Romance Author Hotspot

Today, our star of honor is Nina Croft. It’s so nice to have you here and shining! I’m sure you’re ready to share with us your success and many fun endeavors. So, let’s get on with the party!

BIO:

Nina Croft grew up in the north of England. After training as an accountant, she spent four years working as a volunteer in Zambia which left her with a love of the sun and a dislike of 9-5 work. She then spent a number of years mixing travel (whenever possible) with work (whenever necessary) but has now settled down to a life of writing and picking almonds on a remote farm in the mountains of southern Spain.

Nina writes all types of romance often mixed with elements of the paranormal and science fiction.

Let’s get to know you a little better. Why don’t you step over here under the spotlight and shine a little.

First questions: (I’ll go easy on you.)

What made you decide to become a writer? In my twenties, I worked as a volunteer for a few years in Africa. I found myself living in a remote village with no electricity, no internet, no TV, and very few books. The last was particularly hard. When the books ran out, I started writing as a means of entertaining myself, and I never really stopped.

What inspires you? Where do you get your ideas? All over—books, newspaper articles, TV, music. Sometimes, I’ll be riding my horse or walking the dogs, and something will just occur to me and I’ll have to rush back and write it down.

Do you beat your muse? I mean…Wait! Do you have a muse? Does he/she have a name? I don’t have a muse—honest—I hear other authors talking about their muses and I’m madly jealous. I want one. Where do I get one?

Let’s talk about your writing process. Are you a plotter or pantser? Are there any weird things that you do before you start to sit down to write? (Like stretch those fingers…? Scream at the computer…?)

I’m a total plotter. I always wanted to be a pantser, but I get stuck in the middle if I try. And if I know what’s going to happen, I don’t need to stop and think about it, and the writing flows much better. I also find that the process of plotting gives me time to really get to know my characters before I start the actual writing.

I don’t have any weird rituals before I start—I actually hate routines so I try to vary how I write.

What is your call story?

I’ve never had a call—how sad is that? Only emails—which were still very nice. My favourite was for my science-fiction/paranormal novella, Break Out. I’d had one book accepted by Entangled publishing and then I saw that they were specifically looking for space operas. I’d been wondering what to do with Break Out as it’s a bit of an unusual mix, but I thought it could definitely be described as a space opera. I sent it in on my birthday last year, and Liz my editor got back to me within the day saying she absolutely loved it and wanted to contract the ‘series’. It was the best birthday present ever.

Have you always envisioned yourself a writer? What were you doing before you started writing? Has your earlier career influence your current one?

I’ve always been a voracious reader, but didn’t start writing until I was in my twenties. Before that, I used to be a chartered accountant. I pretty much hated it, not so much the actual work—I like working with numbers—but I hated having to go to an office every day. So after a few years, I decided I needed something a little more exciting. I ended up volunteering (with my husband) to work in Africa. And that’s how I ended up running out of books and having to write my own. So you could say being an accountant influenced my current career.

Where do you see yourself 5 years from now with your writing career?

Hopefully, still loving writing, improving my craft, writing regularly, being published regularly, increasing my reader base…

Long term, I’d love to write a huge fantasy trilogy like LOTRs—I have a few ideas roaming around in my mind just waiting to come to fruition.

What is the hardest thing you’ve had to overcome in your writing career so far?

I think accepting that not everyone is going to love my writing. While I’m actually getting much better, I still find my heart pounding when I open up a review of one of my books. But the fact is that you can’t write to please everybody, and if you try chances are, you’ll end up pleasing nobody. So just write what you love.

Now let’s talk more about you. If you could pick to live the life of a movie star, who would it be and why? Does this person show up in your stories? I really don’t want to be a movie star; I find the whole idea of being in the spotlight terrifying. But I did want to be Clint Eastwood when I was little. I always wanted to be a cowboy and ride a horse all day. I’ve never written a western yet—I might have to just so Clint can show up.

What genres do you read? Do you read what you write?

I’m a big believer in writing the sorts of things you love to read. Which doesn’t narrow things down very much for me because I read just about everything. Favorites at the moment are paranormal and science fiction, but they vary.

What’s the last book you’ve read for fun? Did you read it on an e-Reader or are you still a paperback-kind-of-person?

I love reading both, but because I live in such a remote area and the nearest English bookshop is a long way away, I find myself reading mainly ebooks these days. The last thing I read was the 50 Shades trilogy by E. L. James. I read it on my kindle and enjoyed it lots—very entertaining.

What did you wish you had known back then when you began writing?

It took me a while to learn that you should really write what you love, and not be hampered by specific submission guidelines or publisher requirements. I wasted time trying to fit my voice into what I thought was needed to get published. Probably a liberating moment for me, was writing my science-fiction/ paranormal romance, Break Out, where I just let myself write anything I wanted and my imagination run wild. It was a joy to produce, and I promised myself after that, that I would be true to what I really wanted to write.

Is there anything else you’d want your readers and friends to know about you?

Just that I love to hear from readers, so thanks for joining me here today.

And lastly, where can we find you?

Email: ninacroft@hotmail.co.uk

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000273215409

Website: https://www.ninacroft.com

Thank you so much for being a star!

I’m giving away a FREE copy of Blackmailed by the Italian Billionaire to one lucky winner who comments! 

Blurb: Blackmailed by the Italian Billionaire.

 Seduction by any means necessary…

Olivia Brent is happy with her quiet life in the country, until the imminent loss of her home forces her to embark on a search for her estranged father. Catapulted into a world of criminals and totally out of her depth, Olivia is rescued by the stunningly gorgeous and enigmatic billionaire Luc Severino.

Luc has never considered himself a knight in shining armor, and if he had been, then Jimmy Brent’s daughter was the last person he would choose to rescue. But Olivia is the key to finding her father, and Luc is willing to use any methods available, including blackmail, to persuade Olivia to help him find Jimmy and finally put the past behind him.

And if blackmail doesn’t gain her total cooperation, then perhaps a little seduction will…

Excerpt:

“So, Lia…” Luc said, his tone dangerously gentle. “Tell me, why did you really go and see Harley Watson?”

Lia’s gaze shot to his face. “What?”

“You didn’t want to work at the club.”

It was a statement, not a question, and Lia swallowed. She’d always been a horrific liar, but at least Luc Severino wouldn’t know the telltale signs. He wouldn’t know that beneath the fall of her carefully straightened hair, the tips of her ears were bright red, a dead giveaway to anyone who knew her that she was about to tell a whopper.

“Oh yes, I did.”

He quirked an eyebrow in disbelief. “Why?”

“I wanted to get away from home. I live with my family in a small village outside London, and it’s so boring.” And if she ever got back there in one piece, she would never leave again. “I wanted a little excitement and I needed a job. I remembered Mr. Watson from when we stayed in London. It seemed such a glamorous idea.” She sighed, deciding it was time to inject a little much needed honesty. “But once I got there, it didn’t seem quite so glamorous anymore.” She shuddered at the understatement. “And I…well, I just didn’t seem to have the right…” she cast a surreptitious glance at her chest, “…qualifications for the job.”

Luc intercepted the look. “Not all men are obsessed with enormous breasts,” he said.

She risked a quick glance at his face and found his eyes lingering on the long length of her legs beneath the hem of her dress. Lia resisted the urge to tug it down—she was beginning to hate that dress. It was going straight back to Kelly when she got home.

“Anyway, thank you for getting me out of there. You were right—I was out of my depth.”

Luc examined her curiously for a moment. “Just what is it you thought might happen?”

“White slave trade,” she mumbled under her breath.

To her surprise Luc didn’t laugh. Instead, he inspected her from head to toe as if trying to decide whether the price would be worth the trouble.

“Not Harley’s specialty,” he said after an uncomfortable minute.

Did that mean he knew someone whose specialty it was? After all, what did she really know about this man?

Thanks for stopping by! 

Today our guest of honor is Shannon Donnelly!  Please welcome her to the party and enjoy her guest blog below!

I’ve also been judging in some contests lately and, boy do folks need to figure out their character arcs and plot lines. This is often best done before you write the whole book (otherwise you end up tearing up vast sections and with major rewrites). And this is one place where a synopsis (even a very basic short one) can help you because it highlights every flaw in your story—all the weaknesses come out. This is why I think editors really ask for these things.

Ah…I already hear the moans. Not a synopsis! But I’m a “pantser” I can only write if I don’t know where I’m going.

Those, to me, are excuses for not doing the groundwork. If you sketch out the road ahead, there are still places to go wandering (I write a lot of the book by flying into the mist, as Jo Beverley puts it). But if you don’t have any idea of your character’s arcs, or the main plot line, you’re likely to end up with a book that has major flaws (possibly ones that will sink the story).

So what are the 3 big flaws that I’m seeing on a regular basis?

   1) The big one is that there is no main plot line or main character arc. In other words, stuff happens and the story rambles.

This usually can be traced back to the main character (the protagonist) not having a strong, clear goal that’s well motivated. This goal can be as simple as survive a night in a haunted house in order to win a million dollars (motivated by the need for that money to save mom, who is about to lose the family farm). But there are a couple of important things to keep in mind:

A) The main character’s goal must matter to that character—there has to be something personal at stake. (If the character’s life won’t change, why should the character care, and therefore why should the reader care?)

B) There have to be consequences for failure—big ones that would shatter than character.

Once this is in place, the character has been set on a path. Now you’ve started a main character arc that’s also going to give you a main plot line. The stuff that happens now tries to push the character off that path (this is your plot). Worse and worse stuff happens until the character gets faced with a crisis—and this crisis had better be one that pits the character against wants and needs, so that the character has to make very tough choices. This is where the character gets stripped down to their core—to what makes that person tick. (And if you don’t know this, you need to get to know your characters better.)

Stuff still happens, but it’s all related to the character’s struggles to get what that person wants.

Now we complicate things by adding in what a character needs.

If you’ve put your character into a haunted house for a night, what your character may need is sanity and a sane world and that haunted house may strip both away from her.

Give your character internal conflict (as in does she stay for the money—external want—or leave to be safe—internal need.

Now you can add in an antagonist with a conflicting goal. This is going to complicate the main plot line and make it stronger.

The antagonist needs to be well developed, too—what does she want and need? (What’s your ghost’s goal in driving everyone out?) This is where you do not want to cop out and go for the cliché. In other words, don’t just go for “She’s insane” or “She’s angry because she was jilted.” Those are weak motivations.

Orson Scott Card in his book on Characters & Viewpoint notes that when you’re digging for your character’s motivations, the first three or four things that pop into mind will always be clichés. They’ve been used to death. So keep digging for better motivations. This is vital for any antagonist—write this person as if this character is the hero (we’re all heroes in our own stories).

   2) The other biggie I see is in what’s supposed to be a romance, the romance is put in like an afterthought. The action overshadows the romance, so the story doesn’t seem as if it’s really about two people struggling to build a relationship. This one is tough.

In a romance, the romance is the main plot line.

This means you have to have thought about both your hero and your heroine. What does each person want from a relationship? What does each one need? This can be different from the action plot line. It could be your heroine needs to save the world from a plague of vampires—that’s the action sub-plot in a paranormal romance.

The plot (the action that’s happening) needs to put the heroine and hero in conflict—but these two also need a reason to stay together. They have to compliment as well as conflict.

Does the heroine need a steady guy? (And what’s her reason for that—did she grow up in an unstable home?) If she needs stable, you want to either pair her up with Mr. Seems-Like-A-Bad-Risk, or with Mr. Stable-But-Boring. And then you add in what she wants. Could be your vampire fighting heroine needs a partner to watch her back—and she gets Mr. Unstable. Or could be she needs a vampire to come over to her side—so she’s got to seduce one into helping her. The trick here is to keep looking for what adds more conflict and more complexity. Pair up the compulsive clean freak with the slob (The Odd Couple is really a great romance disguised by the fact that it has two guys). Layer in reasons for your romantic pair to be attracted to each other—and layer in plenty of personality issues to drive them apart. Make the relationship the focus of the plot.

   3) The third big thing is that characters motivations need to be clear—they must make it onto the page. This is one where I often feel, as I’m reading, as if the writer knows this stuff, but it hasn’t gotten to the page.

There is the story in your head.

There is the story on the page.

There is the story in the reader’s head.

Ideally, all these match. If one is off, the story flops. This is where you want to ask: “Did I put in WHY my character acts this way or feels this way?”

In a synopsis, you simply tell the reader, “He hates cats because he was once locked in a closet with ten of them.” You want to make sure the reader understands WHY your character acts as she does.

The other part of this is to make sure your reader understands the setup for the story.

Get a friend you trust to tell the truth to read this and make sure you are not fudging things. It’s too easy to think, “This is good enough.” You need outside eyes here and someone who’ll say, “This doesn’t make sense” or “I don’t believe this.” That is something to fix with stronger motivations. (You can have a character act out of character or do amazing things only if this is sufficiently motivated—if you have cake-making mom suddenly pull out a sword and behead someone there’s got to be something in her background that would explain why she can do this, or she’s doing this because her child is threatened and she’s got adrenaline making her into super-mom.)

Too often I’m reading something and all I think is “why?”

Why did that happen? Why does she feel that way? Why is she falling in love?

Again, this is where a friend who will write “why” all over a short synopsis or outline can help. Answer every why—or leave the reason for the question coming up out of the synopsis.

Even if you hate to outline, or write a synopsis, if you cover these big three structural issues, you’ll have a much stronger book.

I’ve also been judging in some contests lately and, boy do folks need to figure out their character arcs and plot lines. This is often best done before you write the whole book (otherwise you end up tearing up vast sections and with major rewrites). And this is one place where a synopsis (even a very basic short one) can help you because it highlights every flaw in your story—all the weaknesses come out. This is why I think editors really ask for these things.

Ah…I already hear the moans. Not a synopsis! But I’m a “pantser” I can only write if I don’t know where I’m going.

BIO

Shannon Donnelly’s writing has won numerous awards, including a RITAnomination for Best Regency, the Grand Prize in the “Minute Maid Sensational Romance Writer” contest, judged by Nora Roberts, RWA’s Golden Heart, and others. Her writing has repeatedly earned 4½ Star Top Pick reviews from Romantic Times magazine, as well as praise from Booklist and other reviewers, who note: “simply superb”…”wonderfully uplifting”….and “beautifully written.”

Her latest Regency Historical Romance, Paths of Desire, can be found as an ebooks on Kindle, Nook and at Smashwords, along with her Regency romances, and her free novella, Cats Cradle. She has had novellas published in several anthologies, has had young adult horror stories published, and is the author of several computer games.

Shannon is a regular speaker at writing conferences, and will be speaking at the 2012 RWA  National conference in Anaheim. She gives online workshops and is the author of Story Telling; Story Showing, an ebook that compliments her popular online class Show and Tell: An Interactive Workshop.

She lives in New Mexico with two horses, two donkeys, two dogs, and the one love of her life. Shannon can be found online at:

Website:   www.sd-writer.com

Facebook:   www.facebook.com/sdwriter

Twitter:   www.twitter/sdwriter

Thanks for stopping in! Shannon is giving away a free ebook copy of “Paths of Desire” to one lucky randomly selected commenter!

Today, our guest of honor is Jordan K. Rose. It’s so nice to have you here! Hope you’re ready to party!

First Questions:

Wine or beer? (If you say club soda, we’ll have to send you to the corner…) Wine, though I do like a good ice-cold beer from time to time.

Cake or chips? Are you a sugar or salt kind of person? Typically I’d say cake, preferably chocolate, but lately I’ve been enjoying chips. Is both an option? I’m going with both.

*squints eyes * Are you old enough to drink?  YES!!!

Wait! You can’t come in yet! What did you bring us?

Blurb:

Fate is cruel. Especially when the one you’ve sworn to love for all eternity, the very soul who changed your destiny is the last person you should trust.

After more than three hundred years of running, Lucia Dicomano must make a choice.

Forced to take her place as a Pharo of Redemption, the divine slayer needs to master her forgotten powers. Lucia turns to Vittorio, the one vampire she’s failed to deliver from eternal damnation. But overcoming smoldering remnants of love, lust and anger aren’t their only obstacles.

Samuel, who may know Lucia better than she knows herself, hunts her with a fervor stoked by a thousand years of vengeful hatred. His plan—capture and enslave the weakened Pharo then take control of her elusive power.

Can Lucia trust Vittorio long enough to reclaim her powers? Or will she have no choice but to kill him and battle Samuel alone?

 What makes your characters so special?

The bonds they have with each other and the level of devotion they display. My hero and heroine, Vittorio and Lucia, would both die for each other, and that depth of love comes through in all they do.

Alright, I guess you can come in. Now off to the roast!

So, what do you write? And why?

I write paranormal romance, primarily vampire romance. I write what I love to read and I do read in my subgenre even when I write. I find reading non-paranormal romances when I’m writing takes me out of “the zone.”

Where do you dream of traveling to and why?

Italy, though we just got back from a 10 day trip to Rome and Colonnella. My mother’s family and my mother-in-law’s family are both Italian. We had always wanted to go and finally made it happen. Now we’re beginning the process for planning our next trip back to Italy.

What was your first sale as an author? Was it special?

Perpetual Light was my first sale and it was very special. I sold at the New England Chapter of RWA conference in April 2011. The day I sent back the signed contract my husband was just as excited as I was. I came home to find him waiting with a bottle of champagne.

Do you like more Alpha or Beta heroes?

I love Alpha heroes. The stronger, the better. The “Super Alpha” is my favorite, which is really funny because in real life there’d be no chance in hell I’d ever have the patience for that type of man! My husband is a very strong, alpha, but then so am I so we partner well. If he was a caveman, we’d never work.

Are you a pantser or a plotter?

 I’m a pantser. No plotting for me. I tried it once and never wrote the story because it felt like it was done. I like getting to know my characters first and then experiencing the story with them.

Do you have any suggestions for beginning writers?

Just keep going. Keep writing and growing and networking. Keep submitting. If you truly want to be published, you’ll keep at it and make that dream happen.

What else are you working on right now?

I’m working on a book for my Eva Prim character. She has her own website where she doles out advice and tips for vampires and wannabe vampires. She busts a few myths, too. Find her at www.evaprim.com.

Last question: Where can our partygoers find you and your work? Perpetual Light is available in print at Amazon and Barnes and Noble and in ebook on Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes and Noble.

 Amazon:   http://www.amazon.com/Perpetual-Light-Jordan-K-Rose/dp/1937254062/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339670549&sr=8-1&keywords=perpetual+light

 Kobo:   http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Perpetual-Light/book-ZD3EhHtssUK3eBDHMS7pnw/page1.html?s=zYAwsUGtoEOXhv7apMlqAA&r=2

 Barnes and Noble:   http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/perpetual-light-jordan-k-rose/1109252447

Website:   www.jordankrose.com

Twitter:   https://twitter.com/JordanKRose

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/jordankrose

Goodreads:   http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5751865.Jordan_K_Rose

Thank you so much for coming!

Thanks for having me! It’s been fun and I’m looking forward to getting know some of your readers. I’d be happy to give away a $5 Amazon gift card to one of your readers who stops by to tell me what type of romance s/he prefers and why. They can even earn more chances to win by following me on twitter or friending me on facebook or goodreads.

<a id=”rc-c111933″ href=”http://www.rafflecopter.com“>a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>

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Today, our star of honor is D L Jackson. It’s so nice to have you here and shining! I’m sure you’re ready to share with us your success and many fun endeavors. So, let’s get on with the party!

BIO:  D. L. Jackson is an award-winning writer of urban fantasy, science fiction, military romance and erotic romance. She loves to incorporate crazy plot twists, comedy and the unexpected into her worlds. As a U.S. Army veteran, she naturally adores men in uniform and feels the world could always use more. She does her part by incorporating as many sexy soldiers in her novels as she can. When she isn’t writing or running the roads, you can often find her online chatting with her peers and readers. Grab a cup of iced coffee, pull up your virtual chair and say hi. She loves emails and blog visits from her readers. http://www.authordljackson.com

Let’s get to know you a little better. Why don’t you step over here under the spotlight and shine a little.

First questions: (I’ll go easy on you.)

What made you decide to become a writer? I’ve always loved telling stories. My father called me Windy as a child, because I never ceased to talk. It carried over as I got older and so people didn’t think I was nuts, I corralled it and put it into books.

What inspires you? Where do you get your ideas? Life inspires me. Witnessing the funny, odd and sometimes scary things people do.  It’s like I see it, and it flips a switch.

Do you beat your muse? I mean…Wait! Do you have a muse? Does he/she have a name? I have a muse, but she’s on strike at the moment. She’s a little demon that adores shoes, sits on my shoulder and generally annoys the crap out of me. She’s called Bunny. Haven’t seen her around have you? Been looking to net her for a couple of weeks now.

Let’s talk about your writing process. Are you a plotter or pantser? Are there any weird things that you do before you start to sit down to write? (Like stretch those fingers…? Scream at the computer…?) 100% pantser. I write all my novels in my vehicle, even when at home.

Have you always envisioned yourself a writer? What were you doing before you started writing? Has your earlier career influence your current one? I was a soldier in the Army, in Military Intelligence. I wrote before I went in, but not seriously. I didn’t start to write seriously until I got out and my children were older. They are both in the military now too. My oldest is a Marine and my youngest will be leaving for Basic Training in August. So, my mind is always on them. I write a lot of stories about soldiers, so yeah, it did influence me a little. LOL

Where do you see yourself 5 years from now with your writing career?

Hopefully moving forward. My goal has always been to grow my career and readership. I have a story I plan to shop to an agent this summer, if I can find another 20k to add to it.

The gears are turning and I’m getting close.

What is the hardest thing you’ve had to overcome in your writing career so far?

Balancing work, family and life. I think every writer struggles with this. Last year was particularly brutal for me, and I don’t talk about it a lot. I lost six family members, two were my grandparents and while I was under contract and in edits for Seducing Liberty. Along with that, my father was going through chemotherapy and my Marine infantryman son, was deployed to a hot area in Afghanistan. It was hard to keep my focus, but the writing did help me to work through the loss and stress.

Now let’s talk more about you. If you could pick to live the life of a movie star, who would it be and why? Does this person show up in your stories?

If I could pick the life of a movie star, I’d probably run the other way. I can’t imagine the in-your-face aspects of their lives. They have no privacy. Everything they do is under public scrutiny. I’m a serious introvert, and always have been. I don’t like crowds. I prefer to be home, alone or with my family. It’s one of the primary reasons you don’t see me at conferences, why I don’t live in the city, or travel to them often. I want to go and meet people, but I just don’t like large crowds, they spook me. I grew up on a ranch in the open, two hours away from cities and I appreciate the solitude of that life.

Through research, what is the most silly thing you’ve ever done?

I started mixed martial arts for research, but kept going because I loved it. Same thing with Chinese language lessons. I really look kookie talking to myself in my car outside of work in Chinese, but hey, practice makes perfect—I hope.

What genres do you read? Do you read what you write? Sometimes. Hell, okay, I’ll admit it, I’m a book whore. I don’t care what it is, tampon box inserts, electronics manuals. If it’s not nailed down, I’ll read it, and tuck that useless information away to annoy the shit out of my husband later. He always says not to tell him useless facts like, National Arbor Day started in Nebraska, or that the Earth weighs a ton more every day from falling space dust, as it takes up valuable space in his brain for something important he needed to remember. Anyway, I’m reading Sun Tzu’s Art of War right now. Does that tell you anything. LOL

Time to lop the concubines heads off.

What’s the last book you’ve read for fun? Did you read it on an e-Reader or are you still a paperback-kind-of-person?

For fun. For fun. Hmm. The Hunter by Theresa Meyers, a steam punk romance. This last weekend.

What did you wish you had known back then when you began writing?

How better to read contracts. Live and learn.

Is there anything else you’d want your readers and friends to know about you?

I’m really not crazy. That would mean I keep repeating the same mistakes, expecting the same results. There is a method to my madness and I promise you, I will bring the fun with me to my books.

And lastly, where can we find you?

Email: dlareejackson1@gmail.com

   Twitter: Dlaree69

   Facebook: D L jackson

   Website: http://authordljackson.com

Thank you so much for being a star DL Jackson!  Please tell us about your giveaway!

  I’m giving away a copy of My Boogie Woogie Bugle Guy and a $10.00 Amazon Gift Certificate [to a randomly choosen commenter].

Blurb:

When Grace Daniels goes to the cemetery to visit the grave of her twin brother, she meets a soldier, there for the same reason, or at least that’s what she believes until he tells her about the blind date her brother arranged before he was killed in combat.

It’s the date of her dreams. Big band, brass and sass. Madame Eve from 1NightStand has set her up for an unforgettable night, a WWII swing dance party. Unfortunately she’s having trouble letting go of her past, and is afraid to take the chance given to her.

Sergeant Frank Winters is an Army trumpet player who travels with the color guard, a great dancer and six feet four inches of eye candy that could make her an addict. He’s also a soldier and soldiers can get killed. Grace doesn’t have the heart to lose someone again, but Frank knows a good thing when he sees it, and he’s determined to show her in one night, she’s got more to lose if she walks away.

Excerpt:

Frank sat up, slammed his eyes shut, and pressed his hand over his forehead. “Ah, what did you do last night, Frank?”

“You drank too much, played a horrendous solo on top of the mausoleum, and puked in my car.”

“God. Please tell me I didn’t.”

“Oh, but you did,”

His eyes snapped back open and he searched the strange room for the source of the voice. When his gaze stopped on the strawberry blonde in an overstuffed easy chair, her leg draped over one of the arms, sipping a cup of coffee, he couldn’t look away. She wore a pair of red sweat-shorts and a worn T-shirt that had faded from black down through several shades of gray until it settled into a dingy, well-loved, pewter shade. A big Army logo ran across the front in bright yellow.

Hu-ah.

“You left your bike at the cemetery. When you’re ready, I’ll take you to get it.”

“Who are you, and where am I?” Frank surveyed the room, searching for any memory of how he’d ended up there. The place was cozy, the woman gorgeous, and he certainly could have done worse. “Did we?” His head throbbed as he strained his brain for details. Certainly he wouldn’t forget hitting that.

“My name is Grace Daniels.” She snorted and rose to her feet. His gaze immediately drifted back to a body that rocked the workout clothes she’d donned. “You can rest assured, we did nothing. I had to haul your butt in here on a dolly last night.”

“Damn. Can we get a do over?”

“How about we start with java instead?”

“Yeah.” Grace Daniels. What were the chances? Frank rubbed his temple, trying his best to sooth the monster headache that threatened to split his skull. A dolly? Really? Did she say I puked in her car? There went any chance of a good first impression. He’d have to clean that up as soon as he got his bearings.

Thanks again! 

Our special guest-blog post to keep the RAH party rolling comes from a beautiful “blood-sucking” lass, Sussanah Sandlin!  Please join us in welcoming her “into the fold.”   ;D

“Vampires are dead,” everyone told me. (Well, no, they’re undead, but that’s another topic.) “They’re so yesterday. They’re so Twilight.”

I’ve never been one to listen much. Just ask my parents, teachers, bosses.…you get the idea.

So when I decided to branch out from my urban fantasy genre, where I have a series under another name, I turned to paranormal romance. I love to read it. I love a dark, tortured hero. I love the way paranormal characters allow us to shine a light on some very human issues like love and family and acceptance.

Okay, I’ll admit it. I love vampires.

I’ve actually wasted brain cells trying to figure out why I love vampires, and here’s the result of my brain-strain:

1) Torture Males. No, no. Not the BDSM kind of play-torture, or the Guantanamo kind. Women love tortured guys so we can then spend much drama and angst trying to save the big old lunkheads from themselves. And who can possibly be more tortured than some quasi-immortal being who’s probably lost more loves than we can imagine?

2) Strength…and Vulnerability. Think about it. You have these virtually immortal beings, usually with incredible strength and ability to heal. Speed. Scary mental powers. And yet, unless you let your vampires twinkle in the sunlight (pleeeeze don’t do this), there are several hours per day when they are completely vulnerable. We love caring for vulnerable beings like little babies and big dudes with fangs.

3) Need. We all know guys need us, whether they admit it or not. But think about a vampire guy. He literally can’t live without what we can give him. Okay, sure, it involves puncture wounds and a siphoning of body fluids, but in a well-done romance, the plasma donor also gets a pretty good rush from it, yes? We love to be needed.

4) Bad Boy Syndrome. Women love bad boys. I love bad boys in fiction (in real life, I usually want to kick them about the head and other body parts), and vampires are usually bad boys. The heroes in my new vampire trilogy are all bad boys in their own ways. Aidan is emotionally scarred but knows how to kick ass when he needs to, and can be a stubborn jerk. William covers his insecurity with bravado and sexual, uh, proclivity. Mirren…well, let’s just say in his human life he wore chain mail and wielded a battle axe, and he hasn’t changed that much. Whether they’re alphas or beta males, bad boy vampires are always masculine, confident (at least on the outside), and don’t play by the rules. What’s not to love?

5) Sex Gods. Let’s just say a vampire who has been around a century or three has had a LOT of time to practice his technique and has learned the art of delayed gratification. Ahem.

So…are you a vampire lover? Or are you fanged out? Leave a comment to win a copy of my new release, Redemption, the first in the Penton Legacy series, and a $10 Amazon gift card!

BLURB:

The world’s vampire population is on the brink of starvation since the vaccine to treat a global pandemic rendered human blood deadly to them. Their only hope for survival is a handful of rural areas that the vaccine never breached.

The tiny town of Penton, Alabama, is one such enclave, where the immortal Aidan Murphy has established a community of vampires and their willingly bonded humans. Together, they live in peace—until Aidan’s estranged brother descends upon the town and begins attacking its humans. Whether the rampage is a result of his centuries-old feud with Aidan or the civil war threatening to erupt in the vampire world matters not. All that matters is the blood.

Desperate to save his adopted family, Aidan breaks one of his cardinal rules, kidnapping an unvaccinated human doctor—and unexpectedly falling in love for the first time in nearly four hundred years.

Sensual and thrilling, Redemption is the first installment of what is sure to be a darkly addictive new series from paranormal romance novelist Susannah Sandlin. Book two, Absolution, will be released on September 18, followed by Omega on December 18.

Susannah is awesome enough to be offering a giveaway!  A random commenter will be selected, and will recieve: Print or digital copy of Redemption (winner’s choice) and $10 Amazon GC. International!

If you like what you see find more from/about Sussanah:

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/susannahsandlin

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/susannahsandlin

Website: http://www.susannahsandlin.com

Today, our guest of honor is Cari Quinn. It’s so nice to have you here! Hope you’re ready to party!

First Questions:

Wine or beer? (If you say club soda, we’ll have to send you to the corner…)

Wine. Not a fan of beer at all. *wrinkles nose*

Cake or chips? Are you a sugar or salt kind of person?

I like both, so I’ll go with chips for today. Preferably rippled.

*squints eyes * Are you old enough to drink?

Uh, yep. Twice over. Eeep!

Wait! You can’t come in yet! What did you bring us?

Blurb:

Network analyst by day, erotic romance writer by night, Vincent Buonfiglio is dealing with a work-in-progress that has gone colder than winter in his hometown of Ridgley, North Dakota. So what does a man who needs to write hot do to get cranking?

Search out a woman for a night of no-strings sex, of course.

But his choice of partner, Katherine “Kiki” Wyatt, manager of the Quikky Snak Gas & Lube, isn’t biting. Flirting over his nightly chili dog is one thing. But a date? Sex? Not happening. Dangerously sexy geeks are off-limits no matter what they might have to offer outside the bedroom.

When an armed gunman changes everything, will deadlines, exes, and mind-blowing sex prove opposites don’t always attract or allow two unlikely lovers to pen a happy ending?

What makes your characters so special?

That they refused to go down without a fight, even when I had to rewrite the story several times to get it right? Does that count? LOL Vincent and Kiki were two of my earliest characters, so their story will always be special to me for that reason.

Alright, I guess you can come in. Now off to the roast!

So, what do you write? And why?

I write erotic romance and sexy contemporary romance. Why do I write? To understand, both myself and others. I process emotions through my writing and learn new things about myself as my characters learn.

Do you have a favorite of your own books and why?

I started writing my first real romance novel in earnest the summer after my freshman year of high school. I was all of fifteen and thought I was an expert on love…yeah, not so much. But that story turned into INSATIABLE, one of my bestselling books to date. Shawn and Rachel were my first hero and heroine and I’ll always love them a wee bit more than the rest of my characters for that reason.

Tell us about one of your favorite characters from your books.

Right now my favorite character is from a book that hasn’t been published yet! Sawyer Blake is the hero of my novel TEST SHOT, book 1 in the Hot Shots series coming this summer from Loose Id. He’s honest, romantic, a little kinky and sexy as hell…and if he were real, he’d be mine. Back off, ladies!

Do you like more Alpha or Beta heroes?

While I love both, I’m more of an Alpha girl. If I had my way, I’d write sexy, obnoxious Alphas all day and all night, but I have to try to remember that not everyone else sees my heroes with the same affection I do. That said, I enjoy writing Betas now and then, too, as well as Gammas-the mix of both! I think more people are a mix than one or the other anyway.

Are you a pantser or a plotter?

Pantser all the way. I try to be a Plotter, really I do. Unfortunately my characters insist on having their way with me…uhh, I mean the story. Sure. That’s what I meant. But in all seriousness, I’m happy when the characters take over. That way I know I’m telling their story, not mine.

Do you have any suggestions for beginning writers?

Number one, not to quit. As wonderful as this business is, it’s also one that requires a strong stomach, an iron will, and a lot of perseverance. All it takes is one yes from one person who loves your story, and if you give up too soon, you won’t get to hear it!

What else are you working on right now?

Right now I’m gearing up for the launch of three of my upcoming releases…and surprise, they’re all books in a series! (Whoa, I write a lot of them!) First up is TWICE BURNED, the first novella in my Firefighters of Battle Creek series with Entangled Publishing. Then NO FLOWERS REQUIRED, the next book in my Love Required series, following up after my USA Today bestselling novella NO DRESS REQUIRED. Finally, TEST SHOT, the first book in my Hot Shot erotic contemporary series will be releasing from Loose Id. It’s set in Brooklyn, NY with the backdrop of an erotic talent agency.

Along with those stories, I’m also looking forward to releasing NEED ME, the next book in my Unveiled series at Ellora’s Cave (yep, I like series!) and LOVE BITES, my first paranormal erotic novel at Decadent Publishing. It’s going to be a busy summer and fall for me, book-wise!

Last question: Where can our partygoers find you and your work?

   Website: www.cariquinn.com

   Twitter: @CariQuinn

   Facebook: Cari Quinn

   Blog: http://cariquinn.blogspot.com

I’m offering a $5.00 gift certificate to Amazon/Barnes & Noble (winner’s choice) and one of my backlist ebooks to a random commenter who can answer this question: do you like books in a series, or do you prefer standalones? Which is your favorite and why?

Thank you so much for coming!

Today, our guest of honor is Rebecca J. Clark. It’s so nice to have you here! Hope you’re ready to party!

First Questions:

Wine or beer? (If you say club soda, we’ll have to send you to the corner…)

I hate beer. Not a huge wine drinker either. But I guess I’ll go with wine, as tequila wasn’t one of the choices.

Cake or chips? Are you a sugar or salt kind of person?

Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. But really, I’d rather have pie.

*squints eyes * Are you old enough to drink?

Clearly, you’re not squinting hard enough.

Wait! You can’t come in yet! What did you bring us?

       Blurb: Once upon a time, he promised her the moon. It’s time to deliver.

Louisa D’Angelo used to believe in happily ever after—until the tragic death of her son and the demise of her marriage. Now, five years later, with her life back in order, she has a great career and a wonderful man in her life. So what if the passion and excitement isn’t there? In her book, passion and excitement only lead to heartbreak. Then, her ex-husband shows up and upsets her tidy little world.

Gabe D’Angelo never believed in happily ever after—until he met Louisa who taught him how to love and be loved. But their happiness was short-lived. Guilt and grief forced Gabe to walk away. Now, though he’s pulled his life together and should be happy, he realizes something’s missing. After seeing her from afar at a family wedding, he knows what it is. It’s Louisa.

What makes your characters so special?

Because I wrote them? Oh, you want a serious answer. Um, I love these characters because they feel so real to me, like they’re good friends of mine. They deal with very real situations and emotions, and just like real people, they sometimes don’t react the way they should.

Alright, I guess you can come in. Now off to the roast!

Where do you dream of traveling to and why?

Honestly, I’d be happy to travel one town over. I never go anywhere. LOL. I’m very much a homebody. We bought a used motorhome last fall and fixed it up, and so we’re hoping to see much of our state (Washington) this summer. Right now, I don’t have much desire to travel overseas—I’d rather see our own country first. I’ve been on the west coast and the east coast, but really no place in between. On my bucket list is the Grand Canyon,New OrleansandAlaska.  This fall, for our 25-year-anniversary, my hubby and I hope to go to Vegas. I don’t gamble, and don’t drink much, so I guess I’ll just people watch, eh?

What was your first sale as an author? Was it special?

Borrowed Stilettos was my first sale. It was very exciting to get “the call,” er, “the email” after almost 15 years of writing, but even more special was getting the call a few months earlier telling me I was a Golden Heart finalist. I’d been about to give up on my writing, and had even dropped my membership in RWA and local chapters. In 2007, I met some of my writer friends at a local conference (I wasn’t attending, just meeting friends for lunch). One of them asked if I was planning to enter the Golden Heart that year. I said no, and told her my sad – sniff — story of not writing anymore. She pretty much tore me a new one and made me promise to submit Borrowed Stilettos—she’d read the beginning of an earlier version years before and still remembered it. So, Janice, if you’re reading this—thanks for the butt kick!

What is the hardest part of writing your books?

Other than coming up with the idea, every single bit of it is hard. Like the proverbial pulling teeth. I keep expecting it to get easier, but it’s getting much, much harder. Life is so unfair. With Deliver the Moon, the hardest part was getting past the content. It’s about a couple whose marriage fell apart after the death of their young son. I originally wrote this story when my own son was a toddler. Every time I’d write a scene that referred to their son, I’d start crying. It felt too real, like I was writing about my own kid. So I had to put the book aside until my son grew up a bit.

Are you a pantser or a plotter?

Neither. I’ve tried being a pantser (I think that’s my natural tendency), but I keep getting stuck about 1/3 of the way in. I’ve also tried being a plotter, and while I LOVE plotting, and would buy plotting books over a new pair of shoes, I hate to write the books I plot. Sigh. Someday, I’ll figure it out.

Is there anything you’d want your readers and friends to know about you?

I might look like a normal person on the outside, but inside I’m a quivering mess of introversion and self-consciousness. I’m very shy by nature, but have learned to fake it really well. But you can’t fake your way out of being an introvert. I love being around people, but can only take being social for so long before I shut down and need to recharge. If your readers are interested, I have a whole blog devoted to the shy/introverted writer. http://shywriters.blogspot.com.

What else are you working on right now?

I’m working on a three-book series revolving around minor-league baseball and weddings. I’m finishing up the first book now, then will shop it around and see where it lands. I can’t tell you any more information about my new project. It’s classified. If I told you, I’d have to kill you.

Last question: Where can our partygoers find you and your work?

Website: http://rebeccajclark.com

Twitter: @RebeccaJClark

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/rebeccajclark.author

Thank you so much for coming!

Today we’ve got a special guest-blog about keeping that ole spark alive from Deena Remiel!  Please welcome her!

At first glance, you might think Immortals have it made. They get to live forever free of disease, free of long-lasting pain, and free to roam over the earth, experiencing all there is to this great world of ours. Yeah, that sounds really great…BUT…

When you are an immortal who is married, “till death do us part” takes on an ominous tone. Since there is no death, Immortals are married FOREVER.  So how do they keep their love alive? How do they keep boredom at bay? Since neither my husband nor I are immortal, I spoke with a married couple who are- Emma and Michael D’Angelo, from my novel, Trinity.  They gave me some great advice on how to keep the spark continually igniting. I’ve compiled my notes and I present to you now their Immortal Couple’s Advice to Long-Lasting Passion.

Suggestion Number 1: Call or text each other on the cell phone, unexpectedly, just to say hello, I love you, and maybe something a bit naughtier. Constantly change the time of the call so your partner cannot predict when it will happen. It enhances the element of surprise and the warm, happy feelings of your partner. You can also leave love notes in their pants pocket or wallet, on the toilet seat, or even in the mist on the mirror in the bathroom.

Suggestion Number 2: Take dance lessons together. There’s nothing sexier than being held closely during a Latin dance. Your bodies are so close or touching in all the right spots. You won’t want to stop. In fact, you’ll want to dance all the way to your bedroom!

Suggestion Number 3: Make sure you have a Date Night at least twice a month. Immortals can be parents as well, and it’s hard to find time to be alone together for an extended period of time. If you’ve got an extended family, or network of friends, use them to watch the kids. Then take turns. It saves money on babysitting. If you can, have the kids sleep over somewhere. Then you get the whole house to yourselves to do… well, whatever turns you on!

Suggestion Number 4: Don’t just eat your food, play with it! There is nothing that kindles the slow burn of passion like food. Chocolate syrup and whipped cream are two staples in the D’Angelo household. It’s not just for ice cream anymore! They suggest buying paint brushes so that on special Date Nights, you can do art projects on each other’s bodies. Then you can “clean up” afterwards. Find out what your Immortal partner’s favorite foods are and feast together. Feed each other. Taste each other’s food… and each other!

As you can see, there are many ways to keep the fires burning bright, even throughout eternity.

Now another immortal couple has a couple of tips to add to the list. Raphael and Serena, from my second novel, RELIC, were gracious enough to offer up these juicy morsels to spice up your relationship:

Suggestion 5: Shower together. Nuff said. This goes well with suggestion 4.

Suggestion 6: Get caught in a summer storm and stay out in it together, letting the storm charge your passion for each other.

Here’s a spicy sample of how Raphael and Serena make it hot…

     “Here it is!” Raphael called out. “One Spicy Italian foot-long sub, chips, cookie, and a soda, courtesy of Emma…and Subway, of course.” He looked like a waiter as he brought in their lunches. She smiled in spite of herself. He’d placed a towel over his arm and carried the snack tray high above his shoulders.

“Tips are not necessary but appreciated.” He continued in his waiter role, placing the tray on the coffee table before her and the towel on her lap.

    Okay, now we’ve got the playful, adorable Raphael. His moods change so much, I’m dizzy.

“I’ve got a tip for you. Life is uncertain…eat dessert first.” While he sat down next to her, she quickly snatched up the chocolate chip cookie and took a big bite, moaning in ecstasy. “Oh Raphael, you’ve got to have some.” With the cookie still warm, chocolate oozed everywhere, and Serena felt the sinful sweetness threaten to drip down her chin.

That simple suggestion seemed to send Raphael over the edge. Leaning in, he held her face in his hands and kissed her before she could say or do anything. He licked her chocolate-laden lips and teased her mouth open with his tongue.

Shocked at first, she quickly succumbed to her own burgeoning feelings and answered him back with equal enthusiasm. All thoughts of returning to the hospital left as she wrapped her arms around his waist to keep him firmly against her.

He murmured words she didn’t understand as he laid a trail over the corner of her mouth, along her cheek to the sensitive part behind her ear, and she shuddered. The lover Serena had seen lurking behind watchful eyes surfaced.

This was the man who’d gotten under her skin.

BLURB: Raphael, a Brethren Savior, an angel with a forgotten past, has lost his power to heal and is on a self-imposed guilt trip to get it back. If he can’t, his tour of eternal duty as Brethren Savior will be revoked. On his journey, he winds up enmeshed in a web of attempted murder and resurrection, all thanks to a woman he’s only seen in a photograph and by chance on an Arizona desert hiking trail.

Serena Sikes is a wanted woman. Desired by “undesirables” for a gift her brother gave her—a stolen relic with suspected healing powers. Hunted down in the Arizona desert and left for dead, she is found by none other than the angel who cannot heal.

Raphael and Serena are inexorably bound together, for locked deep within the relic’s heart had lived the soul of his long lost wife. Now, it resides inside Serena. Evil lurks around every corner as Raphael tries to keep both Serena and his dead wife’s soul alive and lustful temptation at bay.

Three souls bound together by an ancient relic, bound by a timeless gift, and bound by a love that is eternal.

Thank you so much for helping us keep the humpday party going Deena!  If you like what you see please find more from Deena:

Email: deenaremiel@yahoo.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/deenaremiel

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/deena.remiel

Website: www.deenaremiel.com

Please welcome the amazing PJ Schnyder today!  She’s filling in for us at the last possible moment, and offering a giveaway to boot!  Many <3′s to her.

First question:

Wine or Beer? (If you say club soda, we’ll have to send you to the corner…)

What are we eating? LOL. I like either wine or beer, but especially enjoy when paired nicely with a scrumptious meal.

Cake or chips? Are youa sugar or salt kind of person?

Cake! Or even better, cupcakes! Red velvet, or chocolate lava cupcakes from The Georgetown Cupcake Company are particularly fantastic. I just had a few the other night as a guest at a good friend’s wedding.

*squints eyes* Are you old enough to drink?

Oh yeah. For a long, long time now.

Wait! You can’t come in yet! What did you bring us?

Blurb:

Hunting Kat As a mercenary, Kat Darah doesn’t have to pass for a normal human. On the edge of the solar system, she’s just another biped. Most of the time.Nearing the end of his military tour, Lt. Christopher Rygard debates the idea of hanging up his uniform for good. Looking for answers at the bottom of a glass of scotch, he meets Kat.One shared night of mutual desire seems harmless. But when their tryst is interrupted by attackers hunting Rygard, Kat must reveal her other form, the predator beneath the human façade.Together they embark on a dangerous mission—a race against time to meet the enemy’s demands, while trying to deny the passion between them. Rygard is faced with a terrible choice in the face of duty: Report the existence of a human turned shape-shifter. Or forget he ever met her.Status: Released July 4th from Carina PressYou can purchase Hunting Kat in eBook format at the following locations:

Carina Press

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble

You can purchase Hunting Kat in Audio book format at the following location:

Audible.com

What makes your characters so special?

There are different kinds of strength. Some of my characters are kick a$$ and wicked strong in the physical sense. Others are challenged in a physical way and their strength is the kind that comes from recovering, overcoming odds and building a new life.

Every one of my characters is tested in my stories, beyond the limits they knew they had. Every one of them is a survivor.

So, what do you write? And why?

 I write sci-fi and paranormal romance on the sweeter side. There’s something about all the possibilities and sheer fun of writing romances with science fiction elements or paranormal twists. The world building becomes every bit as much a part of the story telling as the characters are. And honestly, I love writing happy ever afters (or for nows) for my characters.

Steampunk is another love of mine. My steampunk stories are not all romance, but they all have the Victorian aesthetic particular to steampunk worlds and technology.

And then there’s urban fantasy. These stories allow me to get darker, grittier, and not centered on the romance although there may be romantic elements in them.

Writing in these various subgenres allows me to stretch my imagination and step outside my comfort zones a bit. Every new story brings a new challenge.

What would your characters say about you?

 I’m mean to my characters. Not gonna lie. I put them through hell and bring them out the other end evolved. So whatever they have to say about me, there might be a lot of cursing involved.

What do you like doing besides writing and reading? Is it dangerous?

 I wouldn’t say my hobbies are dangerous…I do enjoy training in mixed martial arts. Specifically, I’ve studied Muay Thai (Thai Kickboxing), Jun Fan/Jeet Kun Do (Bruce Lee’s style of martial arts), Kali (weapons training) and Brazillian Jiu Jitsu (grappling). Fitness is very important to me and I try to keep up a healthy routine of yoga, strength training and cardio.

Also, I very much enjoy playing StarCraft II and World of Warcraft, as well as Diablo III and similar games. I’m interested in trying out Mass Effect III.

What is the hardest part of writing your books?

Continuity. Now that I’m in the second and third books of my series, it’s important to me to maintain the voices of my characters from book to book. I also want to be sure details I’ve mentioned in previous books are carried over accurately in later books in the series.

What else are you working on right now?

The draft of the second book in the Triton Experiments series is close to complete. I’m also revising the third book in the Terra’s Guardians series. Plus, there’s lots of plot bunnies for future books in both series as well as more steampunk stories in the outlining stage.

Last question: Where can our partygoers find you and your work?

1. a.     Twitter: http://twitter.com/pjschnyder
2. b.     Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pjschnyder
3. c.      Website: http://pjschnyder.com
4. d.     Others: http://pjschnyder.tumblr.com/

 Thank you so much for joining us at Romance Author Hotspot, expecially last minute PJ!  You’re our saving grace

Even better for readers – PJ is offering a giveaway (ebook copy of Hunting Kat) to one randomly selected commenter!

Hi all, Monday’s post has broken again   :’(   Our immense apologies for that!  At the last moment PJ Schnyder was awesome enough open some time in her schedule and sit down for an impromptu interview.  

That interview will go up in a few short hours – in the meantime here’s her most recent blog post.  Thank you for your patience awesome readers!  We promise more and more giveaways in the future! 

Lori Foster’s RAGT 2012