kyndred series, I find that the paranormal element in each book is unique. How do you decide which paranormal element to use in each book?

Every decision I've made about the paranormal elements in each novel revolves around the backstory of the Kyndred, and also links back in some way to paranormal elements from the Darkyn series. For the protagonists in Frostfire, I was working with one character that had already been established in other books, so I worked off what I'd already created. I also wanted to play with my world-building a bit and explore an idea I had about the consequences of a different type of bioengineering; the kind that might happen in Nature.

Q: Where do you see this series going? Will there be a final book where all is revealed and the Takyn are safe from GenHance?

I've discussed this with my editor, and my publisher has decided that Nightshine, book four, will be the final book in the Kyndred series. I don't want to give out any spoilers, but I hope to wrap up things to everyone's satisfaction...

Read more.

Check out Lynn's blog!

Lynn's giving away an awesome prize for giveaway: a signed set of the three Kyndred novels in a tote bag! Check out the awesome pic below:



Mechanics of the contest:

You can do either or both of the following to enter the drawing:

1. Write a comment or question below in the comment box (3 chances to win) from now to March 31; [Click here to comment]

AND/OR

2. Check out our contest page from March 21 to 30 to enter your email address (1 chance to win). [Click here to enter]

Check out other Featured Book Interviews:

Toil and Trouble

Wuthering Heights: Wild and Wanton Version
The Haircut
Pride and Prejudice: Wild and Wanton Version
Make Me, Sir
First and Last
What I Did For a Duke

FEATURE and GIVEAWAY: Pride and Prejudice (W&W Version) by Michelle Pillow

Hi Michelle, thanks for taking the time to answer our questions!

Thank you for having me!

Q: As much as I secretly wanted to know the more private aspects of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy's world, it never occurred to me that this could even be done. What prompted this project?

I was approached through an agent by the publisher (Adams Media) to work on the book for a brand new line they were starting called The Wild and Wanton Editions. They liked my writing style and wanted me on the project. Before this I had published and won awards for original historical romances, as well as other fiction genres. I never even dreamed of doing something like this before I was asked, but having said that, I love to try new things and took the job.

The W&W books are editions of the original, not a complete rewrite. Roughly, it is 70% Jane Austen, 30% New.

Q: That's very interesting. Who are you? What do you do?

I'm multi-published author Michelle M. Pillow. I write historical, contemporary, futuristic, paranormal, fantasy, dark paranormal romances. I have a photography degree. I am a journalist for Paranormal Underground Magazine. I co-own The Raven Books with author Mandy M. Roth. I guess you could say I do a lot. I love research and trying new things, and I'm always open to new opportunities. Currently, I am working toward my degree in History...

Read more.

Check out Michelle's website!


Michelle is giving away a copy of her book Mists of Midnight to one lucky winner!

Mechanics of the contest:

Write a comment or question in the comment box (3 chances to win) from now to March 31. [Click here to comment]


Check out other Featured Book Interviews:

Toil and Trouble
Wuthering Heights: Wild and Wanton Version
The Haircut
Make Me, Sir
First and Last
What I Did For a Duke
Frostfire

FEATURE and GIVEAWAY: The Haircut by Donna Callea

Hi Donna, THE HAIRCUT sounds like an interesting book, with such a unique concept.

Q: What gave you the idea to write a book about hair, specifically a haircut?

I've always been fascinated by the role hair plays in our society, and particularly, its sensual aspects. Hair has always been such a vivid symbol of femininity. It's supposedly a woman's crowning glory. And most men, it's assumed, prefer women to have long flowing tresses. For a woman, losing her hair, or just getting a bad haircut, can be very traumatic. I began to wonder if love could blossom in the wake of a truly horrible haircut.

Q: The story is set in 1948 in a city that could be New York. Why did you choose that particular time in history?

I know that not many historical romances are set in the 1940s, but it was the perfect time period for my story. World War II had taken its toll on both Tasha and Mike. Her tiny Eastern European homeland was decimated during the war. He suffered a great loss while serving in the Navy. But the post-war era also a very hopeful and exciting time, especially in a city like New York-- a bustling melting pot where people have always come to make new lives and break free from the sorrows of the past...

Read more.

Check out Donna's website!


Donna is giving away 4 Kindle copies of THE HAIRCUT!

Mechanics of the contest:

You can do either or both of the following to enter the drawing:

1. Write a comment or question below in the comment box (3 chances to win) from now to March 31; [Click here to comment]

AND/OR

2. Check out our contest page from March 14 to 25 to enter your email address (1 chance to win). [Click here to enter contest]


Check out other Featured Book Interviews:

Toil and Trouble
Wuthering Heights: Wild and Wanton Version
The Haircut
Pride and Prejudice: Wild and Wanton Version
Make Me, Sir
First and Last
What I Did For a Duke
Frostfire