trueromance

Setting: Mirabelle Island, Lake Superior off Wisconsin’s north shore
Subgenre: Romantic suspense
Hero: Jonas Abel
Heroine: Missy Charms

One sentence summary: What would you do if the love of your life, your husband, a man who’s supposed to be dead and gone, shows up on your doorstep, bleeding from a gunshot wound?

Scene you like most and would never cut: Jonas and Missy have always had a very hot, physical relationship. Even when their marriage was falling apart, it was the one thing that always worked. So when Jonas, in anger, goes to Missy’s bedroom one night and sees her naked silhouette, bam! It’s not a nice, happy, successful love scene, but it’s so critical to the story.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: Missy would never eat meat. She’s a vegetarian.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? Jonas’s mother died when he was six and so he traveled the world with his military father. As a result, Jonas can speak German, Spanish and several Arabic dialects.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: She owns a small gift shop that specializes in earth friendly gifts on Mirabelle, a small tourist island, the wedding destination of the Upper Midwest. She also makes a lot of the jewelry she sells in her shop.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Jonas is an FBI agent who’s been deep undercover for several years. He takes his job a little too seriously, which is a part of his journey in this book.

What you think readers will like best about this book: I think they’ll like the entire book, but if the ending doesn’t make readers both cry and laugh, then I haven’t done my job!

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: I’ve received a couple of reader letters asking when I’m going to write about Garrett Taylor’s three brothers. He’s the Mirabelle Island chief of police and the hero in my 2nd Mirabelle story, Next Comes Love. I’ve written about his youngest brother in The Pursuit of Jesse, just out this July. But Christian and Drew are still percolating.

What’s next:
The Pursuit of Jesse, Her Sure Thing, and Redemption at Mirabelle, the 5th, 6th and 7th Mirabelle stand alone books, come out back to back this July, August and September. I’m currently working on a Navy SEALS novella with a large group of authors, to be part of SEAL of My Dreams, due to be released on 11/11/11. And I’ve got a proposal in with Harlequin for 2 more Mirabelle stories, so I’ll be keeping busy!

About Me:
What’s my favorite movie of all time? Romancing the Stone and The Princess Bride generally run neck and neck for first place, but Pride and Prejudice (Kiera Knightly version) and Phantom of the Opera run close seconds.

What’s my favorite kind of story to get lost in? Since I would never dream of writing a historical romance, they’re the easiest stories for me to sink into.

What’s the first book I remember reading? Oh, that’s a tough one. Probably a Nancy Drew mystery. Although it wasn’t long after that I graduated to Harlequins!

What’s my favorite fairy tale? I’ve always loved the story of The Ugly Duckling. I had three sisters who were 8, 10 and 12 years older than me, so I think I identified with that baby swan!

What’s my favorite cartoon character? Oh, oh. Haven’t watched cartoons since my kids were little and I’m not sure South Park qualifies. I really liked watching the Rugrats with my kids when they were little and Angelica Pickles was probably my favorite character. From when I was a kid, though, and I’m dating myself here, I drooled over Johnny Quest!

What’s something I’d like to tell your readers? I love you guys. I wouldn’t be able to do this without every single one of you!

What would my occupation be if I were no longer a writer? I have an undergrad degree in accounting, so I’d very likely jump back into business.

What do I do to unwind and relax? Watch moves, walk the dogs, read, garden.

Tea or Coffee? And how do I take it? I love coffee with cream, but all that caffeine isn’t good for me. I drink tea. Black is my favorite, but I like green, too.

What does love mean to me? Love, to me, means accepting a person in his/her entirety. We all have flaws, but they’re part of what makes us, us.

Which era would I least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? I’m not crazy about wearing dresses, so I’d dislike just about any pre-1960 era from a fashion standpoint. I’m actually pretty happy with today’s fashions. So eclectic just about anything goes!

What name have I been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? Oh, I love this question! Names are so important to me. For a long time I wanted to use the name Jamis, but the perfect hero, a horror writer, showed up for that one in THEN COMES BABY. Now I’d love to find a character to match the name Dixon. Haven’t quite figured out who he is yet.

Dog person or cat person? Both. I have two dogs and two cats. There are times when only my dogs’ devotion will do. And other times when a cat’s purr in my ear is just the ticket!

Question –
As I mentioned earlier, I have proposals in for books 8 and 9 in my Mirabelle Island series, that will hopefully come out in 2012, so I’m very curious about this. Do you ever get tired of reading a series written by the same author? What makes you stop reading a series?

Setting: New York City in an alternate universe
Subgenre: paranormal romance
Hero: Dragos Cuelebre
Heroine: Pia Giovanni

One sentence summary:
A dragon chases after a thief, falls in love, and learns how to say please…sometimes.

Scene you like most and would never cut:
I would never cut the beguilement dream, in which Dragos intends to trap Pia but finds himself ensnared, not only with his own beguilement but also with her.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying:
“Can I have cheese on that steak burger?”

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero?
Dragos is OCD about his hoard. He knows every item down to the smallest detail, including the year stamped on every one of his coins. And he has a lot of coins.

Heroine?
Pia is not quite vegan. She will eat honey, if it has been responsibly harvested, and yes, she does background checks on the brand.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing:
Pia used to be a bartender and now she’s unemployed. Even as I type this, she’s wondering if she should start job hunting.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing:
Dragos is the CEO and majority stockholder of Cuelebre Enterprises, a multi-billion dollar international corporation. He is also Lord of the Wyr demesne, which is a full-time job all on its own. Even as I type this, he’s wondering if he should take a vacation.

What you think readers will like best about this book:
I hope readers like the humor and suspense. These characters really came alive for me. They just about danced off the tips of my fingers and onto the page, and I had so much fun writing the repartee between Dragos and Pia. I hope readers enjoy reading about them as much as I have enjoyed writing about them.

What’s next:
The second book in the Elder Races series, Storm’s Heart, comes out August 2, 2011, and the third, Serpent’s Kiss, is released October 4, 2011. My wonderful agent Amy Boggs at the Donald Maass Literary Agency has also finalized details on a second contract. I’m very excited to follow this series through book six, and I’m already plotting storylines for possibly beyond!

I have a question for readers and I am excited to read their answers. What is the story that no one has told but you would like to read?

Two lucky commenters will win a copy of DRAGON BOUND!

About Me:

1. What’s your favorite movie of all time?
I don’t have a favorite movie of all time. I’m too fickle. But the last movie I got really excited about was Avatar.

2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?
I love the kind of story that has several things going for it—suspense, humor, sensual tension, a kick-ass fight scene. I adore being surprised, and when a book can surprise me, I fall in love with it.

3. What’s the first book you remember reading?
The very first book I remember reading is The Little Red Hen. I was about four years old, and I loved that book. I carried it everywhere, and tried to read it to my parents and older sisters. I seem to recall they got pretty sick of it. But I could never figure out why.

4. What’s your favorite fairy tale?
Erm, this may be a bit of a different take on the question, but right now I would have to say anything written by Patricia A. McKillip. Her prose is lyrical, and her stories are like fairy tales, only new.

5. What’s your favorite cartoon character?
I have quite a fondness for She-Ra, Princess of Power. My daughter had all the dolls, along with a She-Ra castle, sword and cape. We saved the world several times when it did not know it was in peril. You’re welcome.

6. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers?
I adore hearing from readers about how they’ve interacted with a story I’ve written. It makes my day when I hear from someone that they really enjoyed Dragon Bound. I love finding out I was able to give someone the kind of pleasure I feel whenever I get lost in a book. I hope to continue providing that kind of pleasure to readers for a long time to come.

7. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer?
I have a Masters in Library Information Science, so I would be a librarian working with books and the public, hopefully as a reference librarian. Working at a reference desk can be very demanding, but it can also be very rewarding as well. And reference work can be like playing trivial pursuit in a library, which is a great game to play in one of my favorite places in the world.

8. What do you do to unwind and relax?
Read! And sometimes, for a change of pace, I might switch out books and read something different than usual. I have two dogs I like to spend time with, and I love going for walks near water. I’m also a General Hospital fan (I Google for spoilers!), and I play online Scrabble with friends. I haven’t had the opportunity to travel much lately, and I’m hoping to get back to that. I have a passport that’s going through withdrawal. Even as I type this, I’m thinking maybe I need to go on a vacation.

9. Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it?
I love both coffee and tea. Usually I drink plain black coffee, although I enjoy it with cream and sugar as a dessert drink. I have to drink my tea with a splash of milk, and occasionally sugar (and very occasionally lemon).

10. What does love mean to you?
I think at its finest, love is a decision. All the emotions of being in love can feel amazing and wonderful, and it’s easy when everything is going well, but the most important expression of love is how we choose to act when we’re feeling selfish, or when we’re tired or sick, angry or hurt, or abandoned and endangered. That’s when we are capable of amazing things like self-sacrifice, true caring and generosity. I think that’s when stories become really memorable and haunting.

11. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most?
I would have been a very unhappy Victorian. All those suffocating layers of clothes, the corsets, and knick-knacks everywhere, unable to take a deep breath and not able to move freely for fear of knocking something over—just the thought makes me feel very claustrophobic.

But I think I might have quite liked the Regency era. The styles seem looser, more flowing, and very feminine. But I would only like to live in the Regency era if I had a lot of money, and a butler.

12. What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet?
Phaedra. And I think I might have found a fit for it.

13. Dog person or cat person?
I am a both person. I love animals. I have had cats, and I now have two dogs. Sadly, I probably won’t have another cat because of family members with allergies. But I do love them.

Setting: Belfast, Northern Ireland/Boston, MA
Subgenre: Romantic Suspense
Hero: Marc Rossi
Heroine: Devyn Sterling

One sentence summary: Guardian Angelino security consultant Marc Rossi heads to Northern Ireland on a routine assignment to locate a widowed socialite who is “of interest” to the FBI, but when he finds Devyn Sterling, she’s on a personal, secret and extremely dangerous mission of her own, forcing him to choose between duty and desire.

Scene you like most and would never cut: Um…it’s in a shower. Need I say more? It’s emotional and…wet.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: “I’m not interested in family.”

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? As a second son of a big, opinionated, noisy Italian family, he’s something of a pacifist…who happens to be a weapons expert.

Heroine: She’s terrified of heights but ends up 1) on a rope bridge 100 feet over water; 2) in a bell tower high above the town of Enniskillen, 3) on the top of a crane hanging out over the Belfast shipyards.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: The adopted child of one of Boston’s wealthiest families, Devyn doesn’t have to work. Her volunteer jobs are always around her first love: children.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: A former FBI agent forced to leave the Bureau, he currently owns a gun store in Marblehead, Massachusetts, but is now part of the security and investigation firm started by his cousins, the Guardian Angelinos.

What you think readers will like best about this book: Everything, I hope, but early feedback says it’s the non-stop pace and the surprising plot twists. But, let’s be honest, it’ll be the shower scene.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: (answer only if applicable) Gabriel Rossi, the elusive CIA agent.

What’s next: FACE OF DANGER comes out in just four weeks! This is the story of risk-taking Vivi Angelino who steps into the shoes of a movie star to lure and trap a serial killer who is systematically targeting the winners of the Best Actress Oscar… and the rule-following FBI agent assigned to the case, who goes head to head (and body to body) with her until their insane chemistry combusts.

A little bit about me:

What’s my favorite movie of all time?
My comfort movie of choice is a tie between OVERBOARD and A CINDERELLA STORY. My action flick favorites are THE THOMAS CROWNE AFFAIR and TOP GUN.

What’s my favorite kind of story to get lost in?
Anything that makes my heart pound and my toes curl and my eyes water with unshed tears. And if the author can make me laugh, I’m even happier.

What’s the first book I remember reading?
As a very young child, I had a picture book about a medieval castle and I read it until the pages fell out. (Princess alert!) My first “romance” was Victoria Holt’s MISTRESS OF MELLYN.

What’s my favorite fairy tale?
Rapunzel – and no, I haven’t seen TANGLED yet.

What’s my favorite cartoon character?
Sponge Bob – for his eternal optimism.

What’s something I’d like to tell my readers?
Sometimes I think readers believe we just roll our eyes when we receive a letter about our books, like we’re so jaded and used to fan mail. SO NOT TRUE! I treasure (and respond to) every single letter, and very often I re-read some when I’m in dire need of a shot of inspiration and encouragement.

What would my occupation be if I was no longer a writer?
I would convince my husband – a fabulous chef — to open a restaurant and let me be the hostess. I don’t want to cook, but I’d love to be out to dinner every night.

What do I do to unwind and relax?
Define relax. I would rather write than do almost anything but I do love to read, watch movies, garden, run, and hang out with my awesome kids and my husband.

Tea or Coffee? And how do I take it?
Coffee, creamy and sweet, as soon as possible.

What does love mean to me?
To be loved means you never feel inadequate, you are truly empowered. To love someone else is just the opposite; you lose power and control and take the ride of a lifetime.

Which era would I least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most?
I’ve always been a bit of a Francophile, and truly believe I lived in Versailles in another life. But, oh, can you imagine the discomfort of wearing all that…weight? I think I would have had a blast in the ‘50’s – everything about those styles appeals to me, from the skinny jeans to the poodle skirts. I even dig the ponytails!

What name have I been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? Aurora or Rori – have always loved it, but can’t find the right girl for it.

Dog person or cat person?
Bow WOW I love dogs! Mine is named Pepper, an Australian Terrier who has never met a human she didn’t love, a squirrel she wouldn’t chase, or a piece of bacon she wouldn’t shame herself to receive.

One of the early scenes in SHIVER OF FEAR takes place in one of the most romantic, dramatic, and magical settings in Europe: the rugged Antrim Coast on the northeast shores of Northern Ireland. What is the most exotic place you’ve ever visited? The most beautiful? I’m always searching for a new setting, so please share!

I can give away a copy of SHIVER OF FEAR and FACE OF DANGER to two commenters!!

Setting: Regency England and the wide-open sea
Subgenre: Regency Historical
Hero: Lord Alex Savege, aka the pirate Redstone
Heroine: Miss Serena Carlyle

One sentence summary:
Rakish lord by land. Robin Hood by sea. The hero of her dreams.

Scene you like most and would never cut:
I am very attached to a scene in which Alex finds himself trapped in a locked room in his own house. But the absolutely hands-down un-cuttable scene must be when, unbeknownst to Alex, Serena boards his ship. It is a scene of revelations and truths, of seduction and surrender, a love scene, and so very much more…

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead saying:
“I don’t give a fig about my family.”

What celebrity is your hero like:
I don’t know! He looks a bit like Hugh Jackman. But in terms of his character and personality, I can’t say. I would love to hear what readers think.

What celebrity is your heroine like:
Same as above — except for the Hugh Jackman part, of course. (In appearance she’s probably a lot Gwyneth and a little Kate Hudson, with darker hair.)

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing:
Serena is the daughter of a baron, so she has no occupation per se. But she has made it her life’s mission to see her younger sisters safely settled as far away from her wicked stepmother’s influence as possible.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing:
Alex is an indolent, town-loving, rakish earl. He is also the brazen pirate Redstone who cruises England’s coastline seizing spoiled noblemen’s yachts and giving the proceeds to war widows and orphans. What he wishes above all else, however, is to enjoy the peace and beauty of his coastal Devonshire estate — simply as himself.

What you think readers will like best about this book:
From ballrooms to the rolling sea, CAPTURED BY A ROGUE LORD mingles all the delightful fun of Regency society with the adventure and intrigue of a pirate story. But most of all, I hope readers enjoy the romance — rich, deep, heart-stopping romance.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet:
I have had lovely requests for a story for Calanthia from A LADY’S WISH, which just tickles me. She has so much spirit and a great deal of growing up to do. I can already imagine the man who will help her accomplish that!

What’s next:

IN THE ARMS OF A MARQUESS
~ A passionate lady, a powerful lord, and an enduring love to defy the world. ~
(Book #3 in my Rogues of the Sea Trilogy, coming August 30, 2011)

What is your favorite story of romance and high adventure? Book or film, or both!

Margaret Rowe Any Wicked Thing

Thanks so much to Sue and Borders for having me back!

Setting: A crumbling castle in Yorkshire
Subgenre: Erotic Regency historical romance
Hero: Sebastian Goddard, Duke of Roxbury
Heroine: Frederica Wells

One sentence summary: According to the cover, “To have everything they desired, they would do any wicked thing.”

Scene you like most and would never cut: The anti-proposal scene. Sebastian’s pretty convinced he’d make a bad husband, and Freddie thinks she’s too independent to be anyone’s wife. They’re both wrong, of course. For excerpts of other favorite scenes, I’ve posted some on my blog and books page at www.margaretrowe.net

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: “Not tonight, dear. I have a headache.” Who could possibly refuse Sebastian?

What celebrity is your hero like: Rufus Sewell

What celebrity is your heroine like: Catherine McCormack (the film Dangerous Beauty was an influence on my mental casting of the h/h)

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Freddie is the author of a series of medieval history books and has her work cut out for her cleaning Goddard Castle and reforming Sebastian.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Sebastian is trying to straighten out his estate and his life. He’s traveled the world for ten years, doing whatever he could to keep body, if not soul, together.

What you think readers will like best about this book: For all Sebastian’s wicked bravado, he is very vulnerable.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: My critique partners would like to see Sebastian’s friend Cameron Ryder have his own story. I’d love to write a novella about him and revisit the castle before it falls down completely. Maybe Cam could meet a female architect…

What’s next: Margaret Rowe has a short story “Wicked Wedding Night” in December’s Agony/Ecstasy anthology from Berkley Heat. My alter ego Maggie Robinson has a novella “To Match a Thief” in Brava’s Improper Gentlemen in August and Mistress by Marriage, the third book in the Courtesan Court trilogy, comes out in September.

Question:
Freddie and Sebastian enter into an agreement to exchange power over each other every other day. Freddie challenges Sebastian to fence with her one day; Sebastian chooses a different sport altogether the next. *g* If you could make your partner do anything (wicked or not) for a day, what would it be?

I’ll give away two signed copies of Any Wicked Thing to two commenters!

The setting for Classic Murder: Mr. Romance is Manhattan, New York. I love the bustle and energy of the city. If I can’t live there, at least my characters can.

Subgenre: Romantic Mystery
Hero: Adam Russo
Heroine: Katie Sinclair

One sentence summary: (It’s a bit more than a sentence LOL) Adam enjoys a lifestyle most men only dream of; then one morning he wakes up to the morning headlines blaring, “Another victim falls prey to Mr. Romance. Who is next?” he realizes his way of life is not only frivolous, but deadly.

Scene you like most and would never cut: It’s small and maybe most people might not even notice it. It’s when Adam accuses Katie of cheating when they’re playing Scrabble in Paris.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: Katie would never be caught acting like a Prima Dona. She wouldn’t know how.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? Adam is a classic movie buff.

Heroine: Katie loves a mangy mutt named Oscar.

What is your heroines occupation: Katie is Adam’s assistant.

What is your heroes occupation: Adam owns a company that acquires other companies who are about to go out of business. Then he restructures them and when they are profitable again he sells them.

What you think readers will like best about this book: The classic movie angle

What’s next: Too many things to list. I have so many ideas it’s a challenge for me to pick one project and stick to it.

About Mary:

Utah RWA Borders Booksigning 12/11/2010

1. What’s your favorite movie of all time?
I have so many, but I think it would be Gone with the Wind.

2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?
The kind where I fall in love with the characters and I can’t put it down. And if it’s a mystery or suspense, at the end I blink and think, “Wow I didn’t see that coming.”

3. What’s the first book you remember reading?
It’s a tie between Boxcar Children and Harriet the Spy.

4. What’s your favorite fairy tale?
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

5. What’s your favorite cartoon character? Betty Boop

5. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers?
If you read something of mine, I’d love to hear from you.

7. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer? Travel guide in Italy

8. What do you do to unwind and relax?
Read, travel, drink wine and/or go to a University of Utah football game.

9. Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it? Coffee with Splenda and Flavored crème.

10. What does love mean to you? Trust and loyalty

Question for my readers:
What makes you keep buying the same author time and time again?

I am giving a signed print book of Classic Murder: Mr. Romance to one of the readers who comment.

Web site: www.marymartinez.com
Email: mary@marymartinez.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mlmartinez33
Twitter: http://twitter.com/marylmartinez

Where is your series set?
Serendipity Falls is a fictional coastal town. It seems like an average small town but it’s really a hotbed of paranormal activity. I have set a few of my adult romance short stories in the same town as well.

Tell us about your hero:
Haden Black is breathtakingly handsome, of course. And he’s a little whimsical and a lot dangerous. He’s in town for a dark purpose and everyone he lets in his life is in danger.

Tell us about your heroine:
Theia Alderson is hard to define. On the surface, she’s almost paralyzingly shy and quiet. Beneath that, she’s actually a free spirit trapped in a careful mind. She’s been raised with very little freedom, but inside her is a reckless heart. As a result, she is very conflicted almost all of the time—trying to please her father and learning to be true to herself are two things very at odds with each other. And then she meets this devastatingly handsome boy….

Can you give readers a one sentence summary?
A dark, twisted fairy tale of romance, danger, and cupcakes.

What is the scene you like most and would never cut?
Theia’s first kiss was a joy to write. I’m glad it went so well for her.

What would your heroine never be caught dead doing?
Theia would never be caught dead doing a lot of things—until she ends up doing them. She wants to please her father so badly that she quashes a lot of her natural instincts to be daring and have fun. Even wearing jeans is a power struggle.

What celebrity is your hero like?
Haden isn’t like anyone out there—he’s a hunky, goth mashup of Jack Skellington, Willy Wonka, and Mr. Darcy. Throw in a little teen Christian Slater, too.

What celebrity is your heroine like?
Theia resembles Rebecca Herbst from General Hospital when she was a teenager in the 90s. I don’t usually picture celebrities as my characters, so this is hard.

What is your heroine’s occupation?
Right now, Theia is a high school student and a very talented violinist. I’m not sure that’s the career path she wants though, it’s more her dad’s wish for her. We’ll have to see (if she lives through this) what direction her path will take.

What is your hero’s occupation?
Haden is a high school student, too. He’s very charismatic and well loved by the people where he’s from. I think he’ll be a good leader if he doesn’t let the darkness eat his soul first.

What you think readers will like best about this book?
Probably Haden. He’s fairly irresistible.

Falling Under is about a lot of emotion, longing, and angst. I hope it catches something in people’s hearts. Growing up is so hard—learning who you are, who you love, how to love. I think the story will resonate with adults as much as teens.

Also, by the ARC reviews, readers seem to be enjoying the fact that there are no vampires, werewolves, or fey in this paranormal book.

Who is the person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet?
That would easily be Madame Varnie.

What’s next?
My keyboard is currently smoking from the sequel writing. I’ve tentatively named it After the Fall, but we’ll see if the title sticks. It’s the continuing story of Haden and Theia and will be released in 2012.

After that, I’d like to work on another YA series set in Serendipity Falls. You can keep up with any further shenanigans by visiting my website www.gwenhayes.com .

In FALLING UNDER, Theia really struggles with finding a balance between pleasing everyone and being true to herself, which I think is a struggle for a lot of women. I know for me, it wasn’t until I was almost thirty before I decided it was okay to put my own needs first once in awhile. What advice would you give the teenage version of yourself about growing up? And if you’re still a teen or still struggling with your inner-teen—what’s one thing you can do today to be a stronger person?

Two lucky commenters will win a copy of FALLING UNDER!

Setting: Ebbany and the space between the Three Worlds
Subgenre: Paranormal/Fantasy/SciFi Romance
Hero: Bronse Chapel
Heroine: Ravenna, Head Priestess of The Chosen Ones

One sentence summary: Bronse is a super elite soldier for the Interplanetary Militia (IM) who begins to dream about a woman with abilities that have the potential to save his life, if only he heeds her warnings!

Scene you like most and would never cut: When Ravenna exposes to Bronse that there is much more to her abilities than he realizes.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: Turning her back on the other Chosen Ones.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? He doesn’t have anything quirky! He’s very straight-laced. Heroine: Ravenna’s key quirk might be the way she deals with her sometimes-obnoxious brother, Kith.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: She is the Head Priestess of The Chosen Ones

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: He is the Commander of the First Active Extreme Tactics Force for the Interplanetary Militia.

What you think readers will like best about this book: The super hot soldiers and their dogged loyalty to one another. The troubled and powerful Chosen Ones are also very compelling.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: (answer only if applicable) Jasmine from my Nightwalkers series. But actually, I just finished book six in the Nightwalkers series, entitled Adam, and she’s the lead heroine. It’s due out in November 2011.

What’s next: Seduce Me in Flames. Due out July 26th! The adventures of the IM soldiers continue as we learn more about the Three Worlds!

If you could create your own world, what would be the most peculiar thing about it? Anyone who comments becomes eligible to win a signed copy of Seduce Me in Dreams!

About Me:

1. What’s your favorite movie of all time?
Avatar. I just love the imagination and all the boundaries it stretched.
2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?
Strangely enough, I am a sucker for fictionalized stories about Queen Elizabeth I or anything about the Tudor dynasty. I try to imagine what it must have been like, how hard it must have been to be a powerful woman back then.
3. What’s the first book you remember reading?
Go Dog Go!
4. What’s your favorite fairy tale?
Beauty and the Beast of course.
5. What’s your favorite cartoon character? Calvin and Hobbes.
6. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers? To read the FAQ on an author’s website BEFORE writing to them. It’s kind of annoying to be asked questions over and over that are clearly answered already.
7. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer?
I’d probably work in an animal shelter.
8. What do you do to unwind and relax?
Watch HGTV. I’m addicted to Mike Holmes, a knight in shining overalls!
9. Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it? Neither. Hot Cocoa, made with milk not water!
10. What does love mean to you?
It means someone understands exactly who I am and wants to be in my life anyway.
11. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? The Wild West perhaps. It all depends on the ‘class’ of clothing you are talking about. Most? Elizabethan. All the jewels and wealth spent to adorn clothing…it makes up for the corsets and panniers.
12. What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? LOGAN. I love that name. But ever since Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine…it’s going to be hard to work it out.
13. Dog person or cat person?
Umm. Cat. Like…nine cats worth of a cat person. Possibly eleven soon. I never make it through kitten season unscathed it seems. And if you get one kitten, well, it needs another to play with you know…

Primal Bonds
By Jennifer Ashley

Setting: Austin, TX
Subgenre: Paranormal Romance
Hero: Sean Morrissey (Feline Shifter and the Guardian for his Shiftertown)
Heroine: Andrea Gray (half Fae, half Lupine Shifter)

One sentence summary:
When Feline Shifter Sean Morrissey agrees to mate-claim the half Fae half Shifter Andrea Gray, sight unseen, he gets more than he bargained for.

Scene you like most and would never cut:
The Shifter ladies badgering Sean in his front yard to tell them what kind of underwear he’s wearing. Sean settles the bet in a fun way.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying:
“I know my place and keep to it.” Yep, she’d die first.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero?
He’s a biker who can make computers do anything he wants.

Heroine
She likes buying the hero underwear.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing:
Andrea is a waitress at Sean’s brother’s bar.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing:
Sean is the Guardian of his clan and his Shiftertown—his sword sends the souls of deceased or dying Shifters into the afterlife.

What you think readers will like best about this book:
Sexy biker Shifters in a warm, close-knit family.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet:
Dylan Morrissey (Sean and Liam’s father).

What’s next:
For Jennifer Ashley:
The next Mackenzie novel: The Many Sins of Lord Cameron (August 2011, Berkley)
The next Shifter novel: Wild Cat (Jan 2012, Berkley)

For Allyson James
The next Stormwalker novel: Shadow Walker (June 2011, Berkley)
Plus a Stormwalker novella: “Double Hexed” in the Hexed anthology (June 2011)

About Me:

1. What’s your favorite movie of all time?
Toss up between Chocolat and Pirates of the Caribbean #1

2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?
Mystery novels

3. What’s the first book you remember reading?
On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder

4. What’s your favorite fairy tale?
Cinderella

5. What’s your favorite cartoon character?
Bugs Bunny

6. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers?
I love fan mail! Keep sending it!!!

7. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer?
Musician or dollhouse builder

8. What do you do to unwind and relax?
Play guitar, build dollhouses and miniature settings, read, hike, or watch a really good TV show.

9. Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it?
Tea. Iced. No sugar. Love blends.

10. What does love mean to you?
Caring deeply for someone for who they are, not what they do.

11. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most?
Least: About the 1770s. The panniers and big hair look so uncomfortable.
Most: the 1920s. Easy clothes, short hair, cocktails, and cool cars.

12. Dog person or cat person?
Both. But I have only cats, because my cats are cat people.

Readers: What’s your favorite kind of Shifter? And why?

One winner will receive any book from my backlist under any name (Jennifer Ashley or Allyson James). Backlist titles are here:
http://www.jennifersromances.com/NewSite/seriesorder.html

Setting: Victorian Scotland, 1888
Subgenre: historical romance
Hero: Graeme Langford, Duke of Rothmore
Heroine: Vanessa Pembrooke

One sentence summary: Two adventurers search for a legendary treasure and find love on the shores of Loch Ness.

Scene you like most and would never cut: I would never cut the scene where Vanessa seduces Graeme on their wedding night. It was fun and sexy to write a seduction scene going in the opposite direction. I also think it’s a great scene that goes a long way in revealing both Graeme and Vanessa’s characters. She comes at the seduction from such a different angle (and I don’t want to give away any spoilers) but there’s something so charming about a woman who approaches passion from an intellectual standpoint.

What celebrity is your hero like: One of the very first things I do when creating characters is to cast them with a picture. It’s not so much that I find a picture of some famous person like Hugh Jackman and then Hugh Jackman represents that hero. It’s more about the specific image and the emotion that picture evokes. I’ve always looked for what I call the character’s essence – something in that glance or expression that really echoes the way the character feels to me. So when it came to casting my large hulking Scotsman, it was a no-brainer to Google the Scotty-hottie himself, Gerard Butler. But the particular picture that I found was special because it fully portrayed the direction I wanted to take Graeme’s character.

What celebrity is your heroine like: For Vanessa, I found a great shot of Evangeline Lily, the actress who played Kate on Lost. It was playful yet pretty and soft and exactly what I wanted Vanessa to be.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Vanessa is a scholar, in particular she studies fossils and bones. The science of Paleontology was fairly new in the late nineteenth century, and I wanted to have a heroine right on the cutting edge of that field. So when she flees from her wedding, she high-tails it to Scotland to hunt for proof that the legendary Loch Ness monster did, in fact, exist.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Graeme, whom readers probably remember from the first book in the Legend Hunter’s series, Seduce Me, is well, a legend hunter. Or rather a treasure hunter. He’s looking for a specific treasure, the Stone of Destiny (sometimes referred to as the Stone of Scone) – it’s the big slab of sandstone that sits underneath the throne in Westminster Abbey. I suppose it’s worth noting that Graeme is also a duke and peer of the realm.

What you think readers will like best about this book: Readers will enjoy the adventure and the passion. The sparks fly between Graeme and Vanessa from the first moment they meet and neither one of them is quite sure what to do with the other. There is a treasure hunt, the return of the Raven (readers should remember him from Seduce Me), danger and intrigue, and enough passion to burn your fingers. One reviewer had this to say about Treasure Me: “tender and adventurous, and funny enough that you may laugh your nethers off.” It was a lot of fun to write, mixing the true history of the Stone of Destiny with my own twists and myths, and both Graeme and Vanessa were a hoot to work with.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: You know the reader mail I receive the most is about the missing fourth book in a series I did before the Legend Hunters. Everyone wants to know about what happens with Charlotte and the Jack of Hearts. It’s been almost four years since the third book in that series came out, and I still receive several e-mails a month asking about that book. It’s certainly a book I would love to have available to readers someday.

What’s next: I’m currently working on a new historical series that has danger and intrigue and all the hallmark characteristics of a Robyn DeHart book.

As the Legend Hunters trilogy comes to a close, I find myself a bit sad to leave that world and the men of Solomon’s. Writing my own versions of Pandora’s Box, Atlantis, and the Loch Ness Monster has been exhilarating and quite the adventure. I admit I never grow tired of stories spun around dusty tombs or mythical antiquities. So my question to you, dear readers, is what is your favorite legend? What’s that one subject that you never tire of reading about or seeing on the big (or small) screen? I have three copies of TREASURE ME to give away today so comment and you might win!