Giveaway and Interview with Myra Nour and her book Love's Captive

Hello and Welcome to the kick-off of Myra's tour!  I'm thrilled to be hosting her today!!  But before we start talking about her book, let's talk a little more about Myra!  I was lucky enough to score an interview.  This is what she had to say:

How old were you when you realized you wanted to write? I’m not typical of many authors I know who started writing when they were young. I had a vivid dream when I was 24 years old. I jotted the story down and wrote some of it. It got stuck in a drawer and in 1996 I dusted it off and wrote my first story Love’s Captive. It was published in 2001.

Most authors have an unusual story or way that they come up with their ideas for books…Do you have one? I use several methods. My favorite is when I dream a story, because that is super easy. I do this occasionally, but Love’s Captive was the most vivid. Sometimes I pick a topic and build a story around it. This past week I wanted to write a short horror story and decided that writing about someone waking up with amnesia would be very horrifying. Especially when their world had been turned upside down once they woke up. I had amnesia so I know how it feels intimately. Sometimes I see a person or object and a story pops in my mind about them or it. Like, one time I saw a sweet looking old man pulling a red wagon with coke bottles (back when people collected them for $). And I thought, wouldn’t be cool to build a story around him, but make him evil.

What was your biggest influence that steered you towards writing? Dreaming Love’s Captive and loving to read so much.

I have to ask, what are the hardest scenes for you to write? Very hot sex scenes. I enjoy writing sensual lovemaking, but hard-core sex is a push for me. I can do it, but I’d rather be writing sensual sex. Why do it? Because for a while I wrote for Ellora’s Cave, which is a great company to work with, and they require sex that is hot, hot, and hotter.

Do you see yourself writing in another genre? Already doing it. I turned a zombie short story into a publisher last week, and another publisher wants to see a short story I wrote about a female serial killer. I am finishing up another short zombie story and working on a zombie novel. I’ve always loved horror in book and movies, and writing horror has become a huge interest of mine recently.

Has your family been supportive? You bet! My husband edited many of my books, but became too busy later to do. Now he is retired and looking forward to helping me again. If not for my family I would never have written Love’s Captive. They kept “bugging” me to write it, after I told them about my dream. It took 19 years of gentle encouragement from them before I decided to take the plunge.

Are any of your characters reflective of you? Hmmm, I don’t believe so unless it is a tidbit here & there. My heroines tend to be very athletic like Serena in Love’s Captive, a warrior princess like Kasha in Heart of the Dragon, or a bold, sexual person like Angela in To Tame a Werewolf. I’d love to be strong and athletic but I have health problems. While I enjoy sex, I could never be brave enough to make love to a werewolf in a partially changed condition as Angela did. I do use tidbits from people I know, creating a composite person. I put a love of history into Amber, my heroine in Wanted: Handsome Alien Abductor, which is straight from my daughter, Chris. Serena’s friend, Nicole in Love’s Captive, is a duplicate of my friend Ronda.

What do you like to do when you're not writing? I go to the gym almost every morning with Simon. Our interests include dancing, walking in the woods or mountains, being at a beach, and antiquing. My personal interests include reading and watching my favorite shows or an interesting movie on TV.

Do you have any unusual habits that revolve around writing? Not really. I prefer writing by hand first and then putting it into my computer. My mind flows better when I actually write.

What is your favorite mystical creature? Probably a werewolf. They are human most of the time, but having the ability to change into this ferocious creature is scary and awesome.

How do you feel about reader comments? I love receiving reader’s comments. I have a Reader Comment area under each book’s area on my website.

Do you have any advice for new authors? Keep writing. Once readers love a book or series, they want more, and this builds your brand name. Also it is very important to do promotion on a regular basis. I suggest Facebook, blogging, Twitter, Virtual Tours, Google +, Goodreads, and placing ads at least occasionally on websites for readers & authors. It is a MUST to have your own website.

Where are your books available? New Concepts Publishing, Ellora’s Cave, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Fictionwise.

What can we expect from you in the future? Short stories in anthologies and Kindle, and hopefully my zombie novel will be published. I also plan on finishing Volarn Chronicles Book 3: The Princess and the Barbarian.

Where can we reach you and become informed of updates?

Website: www.myranour.net

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/myranour

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/MyraNour

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6674065-myra-nour

Book & Trailer Showcase: www.booktrailershowcase.com. My website for readers and authors.

 Fabulous Interview!!  Now let's take a look at the book:

 

When Serena awakes, after a close and unpleasant encounter with some sort of stun gun, she learns that resistance is futile and escape only a yearned for dream. She comes to find that she and the other Earth women have been captured by the Moyds.....interstellar merchants, and their mission is to procure fertile wives for the men of Volarn because their own race has been endangered due to the wide-spread sterility of their own women. Serena is disgusted to realize that they are nothing in the men’s eyes but baby makers, but she’s aware that she has no other choice than to face the fate that awaits her with as much dignity as she can.

After arriving on Volarn, Serena finds that her assessment had not been entirely accurate. The Volarn men used their power crystals in the Tarthra Ritual to approach the women to find the mate most suited to them, a women to love and who can love them and Serena has been chosen to become King Rhamus’ Queen but, just as she feels herself weakening to him and his romantic, passionate nature, Rhamus’ enemy Xarath abducts her......

Excerpt:

Her stomach fluttered when the King slowly looked her up and down. This time

she could tell he liked what he saw by the heat in his eyes. And when his hand came up to

rest lightly on her right cheek, she was overcome with a sudden urge to touch him.

Unconsciously, she turned her face into his palm and rubbed against it ever so slightly.

The King gently turned her face back toward him and stared deeply into her eyes. Serena

saw that he was as stunned as she was by her reaction to him.

Finally, she was close enough to inspect those wondrous Volarnian eyes. She

discovered that the King's were somewhat different from the other natives she'd met so

far. Most had ranged from pale lavender to a deeper violet. His were darker, almost a

purplish-blue, and there was a distinctive dark blue ring outlining the iris of his eyes.

An intense heat seemed to radiate from the King's hand and eyes. Serena felt as if

he were drawing her closer to him by a magnetic force. At first she struggled and her

mind reacted with fear but, as if sensing her fear, the King forced her to look deeper into

his eyes. Somehow Serena knew that he would not hurt her. She felt herself opening up,

becoming pliant to his will.

As Serena accepted the strange wash of feelings that passed over her, she noticed

a reflection of the same in the King's expression. He appeared surprised. An acceptance

came over his handsome features as he drew Serena further away from herself and into

his power.

The attraction Serena felt earlier seemed mild now compared to that which he

stirred this time. There was an electrical feeling to the charged atmosphere surrounding

them. Her lower lips were swollen and her sensitive clit hidden between them throbbed.

She suddenly wanted his hand there, his fingers sliding between her moist flesh. She

moaned softly as her nipples pebbled painfully. Her whole body screamed “take me”

Inhaling a deep breath, she sought to control the desire galloping through her

nerves. Staring at Rhamus’ handsomely expressive face helped her connect with him

emotionally and push her passion back slightly.

Somehow, it seemed as though she knew the King better than anyone else in the

room, but could put no words to describe it. She only knew that she liked what she "read"

about the King from their personal contact.

As the magnetic force that flooded her body earlier suddenly became stronger, it

was if she was invisibly pulled toward him, and then they were only a hand span from

each other. She knew instinctively that he wanted to kiss her, but waited for her to make

the first move, and when Serena moved within a breath away from his lips, the King

moved into her space and their lips met. Wet, warmth, and an aching need filled her

mind.

She’d been kissed by other men before, but never had she been in the hands of

such an expert. Heat curled in her belly and seemed determined to move lower as their

kiss continued.

The lust that had sprung to life but seconds ago ravaged her body once again.

Pushing her breasts against him, she groaned into his mouth when her aching nipples met

the muscular barrier of his chest. She clutched at his biceps to keep from grabbing his

hands and shoving them between her thighs. There was a madness in her blood--one that

disregarded the many eyes upon them. If he had ravaged her at that moment, on the cold

floor, she would have been ecstatic.

Trying mightily to ignore her demanding body, she concentrated on their kiss.

Rhamus' lips were soft, firm, demanding. A thrumming sensation shot between her and

the King. Out of the corner of her partially closed eyes, a soft bluish light materialized. It

surrounded them like a cloud and appeared to be the source of the thrumming sensation.

The King seemed to sense her distraction and pulled back just a short space, again

giving her a searching look. He concentrated on her face as if memorizing its details. A

shout went up from the crowd and he turned to nod and smile at them.

Great Excerpt!!  Myra has generously offered up a copy of her book!!  Just fill out the rafflecopter!  Good Luck!!!
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