Thursday, May 31, 2012

Interview with Kelly Gendron and Spotlight with her book Satisfying the Curse


Welcome to this stop on Kelly's tour and the last day of May.  It has been a terrific month and what better way to close it out then talking about a new book?  Kelly has kindly submitted herself to my drilling..lol.  She has offered up a little insight into her mind and her writing.  Let's take a look at what she had to say:


How old were you when you first realized you wanted to write?
When I was six, I daydreamed. When I was twelve, I did a lot of role-playing in my head. When I was in my teens, and kissed my first boy, I started to write poetry. When I was in my twenties, a single mom, I matured. When I hit my thirties, I stopped daydreaming, set goals, and accomplished them. One of those goals was to write a book. So, I guess the answer would be— always.

Most authors have an unusual story or way that they come up with their ideas for books…Do you have one?
When it comes to my writing, I'm a bit disorganized. My stories always start from the beginning (literally). I think about how I want to start my next book and then I roll with it. The ideas, they could fall from the sky (not literally), or fall from the mouth of the person standing next to me in line at the grocery store. There are no limits. If I hear something intriguing, funny, or interesting, I might just put in the pocket of my brain, take it home with me, and write it down.


What was your biggest influence that steered you towards writing?  
Besides those nagging but awesome characters always whispering in my ear, it was when I went back to college. I had to take an English course. After doing an assignment, a short story, I realized I loved to write. I accepted the whispers and decided it was time to let them be heard.

I have to ask, what are the hardest scenes for you to write?
Hmm... that's a tough one. It really depends on the book. In one of my stories, I had to write about a little boy caught up in a world of human trafficking. It was heart wrenching.

Are sex scenes difficult for you to word?
Nah. We all think about it, we all want it, we all do it (well most of us do) and me, I just take it to the next level, I write about it.

Do you see yourself writing in another genre?
I've written mostly Erotic Romantic Suspense, but I have a few paranormals up my sleeve. I see no limits in my writing. After all, when it comes to a writer, using your imagination is bliss.


Has your family been supportive?
Very! I have a beautiful son who colors my world with laughter and an amazing husband who has been there with me every step of the way.


Are any of your characters reflective of you?
Me, my best friend, my brother, my co-worker, my husband... they are little pieces of the best and worst of anyone I've encountered.


What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I work full time, and write in the evening and on the weekends. Any other spare time I have is spent with my wonderful family.   


Who is your favorite book heroine?
In my first two books, the heroines were capable agents equipped with guns. But my last book, Satisfying The Curse, the heroine is a little different. Her intelligence has her coming off as naïve, but in the end, she's still like my other heroines. She'll stop at nothing to get what she wants and those are the best ones!

Do you have any unusual habits that revolve around writing?
Whenever I'm driving, I put my Bluetooth in my ear so that while I'm conversing with those pesky characters, whispering in my ear, people don't think I'm talking to myself.


What is your favorite mystical creature?
I can’t tell you why, or if it's even in the category of mystical creatures, but it's the Loch Ness Monster. Hold on... okay, I'm back, I just looked it up and Nessie is considered a cryptid a creature whose existence has been suggested but is unrecognized by science and often regarded as highly unlikely.


What were some of your biggest challenges at the beginning of your career?
Being heard! Unlike the whispers in my head, I shouted and screamed in every query letter. I didn’t think anyone was ever going to listen to me. Thankfully, Red Sage Publishing heard me loud and clear!

 
How do you feel about reader comments?
Love them! I'll be quietly sitting on the sofa and I'll let out a little giggle. My husband will cock an eyebrow at me and give me a smile that says he knows I must be romancing my comments on my blog.


Do you have any advice for new authors?
Finish your book, submit, and then start the next one. Do your research, be persistent but patient, and make certain you scream very loudly! Eventually, someone will hear you!


Where are your books available?
Red Sage Publishing ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ All Romance


What can we expect from you in the future?
All grown up bad boys, and the woman who fall in love with them and maybe a little suspense, paranormal happenings, and of course steamy sex  scenes- because remember I can take it to that next level.


Where can we reach you and become informed of updates?
Google me, I should be there somewhere!

Thanks so much for having me here today. It was fun!

Thanks for coming on!!  Let's take a look at the book details:


Juliana Pratt is cursed. Her father's warned her many times she’s destined to be a wanton just like her adulteress mother. It’s why he’s kept her in all-girls schools, hidden away from his elite society. However, when her father's arrested for murder, he needs Juliana to come into the spotlight to portray the doting daughter. Juliana agrees to the interviews and talk shows, but before she goes on the two-week tour of lies about her father, and with him behind bars and unable to stop her, she must first take care of her starving curse.

And Juliana picks the perfect man to get the job done. She secures him to a bed, but fails terribly at finishing the task. Her thoroughly teased curse is left famished. Later, Juliana discovers that the man she’d chosen to fulfill her every fantasy is also the agent assigned to protect her for the next two weeks. Her curse becomes relentless and will stop at nothing until the delectable Agent T. Ryker has satisfied its hunger.

Agent T. Ryker prides himself on his discipline—that is, until his new assignment, Juliana Pratt, puts that renowned discipline to the ultimate test. Once he discovers that Juliana is the woman who drugged and handcuffed him to the bed in his hotel room, he also finds out her true identity. Ryker agrees to satisfy Juliana’s ravenous curse, but he has his own reasons for doing it, and it's not just to give Juliana’s body what it craves... for there is something else Agent T. Ryker wants from Juliana Pratt...


Dirty Little Secret

Dirty Little Secret # 50




Dirty Little Secret is a weekly meme hosted by us at Under the Covers. Every Thursday we get to know other bloggers and our readers more intimately by asking them a question hoping to reveal their dirty little secrets. We hope that you will all join us!

To participate in the meme all you need to do is:

1. Be a follower of Under the Covers.
2. Create a post in your blog taking the meme image (code above) and copy instructions.
3. Answer the question we propose! This can be done in any way you like, post a video, write a post etc.
4. Then add your link below.

Non-bloggers: We want to hear from you as well!!! Let us know your answer in the comments!

We hope you join us and let us know your Dirty Little Secrets!

This week's question:
If your blog crew (or if it's just you, then you are a pack of one) could make up their own pack, what name would you call yourselves and what animal pack would it be?

Alas it is just me :)  So I am a solo act.  I have a wolf thing and since we are going with pack mind set I'll go with Night Wolf..lol!!  But since it is just me...maybe Lone Wolf?  or Goddess Wolf.  I like both...What about you guys?


Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Giveaway and Review of Thomas Winship's Vaempire's Revolution


Good Morning and Welcome to this stop on Thomas Winship's virtual tour of his book Vaempire's Revolution. You can check out the rest of the tour here:  http://darkmindbooktours.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/vaempires-revolution-now-on-tour.html  I have read it and can't wait to tell you all about it.  But first, let's take a look at the book details and a little bit about the author:


It is the morning of Princess Cassandra’s sixteenth birthday. Everyone’s attention is focused on the heir to the vampire throne. World leaders, the rich and famous, and VIPs from every corner of the globe have gathered in the nation’s capital to celebrate the momentous event.

Cassandra’s boyfriend, Daniel, is late for the party. He’s still outside the city when all hell breaks loose. What he believes is an act of terrorism proves to be a full-fledged revolution. Væmpires—former vampires who mutated into warm-blooded creatures with an insatiable hunger for cold blood—have launched coordinated attacks across the globe, with three goals: the eradication of humanity, the enslavement of vampires, and the ascension of væmpires as the dominant species on the planet.

The vampire and human leaders are killed. Cassandra is missing. Daniel is the acting king. Desperate to find the princess, Daniel and his friends fight their way across the besieged city. With the hopes of the free world resting on the shoulders of four vampire teenagers, væmpires unleash their secret weapons—væmpires with special powers.

What can four teens do against an enemy that can shape-shift, fly, or walk through walls?









About the Author:


Thomas Winship was born in Middletown, NY (USA) and still resides in Orange County. He holds an MBA in Management from St. Thomas Aquinas College, where he serves as an adjunct professor of courses in English Composition, Communications, and Business. He also spent fifteen years working for a global pharmaceutical company, specializing in organizational development, talent management, and training. Tom writes in his spare time. His first novel, a mystery/legal thriller entitled Temporary Insanity (a.k.a. Case Closed), was a 2008 finalist in a national contest but failed to garner industry attention. His second novel, Væmpires: Revolution, was published in October and a follow-up novella, Væmpires: White Christmas, was published in December. He is an avid collector of books, comic books, music, and movies. His interests are diverse: on any given day, Tom is likely to be found watching a horror movie, attending a hard rock concert, or enjoying a Broadway show. He is currently working on the next installment of the “Væmpires” series, which is scheduled for a 2012 release.

This is where you can find Thomas
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Youtube
Goodreads
My Review:

I liked the new spin that Thomas has created on vampires.  Can you imagine a vampire sub-species?  A mutated vampire that was faster, stronger, warm-blooded, with extra powers , and that survived only on vampire blood. In this world, Vampires are the dominant species.  They have created a blood-like replacement for vampires that not only allows them to eat regular food, but also eliminates the need for human blood and enables them to have children.  This however, comes with a price.  Several of the children are mutating into something else, this sub-species I have described.  They call themselves Vaempires and in their minds, they are the new dominant race.

So our story begins with the Vaempires throwing the world into chaos.  They have begun a world-war to establish themselves as the new dominant race on the planet.  The had well-planned and coordinated attacks launched simultaneously on all the major cities.  They eliminated the human and vampire leaders with the exception of the princess.  I'm not sure if the new race of Vaempires with choose to mimic any of the vampires because some have shape-shifting abilities.  The were unable to locate the head of the queen, which is suspicious and for some reason I have noted that unusual detail..lol.

Cassandra, the princess, is kidnapped by a vaempire she grew up with and dated for a while before he mutated.  She broke it off with him because of his personality shifts and the fact that she didn't love him.  Her heart had always belonged to Daniel.  But this particular vaempire is a reader.  Cassandra has information about the nucs that he needs.  The Vaempires plans include wiping out the humans and enslaving the vampires.  In order to do that they must uncover the secret nuclear warheads stashed all over the worlds.  But the vampires had prepared for this.  They had backup protocols just in case security was breached.  But when they realize they have been activated and the princess's information is useless, will they kill her?  Or hold her for ransom?

This was an extremely interesting story.  I strongly suggest that you read the prequel to this story.  It gives you a lot of details that help in understanding both sides of the story and where all the feelings between the teenagers are coming from.  I enjoyed the concepts in this book immensely!!







So, would you like a chance to win a copy?  Sure you would!!  Just fill out the rafflecopter!!! a Rafflecopter giveaway


Winners!!!!


We have had some fantastic giveaways end and its time to announce some winners!!!


And the Winner is...CassandraG!!



And the winner is....LorettaLynn!!!


And the winner is....Miranda Wood!!!




And the winners are:
Print copy:  Wanda Flanagan
E-copy: Rachel Vessar


And the winner is.....Lisa Cox!!!


And the winners are:
She Speaks to Angels: Leigh Savage
The Mers: Gabrielle Jones


And the winner is.....Denise Zaky!!

Congrads to all my winners, even though all of my viewers are winners in my book!!!!

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Giveaway and Interview with Cindy Keen Reynders and her book the 7 Year Witch

Hello and Welcome back after our Memorial Day weekend celebration!  I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!  Today I have Cindy Keen Reynders with me and I have asked her to share some insight into not only her book, but herself as well.  This is what she had to say:

How old were you when you first realized you wanted to write?
I remember I was ten years old. I’d been writing poetry, and I was crazy in love with the paper boy. Every night before I went to bed I’d dream up all sorts of scenarios where we’d grow up and get married and have like five kids and live happily ever aver. My plotting abilities were formed back them.



Tell us a little bit about the book.
Novice witch Miranda Rose is completing her seventh and final task for the Supreme Witch’s Council in order to become a high which.  Tasked to find the Philosopher’s Stone, she travels to Merry Olde England in 1877 to confront the wizard who is holding it for evil purposes.  This is where she runs into the very handsome Duke of Pellamshire, Maxwell Chadwick. Because she’s afflicted with the 7 year witch disease, she must make love with the duke seven times in order to break the spell so she can continue on with her mission. Magical sparks fly!



What made you choose this genre?
I started out writing romance and this is where my true writing roots come from. I wrote all kinds of romance in the beginning; contemporary, historical, time-travel, paranormal—you name it. I sold none of it.



Most authors have an unusual story or way that they come up with their ideas for books…Do you have one?
’ve had all kinds of experiences that help me determine what my story plots will be. For 7 Year Witch, I had a dream about seven beautiful witch sisters, and it just really intrigued me. I couldn’t let go of it. Since I’m the youngest of four sisters, I naturally started with the youngest one of the Rose sisters, Miranda, and developed her story.




What is the key element in your character creation?
My main characters must have a problem that seriously needs resolving, but they aren’t completely dramatic and hysterical about it. They look at it pragmatically, then begin the story trying to take care of the issue. Because I adore humor, my characters typically have some fun while trying to deal with troubles, though they always get down to business and take care of things. I give them emotional and physical attributes as well as quirky habits, just like real people. In one of my books, my main character develops severe hiccoughs when she’s anxious, and sometimes that makes for some tense situations, especially when she’s being chased by the bad guy. In 7 Year Witch, since Miranda is the youngest sibling, she deals with emotional issues of how she believes her older sisters got all attention from her parents. She is constantly trying to measure up to their accomplishments and tries to be as successful as she perceives her sisters are.





What was your biggest influence that steered you towards writing?
I have always been a huge reader. As a child, I was the weird wall flower kid and my family moved around a lot for my dad’s job, so I was also typically the new kid. Classmates teased me a lot, wouldn’t let me have a seat on the bus—that sort of thing. So I found a fantastic world of acceptance in books. I fell in love with it so much, at a certain point; I wanted to create those worlds for other readers. I’ve fallen in love with that, too.




I have to ask, what are the hardest scenes for you to write?
The first words of a book, including the first line and the first paragraph and the first page are the most difficult for me to agree with myself on.  So much rides on that initial hook to draw in the reader, whether it’s an editor, an agent or whoever. I sweat blood and tears making it absolutely the best it can be. I work just as hard throughout the rest of the book to make it polished, but seriously, I’ve tossed out a lot of beginnings of books in my lifetime. Once I get past that, I’m good to go throughout the rest of the manuscript.





Are sex scenes difficult for you to word?
Actually, they aren’t all that difficult for me since the first writing group I belonged to was a Romance Writers of America chapter. I cut my teeth on writing romance and developing solid, but entertaining sex scenes. There’s a fair amount of logistical maneuvering that must be incorporated, as well as excellent word choice. That’s where a writer needs to experiment with language in order to find appropriate descriptions for the action. I like to make it somewhat poetic and flowing, as well as anatomically correct. Also, for Pete’s sake, we all want to have fun with sex! Check out the vanilla pudding scene in 7 Year Witch, for example. In the words of my publisher, it is ooh, la, la!



Do you see yourself writing in another genre?
Lordy, I have written in so many genres it makes my head spin. Not all of these books have been published, of course, but it’s given me a good overview of different genres and has taught me specifics about my writing abilities. I’ve written fantasy science fiction, historical fiction, and I have three mystery novels published. Amazingly, after all those years of writing romance and selling nothing, I finally had success when I penned some lighthearted, cozy mysteries. I love, love, love those books, too! I also tried my hand at a darker, more suspenseful mystery with a serial killer in it, but I scared the blankety-blank out of myself, so I finally let it go. It’s still on a jump drive, lurking like a criminal in hiding. I take it out from time to time and peek at it. I think it’s good, but I can’t seem to handle writing about that killer guy. He’s pretty awful.




Has your family been supportive?
First husband was oh, so jealous. I’m sure he would never admit it, but I’m pretty certain that was a big problem for him, and I think he feared I might succeed at writing. He always had to be the big kahuna, you know? That’s not why we divorced, but once I dumped those 250 pounds of abusive jerk along the wayside, my writing began to soar. As far as my kids are concerned, they’re like, “Yah, so what mom. You’re a writer. Big whoop.” My current husband is very supportive and doesn’t mind that I get up at 4 a.m. to write each day before work. My sister, Shauna, is my rock. She reads my work, offers great suggestions and gives me awesome encouragement.





Are any of your characters reflective of you?
Miranda is like me in that she has serious youngest-sibling-syndrome going on. She tries so  desperately to gain acceptance among her family and the witch’s council, and she never feels she can measure up to their expectations. Lexie Lightfoot, the heroine in my Saucy Lucy mystery series, is a lot like me in that her husband was messing around on her and she divorces him then returns home with her teenage daughter to pick up the pieces of a shattered life. She starts a little café with her sister and helps solve murders in their small town. I do not solve murders in real life, but I’m a big fan of Cheyenne’s Citizens Police Academy. When the officers see me, they probably roll their eyes and think to themselves, “Lord have mercy, she-e-e-e’s ba-a-a-ck!”





What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I love to read novels my writer friends have written, as well as magazines. I’m a magazine-a-holic, and I like them in my hands, not on a computer screen. Very un-green, but I like to read in the bath tub, and I seriously do not want to ruin one of those expensive electronic e-readers. I also love to keep my house clean, do occasional hobbies like crocheting, love to attend garage sales always looking for antiques, and I love to cook, though working full time prohibits much experimentation and I occasionally burn tomato soup because I’m always in a hurry. Scorched tomato really reeks, by the way. Oh, and I get a kick of out walking my little doggie. She’s too little to go far, but she gets so excited it’s sweet.




Who is your favorite book heroine?
Scarlet O’Hara! Lord, that woman is so spoiled and runs into so much bad luck, a lot of it through her own boneheaded mistakes, but she holds her head proudly and keeps on trucking. I like that she’s a flawed character, but she keeps on surviving. After my divorce, that was my mantra. S-U-R-V-I-V-E.





Do you have any unusual habits that revolve around writing?
Ah, hem. Yes. My little doggie, Ewok, comes down with me each morning. She expects me to have a snack for her, then I must pour a splash of water into her dish and a smattering of dog food into another dish for her breakfast. I am a virtual slave to this routine. Then, and this is really embarrassing, when I’m finished with my writing shift, I must kiss my jump drive for good luck before I place it in my desk drawer. Freaky, huh? I don’t know where that even came from, but now I’m stuck with it!




What is your favorite mystical creature?
The phoenix bird. It is supposed to be good luck, and it never dies. It rises from the ashes and survives again. Awesome!




What were some of your biggest challenges at the beginning of your career?
So many to name! I think the biggest one, however, was determining whether my writing was any damn good, and if I should even continue to churn out all those words and stories. You are your own worst critic, and it’s difficult to distance yourself enough from your work to have good perspective about the quality.




How do you feel about reader comments?

I love it when people like my work. When they don’t, I try to tell myself they must be having a bad hair day, or maybe they don’t like the genre I’m writing in, or maybe they don’t like my kooky humor. I try not to think it’s a reflection of my writing abilities, though it’s difficult not to. Not everything I write is everyone’s cup of tea. That’s okay. We’re all free to choose what rolls our socks up and down, right?




Do you have any advice for new authors?
You must love reading like it’s your child, then you must equally love writing like it’s another of your children.  You’ve got to be patient with it and be willing to sign on for the long haul. Some writers’ journeys are easier than others. Everyone has a different experience. Writers must also sink their teeth into the business, immerse themselves in all aspects of the process so they can develop valuable. Most of all, write, write, write. Challenge yourself to do better and learn at all times. Then hang on tight because it’s a wild ride, but it’s the best ride you’ll ever take.



 
Where are your books available?
Amazon and Barnes and Noble; both e-books and paperback version. Other places have them like Overstock.com, but the first two are the biggest and most commonly known.




What can we expect from you in the future? 
Three more witch books will be published by Angelic Knight Press in the Wysteria Hedge Haven Clan series starting early in 2013 with A Witch at Midnight. After that I’d love to do something with vampires, but it would most likely be lighthearted and quirky. That’s how I roll.




Where can we reach you and become informed of updates?
My blog contains my most updated information, http://saucylucywisdom.blogspot.com/
and you can also go to my website: www.cindykeenreynders.com
Also Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1711549310#!/
And Twitter: @littlewing1
Now Let's Take a look at the book details:




7 Year Witch

By Cindy Keen Reynders

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Angelic Knight Press

Release Date: April 12, 2012


Blurb:

Novice witch Miranda Rose’s seventh and final task for the Supreme Witch’s Council is to find the legendary Philosopher’s Stone. Once completed, she’ll reach her lifelong dream—High Witch of Wysteria Hedge Haven. In a last ditch effort to locate the precious gem; she travels through time to 1877. In a dilapidated castle a powerful wizard refuses to relinquish the stone. In a fit of pique, the wizard, Balthazar, zaps her in a field outside of Merry Olde London. 


Sir Maxwell Chadwick is the sole witness to a fiery ball of light streak across the midnight sky. Curious, he investigates. Surprised to find a beautiful young woman among the smoldering ashes, he cannot deny his instant attraction to the alluring stranger. While Miranda appreciates the handsome duke’s assistance, she finds him annoying as his well-intentioned interference delays her mission.

It doesn’t take Miranda long to realize the handsome duke holds the key to her heart, as well as her future. Fate, magic and the Seven-Year Witch disease takes the lovers on a rollicking, star-crossed adventure!
Just fill out the rafflecopter for your chance to win!!  Good Luck and a big thank you to Cindy for stopping by!!
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