trueromance

Setting:Moscow in the near-future (a very dark, dystopian Moscow)
Subgenre: Paranormal romance
Hero: Bad boy fallen angel Brends Duranov
Heroine: Always-in-control good girl Mischka Baran

One sentence summary: Mischka Baran temporarily sells her soul to fallen angel Brends Duranov in exchange for his help finding her missing cousin—only to get more than she bargained for when Brends decides he’s playing for keeps and Mischka is his pre-destined soul mate.

Scene you like most and would never cut:
When my editor and I were discussing Bond with Me, she suggested giving Mischka Baran’s missing cousin her own romance with a fallen angel. Mischka’s cousin, Pell, has a very naughty side and her angel stages a very wicked seduction. The Fallen can make wishes come true. All a woman has to do is accept the Fallen’s dark offer: bond with him, swear to serve his every desire, and receive one favor. Whatever she names, he’ll deliver. All she has to do is serve him, in bed and out, letting him drink of her soul through their bond. Of course, the greater the favor, the longer the bond will last. Name too large a request and you’ll serve forever. Pell and Dathan bond in a bathhouse—in a very steamy, very sensual seduction that sets the stage for their growing relationship.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying:
Whatever you say, dear. Mischka is a strong, independent woman—she’s not used to handing over control and letting someone else drive her life. She has her hands full dealing with an alpha male like Brends.

What celebrity is your hero like:
Ah… the dreaded compare-your-hero-to-a-movie-star question. Honestly, I don’t watch too many movies that aren’t animated children’s movies (I have an incredibly low tolerance for bloodshed and violence in my movies) and Mr. Incredible just isn’t my idea of sexy. Large. Dark. Predatory. The vampire king in Underworld, perhaps.

What celebrity is your heorine like:
When I was searching for a face for Mischka, I wanted her outward appearance to be beautiful and serene. Outwardly, she’s a classic dark-haired Russian beauty like Oxana Federova. She’s a self-composed woman—who hates to lose control. Secretly, however, she’s always wanted to give up that control and to explore some of her darker sexual fantasies. She’s looking for a bad boy who can tempt her to turn over the reigns to him temporarily—and Brends Duranov is more than up to the challenge. The first time he sees her walking towards him, he wants to unwrap her and all of her secrets.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Mischka is a restaurant hostess. When Brends shows up and demands to be seated, sparks fly between them. She’s torn between doing the responsible thing—her job—and giving in to her feelings and demanding he hit the road.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Brends Duranov is one of the Fallen, an elite band of former warrior angels. When he’s not defending his sire and hunting down fallen angels gone bad, he runs an extremely popular club. The human residents of Moscow love G2’s—it’s a damn sexy club, the sort of place you visit when you’re in the money and feeling very, very lucky. Put on your best dancing clothes, flash your cash, and get ready to bargain very, very hard—because only the select few are allowed inside.

What you think readers will like best about this book: The fantasies. Mischka is a very sensual woman and, like many of us, she has a number of secret fantasies. When she decides to give herself permission to explore those fantasies, watch out! Brends wants to make all of those fantasies come true for her—so there are plenty of extremely sexy scenes in the book.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet:
Two names have been popping to the top of the list: Zer and the archangel Michael. I’d love to write Michael’s story, but next up is Zer.

What’s next:
Next up for me is Zer’s story. The leader of the Fallen, Zer believes he’s way past redemption—so, when he meets a woman who is a potential soul mate, he believes she must be a match for one of his brothers. He doesn’t deserve her and he’s going to run far and fast from his forbidden attraction to her. Zer’s story, His Dark Bond, will be published by Kensington Brava in early 2012.

Do you enjoy stories about fallen angels? Recommend a great fallen angel story for me to add to my To Be Read pile and one commentator will win a $20 Borders gift card.

Do you know about Borders Rewards Plus?

Setting: Bordertown, Arizona (a fictional town based very loosely on Douglas, Arizona)
Subgenre: Romantic Suspense
Hero: Hot, hot, hot Roderick Guerrero!
Heroine: Up to her eyeballs in deep shit Sophia St. Claire (LOL!)

Short (Ha! Changed this!) summary: Police Chief Sophia St. Claire finds herself out of her investigative league when someone starts shooting people at pointblank range and leaving them to rot in the desert sun just outside her small town. Help arrives in the form of California’s Department 6 Roderick Guerrero, but as far as Sophia’s concerned that only makes things worse. As the half-breed bastard of a wealthy local rancher, he has a history he can’t get past–a history that includes her.

Scene you like most and would never cut:
I don’t want to give too much away, but the scene I love most is where Sophia and Rod first meet up (after having known each other in high school years before). I love that the power has shifted from Sophia to Rod and watching her grapple with the change (and what Rod has become) is a lot of fun. The humor in this scene makes me smile every time I read it.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: That she loves her stepfather. LOL Their relationship forms some of the conflict in the story. She can’t stand him—and for good reason.

What celebrity is your hero like: Oh boy. I’m notoriously bad at this because I don’t watch TV and don’t remember the names of the stars I see in movies. He’s taller than Tom Cruise and not as stocky as Gerard Butler. I guess he sort of resembles Ricky Martin but his personality is very different.

What celebrity is your heroine like: Another tough one. If I had to cast someone to play Sophia, it would be someone closer to an Angelina Jolie than a Jennifer Aniston.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Sophia is chief of police, but she’s new and the way she got the position was rather political. She has a lot to prove.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Rod works for a security contractor called Department 6 that specializes in undercover ops inside the U.S.

What you think readers will like best about this book: The chemistry between the hero and heroine! It’s my favorite of the HEAT books for just that reason. The hero and heroine came to me so clearly when I was writing and are so perfect for each other—without knowing it, of course. I loved seeing them work through their conflicts and find what the reader believes almost from the start—they need to be together.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet:
I probably get the most requests for a sequel to my second Superromance—SNOW BABY. I just got one today! The heroine’s sister, Stacy, meets a guy at the end of the story. I did this to show that things were hopeful for her, too, and that was my only intention. But readers really want me to write that romance so they can see Stacy become happy. Next would probably be a sequel to the Stillwater Trilogy. I’ve had a lot of people email me to see if I’m going to write the last sister’s story (even though the mystery is solved after Book 3 and there really isn’t anywhere to go).

What’s next: KILLER HEAT comes out September 28th and will complete the Department 6 trilogy. In KILLER HEAT, the remains of seven women have been discovered in Skull Valley, Arizona. It’s up to Jonah Young, from Department 6, to assist the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Department in solving these murders. But he doesn’t anticipate the complications that arise when he’s forced to work with an old flame. Then everything grows more complicated—and far too personal. They quickly zero in on the most likely suspect, but betting on the wrong man might be the last thing they ever do….

I received a note from one of my fans that she was “disappointed” that I was writing a book about the illegal immigration problem (she hadn’t read it yet—just the excerpt on my web site, which only gives the first chapter). This book is definitely NOT about illegal immigration. It doesn’t get involved in the politics of it or try to sway people one way or another, but it does use the tension and problems along the border as a backdrop for a juicy murder case. Do you find yourself biased against books you perceive as incorporating problems that are currently in the media? Or do you find such stories more intriguing because they feel so real and show characters dealing with today’s problems?

Giveaway - Brenda Novak tote filled with autographed copies of WHITE HEAT, BODY HEAT & KILLER HEAT - Good luck!

Wow… How on earth do I give the awesomeness of this book justice in my review? I think it’s taken me three hours, at least, to finally think of something to say.

I enjoyed SIN UNDONE. I adored Sin and Con and the dynamics of their relationship. I loved the way Larissa skillfully weaved problem after problem into the book without ever making me sick of all the drama. (Let me tell you, there was a lot. I actually gave a sigh in relief when everything was finally resolved.) And most importantly: I love how Sin’s origins–how she’s the only female Seminus demon–is explained. Yeah, it was brief, but it worked.

But primarily? I adored Sin and Con.

I’ll admit, I was curious about how the two were going to connect as a couple and resolve all their issues. Con had to have issues, otherwise, the pairing wouldn’t have been convincing. Not when Sin’s past was so messed up. In this regard, readers are not let down. Con’s got emotional baggage up the wazoo, just like Sin. It definitely made for an interesting read, that’s for sure.

Unlike other paranormal romance series, Larissa continually reconnected readers with her past couples. That is something I find fairly important while I’m reading. Usually, when I’m reading other series, I start to ask myself questions such as: are these past couples dead? Is the current couple living on a deserted island away from civilization? What the hell happened to the past heroes I used to drool over!?  (okay so maybe I don’t think so much about the first two questions… but the last one is fairly important)  I mean, older characters/couples were painstakingly created, why not bring them back for a quick scene or two? Well, Larissa did that, and so much more. They became an integral part of the storyline… much like every other book in this series.

There was sap with the reunions, yes, and usually sap will make me cringe, but I felt it was necessary for SIN UNDONE… especially because this book was also the end. We, as readers, participated in a family’s journey. First with Eidolon, then with Shade, Wraith, Lore, and finally with Sin. And I must say, the journey was draining, heartbreaking, heartwarming, gut wrenching, holy-shit-I’m-going-to-bite-all-my-nails-off dramatic, sappy, lovey dovey, and AMAZING.

For some reason, though, I wanted to see more fighting in this book. Especially because Sin’s the leader of the Assassin’s Den. I mean, there was a lot of fighting, but I wanted a little bit more. I think it’s because I had a True Blood marathon for three days straight. Right before reading this book… Yeeah.

Oh and before I forget: Luc’s in this story! If you’re like me and you were rooting for this poor were’s HEA, prepare yourselves, because you’re gonna get it.

SIN UNDONE is a stellar finish to a wonderful series that I am somewhat sad to see go. I say somewhat because, while I will miss the Demonica series, I cannot WAIT for Larissa’s spinoff series with the Horsemen of the Apocalypse. If you buy this book, I highly suggest checking out the preview of ETERNAL RIDER, book 1 of the Lords of Deliverance series coming out in March 2011.

As for SIN UNDONE? Well, I already think highly of this series, and Sin and Con’s story is one you would regret missing out on. All five books were definitely worth their price and time.

Overall verdict: 5/5 Stars

I hope you all enjoy this as much as I did!

-Tori
Check out my paranormal book review blog, Book Faery (http://book-faery.blogspot.com/).

Yours for Eternity

Alexandra Ivy:

Setting: London, England
Subgenre: Historical Paranormal
Hero: Victor, Marquis DeRosa
Heroine: Juliet Lawrence

One sentence summary:

Victor is a vampire who is accustomed to getting what he wants, and what he wants is Juliet in his bed, and ruling at his side, if only he can convince the stubborn female she’s his destined mate.

Scene you like most and would never cut:

The scene where they’re battling the Jinn beneath the London docks. It reveals the depth of emotion between the two and how much they’re willing to sacrifice for one another.

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

Staring into the mirror to see how pretty she looks.

What celebrity is your hero like:

Darcy in Pride and Prejudice…only with fangs.

What celebrity is your heroine like:

Sandra Bullock

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

She is half-fey, half-witch with the unique ability to sense magical objects.

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

Clan Chief of England.

What you think readers will like best about this book:

The combination of action, horror, and humor.

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

Levet, the tiny gargoyle who makes life hell for my vampires 

What’s next:
Tane’s story in Devoured by Darkness. This is the seventh book in my Guardian of Eternity series.

If you could have any book made into a movie, which would it be?

I’ll be happy to give away a book of the winner’s choice.

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Hannah Howell:

Setting: Medieval Scotland
Subgenre:Paranormal/Vampire romance
Hero: Adeline Dunbar
Heroine: Lachann MacNachton

One sentence summary:Lahcann MacNachton is hunting for the lost members of his clan when he finds Adeline Dunbar and the child, Osgar, a MacNachton, and together they fight to get the child to the safety of Cambrun, the MacNachton fortress, as Lachann overcomes his mistrust of human women and falls for Adeline.

Scene you like most and would never cut: The prologue. It was one of those scenes that just came to me when I was struggling to come up with a better beginning than I had. The beginning was good but I felt it didn’t have the snap I wanted and then, suddenly, I wrote the prologue and it fit. It’s the satisfaction I felt that also makes me like it the best.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: She’d never say - ”You can just leave me here.” And she would never, never leave Osgar.

What celebrity is your hero like: Maybe like Clive Owen in Child of Man where he does so much to save the child and the woman. In truth, I never think of celebrities when I draw my characters, although I will give them some bits of actors or actresses that I like, such as one’s eyes, or another’s mouth.

What celebrity is your heroine like: Here comes that problem of never thinking of a celebrity when devising my characters. Maybe a little like the Sarah Connor character in the Terminator movies where she does all she can to save her son. Adeline might not be able to kick butt like that, but she has the spirit to do anything she can to save those she loves.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: She’s a healer/midwife, an expert with herbal remedies. She does what her mother did and that gets her marked as a witch.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: He is a soldier for his clan and one of the ones hunting down the Lost Ones, people with MacNachton blood. They are the descendents of the clans’ forefathers that the clan has only recently learned about and the ones who have survived are now being hunted so the clan is working hard to gather them all together.

What you think readers will like best about this book: I hope they like the way these two completely different people come together to save the child Osgar and both learn to trust despite pasts that have taught them not to.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet:
There’s a character in my late-Georgian psychic tales(If He’s Wicked, …Sinful, …Wild) that people have already said they want me to write about – Modred, the head of the Vaughn and Wherlocke families, who has telepathic powers and an empathy that’s so strong he has become a complete recluse. Unfortunately, he needs to be a lot older than he is now to get his own story but I have a few ideas. I do know that he will get his story if the series continues long enough for he just won’t stay tucked away in his castle on the border of Wales like a good little duke and constantly gets mentioned or appears in the stories of his family. So he is definitely demanding one.

What’s next: I just turned in the manuscript for the next Murray tale – HIGHLAND PROTECTOR – that is Sir Simon Innes’ story. I found the perfect Murray lass for him. And now I’m working on another tale of the Wherlockes and Vaughns. Sir Argus is in trouble and he’s going to get help from an unexpected source, a lovely young woman his ‘gift’ has no effect on. Such an arrogant fellow deserves a strong woman who can look him in the eye and say – Hah, I don’t think so, sir.

I like to write about strong women who do what’s needed in extraordinary circumstances and don’t let the hero walk all over them. Is there a strong woman in your life that you admire?

I have contests on my web page: www.hannahhowell.com where I give away signed copies of my books and other goodies. Come and try your luck at the various ways my webmistress comes up with to test you.

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YOURS FOR ETERNITY, Immortal Dreams

KAITLIN O’RILEY

Setting: Victorian London
Subgenre: Paranormal Romance/vampire novella
Hero: Lord Radcliffe
Heroine: Grace Sutton

One sentence summary: What’s more romantic than finding the man who has been in love with you for over a century?

Scene you like most and would never cut: That’s tricky to answer without spoiling the plot, but there’s a sexy dream sequence that I love. Dreams play a big part in this story.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: Grace is independent and strong-willed at heart, but she would never kick-box anyone who got in her way.

What celebrity is your hero like: Lord Radcliffe is very handsome, intense, secretive, and has a dark past, so I’d say he’s a little like a Victorian version of Jon Hamm’s Don Draper character, just without all the drinking and smoking and cheating!

What celebrity is your heroine like: Grace is beautiful with auburn hair and probably physically resembles Rachel MacAdams.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Of course a Victorian lady did not work, but if she had a career, I think Grace would be a writer because she keeps a journal.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: He’s a sexy vampire and has amassed a fortune over the years. He doesn’t need a job.

What you think readers will like best about this book: This was my first venture into the paranormal genre and Immortal Dreams is a very haunting and romantic story. A love that endures the physical realm is what everyone longs for.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: Readers are waiting for the next in my Hamilton sisters series. Lisette’s story will be out in October 2011. And yes, the younger sisters will get their stories told too!

What’s next: I’ve a steamy novella coming out in February in An Invitation to Sin, along with Jo Beverley, Sally MacKenzie and Vanessa Kelly.

Who do you think is the sexiest vampire out there in TV or movies?

What I Learned from The Reader’s Crown …

Authors are sensitive types. (Most) of us don’t have thick skins but learn to develop them during the “I’m trying to sell my book” process. Rejection after rejection becomes the norm and it is hard not to take it personally. In my case, it took me 7 years and 10 completed manuscripts, revised over time, resubmitted, re-rejected, before I sold my first novel, BRAZEN, to Harlequin Temptation in 1998. And though you’d think that once you sell, that’s the end of the pain, the truth is that’s just the beginning. There’s still rejection by publishers, bad reviews, etc. so that that thick skin must keep … well getting thicker. Every once in awhile, in the middle of this career we have a love/hate/really love relationship with, there’s a shining star of success that validates everything we do, at least for a little while, LOL! What could be better than winning an award (RomCon’s The Reader’s Crown) in which my book is chosen by READERS? The very people we write for? Just to final in a talented field of my peers was an amazing thing. But to win? It’s THE BEST. In my case, this award came at a particularly good time in my life, so the thank you’s can not be said enough!

The truth is, a writer never knows whether a story they’re working on will please readers. The one universal truth is that we can’t please everyone, so it’s most important to please ourselves. If we don’t enjoy the writing process, I firmly believe our readers will know. It’s also important to live up to reader expectations – if someone pays good money for our books, they should know what they’re getting content-wise. Beyond that, writers do the best they can. Some books are hard. As in, gut-wrenching, painfully hard. LUCKY BREAK, my Reader’s Crown winner was one of those. I barely remember how I made it through, LOL. So the win was especially sweet.
Then there are books that are just pure joy to write – and those are, simply stated, A GIFT. My current book on the shelves KISS ME IF YOU CAN was such plain fun, it was a definite gift. It’s sequel, LOVE ME IF YOU DARE fell somewhere in between on the scale.

I think what I learned from The Reader’s Crown contest was this: Authors write the best books they can at any given time. And thankfully, reader’s don’t always know from the reading how painful … or blissful the process was for the author. And THAT is a very good thing!

So as a discussion topic today, I want to know … do readers ever wonder if a book was an easy one for an author? Or a hard one? Or is this just something WE live with and you, thankfully, never know, LOL!

1 lucky random chosen commenter will win from Sue’s Stash! & 1 lucky random commenter will win a $25 Borders Gift Card — Good Luck!!

I was thrilled when I learned that my historical romance, The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie, won RomCon’s Reader’s Crown in historical. I was very surprised (I saw that list of finalists!), but happy!

I asked readers what they’d like to hear me talk about on this blog, and hands’ down, they requested I talk about Ian Mackenzie and why he is so loved.

When I conceived the series, I wanted to write about the most dark and dangerous men I could think of—rich, powerful, and decadent, they love the best in art, women, whiskey, horses, you name it. They go anywhere they want, and do anything they want. They break all the rules, and no one stops them.

Each brother is a bit obsessed with what interests them, and that obsession manifests itself fully in Ian. I was thinking about autism and started to wonder how even a mildly autistic person, perhaps someone with Asperger’s, had fared before anyone had put a name or diagnosis to the syndrome. In the Victorian age, such a person would be considered eccentric, different, mad, maybe even dangerous.

Ian Mackenzie was born. He’s a tall, handsome hunk of a man, and he knows all about sensuality—in fact he learns it as an art and focuses on getting it just right. His heroine, Beth, doesn’t know what she’s in for. She only knows that Ian is the most intriguing man she’s ever meet, and his determination to have her, even though he claims he doesn’t understand what love it, is both exciting and heartbreaking.

I had to do much research both on Asperger’s Syndrome and how the “mad” were treated in the Victorian age. In Ian’s case, his father gets him locked away in an asylum when he’s ten, both because Ian doesn’t fit into his father’s controlled world, plus Ian knows secrets that his blunt speeches might reveal.

Ian’s brothers, especially the two middle brothers, Mac and Cameron, could do nothing to get him out of the asylum, but they tried to make his time there bearable. The paid him visits and smuggled him cigars, whiskey, and erotic books, trying to make certain that their little brother would grow into a well-rounded man. The day that Ian’s father dies, Hart, the oldest brother, goes to the asylum to bring Ian home.

I did not model Ian from any one person I know; he grew from my research on people with AS. Not all AS people have the same traits, so Ian will not have every single trait associated with AS. I tried to make him as unique and realistic as possible.

Ian has trouble meeting people’s eyes (therefore I couldn’t simply write “His gaze met hers…” No, it didn’t!”). He wanders off conversations or doesn’t respond at all, especially if the topic doesn’t interest him, but he’s very focused on what does interest him. For instance, he collects Ming bowls and can tell a real one from a forgery in a heartbeat. But he collects only *bowls*, not vases, and only of the Ming period. Any other ceramics, he has no clue about.

Ian has trouble with emotions, especially spontaneous ones. For example, he’s not sure why people clap after a performance, but he’s learned to do it when everyone else does. It doesn’t mean he didn’t enjoy the performance; he simply doesn’t equate the response of applause to what he feels.

Likewise, he does not believe he is able to fall in love, but because this is a romance, I and Beth set out to prove him wrong! The entire book is about Ian’s growth, and learning what it is to love another person.

Since the release of Madness of Lord Ian, I’ve received so many letters from readers telling me that Ian reminds me of their own sons, brothers, husbands, friends, children of friends, or students. The outpouring has surprised me—I was fascinated by Ian and wanted him to have a HEA, and it looks like many of my readers did too!

I truly appreciate the response to Lord Ian, and I hope his brothers (who are as obsessed in their own way as Ian), are equally pleasing. Mac’s story came out in July 2010 (Lady Isabella’s Scandalous Marriage), and Cameron and Hart will follow, in that order. (I’m writing the brothers youngest to
oldest.)

To celebrate Madness of Lord Ian’s win, I’m offering a signed copy of the book here to a commenter—and if you’ve already read it, feel free to choose anything else from the books I have out (including Lady Isabella). Simply say hello or talk about why you like heroes who are a little bit different (or why you don’t!)

Thank you so much for loving Ian!

Jennifer Ashley

Readers’ Crown Best Novella: “Catch of the Century” in Four Dukes and a Devil
By Sophia Nash

Where Do Writers Get their Ideas?

It’s the question that universally makes many writers break into a cold sweat—or at least stammer like a fool for awhile. I never really knew how to answer the question until I finally figured out that most writers of fiction think in a different manner than normal people.

My agent summed it up best recently after a meeting when she said, “Sophia, you come from another planet.” I think she meant it as a compliment. I hope.

So how do most writers think? Well, amid the general chaos of thoughts that batter everyone’s head, writers tend to hit the pause button when situations arise and/or people say something out of the ordinary. Then our imaginations unleash an explosion of “what ifs.”

Here is an example: During lunch one day, a friend mentioned that a person he knew always “refused to eat anything with eyes.” Like any author on the hunt for fresh ideas, I immediately dove into my purse to retrieve an idea notebook, and scribbled in the entry.

The next day, while writing the first book in a new historical series for Harper Collins, I was pondering the traits of one character. He is a handsome gentleman, who has a fascination with horticulture and nothing pleases him better than his spectacular gardens. He is, of course, a villain.

The “what ifs” began: what if this character also refuses to eat anything with eyes. But, he is a horticulturalist, which means he would more likely only eat things with eyes since he prizes all plants. Now, while I fully realize Regency England might be too early in history’s time line for a lord to practice the ultimate Atkins diet, this is exactly the kind of irony I love. It proved impossible to ignore the host of turning points a character trait such as this one would offer in an unfolding story.

In my short story in “Four Dukes and a Devil,” which was lucky enough to win the 2010 Readers Crown for best novella, there are many instances of standard writer’s imagination run amok.

It included a snake bite. Only this time, it came full circle.

I’ve seen a snake swimming next to me in a lake. I’ve watched them rattling their tales in the woods, and I’ve examined them, sunning themselves near alligators in the Florida Everglades. And each time, I envision the entire disaster unfolding, complete with newspaper headlines: Swimmer Struck by Water Moccasin Drowns, Hiker Dies from Cottonmouth Bite, Idiot Writer Gets Too Close to Florida Coral Snake and Dies from Imagination Gone Amok.

This reoccurring snakebite nightmare fantasy was the inspiration behind a key chapter in the novella. What if a woman is bitten but isn’t sure if it’s a venomous snake or not? What if the hero doesn’t know either? What if they both assume the worst? What if a host of tried-but-not-true treatments ensues? What if their friends invade, adding to the general chaos? Yes, this is a classic form of a writers’ daily “what if” game.

By now you might be playing many readers’ favorite game. The “when is the writer going to get to the point of this story” game—the part where she tried to make it sound mysterious by saying something about the snakebite idea, “coming full circle?”

Last night, I met a true heroine. A woman who had overcome not only cancer, but, yes, two deadly bites from a rattlesnake several months ago. One of the most fearless women, she hiked the canyons of California alone and came within striking distance of a huge rattler. What did she do? She turned around and knew she had only a minute or two before collapsing. She ran and then dragged herself to the road, where a motorist found her unconscious. She spent weeks in the hospital, experienced multiple organ failure, her leg and arm turned black, and she nearly died.

The questions poured out. How did she feel, escaping death? Would she ever dare hike the canyons again? Amid the extreme gratitude she felt, she said she wanted to live life to its largest potential. She wasn’t waiting around for anyone or anything. And yes, she did go to the spot again and confront her past. How can a story like hers not fail to inspire a writer to examine the fragility of life? The silent “what if” questions arose all through the long night when I was alone.

Can you guess what sort of heroine is featured in my next book? Perhaps a plucky countess who escapes murder by a rotter of a horticulturalist who only eats things with eyes? A woman who has the courage to confront her past and live for the future? OK, I’ll work on it . . . I never said the well of story ideas was not murky at best.

What are some of your favorite stories you’ve experienced or heard from others? Help me start the “what if” game to strain the muck from my writers’ well of story ideas.

GIVEAWAY: 3 books from my backlist to 3 random replies.

Setting: Georgian London (1730’s)
Subgenre: Historical Romance
Hero: Lazarus Huntington, Lord Caire
Heroine: Temperance Dews

One sentence summary: A mysterious aristocrat enlists the aid of an impoverished widow to hunt for a killer in the slums of St. Giles.

Scene you like most and would never cut: Weeelll, there’s a rather shocking scene that takes place in a seedy bordello.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: Yes, my lord.

What celebrity is your hero like: This is going to sound odd, but he reminds me of Jason Isaacs playing Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies. Only, you know, not so evil.

What celebrity is your heroine like: Temperance is very reserved and practical, but there’s a lot going on underneath the surface. Perhaps Elizabeth Moss.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Temperance manages a home for orphans in the slum of St. Giles.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Lord Caire is an aristocrat, so naturally he doesn’t have to do anything so debasing as make money, but he does enjoy translating Roman poems—the more risqué ones, of course.

What you think readers will like best about this book: I think they’ll like the clash of personalities and ideals between Temperance and Lazarus, and the mystery and excitement of the chases through the London slums.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: Believe it or not, I’ve already gotten mail about Temperance’s brother, Winter Makepeace. People, the first book just came out!

What’s next: In February 2011 I continue the story of Maiden Lane with Notorious Pleasures. The heroine is Lady Hero Batten who has just become engaged to the perfect man…and then she meets his imperfect rake of a brother.

Wicked Intentions is the first book in my new Maiden Lane series. What is your all-time favorite romance series? I’ll be giving away the first two books in my last series, To Taste Temptation and To Seduce a Sinner, to one lucky commenter!

Setting: Southern Mississippi

Heroine: Monica Davenport. When it comes to profiling killers, she’s the best in the business. But when it comes to her personal life, Monica doesn’t allow many people to get too close to her. She puts all of her energy into her job. Then Luke comes around and starts to push right through her defenses…

One sentence summary:
When a killer begins turning his victims’ worst fears into reality, FBI agents Monica Davenport and Luke Dante must face the darkness from their past if they hope to stop the Watchman.

Scene you like most and would never cut:
At the beginning of DEADLY FEAR, a team of FBI agents slowly advance on a cabin nestled deep in the woods. The mood is tense and dark. During this prologue, the tone of the book is set for the readers. Actually, the prologue sets up the all three of my Deadly books. Keith Hyde, the man who creates the Serial Services Division in the FBI, is shown as he chases after a serial killer. Without this scene, the book just wouldn’t be the same!

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying:
In horror movies, you always see the heroine running out into the night—minus any sort of weapon—as a killer stalks her. Well, this would NEVER happen with Monica. Monica always keeps her gun close, and she’s also not the type to run away from anything or anyone. The killers are the ones who run—from her.

What celebrity is your hero like:
Bradley Cooper. (Though this may be due to the fact that Bradley Cooper is my favorite actor right now.)

What celebrity is your heroine like:
I think of Monica as a dark-haired Gillian Anderson. Reserved, but intense. (And, yes, I still am a total fan of The X-Files.)

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing:
Special Agent Monica Davenport is a profiler for the FBI. She works for my fictional Serial Services Division (the SSD), and she spends her days and nights tracking killers. It’s certainly not an easy job (and definitely not one I could ever do), but it is one that she feels compelled to perform.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing:
FBI Special Agent Luke Dante is the newest member of the SSD. For Luke, the victims always come first. He’s an FBI agent because he wants to save lives. He’s a bit of a risk-taker, so he has to be careful and reign in his wilder side as he works cases with the SSD.

What you think readers will like best about this book:
I hope that readers will enjoy the chemistry between Monica and Luke. Though my hero and heroine are opposites in many ways, these two characters have been drawn to one another for years. Luke let Monica get away from him once, and he’s determined not to make the same mistake again.

I also hope readers find themselves drawn deeply into the suspense plot. It’s a dark story, one that explores the fears that humans try to hide. Sometimes we succeed in hiding them, but other times, our fears become too apparent to others.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet:
I have been very busy writing for the last year—so I can happily say that I have written most of the stories that readers were requesting. (I love being able to say that!) However, there is one FBI agent that I am hoping to write more about. Jon Ramirez is an ex-sniper who appears in DEADLY FEAR. The guy has a troubled past, and he’s spent too many years lining up kill shots. I think it may be time for him to get a happy ending.

What’s next:
In February of 2011, the second book in my DEADLY series will release. DEADLY HEAT is the story of Special Agent Kenton Lake. I loved writing DEADLY HEAT because my heroine, Lora Spade, is a firefighter. Just doing the research was a thrill for me! She is an incredibly strong heroine, and I had such a great time incorporating her firefighting skills into the story.

Since my book focuses so much on fear, I’d love to know which books or movies scare the commenters. Have you read a book that made you leave all the lights on at your house? Did you see a movie that had you nervously looking over your shoulder for days? Share with me, and one commenter will win an autographed copy of DEADLY FEAR.

It’s been a pleasure answering these questions—thank you!

Cynthia Eden
www.cynthiaeden.com
www.twitter.com/cynthiaeden

Deadly Fear, Cynthia Eden

Escapist Literature and Romance – What Are We Escaping From, Exactly?

Elizabeth Vail, AnimeJune from Gossamer Obsessions

“Escapist” is often a word associated with genre fiction, particularly with romance. However, the actual definition of what “escapist” means is a topic of heated debate in romance circles, especially when it comes to the amount of fantasy in romantic narrative. How much is romance literature dependent on fantasy? The answer varies from reader to reader, but in general, romance fans fall into two camps.

Camp #1 understands the definition of “escapist” as just that: an escape from a stressful, dreary reality into a world where the rules of realism can be bent for the purposes of personal entertainment. These readers are willing to support an historical, science-fictional, contemporary or paranormal setting, as long as the positive fantasy of the romance between the main characters takes first priority.

In this camp, readers love Medievals for the epic battles and chivalry but can easily do without descriptions of the personal hygiene of the period. Or they love Greek tycoons so long as they don’t have to read scenes of them actually, you know, ‘earning’ their fortunes working long hours at the Greek office. Camp #1’s motto is, “We get enough real life in real life – romance should take us away from that.”

However, there is definitely a sense of the “personal” in the “personal entertainment” here. One reader I chatted with on a message board said, “Oh, I wouldn’t read a romance with a bald hero. I don’t find that attractive at all.” But which is more important: that the reader finds the hero attractive, or that the heroine finds the hero attractive? To that reader, the importance of fantasy actually trumps the narrative itself.

This leads to the mindset of Camp #2, where the term “escapist” raises more than a few hackles. It carries a whiff of the “bored housewife porn” stereotype. “We don’t need to escape from anything!” members of Camp #2 exclaim. “Our lives are awesome! We’re teachers, mothers, professors, lawyers! We take romance seriously! It is literature!”

I’ll admit I fall into Camp #2. I also used to think the term “escapist” was demeaning, that it implied the romance genre placed more importance on titillation than on a gripping, well-written narrative. Although as I came to read more and more romance, I learned there can be a different definition for “escapist.” Reading an excellent romance, I do escape – moreover, I am transported from the library/bus/armchair where I’m reading and dropped into a vivid, fully-realized world.

As a member of Camp #2, however, I need a little of that “dreary real life” to experience that true escape, that full immersion into the world the author creates. In order for members of Camp #1 to escape, they need a world they ‘want’ to exist. For members of Camp #2 to escape, they need a world they’re convinced ‘could’ exist. I need meticulous detail, whether historical or paranormal. I need realistic drama. And yes, I need a little darkness and suffering and realism. I need to believe that world is real before I explore it, something I can’t always accomplish with a wallpaper historical with too-good-to-be-true characters.

That’s not to say there aren’t grey areas – followers of Camp #1 are just as unlikely to tolerate a TSTL heroine, whether she’s an anachronistic lady-journalist in 1820s Britain or a meticulously researched World War II nurse with a morphine addiction. And I’ve yet to hear a Camp #2 gal complain about the convenient popularity of sexually-enlightened dukes with perfect teeth whose sweat naturally smells like Old Spice.

What I’m ultimately saying is that I believe romance ‘is’, at its heart, escapist literature, and that “escapist” isn’t a dirty word. Despite the differences in expectations, desires, and preferences between Camp #1 and #2, I think we all read romance – I think we all read books ‘period’ – for the same reason, because they transport us somewhere else, somewhere we’ve never been. Whether it’s to a gritty apocalyptic future where we can explore the flaws in the human condition or an idealized English countryside where a duke can marry a serving-girl, is really up to whichever book we pick up.

Elizabeth Vail
Check out my blog at:
http://gossamerobsessions.blogspot.com/