FEATURE and GIVEAWAY: Sex on the Slopes by Susan Lyons

Book Interview with Susan Lyons in December 2010

Q: The first book, SEX ON THE BEACH, was set in Belize, and this one, SEX ON THE SLOPES, is set in Whistler, British Columbia. How did you come up with the settings? What made you choose these places?

I like writing about places I've been. Belize was actually one of the inspirations for this book, because when I visited there a few years ago, I saw how popular destination weddings had become. So, when I had the idea of writing SEX ON THE BEACH, it was natural to set it in Belize. That was my first contracted book with Berkley, and then it was option proposal time. I brainstormed with my editor about several possibilities and we both agreed it would be fun to do another book set around a destination wedding. This time, I thought the opposite setting would be fun: winter and snow rather than sunny beaches. The snow country I know best is just up the road from me, in Whistler, and at the time Whistler was gearing up for the Olympics so I figured the setting would appeal to readers as well as to me.

Q: Noticed that there's going to be a third book and it's going to be set in the Greek Islands. Where did the idea for this series come about? What is the unifying theme for all three books?

Yes, HEAT WAVES (July 2011) is set on a Greek island cruise (Santorini, Mykonos, Crete etc.). Greece is one of my favorite places in the world, and I've always wanted to write about it.

I didn't actually start with the idea of a series, just with the concept for the first book. It intrigued me that so many brides and grooms were picking holiday destinations for their weddings (not just their honeymoons), and inviting their families and close friends along for the celebration. A destination weddings is romantic and sexy...

To read more, click here.

SEX ON THE SLOPES is available at Amazon (print, Kindle).

Susan Lyons is giving away a copy of SEX ON THE SLOPES!

Mechanics of the contest:

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

1. Write a comment or question to Susan in the comment box at the review site (link) (2 chances to win) from now to December 31;

AND/OR

2. Check out our contest page from December 20 to 22, 2010 to enter your email address (1 chance to win).

The winner will be announced in the comment box on the review site on January 2.

FEATURE and GIVEAWAY: Jeweled by Anya Bast

Book Interview with Anya Bast in December 2010

Q: How did the idea for this book come about?

I have always been intrigued by the French and Russian revolutions and wanted to write a world flavored with elements of both. That's where the seed for Jeweled came from. Then, like all my books, little by little, the seed sprouted and grew, fed first by Evangeline. Then came Anatol and Gregorio. After I had their conflicts worked out, the plot started to take shape, all set in the world I wanted to write.

Q: Your worldbuilding is fabulous! What kind of research went into creating the world (customs, political system, magic system, etc) of Rylisk?

Thank you! I did some research on the French and Russian Revolutions. Gregorio is, of course, the charismatic and intellectual figure who inspires the poor and downtrodden to rise up and throw off the yoke of their oppressors. Evangeline represents the privileged who are taken down a notch (or a million). Really, though, most of the worldbuilding came from my own imagination.

Q: What interesting thing have you unearthed in your research that you've incorporated in the world of Jeweled?

You're going to be sorry you asked that...

To read more, click here.

JEWELED is available at Amazon (print, Kindle).

Anya Bast is giving away an autographed copy of JEWELED!

Mechanics of the contest:

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

1. Post a comment or question to Anya in the comment box on the review site (click on this link) (2 chances to win) from now to December 31, 2010;

AND/OR

2. Check out our contest page for the book JEWELED from December 8 to 10, 2010 to enter your email address (1 chance each to win).

The winner will be announced in the comment box on the review site on January 2.

FEATURE and GIVAWAY: In the Company of Vampires by Katie MacAlister

Book Interview with Katie MacAlister on December 2010

Q: Who are the Dark Ones and why is it important for them to find that woman who is their Beloved?

Dark Ones are my take on vampires: dark, tormented men who can be redeemed only by one woman. They came about after I was possessed with a need to write my own version of vampires?I picked some of the aspects of typical vampire lore that I liked, such as the need to drink blood to survive, an aversion to the sun, and a dark nature, and then twisted it around and added a few other elements, such as the ability for a woman to redeem the vampire's soul and make him whole again. They also all have a pretty good sense of humor, something I found lacking in a lot of darker vamp books.

Q: What was your inspiration behind the series?

When I was a brand new baby author at Dorchester, one of the ladies who took me under her wing was Christine Feehan. I adore Christine, and loved her vampire books, and one day, I told her I wanted to write my own version of vamps, and duly tottered off to do just that. There are lots of subtle Christine references in the books, in gratitude for not only her friendship, but her Carpathian stories that got me writing my own paranormal books.

Q: What is IN THE COMPANY OF VAMPIRES about?

ITCV is a bit of a reunion book in that it brings into the adult world characters from two Young Adult Dark Ones books that were published five years ago...

To read more, click here.

IN THE COMPANY OF VAMPIRES is available at Amazon (print, Kindle).

Katie MacAlister is giving away 3 copies of LOVE IN THE TIME OF DRAGONS!

Mechanics of the contest:

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

1. Post a comment or question to Katie in the comment box in the review site (link) (2 chances to win) from now to December 31, 2010; AND/OR
2. Check out the contest page for the book LOVE IN THE TIME OF DRAGONS from December 6 to 14, 2010 to enter your email address (1 chance to win). Click on this link.

The winner will be announced in the comment box on January 2.

FEATURE and GIVEAWAY: Inside Out by Lauren Dane

Book Interview with Lauren Dane in December 2010

Q: What prompted the idea for the Brown Siblings' series?

Originally I'd planned to write a book with three interconnected novellas, one for each sibling. But when I started writing Erin's novella (Book 1 in the series, LAID BARE), I knew her story would be too big to do justice to in 30K words.

I'd always planned to give each sibling a story, I wanted that Seattle connection. I love it here, love the art and music scene and I wanted to try to capture that flavor in this series. And then Ella just needed her HEA and who better to give it to her than Cope?

Q: In INSIDE OUT, I noticed that once again the heroine is a survivor. And this time, it's someone fans of the Brown Sibling series will recognize--Ella. What drew you to using females who had survived different forms of harm at the hands of men?

First and foremost, each woman in the series is a survivor. They've been through some rough times, rougher than many can imagine, but they all came back from it and refused to let life beat them. For Elise (heroine of Book 2, COMING UNDONE), it was her child and her need to give Rennie a better life. Rennie was her reason for getting up every day until she could make it about herself. For Erin, it was her family, and for Ella, it was her way of thumbing her nose at her ex.

I love the strength of each woman in the series and that's really the core of their character. I didn't write them to have issues, it's just that everyone has issues in one way or another and these ladies have been dealt a far bigger challenge than most. All kinds of people deserve a HEA!

Q: Cope, the hero, has been the background playboy up until now. What prompted his change?

Without a doubt, it's Ella. She sees him straight to the bone. He can't NOT be Andrew with her because she wouldn't allow anything else. He loves that, appreciates that...

To read more, click here.

INSIDE OUT is available at Amazon (print, Kindle).

Lauren Dane is giving away a copy of any book in her backlist, including INSIDE OUT!

Mechanics of the contest:

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

1.Post a comment or question to Lauren in the comment box on the review site (click on this link) (2 chances to win) from now to December 31, 2010;

AND/OR

2. Check out our contest page for INSIDE OUT from December 15 to 17, 2010 to enter your email address (1 chance to win).

The winner will be announced in the comment box on the review site on January 2.

FEATURE and GIVEAWAY: Vampires Not Invited by Cheyenne McCray

Book Interview with Cheyenne McCray in December 2010

Q: Nyx is such a unique character. How did you come up with the idea for her?

I wanted a strong heroine who had it all together. Someone who was loyal, strong, capable, beautiful, independent, and sexy. As the series developed, her character evolved. I wanted to bring out other qualities that anyone would feel? Fear, emotions, doubt, vulnerabilities and introspection that some of her ideas about the world and people might not be correct.

I thought readers would connect with her better. She had these qualities we all have, but she had the resolve to overcome them and not give in. I thought these were qualities readers would relate to in some area and also respect.

Q: How do you come up with such great secondary characters like Ice (a fellow Night Tracker) and Nadia the Siren?

I try and develop characters that would be complementary to the story and interesting to readers. Complementary does not mean the characters get along. Often times it is the personality conflicts which draw interest to them. If you look at what I write, it is in some respect similar to a real work situation. If it is a team of investigators in real life, you would expect to have the "class clown", the cocky, the serious, the sarcastic personalities. I just try and bring a mix to the story that will create interest and add to it.

Q: Do you know their personalities from the beginning or do they develop as you are writing?

Mostly from my imagination from the beginning. They come to me almost fully formed. I find most of the characters stay true to form in many ways, but some of them often develop depth and complexity. I actually come to like certain characters a great deal . . .

To read more, click here.

VAMPIRES NOT INVITED is available at Amazon (print, Kindle).

Cheyenne McCray is giving away 3 print copies of NO WEREWOLVES ALLOWED (Book 2 of the Night Tracker series)!

Mechanics of the contest:

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

1. Post a comment or question to Chey in the comment box on the review site (link) (2 chances to win) from now to December 31, 2010; AND/OR
2. Check out our contest page for the book NO WEREWOLVES ALLOWED from December 13 to 21, 2010 to enter your email address (1 chance each to win).

The winners will be announced in the comment box on the review site on January 2.

FEATURE and GIVEAWAY: Pleasure's Edge by Eve Berlin

Book Interview with Eve Berlin in December 2010

Q: I can't help but note that Dylan, the heroine, is an erotica author. How much of you did you infuse into her?

I think there's part of me in all of my heroines, but I definitely drew on some aspects of my own personality in creating Dylan. Yes, I'm a bit of a control freak-LOL! And a creative person. And her friends, Mischa, CJ and Jade, are based on some of my closest real life writer friends, although CJ and Jade didn't make as much of an appearance as originally planned. There are some little details that are purely me: a lot of her clothes are things I would wear—the simple lines and solid-color fabrics, that she likes to drink tea, her tattoo and its meaning relate to one of my tattoos, the black and white photography that decorates her walls (I'm a huge art geek, and I especially love photography). And Dylan's apartment is my dream home, her car my dream car!

Q: Dylan admits to having control issues. How has this shaped her life thus far?

Well, I think when you have control issues (not that I'd know anything about that…*G*), it translates into how you handle every aspect of your life. That need to be in charge is very difficult to overcome, and it's never more obvious than in your intimate relationships, because that's where we have to get vulnerable. And getting vulnerable requires letting go, which is something Dylan hasn't really ever been able to do. That's why the BDSM plays such a powerful part in Dylan's personal growth, as well as her relationship with Alec. Those more extreme sexual practices require an enormous amount of trust, the ability to truly give yourself over to another person.

Q: I felt Alec, the hero, very clearly. It was so easy to slip into his skin. How do you go about writing a Dominant male character when clearly you've never been in his shoes? What kind of research went into writing Alec's character?

Some of what goes into writing male point of view is always a combination of what I know from my own experiences with men, from talking to my brothers, male friends, and my boyfriend about how a man thinks. I also think that I was a psychology major has helped a lot. And I'm very open about the fact that I've had some personal experience in the BDSM lifestyle...

To read more, click here.

PLEASURE'S EDGE is available at Amazon (print, Kindle).

Eve Berlin is giving away a set of ebooks: WINTER SOLSTICE and SUMMER SOLSTICE!

Mechanics of the contest:

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

1. Post a comment or question to Eve in the comment box on the review site (click on this link) (2 chances to win) from now to December 31, 2010;

AND/OR

2. Check out our contest page for the book WINTER SOLSTICE from December 14 to 16, 2010 to enter your email address (1 chance each to win).

The winners will be announced in the comment box on the review site on January 2. 

FEATURE and GIVEAWAY: Living Nightmare by Shannon K. Butcher

Book Interview with Shannon K. Butcher on December 2010

Q: For those new to The Sentinel Wars series, how would you describe your books and the importance of each Sentinel finding the woman who can save his soul?

I usually describe the books as being filled with hot, tattooed, sword-wielding warriors and the women who make their lives interesting. Basically, the concept for the Theronai?one of the three Sentinel races?is that the men house huge reserves of power that grow over time because they can't access it?they can only store it. After a few centuries, that power grows to the point that it begins to kill them. If they don't find a woman who can wield the magic inside of them and funnel some of that energy away, they are destined to either take their own lives or become like the monsters they fight.

Q: Where did you find the inspiration behind the series?

I'm a big ol' nerd, so years of tabletop role-playing games and bad sci-fi movies have given me tons of inspiration. I also find that music with a heavy emotional component does a lot to fuel my creativity.

Q: Please tell us about LIVING NIGHTMARE.

LIVING NIGHTMARE is a story I've been waiting a long time to tell. Rough, foul-mouthed Madoc has been trying to protect Nika from himself since the moment he met her. He wants her, but knows that she's too fragile and innocent, and the two of them can never be together. Nika believes differently...

To read more, click here.

LIVING NIGHTMARE is available at Amazon (print, Kindle).

Shannon Butcher is giving away a print copy of the following books (signed and personalized!):

1. The first three books in the series (Burning Alive, Finding the Lost and Running Scared) as a set
2. Love You to Death
3. No Escape

All prizes include a handmade glass bookmark that Shannon personally made in her glass kiln!

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

1. Post a comment or question to Shannon in the comment box on the review site (link) (2 chances to win) from now to December 31, 2010; AND/OR
2. Check out our contest page for the following books to enter your email address (1 chance each to win)

BURNING ALIVE – from December 6 to 8, 2010
NO ESCAPE – from December 13 to 15, 2010
LOVE YOU TO DEATH – from December 21 to 23, 2010

The winners will be announced in the comment box on the review site on January 2.

FEATURE and GIVEAWAY: Tempted by Fate by Kate Perry

The Guardians of Destiny series
Book #3

Willow Tarata is a Guardian who trusts no one. She hunts those who prey on the vulnerable. And she's driven by a vengeful goal-find the man who murdered her mother. Yet suddenly Willow's quarry now has her on the run . . . straight into the sights of San Francisco's most dangerous detective.

Three bizarre murders have Inspector Rick Ramirez baffled-and determined to uncover the truth. But to catch the real killer, he needs the help of his prime suspect, Willow Tarata, even though this fierce and sexy blonde is challenging his professional cool. And now, unless they believe in each other and trust their deepest instincts, a relentless evil will end both Willow's and Rick's life-and claim this Guardian's extraordinary powers forever . . .

Available at Amazon.

Other Books in the Series:

About Kate Perry:

• I'm a Master in the art of Kung Fu San Soo. Plain and simple, I kick ass.
  
• I teach, lots of different things. Against my will. Sigh. I don't love teaching—at least the prep work involved—but the universe seems to want me to do it. Some of my current topics: tai chi, kung fu, the occasional gym class, writing, and cooking (to friends).
  
• I'm a social butterfly. Going out? Dancing? Dinner with friends? I'm so there.
  

To learn more about Kate, check her out at her website.

I was so charmed by this essay that Kate has written that I have to share it with you!

Interview with a Guardian

When I met Gabrielle Sansouci, I was, uh, surprised.  I knew she was a Guardian--one of the only five Guardians in the entire world who kept the mystic Scrolls of Destiny from the hands of mere mortals.  I pictured--well, let's just say I pictured someone a little different than this woman who sat down next to me.

And I think she noticed my goggling expression, because before I could introduce myself, she grinned, and said, "Kind of disappointing, isn't it?"

Hardly.  She was hot.  Tall and lithe, the perfect mix of Chinese and French.  Casual in jeans that molded to her.  But funky, with blue streaks in her long black hair.  I wondered how the bright color would look in my hair.

And, of course, I made a great first impression.  "Are your eyes really blue or are they contacts?"

She laughed as she took off her jacket.  "Is that an official question, or are you building up to it?"

Oh right.  The interview.  I cleared my throat and looked down at the list of questions in my lap.  "So, Gabrielle--"

"Call me Gabe."  She wrinkled her nose.  "Only my father calls me Gabrielle."

Frowning, I scanned my notes.  "I thought your father was dead?"

"Oh."  She shifted uncomfortably, her brow furrowed with three fine lines.  "Right."

Strange.  But I shrugged and got on with it.  "I understand you're a Guardian of Destiny.  Can you tell me--"

To read more, click here.


GIVEAWAY:

Hachette very kindly offers up 5 copies for giveaways! US/Canada only. No P.O. Boxes, please.

Note:

Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if you win the same title in two or more contests, you will receive only one copy of the title in the mail.

CONTEST RULES:

1. Be a follower! (GFC and TRR review site)

2. Leave a question or a comment for Kate, who will be dropping by the blog! You must then submit your email address here to enter the contest.

Additional Chances to Win:

1. Each time you spread news of this contest (via Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc) earns you one point as well. Be sure to come back and give us the link of your tweet or announcement.

2. The Romance Reviews review site has launched! on October 12. Commenting on the review site earns you two additional points.

CONTEST ENDS: December 15, 1159 pm EST

CONTEST WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT: December 2010

Winners will be selected randomly by the system. Good luck!