trueromance

Setting: New Orleans
Subgenre: Dark Paranormal
Hero: Max Savoie
Heroine: Charlotte Caissie

One sentence summary: Police detective Charlotte Caissie and shape-shifter Max Savoie thought they’d overcome all odds and differences to be together. . . now, it’s the past that threatens to tear them apart as Cee Cee calls on Max’s preternatural talents to find the serial killer who’s kidnapped a colleague’s daughter.

Scene you like most and would never cut: It was cut. Sigh.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: Wearing a polka-dotted Doris Day dress while making kitchen small talk with her partner’s sweet Stepford wife. Funny the things you’ll do out of love . . . and guilt. “Ken and Barbie off to visit the family.”

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? Heroine? Max accessorizes his Armani business suits with red high top sneakers. The way to Cee Cee’s heart is through a big block V-8.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Cee Cee’s an NOPD detective, so what’s she doing on stage at a strip club with the moniker Chili Pepper?

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Max is the prophesied leader of the New Orleans Shifter clan and a reformed mobster. So why is he letting his secret slip to outsiders and making deals to traffic human cargo?

What do you think readers will like best about this book: From page one to page end, it never lets you go. The pace is fast, the action furious, the suspense taut, the dialogue crisp and sometimes laugh-out-loud, and the romance hot, hot, HOT. And then there’s Max. Who could ask for a fiercer, sexier, more complicated, loyal and yet vulnerable hero?

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: Jacques LaRoche, the muscle-bound Shifter owner/bartender at Cheveau du Chien who dispenses justice with a Louisville Slugger, has Max’s back and a soft spot for his friend’s human mate.

What’s next: Even though BOUND BY MOONIGHT wraps up Max and Cee Cee’s romance arc, the series continues with new heroes and heroines within the By Moonlight world. HUNTER OF SHADOWS will be available November 29, 2011 featuring a Shifter cop with a hidden agenda and a programmed assassin who complicates it on both professional and intimate levels, then Book 6 comes out in July of 2012, with Jacques LaRoche, because you asked for him.

The first four books in my By Moonlight series featured the same hero and heroine, which is common in urban fantasy but rare in paranormal romance. The next two By Moonlight books have a different hero and heroine in each book. As a reader, do like a relationship that carries over from book to book or do you prefer your happily-ever-after on the last page of each one?

About Me:
1. What’s your favorite movie of all time? L.A. Confidential. Fabulous acting, smart dialogue, fascinating twists and turns. And Russell Crowe and Kevin Spacey.
2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in? Any Dean Koontz book.
3. What’s the first book you remember reading? My mom used to read to me every night. Rutabaga Stories was my number one request, but for doing my own reading, Dr. Seuss was my go-to guy.
4. What’s your favorite fairy tale? Cinderella. After I saw my name in print when my fractured fairy tale version of it was published in my elementary school newspaper, I knew all I wanted to be was a writer.
5. What’s your favorite cartoon character? Yosemite Sam is my hero and Pepe LePew eez my lovair.
6. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers? Authors really like it when you come up to them at conferences or book signings or even in the checkout lane to talk to them, especially if you love to read, write or want to gush about their characters. Don’t be shy. It’s a privilege and a perk, not a bother to us. And we like to have our pictures taken with you, too.
7. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer? I still have my full time job as a 9-to-5 legal assistant to fall back on.
8. What do you do to unwind and relax? Netflix and a warm cat when there isn’t a sandy beach available. It’s more fun than exercising or cleaning house, which is what I do to get my creative muse kicked into gear.
9. Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it? Strong, flavored coffee, black, in my Keurig every morning…best Christmas present EVER!
10. What does love mean to you? Never having to say “Put the seat down” or “Hang up that towel.” Actually, it’s my grandson running down my apartment complex’s hallway yelling, “Grammy!” at the top of his lungs. That sums it up.
11. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? Would hate all the restrictions of the Victorian era. I don’t even like underwire. I’m a 1940’s gal. All that big shouldered glam and hats!
12. What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? Price, so I can say, “The price is wrong, beeotch.”
13. Dog person or cat person? Fur, feather and fin person. Love ‘em all, have had them all…and still feed most of them on my 4th floor balcony.

Hello again! I can’t believe it’s been six months since I last chatted with you about my first anthology for Cleis Press, Fairy Tale Lust. That collection was so well-received by readers (thank you!!) and reviewers that I still get emails about the book and the individual stories. Fairy tales are hot, hot, hot (and I’ll let you in on a secret: I just signed a contract to edit another collection of erotic romance fairy tales to be released next year!), but you know what else is hot? Paranormal erotic romance—which just happens to be the theme of my second anthology, Dream Lover: Paranormal Tales of Erotic Romance.

Mmm… paranormal erotic romance. Just the phrase conjures up all sorts of delicious creatures and scenarios and when I set out to edit this collection, I was looking for sexy, romantic stories involving all sorts of paranormal elements. The authors didn’t disappoint me! I received hundreds of stories about ghosts, mermaids, werewolves, demons, vampires, possession, witchcraft, magic and more. These stories represent the very best of paranormal erotic romance by some of the finest erotica and erotic romance authors.

Dream Lover: Paranormal Tales of Erotic Romance includes stories from seventeen amazing authors who pushed the boundaries of the paranormal to deliver uniquely sensual stories of otherwordly delights. The authors in the collection include Justine Elyot, Delilah Devlin, Shanna Germain, A.D.R Forte, Craig Sorensen, Kristina Lloyd, Saskia Walker, Sacchi Green, Nikki Magennis, Alana Noel Voth, Victoria Janssen, Lana Fox, Lucy Felthouse, Kate Pearce, Madeline Moore, Ericka Hiatt and myself, with a foreword bestselling erotic romance author Megan Hart.

Do you like stories about sexy shapeshifters? Then you’ll be delighted with “Where the Heart Is” by Saskia Walker, “Moongirl Meets the Wolfman” by Alana Noel Voth, “Lust As Old As Us” by Madeline Moore and “For Humans, Love’s All About Weight” by Lana Fox. Lana’s story is about a variety of shapeshifter I’d never seen written about before—a birdman! From the air we go to the sea with Delilah Devlin’s mermaid tale (tail!), “Dreaming by the Sea.”

Among the pages of Dream Lover, you’ll also encounter a sugar-addicted male fairy in Shanna Germain’s delicious “Devil’s Food” and a couple of randy clairvoyants in Victoria Janssen’s sexy baking story, “Vanilla.” What can I say? I was hungry when I was reading stories for this collection!

If you like ghost stories, you’ll want to read about Justine Elyot’s sexy cursed poet in “Love Resurrection.” Craig Sorensen takes the traditional ghost story in a different direction with his powerful and sensual tale, “Shattered Belle.” Tormented lovelorn spirits and possession is the theme of Kristina Lloyd’s darkly erotic story, “Living Off Lovers.” I promise you will never look at an old apartment building the same way again!

Kate Pearce takes the motif of the old abandoned mansion to a new level in her story of a centuries-old cursed man and a lovelorn woman in “Folly” and Nikk Magennis gives us a reunion story of witchcraft and revenge in “Old Fashioned Glamour.” “Rainmaker,” A.D.R. Forte’s atmospheric tale of longing and the power of passion, will stay with you long after you read it.

No collection of paranormal erotic romance would be complete without a few demons and Dream Lover is populated by some of the best! There is a vengeful gargoyle in Sacchi Green’s “Freeing the Demon” and a tale of two demons in love in Lucy Felthous’s “Succubus Comes Home.” Ericka Hiatt’s demon in “The Eye of Pearl” is the enemy rather than the hero—and what a story she has written about the power of true love! To balance out the demons, my own story “Thief of Hearts” explores the connection between a fallen angel and the woman he was supposed to protect.

This collection was a labor of love as I have been interested in the paranormal since I read my first Stephen King novel as a young teenager. The appeal of the otherworldly (or underworldy) cannot be denied. To step outside our own reality and explore the farthest reaches of our imaginations to discover the creatures of the night, the magic in the ether—oh, it makes my heart beat faster just to think of the possibilities! And so I’m delighted to present Dream Lover: Pararnormal Tales of Erotic Romance to you. I hope the stories in this anthology will haunt your dreams as they have haunted mine—in the best possible way!

Next up for me is another collection dear to my heart—Steamlust: Steampunk Erotic Romance. I thought steampunk, with its fantastical gadgets, historical settings and tales of high adventure, was the perfect theme for an erotic romance collection. I just turned in the final manuscript to my publisher and I’m happy to say I was right— this is an anthology whose time has come! I can’t wait to introduce to the sensual world of corsets and clockworks. Steamlust will be an October release, and promises to be a one of a kind collection of erotically charged romance. (Not to mention the potential for Halloween costume ideas is staggering!)

Happy reading!

Giveaway: Three lucky commenters will be selected at random to receive an autographed copy of Dream Lover: Paranormal Tales of Erotic Romance signed by the editor, Kristina Wright.

Setting: From Washington D.C. and Portland Oregon to France and North Korea.
Subgenre: Paranormal Romantic Suspense
Hero: Knox Devereaux
Heroine: Felicia Locke

One sentence summary: A vampire and the human female he’s forbidden to love join the FBI’s first Para-Ops team in order to track down the stolen antidote that the vampire clan desperately needs to survive.

Scene you like most and would never cut: The scene where the team parachutes from a spy plane into North Korea in bat glider suits. Fun to research and even more fun to write!

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: “I love you so much, Knox, that I’m willing to be your mistress and watch you marry another vampire female so you can fulfill your duty to your clan!”

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? Because of his royal vampire blood, he transforms when he’s highly impassioned. He gets broader and badder. Kind of like the Hulk but in a wholly sexy way!

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Felicia is a special agent with the FBI, specializing in hostage negotiation.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Knox is the leader of the biggest vamp clan in Portland, Oregon. At the beginning of the story, he agrees to lead the Para-Ops team, the first special ops team formed by the FBI to recruit Otherborn.

What you think readers will like best about this book: I think they’ll enjoy the serious blend of fast-paced intrigue and suspense, with compelling emotion and sensuality.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: Dex Hunt, the werebeast on the Para-Ops team.

What’s next: In September of 2011, my first book with Harlequin Romantic Suspense launches. Dangerous To Her is about an undercover cop who’s investigating a judge and ends up reuniting with his college love. Then, in October of 2011, Book 2 in the Para-Ops Novels comes out. Chosen By Fate is about the team’s ghost, Wraith, and its human shaman psychic, Caleb O’Flare. Wraith and Caleb explore the tension between pleasure and pain as they investigate crimes in the feline community. And in April 2012, I launch my new romantic suspense series with HQN.

About Me:

What’s your favorite movie of all time? Shawshank Redemption. I cry every time Tim Robbins throws his arms up and savors freedom in the rain.

What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in? Paranormal romance or contemporary romantic suspense. Dark, tortured but redeemable heroes with strong but vulnerable women, fast paced action, unexpected turns, and high sensuality.

What’s the first book you remember reading? Bonnie Drake’s Lover From The Sea.

What’s your favorite fairy tale? Red Riding Hood. Even though she didn’t save herself in the fairy tale, I think she could have. She was independent and smart! (She knew something fishy was up with her “grandma!”) I’m really looking forward to the animated movie “Hood versus Evil,” the sequel to “Hookwinked.”

What’s your favorite cartoon character? I always liked Betty Rubble. She was a classic side kick, but like Maryann on Gilligan’s Island, I thought she was way more interesting than her redheaded counterpart.

What’s something you’d like to tell our readers? That I’m a voracious reader of many different genres and am striving to be the type of versatile writer who can sweep readers into a fantastic world and make them want to return again and again.

What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer? I’d probably still be a criminal prosecutor for the state of CA doing criminal appellate work. In all honesty, I’d also be searching for a way out as quickly as possible.

What do you do to unwind and relax? I’m a big fan of massages, family movie nights, and reading retreats.

Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it? ICED Chai tea latte.

What does love mean to you? Having someone who keeps you grounded but gives you wings, too.

Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? Anything hot and confining would be miserable for me. I know the corset, when worn properly, is supposed to be comfortable, but I think I can safely say a corset-influenced fashion era would be my least favorite. For sheer fun, I think the fashion era I’d most want to have lived in is the 1920s-1930s, during the transition from flapper to Hollywood icon fashions.

What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? Cyrus. I think it’s uber smart, sophisticated, and sexy.

Dog person or cat person? Both! But I haven’t been able to replace the cat-of-my-heart who died while I was in college. I have a King Charles Cavalier know, who is the ultimate companion dog. So loving!!!

I’ve been challenged to like a lot of different, controversial heroes or heroines in romance novels and been surprised how often the authors can make it work. Can you remember a hero or heroine you were sure you were going to dislike but that won you over in the end?

I had a great time visiting here at True Romance! I’ll be giving away a Para-Ops tote with a mug, chocolate, trading cards, my ebook, A Vampire’s Salvation, and a flash drive pen to one random commenter.

Please explore my website at www.virnadepaul.com or play with me on Facebook or Twitter @virnadepaul

Setting: Multiple settings in the human and paranormal world
Subgenre: Paranormal romance
Hero: Ares, second Horseman of the Apocalypse
Heroine: Cara Thornhart, human

One sentence summary: When a human woman is dragged into the world of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, she finds herself in a fight for her life, her heart, and the very fate of mankind.

Scene you like most and would never cut: I love the scene in which Ares gives Cara a mild sedative, and it has an unexpected effect on her. She gets a little…amorous…

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: She would never, EVER harm an animal or wear fur.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? He must win at all costs. Always. He’s no fun to play Monopoly with…

Heroine: Cara loves pajamas. Flannel pajamas with animals on them.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: She’s unemployed, but she should be a veterinarian.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: He’s War, second Horseman of the Apocalypse. His job pretty much involves being a legend.

What you think readers will like best about this book: Readers familiar with the Demonica series will like getting to see their favorite characters, and hopefully, everyone will like the humor mixed with a dark, dangerous story.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: Reaver. In the Demonica series, he got a fallen angel’s happily-ever-after, but readers want him to have a romance. I do have plans for him, so we’ll see!

What’s next: The last Sydney Croft book (erotic romance written with Stephanie Tyler,) comes out at the end of June. Taken By Fire will wrap up the paranormal ACRO series and take it out with a bang. I’m really excited for this book. After that, at the end of August, I have a Demonica/Lords of Deliverance novella that will release as part as the Supernatural anthology with Alexandra Ivy, G.A. Aiken, and Jacquelyn Frank.

About Me:
What’s my favorite movie of all time? That’s the hardest question ever, because I’m a huge movie buff. I guess I’d have to go with either the Lord of the Rings trilogy or the new Star Trek movie. Or Independence Day. Or…I could really keep going…

What’s my favorite kind of story to get lost in? I love fantasy. Robert Jordan’s Eye of the World series is a favorite. Once I start reading, the rest of the world is dead to me. DEAD, I tell you…

What’s the first book I remember reading? Tik-Tok of Oz, by L. Frank Baum. I remember that every time I visited my grandparents’ house, I would read the complete collection of Oz books that were my dad’s when he was a child. Tik-Tok of Oz is the one I remember most, though to be honest, I’m not sure why.

What’s my favorite fairy tale? I’ve always been strangely fascinated by Hansel and Gretel, but I LOVE Ever After, the Cinderella movie with Drew Barrymore.
What’s your favorite cartoon character? Spongebob Squarepants. Love that sponge…

What’s something I’d like to tell your readers? I just want to thank them for all the support, emails, and good times. They got me where I am today, and I’m beyond grateful!

What would my occupation be if I were no longer a writer? I’d go back to doing what I did before, which was to work in the meteorological field.

What do I do to unwind and relax? Watch movies, read, or play RPGs. Right now I’m digging Dungeon Siege 2.

Tea or Coffee? And how do I take it? Coffee, black and strong!

What does love mean to me? It means sharing each others’s strengths, helping each other through weakness, and building each other up. Love means that you love yourself as much as you love your partner.

Which era would I least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? Least? The 70’s. Yes, I lived in the 70’s, but I was a kid, so my memories are, thankfully, fuzzy. But the fashion was horrific! Most? I think now. I love the fashion in many periods in history, but I can’t separate the harsh/hard lifestyles and treatment of women enough to properly appreciate the fashion. Plus, I’m not overly fond of dresses.

What name have I been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? Rig. I don’t know why, but I want to use it. I’ve had to keep this name a secret from Stephanie Tyler, because she’d steal it. She loves names like that — my husband and I affectionately refer to them as “Steph Names.” (I mean, come on…she’s named characters Hex, Ender, Trance, Mace, and Gearshift. Or maybe that last one was Clutch…) In any case, shh!

Dog person or cat person? I’m a huge animal lover, so I love them both, but I’ll have to go with cat person. They are so underappreciated as pets, and I’ve found that whether or not a man likes cats can tell a lot about them. I could never have married a man who didn’t like cats!

So, here we are, talking about a paranormal series that brings a bit of explosive apocalyptic plot to the scene. I absolutely love apocalyptic fiction, whether the end-of-the-world events come from natural disasters, man-made actions such as nuclear war, or paranormal/science-fiction scenarios like aliens or zombies.

So what is YOUR favorite book, movie, or TV series that focuses on apocalyptic events? Me, I LOVE The Walking Dead and Independence Day!

Setting: New Orleans, LA.
Subgenre: Romantic Suspense
Hero: Slade Houston
Heroine: Valerie Houston

One sentence summary: When Valerie Houston’s troubled sister, a novice nun, is ritualistically murdered, she sets out to investigate.

Scene you like most and would never cut: The first scene at the altar of St. Marguerite’s cathedral where the first murder, of Camille, Valerie’s sister, is committed.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: Crocheting.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero and heroine: Both are bull-headed.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Valerie’s an ex-cop who is separated from her husband and now runs a Bed and Breakfast in New Orleans.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Slade is a rancher.

What you think readers will like best about this book: I think my readers will be drawn to the creepiness and perversion of the crimes (what does that say about them?) as well as the love story of a broken marriage being reevaluated and put to the test under excruciating, high-charged emotional conditions. (You know, when friends and lovers are dropping like flies!)

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: I haven’t fully written about Selena Alvarez’s love story in my “To Die” series—but that book is in the works. Also, I introduced Cruz Montoya in DEVIOUS and I would LOVE to tell his story.

What’s next:
BORN TO DIE, the next book in my Montana series featuring detectives Regan Pescsoli and Selena Alvarez will be available in August. Once more we have a real whack job running around the Bitterroot Mountains at Christmas time. It was fun to write. Different from the New Orleans series.

Now a few things about me:

Favorite movie? THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR

Favorite kind of story to get lost in? GOTHIC MURDER/SUSPENSE

First book you remember reading? THE BLACK STALLION by Walter Farley

Favorite fairy tale? Does SHREK count?

Favorite cartoon character? Oh . . . Stewie from FAMILY GUY—sick, I know.

What’s something you’d like to tell your readers? You mean, like advice on their lives? Oh, hell . . .live each day like it’s your last? Call a friend you haven’t heard from in months? Be kind to everyone but especially children and animals? Or did you mean, what I would like to say? If so it would be thanks so much for giving me the opportunity to do what I love?

What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer? I would start my own business, probably advice, maybe go back to school just for kicks.

What do you do to unwind and relax? Do crossword puzzle and hang out with family and friends. I’m lucky, I have a fabu family and friends that I’ve known for 40-50 years.

Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it? Both. Green tea straight, and coffee with a little hazelnut flavoring and a dash of soy milk (or Bailey’s Irish Cream if I’m on vacation.)

What does love mean to you? There are all kinds of love, but essentially love means everything.

Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? This one! Current day!!! I’m no Pioneer! Take away the nostalgia, the glamor . . . times were tough in each generation. I’m not into hunting, skinning, slaughtering, washing by the creek, no hot water, no indoor plumbing, making clothes by hand . . . worrying about the weather . . . you get my drift.

What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? Huh—don’t know. Maybe Montana.

Dog person or cat person? Both. All animals. Have had dogs and cats, birds and even a horse. If I HAD to choose one? A mutt. Rescue dog. I had a wonderful pitbull/ridgeback/boxer/lab mix and he was wonderful. (Look for Bonzi in BORN TO DIE and you can meet him, too!)

People always ask me who is my favorite character and I think, “are you kidding?” The truth is, they all are. I have to admit, I’ve forgotten a few characters over the years, but when reminded, (hey—I’m talking very, very supportive characters, NOT the leads) I always enjoy thinking of them again.

Currently I write two series, the most recognizable being “The New Orleans Series” featuring Detectives Reuben Montoya and Rick Bentz. These are two of my absolute favorite characters. I love to keep up with their lives—though it’s not easy. Including DEVIOUS, Bentz and Montoya have been featured in a total of seven novels. All of those books were written between other stand alone novels with other characters, which means it’s been difficult for me to keep track of all the details. The fans however, know everything there is to know about Montoya and Bentz. They keep me on my toes.

Actually I have binders and folders along with the printed books, to help keep me straight about the details. I sometimes feel like I need to be like Watson, that IBM computer that took on the brainiacs on the game show, Jeopardy! to keep everything doing the right thing, at the right time, in the right place.

But, really, I am not complaining. I love burrowing deep into the lives of my characters. It’s fun. For example:
Ever wonder who was Reuben Montoya’s first love?
What really happened to get Bentz canned from the LAPD?
What’s the deal with Montoya’s sexy-as-hell motorcycle-riding brother, Cruz?
Who are the real parents of Kristi Bentz?

In DEVIOUS I was able to explore a little of Montoya’s background. Who was his first girlfriend? Who did he look up to in high school? What kind of “bad boy” was he, really? What was his family life like?

Sounds fun? It was! I had a blast, but I had to make certain my new-found back story on a fan-favorite character coincided with information I’d already written in previous books.

Damn those throw away lines that came come back to haunt me!

Of course, I had the same obstacles when I wrote MALICE, Rick Bentz’s story and revisited his wife’s death, which could have been murder, or, maybe she wasn’t killed at all and is now hell-bent on ruining his life! In MALICE, Bentz was forced to return to Los Angeles. Since he left there under a cloud of distrust and uncertainty, I had to double-check my facts, those that I had created, to make sure his backstory hung together.

However, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I always love returning to New Orleans and catching up with the very fictitious New Orleans Police Department. Recently both Bentz and Montoya have added to their brood, so there are more people to keep straight—(Just how old would those kids be now?)—but I love it.

So, who’s my favorite character?
I don’t know.
I probably never will!

Question: Who’s your favorite character?

Setting: Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts; Glacier National Park, Montana
Subgenre: Contemporary/Romantic comedy
Hero: Nick Lowery, architect
Heroine: Harper James, divorce attorney

One sentence summary:
Twelve years after their divorce, Nick Lowery and Harper James face off as best man and maid of honor in the same wedding, are forced into a road trip, and wonder if they can ever possibly forget the past and get along.

Scene you like most and would never cut:
Oh, gosh, that’s a tough one…there are quite a few favorites in this book. But the one that leaps to mind first is the scene in which the wedding party goes on a trail ride in Glacier National Park. Harper’s horse is a far cry from the faithful steed she imagines, and she encounters some trouble. When Nick joins the fray, there’s this mixture of terror, humor, attraction irritation…and wildlife…that I just love.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying:
“All you need is love.” She’s a divorce attorney, after all, and most people getting divorced have found that love is only one of the things you need for a happy marriage. Case in point: Harper and Nick, Round 1.

Your hero, is he a boxer or brief kind of guy:
I wonder if Nick goes commando…well, let’s stick with boxers for my official answer.

Ancillary character you had the most fun with:
BeverLee was great fun to write—my first Texan! She seems like such a stereotype at first, but I think you’ll see pretty fast just how multilayered BeverLee really is. I also have to mention Father Bruce. I just love that guy. He’s Harper’s foil in the marriage game—obviously, he wants people to stay together, whereas Harper’s career is facilitating divorce. They’re great friends, though, and their conversations are wicked fun.

Your heroine’s favorite hobby:
Does cleaning count? She’s a bit on the, er…anal retentive side. She also likes bike-riding and sitting on her deck, watching the sunset, throwing tennis balls to her dog, Coco.

Your hero’s favorite hobby:
Nick likes building things out of whatever material is at hand—steel, wood, French fries. Like his author, he also enjoys watching the Yankees win.

What you think readers will like best about this book:
I think they’ll like the humor and the beautiful settings, but mostly, I think they’ll love the characters. Like the rest of us, Nick and Harper are flawed—and wonderful—and they each view their version of the past as true. They really, really loved each other, but they weren’t able to make their marriage work for very solid, realistic reasons. In their heart of hearts, they’ve never been able to let go of that love, and this little road trip will remind them of that fact, and just how important that love still is.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet:
There’s quite a few, actually! I’ve had requests for Natalie’s story—she’s the younger sister in Too Good To Be True; Parker, the heroine’s best friend in The Next Best Thing, and even requests for a romance for Mike O’Neill, the heroine’s dad in Just One of the Guys. I love all these characters, so you never know…readers just might see them again.

What’s next:
Until There Was You is due out in November, and I’m really excited about this book. First of all, it has the hero’s point of view (at last!) as well as the heroine’s. It’s a story about the power of first love, the return of the high school bad boy, and how the years have changed the people involved. Family roles, rivalry, what it means to be chosen…all that juicy stuff. And a great dog, too. Plus a couple of cats, who are also quite nice.

A lack of love was never the problem with Nick and Harper. They had great reasons to get married…and great reasons to separate, too. What, aside from love, chemistry and genuinely liking a person, do you think are the critical elements to a long-term, happy relationship?

Cara Elliott – TO TEMPT A RAKE

Setting: London and Vienna in 1814
Subgenre: Regency-set Historical Romance
Hero: Marco (Giovanni Marco Musto della Ghirardelli, the Conte of Como)
Heroine: Kate (Miss Katharine Kylie Woodbridge)

One sentence summary:
Old secrets ignite new passions as Kate and Marco find themselves caught up in a dangerous web of intrigue.

Scene you like most and would never cut:
There is a scene where Kate and Marco hide out from their enemies in an estate outbuilding that houses a collection of oversized erotic statues. Well, their blood is a little heated from the chase, and that arouses the need to let off a little steam, so to speak. So as one thing rubs against another . . . I’ll let you use your imagination. Suffice it to say, it was fun to write!

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying:
Sitting demurely in a drawing room, sipping tea and making polite talk about the weather or the latest style of fashion.

What celebrity is your hero like:
Marco is definitely a Johnny Depp kind-of guy. He’s a devastatingly handsome rogue who is cool and sardonic on the outside, but sensitive and sweet on the inside. Though, of course, he would rather eat nails than admit it.

What celebrity is your heroine like:
Kate has the fire and spunk of Keira Knightley’s Elizabeth in “Pirates of the Caribbean.” She’s brave, brash, beautiful . . . and a little dangerous.

What is your heroine’s occupation?
An expert botanist, who has also has a few less ladylike talents, having spent half her life sailing the high seas with her gentleman-pirate father.

What is your hero’s occupation?
A wild, hellraising rake, who also serves as a clandestine spy for England.

What you think readers will like best about this book:
The banter between Kate and Marco, and the way that two cynical people who have been hiding painful secrets slowly soften and let love into their hearts.

What’s next:
Too Wicked To Wed, the first book in my new “Lords of Midnight” trilogy, debuts in November. (The series features three hard-bitten rogues who are tamed by love.)

So, what kind of hero gets your heart going pitty-pat? The cynical bad boy I-don’t-Have-A-Heart kind of guy like Captain Jack Sparrow? Or the quiet, sensitive, self-effacing Hugh Grant of Notting Hill? Do dish! And do you have a favorite character from a book or movie who is the perfect example?

I’ll be giving away 3 autographed copies of To Tempt A Rake, so leave a comment! Also, in celebration of St. Valentine’s Day I have a contest going until the end of February over at my website, with a prize of yummy chocolates! So head on over to caraelliott.com

DARK PASSAGES: Tristan & Karen
Book 4 in The Brethren Series

Setting: Lake Tahoe, California and Las Vegas, Nevada
Subgenre: Paranormal romance/vampires
Hero: Tristan Morin, a Brethren vampire
Heroine: Karen Pierce, a human

One sentence summary:

An unexpected road trip leads to unexpected danger when vampire Tristan Morin must defend himself and the woman he loves against a sadistic, ruthless enemy.

Scene you like most and would never cut:

I love the way this book opens: with Tristan and Karen making love for the first time. By this point in their relationship, they’ve known — and resisted — each other for years, and are finally giving in, throwing all of their inhibitions aside. It’s a different kind of love scene from anything I’ve written to date because it’s more a physical surrender for them than an emotional one. They’re ripping clothes off, shoving each other into walls; everything is fierce and passionate and harried. And the whole time, Tristan’s struggling not to bite Karen, feed from her, because he knows if he does, then he’ll be emotionally and psychically bound to her. He’s terrified of that kind of vulnerability with anyone, but especially with Karen, and he’s fighting it tooth and nail. (Pardon the vamp pun!)

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying:

Karen isn’t one to back down from a challenge or a fight. She doesn’t give up easily, especially when in pursuit of something she wants, believes in or knows is right.

What celebrity is your hero like:

Chris Evans. I think Tristan definitely shares the same sort of devil-may-care charisma and sex appeal that he exudes on-screen. Evans is a strikingly handsome man, but he has a boyish charm as well, traits I definitely envisioned for Tristan.

What celebrity is your heroine like:

Jennifer Lawrence, the young actress from “Winter’s Bone.” I imagine Karen has that same appealing contradiction of stoic outer beauty and inner strength. Jennifer is from Louisville, my home town, and the first time I saw her photo, I thought, “Put another five years on her, and that’s Karen to a T.”

What is your heroines occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing:

Karen is a registered nurse specializing in the field of oncology. She and Tristan met at a hospital in Reno while he was going through a medical residency. It’s her background in cancer treatment that lands her the job as the only human living at the Brethren compound in California, because it uniquely qualifies her to administer care to those vampires suffering from the enigmatic and ultimately fatal disease that has taken the life of Tristan’s mother.

What is your heroes occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing:

Tristan is a doctor. Though this wasn’t necessarily by his choice, it’s a career he enjoys and at which he excels. When he’s focused on his work, he’s able to put aside other distractions in his life — like his attraction to Karen.

What you think readers will like best about this book:

I hope readers connect with the characters. Tristan and Karen are both filled with this relentless passion for each other, but it’s an attraction they struggle against throughout the story. It isn’t until they find themselves in danger — their lives, as well as their love, on the line — that they’re forced to admit their feelings to themselves, and each other.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet:

Technically, I have written about these characters, but they’re definitely the ones readers ask about the most. I’ve received countless emails begging for more books focused on Brandon and Lina. They were the central characters in “Dark Thirst,” the first book in The Brethren Series, but then faded into secondary roles in subsequent books. It continues to amaze and delight me that readers have connected so strongly with them, and that they have garnered such a broad fan base. Which brings me to…

What’s next:

“Dark Vengeance,” the next novel-length installment in The Brethren Series will be released in electronic and trade paperback this summer. The story comes full-circle, with Brandon and Lina again taking center stage in the lead roles.

In “Dark Vengeance,” Brandon Noble thinks the worst is behind him and is ready to begin a new life with the woman he loves. Lina Jones is more reluctant to let bygones be bygones, but agrees to try for Brandon’s sake. But just as they look forward to a promising future together, a ghost from their past returns — one who’s hellbent on revenge.

You can find out more about me and The Brethren Series by visiting online: www.sarareinke.com. Friend me on Facebook, or become a “Tweet peep” on Twitter for your chance to win exclusive prizes throughout the year!

I’m giving readers the chance to revisit their favorite characters from my Brethren Series. If you had the chance to see a new story centering around favorite fictional characters, who would they be?

3 signed copies of “Dark Thirst” and “Dark Hunger” to 3 random commenters

Setting: Angel’s Bay, California
Subgenre: Contemporary Romance
Hero: Nick Hartley
Heroine: Isabella Silveira

One sentence summary: Isabella Silveira, a beautiful, quirky, somewhat psychic woman comes to Angel’s Bay after a series of unrelenting dreams about a mysterious man. When her car is run off the road, she is rescued by Nick Hartley, who shockingly enough, looks just like the man from her dreams.

Scene you like most and would never cut: First kiss at the summit overlooking Angel’s Bay and moments later, they discover a beautiful, hidden waterfall. And I have to add a second scene just because it’s fun. Nick and Isabella go to a charity fundraiser, a wild turkey shoot, which they think will involve a bar and alcohol but instead turns out to be a run through the mud to catch an actual turkey.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing: A nine-to-five job or wearing a business suit. She’s a creative, impulsive, free spirit but she also guards her heart because it often gets her into trouble. Isabella is the youngest sister of Joe Silveira, Angel’s Bay’s sexy chief of police for readers of the series who’ve been wanting to know a little more about his family.

Thing your hero would never be caught doing: Performing in his family’s theater. He’s the sane one in the family, until he meets Isabella, who reminds him that believing in a little bit of magic isn’t such a bad thing.

What celebrity is your hero like? Hmm, he’s got a Bruce Springstein vibe when he ditches the business suit and picks up his guitar.

What celebrity is your heroine like? She’s a little like Lauren Graham from Gilmore Girls.

What is your heroines occupation? She’s a costume designer and loves to sew, a metaphor sometimes for her desire to repair the torn seams of relationships … like Nick’s relationship with his teenage daughter.

What is your heroes occupation? He’s an architect who moonlights as a guitar player. He’s spent the last few years trying to be a responsible adult but somewhere along the way he lost himself. Until Isabella reminds him of who he used to be.

What you think readers will like best about this book? I hope they’ll fall in love with Nick and Isabella as much as I did. And I hope their hearts will be touched by some of the more emotionally poignant scenes in the story. In addition to the love story, there’s a great story going on between Nick and his daughter that I think will touch anyone who understands how complex a father/daughter relationship can be.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: Charlotte! But don’t worry, Angel’s Bay’s more popular continuing characters also have secondary story lines in AT HIDDEN FALLS. And for those of you who really want to know what’s happening with the mysterious father of Annie’s baby, you don’t have to wait any longer.

What’s next: The fifth book in the Angel’s Bay Series, GARDEN OF SECRETS, will be out in September of 2011. And fans of Charlotte, Joe and Andrew will definitely want to be on the lookout for this one.

Thanks for having me on the blog today! If you’re interested in reading an excerpt of AT HIDDEN FALLS, please visit my website at http://www.barbarafreethy.com. While there, you can also check out my Behind The Scenes page which has the history of Angel’s Bay, everything from the gold rush shipwreck to the community quilting that is a big part of the series.

I’d love to give away the first three books in my Angel’s Bay Series to one lucky commenter (including SUDDENLY ONE SUMMER, ON SHADOW BEACH and IN SHELTER COVE).

To enter, tell me what you love most about series books — or if you don’t like series and prefer standalone books, tell me why!

Setting: Dublin, Ireland; in the Unseelie prison; inside the White Mansion; beneath Jericho Barrons’ garage

Subgenre: Urban Fantasy/Romance

Hero: Yeah, right. I’ve been writing what’s turning into a small dissertation on that very topic. It’s like a Fever hairball I’m trying to cough up, LOL. I’ll probably post it at my website eventually. Here’s part of it: There are arguably no heroes in this series. With a minor twist of the lens, those who are perceived as the villains might have been viewed as the heroes, and the heroes might well be villains. It all comes down to who’s writing the press releases. I may eventually have to tell it from someone else’s point of view.

Heroine: Ditto above. You tell me when you’ve finished reading Shadowfever. I’d like some clarity myself. Me, I’m Team K’Vruck.

One sentence summary: It’s our actions that define us. What we choose. What we resist. What we’re willing to die for.

Scene you like most and would never cut: Pretty much the whole book or I would have cut it all. I’m pretty hard on the material. If it doesn’t live up to my expectations, it goes in the trash. A scene? I can’t narrow it down to that. I’d say the last 100 pages. I rarely like to re-read myself but I think the series wrapped up beautifully.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: I can’t.

What celebrity is your hero like: The Unseelie King.

What celebrity is your heroine like: The Unseelie King.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Having sex with Barrons.

What is your occupation, or if unemployed, what should you be doing: Having sex with Barrons.

What you think readers will like best about this book: That I didn’t give them another cliffhanger. I think what they’ll like best is the sense of completion coupled with possibility. I bring the characters to a resting place, a good place to be, full of possibilities for a fascinating future, with the promise of adventures yet to come. Isn’t that what most of us want? A safe port with a damn fast ship in it, so we can sail out and explore like lawless pirates when the mood strikes.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: Hmmm…Readers, will you answer that one for me? I’m taking suggestions…

What’s next: A graphic novel from Del Rey set in the Fever World featuring Mac and other Fever World characters. It’s an original story that takes place as a side-adventure during Shadowfever. Also three more novels set in the Fever World.

Sue, thank you so much for inviting me to drop by, and for the many wonderful things you do to spread the word about good books and share the love of reading! And readers, thank you for keeping the faith–especially those of you who’ve been suffering the cliffhangers since Darkfever came out in 2006. I know it’s been a long wait, and love you guys for your patience, enthusiasm and community.

It’s been a long wait for me too, to finally be able to talk about the series from beginning to end and ask the question I’m dying to know:

What do you think of the way things played out? Did I give you what you wanted in the end? If not, what did you want? Who’s your hero in the series? Who’s the villain? Did Mac make the right choices? Could things have turned out differently, with only minor tweaking of events? What subgenre do you think the series falls under? Do you prefer my first-person or third-person point of view novels? Are you a Highlander or Fever fan?

Giveaway — 2 randomly chosen commenters will win a book - good luck!