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.

Congratulations to Aubrey Ross for winning the Readers’ Crown Award for Short Erotic Romance! Is that not just the hottest cover?

Aubrey is unable to blog today so here is a bit more about her book:
Winter is the second book in a paranormal erotic romance trilogy. It is hot, hot, hot!

After surviving the horrors of a salt refinery, Winter is convinced she’s prepared for anything. Her mission is simple, seduce Ulrick Brant and convince him to reveal the location of the mysterious Chemist. Ulrick is handsome, sexy, and heroic. How hard can this be?

Ulrick doesn’t mind helping the Resistance, but he won’t tolerate being used. Before Winter realizes she’s caught, he has her naked and in restraints. He arouses her slowly, commanding her body with skill and tenderness until they both forget it’s a game.

Winter is dazzled by the pleasure they share, but the Resistance won’t wait forever. Danger is closing in, and Ulrick must choose his final role, ruthless invader, or freedom fighter.

Bio:
When my parents realized I had an aptitude for storytelling—okay, even at an early age I was a consummate liar—they encouraged me to find constructive ways to put all that “creativity” to use. I wrote my first novel when I was in junior high school. It was a typical teenage girl’s fantasy about being kidnapped by a rock star, finding out he was really misunderstood, a millionaire’s son, and living happily ever after with the reformed rebel…

Now I spend my days, and many of my nights, trying to keep up with the characters springing to life within my mind. I find creative ways of avoiding errands and housework because I can’t drag myself away from the dramas unfolding in my latest story. And everyday I thank God I was able to quit my day job and actively pursue my dream!

What is your favorite type of cover?

Setting: Los Angeles, California
Subgenre: Paranormal Romance (werewolf romance)
Hero: Lucas Simone, Wolf Alpha
Heroine: Sarah King

One sentence summary: When Sarah King finds herself running for her life, she turns to alpha Lucas Simone for help—Lucas is fierce, wild, and more than strong enough to destroy any hunters on Sarah’s trail.

Scene you like most and would never cut: I actually really enjoyed writing the beginning scene the most. Lucas is trapped in a jail cell, and Sarah comes to his aid. Well, she comes for a price. If Lucas will give her protection, she’ll give him freedom. Sarah thinks that’s a pretty fair trade.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: In horror movies, you often see the terrified heroine stumbling around in the dark or heading into the dangerous basement when you know she’s just going to stumble right into the killer. Sarah isn’t the stumbling type. She’s the bring-a-gun-with-you-and-fight type. I respect that about her.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? Though he’s tough on the outside, Lucas has a serious soft spot on the inside. The guy just can’t resist a damsel in distress. Unfortunately, this soft spot could be his downfall because while Sarah might play the weak card very well, she’s one woman who has a serious killer instinct.

Heroine? Sarah has always fought against being normal. To her, normal is boring, and she’ll do anything necessary to walk in the paranormal world. The big, bad wolf doesn’t scare her; instead, he just makes her feel more alive.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Sarah is currently unemployed—mostly because she’s running for her life and that running doesn’t leave her a whole lot of time for a nine to five job. When she isn’t running, Sarah does the work she was born to do…she infiltrates some very dangerous organizations.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Lucas is the alpha of the LA wolf pack and being alpha is a full-time job. He controls the pack, all of the businesses owned by the pack, and he rules with iron control.

What you think readers will like best about this book: I hope readers like the action. Lucas and Sarah set out on a wild, desperate adventure, and as they fight for survival, the tension between them heats up as the pages turn.

What’s next: I’m excited to say that ANGEL OF DARKNESS, the first book in my Fallen Angels of Death series, will release from Kensington Brava in December of 2011. My angels are dark, very dangerous, and they can kill with a touch. Some touches can bring pleasures, but if my angels come after you, then you’ll only know death.

Thanks so much for checking out my post! I had a fabulous time writing about Lucas. I’ve always enjoyed the werewolf legend. Maybe it’s that wild side that werewolves have, but I love the idea of a man who can control the beast within himself. What about you? What aspects of the werewolf legend do you enjoy? Two random commenters will be selected to win copies of NEVER CRY WOLF.

About Me:

1. What’s your favorite movie of all time? The Mummy

2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in? A sexy paranormal romance!

3. What’s the first book you remember reading? Tough question! And I must confess—I can’t remember! Though I do remember that when I was a child, my mom would read Snow White and Little Red Riding Hood to me over and over. She had a great book of fairy tales that she always pulled out at bedtime.

4. What’s your favorite fairy tale? Snow White, though I would like it more if the Wicked Queen had a slightly different ending.

5. What’s your favorite cartoon character? Donald Duck

6. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers? Thank you so very much for taking the time to read my books!

7. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer? A teacher.

8. What do you do to unwind and relax? Read

9. Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it? Um, sweet tea, please. Very sweet.

Setting: a rural community in northern Canada
Subgenre: paranormal romance/suspense
Hero: Connor Macleod
Heroine: Zoey Tyler

One sentence summary: Zoey fends off a wolf attack, but is the man who helped her much more dangerous?

What is your heroine’s occupation: Zoey walked away from a successful career as a top journalist in Vancouver to become the editor of the Dunvegan Herald Weekly, a small newspaper in an even smaller rural community in Canada’s north. What Zoey is really trying to run away from is her inherited psychic ability. She’d just like to be “normal”, unaware that she’s taken up residence in one of the least normal places on the planet.

What is your hero’s occupation: Connor is Dunvegan’s gifted (and perpetually overworked) veterinarian, owner of the North Star Animal Hospital. But that’s just his day job. Unknown to Zoey, he’s also a powerful Changeling, able to become a massive wolf at will and determined to protect what’s his. Also unknown to Zoey, this means her.

Scene you like most and would never cut: That would be the scene where Connor finds his prankster brother, Culley, lying on his office couch – as a wolf! Of course, Zoey walks in right then… I love the underlying normalcy of the situation. Sure, they’re big strong Changelings, but is there anything more human than wanting to throttle your smart-ass sibling?

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: “Better make it decaf.” This is a woman who understands the true power of coffee and devotes a sizable chunk of her apartment kitchen to its proper preparation.

What you think readers will like best about this book: I think readers will enjoy the small-town ambience, and they’ll likely feel that they really know the quirky community as well as the main characters. Because of that, I think they’ll experience some deep down chills as the villain grows stronger – and more evil.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: Connor’s siblings, twins Culley and Devlin. Those two are still waiting for their turn. (And if they don’t behave, they’ll be waiting even longer!) Readers have been very interested in other members of the Pack like the RCMP’s sexy Sergeant Fitzpatrick and the pilot, Holt Lalonde. I’ve also had a couple of requests for a prequel about the small but mighty Jessie Watson, purveyor of fine food by day and leader of the Changeling pack by night.

What’s next: More of the Macleod clan and their friends, of course! Changeling Dream will be released July 1 and is the sequel. Changeling Dawn will come out in January. I’m working on Book 4 right now.

About Me:

1. What’s your favorite TV show of all time? Buffy the Vampire Slayer, hands down. My daughters and I watched every single episode from the series premiere to the grand finale. We laughed and cried and loved it together. The girls are grown up and gone now but we watch Supernatural, Vampire Diaries and True Blood, and talk about the latest episodes over the phone.

2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in? I love a great urban fantasy with a kick-ass heroine. Something by Karen Chance or Patricia Briggs usually.

3. What are the first books you remember reading? Once I graduated from Dr. Seuss and Enid Blyton to novels, I actually read a great many classics – and they weren’t abridged either! Heavy reading for a young kid, but I loved every word. The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers, Frankenstein, A Tale of Two Cities, David Copperfield… I was given the complete works of Edgar Allen Poe and Bram Stoker’s Dracula when I was nine or ten. Oh, and I had lots of animal stories like The Black Stallion and The Call of the Wild.

4. What’s your favorite fairy tale? That’s tough, because I hate princesses and so few of the original fairy tales had happy endings. I’d have to say the original Beauty and the Beast story – I was always on the side of the Beast and wanted Beauty to treat him better.

5. What’s your favorite cartoon character? Okay, who spilled the beans that I have a secret addiction to cartoons? My current favorites are Making Fiends (and that’s not a typo) and El Tigre, both from Nicktoons.

6. Who’s your favorite author of all time? Stephen King. I’ve read almost everything he’s written and have several of his books permanently enshrined on my keeper shelf. One of my latest favorites is Duma Key. King’s ability to get inside his characters’ heads – and take you with him – is simply stunning. By the end of the story, you’re half certain everything happened to YOU.

7. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers? Well, somebody already blabbed about the cartoon thing … maybe I could tell them that I live on an island in Alaska, my hubby and I run a salmon fishing boat, and a grizzly bear ate my bird feeder. No idea if it also ate the birds. I hope not.

8. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer? I would love to go back to farming on the mainland. I seriously miss my goats and chickens. Or I’d really like to run a greenhouse-nursery and open my own garden center.

9. What do you do to unwind and relax? I putter with my garden. I adore plants. I sew or paint. Or I might take my pugs for a walk along the forest trails here or on the beach at low tide.

10. What does love mean to you? That’s a huge question. Love is so much more than a blissful feeling. Loyalty, compassion, empathy and kindness are vital parts of true love. If you love someone, you support them and cheer them on. You want them to achieve the dreams that are important to them, and you would sacrifice to make that possible. You care about how they feel, and if they hurt, you hurt too. Love isn’t a static thing, it’s deep and alive and growing. Ideally love is a gradual knitting of souls and that usually happens over time through shared tough experiences.

11. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Any era where women couldn’t wear pants would be unimaginably horrible. I’d have to have a gun to my head before I could be persuaded to wear a dress. Most? Since I’m a blue jeans baby through and through, I like the here and now.

12. What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? Upon learning that I was a writer, a handsome young optometrist named Travis begged me to name a character after him! It hasn’t happened yet because my characters tend to pop up mostly fully formed, names and all. In fact, I seldom get to name anyone. The entire Macleod tribe showed up in my head at once, and even came with middle names!

13. Dog person or cat person? I admire cats from a distance – I’m allergic to them. But I’m happy as a dog person, owned by a pair of pugs, Toby and Fiona. They are glued to my side most of the time, especially when I sit down to write; Fiona currently has her chin on the keyboard. Toby is snoring. Loudly.

Questions for my readers: What are your favorite paranormal beings and why? Are there any creatures you haven’t seen in a novel (or haven’t seen enough of) and wish somebody would write about them?

Today we welcome the finalists from the 2011 Readers’ Crown® Contest! These talented authors were selected by RomCon® readers who judged their books using a 20 point questionnaire.

They will be chatting with us about the stories behind their books, what’s next in their series, and other fun things, such as what they do when they aren’t writing. We’re giving away a general admission ticket to RomCon® 2011 to 3 lucky commenters today!

Best First Book
Ashley March Seducing the Duchess
Courtney Milan Proof by Seduction
Jessica Chambers Voices on the Waves
Liz Talley Vegas Two Step
Olivia Cunning Backstage Pass

Long Contemporary Romance
Carly Phillips Love Me If You Dare
Carly Phillips Kiss Me If You Can
Christina James A Place To Call Home
Julie James Something About You
Linda Warren Skylar’s Outlaw

Long Erotic Romance
Annabel Joseph Firebird
Elizabeth Amber Dane, The Lords of Satyr
Jaci Burton Riding The Night
Nadia Aidan Twelve Wicked Nights
Olivia Cunning Backstage Pass

Long Historical Romance
Courtney Milan Trial by Desire
Deeanne Gist Maid to Match
Monica McCarty The Chief
Robyn DeHart Desire Me
Tracy Anne Warren Wicked Delights Of A Bridal Bed

Long Paranormal Romance
Gabi Stevens The Wish List
Keena Kincaid Enthralled
Melissa Mayhue A Highlander’s Destiny
Patti O’Shea In the Darkest Night
Shannon K. Butcher Living Nightmare

Long Romantic Suspense
Brenda Novak White Heat
Brenda Novak Body Heat
Cindy Gerard Risk No Secrets
Joyce Lamb True Vision
Pamela Clare Naked Edge

Mainstream Women’s Fiction
Carol Snow Just Like Me, Only Better
Jessica Chambers Voices on the Waves
Susan Crandall Sleep No More

Romantic Novella
Abby Gaines No Ordinary Man (in One in a Million)
Abby Gaines Chasing the Dream (in The Memory of a Kiss)
Amanda McCabe Snowbound and Seduced (in Regency Christmas Proposals)
Cindy Gerard Leave No Trace (in Deadly Promises)
Veronica Wolff The Drowning Sea (in Ladies Prefer Rogues)

Sci-fi/Futuristic/Time-Travel Romance
Anne Marsh Bond with Me
C.J. Barry Body Master
Erin Quinn Haunting Warrior
Melissa Mayhue A Highlander’s Homecoming

Short Contemporary Romance
Abby Gaines Her Surprise Hero
Holly Jacobs A One-of-a-Kind Family
Liz Talley Vegas Two Step
Mary Sullivan A Cowboy’s Plan
Sandra Hyatt His Bride For The Taking

Short Erotic Romance
Anne Rainey What She Craves
Aubrey Ross Codename Courtesan: Winter
Aubrey Ross Codename Courtesan: Autumn

Short Historical Romance
Blythe Gifford His Border Bride
Bronwyn Scott A Thoroughly Compromised Lady
Kate Moore To Tempt a Saint
Kathryn Caskie The Duke’s Night of Sin

Short Romantic Suspense
Catherine Mann Renegade
Helen Brenna Along Came a Husband
Helen Brenna The Moon That Night
K.M. Daughters Capturing Karma
K.M. Daughters All’s Fair In Love And Law
Linda Conrad Her Sheik Protector

And don’t forget–we’ve gathered together some wonderfully generous folks who are providing a limited number of RomCon® 2011 scholarships for active duty service men and women and their families, as well as veterans and their families–they are our American Heroes! If you know any American Heroes who deserve a scholarship, please have them write to us for more information or simply register right here– http://romcon2011americanheroes.eventbrite.com

Congratulations to all the wonderful finalists of the 2011 Readers’ Crown® contest! And we’d like to thank our hundreds of reader judges who took the time to read the competing books and give them a thorough assessment. Winners will be announced on June 30, 2011–so stay tuned!

Elaine Levine & Michele Callahan
RomCon® Directors
www.RomCon2011.com (tickets are still available!)
www.romconinc.com

Setting: The Oregon Coast
Subgenre: Romantic Suspense with a touch of paranormal
Hero: Harrison Frost
Heroine: Lorelei Adderley

One complete sentence summary: A psychotic whack job terrorizes the populace of a small Oregon town.

Scene you like most and would never cut: Save the Beach!

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

What celebrity is your hero like and why: I guess I’d go with Hugh Jackman looks-wise.

What celebrity is your heorine like and why: I think Lorelei looks a little like Michelle Williams

What is your heroines occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: She’s a nurse.

What is your heroes occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: He’s a reporter for a newspaper.

What you think readers will like best about this book: The hint of paranormal that connects the heroine to her “sisters” and the twist at the end.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: They want me to write about vampires, but that’s just not my fantasy. Sorry.

What’s next: BORN TO DIE, the third in my Montana Series with Detectives Regan Pescoli and Selena Alvarez—once again it’s a bad, bad winter in Grizzly Falls.

Hi, delicious friends! I’m so pleased to be here on the Borders True Romance blog. I love, love, love sharing the insides of my mushy brain wrinkles, so grab a cup of something hot (or cold, if you’re one of the lucky ones with sun!) and take a peek inside Blood of the Wicked. We’re going to get this party started right.

First, let’s talk about the book. Blood of the Wicked: a Dark Mission novel

The first in the Dark Mission series, Blood of the Wicked introduces us to the crazy, mixed up world left after a series of disasters forces the world to reconsider. “Reconsider what?” you might ask, to which I nod knowingly and say with sage wisdom, “Everything.” Power structures are toppled and redrawn, borders are collapsed and expanded and even lost. Cities become the municipal power, leaving any concept of “federal” government to flail uselessly about. As they say, *#&$’s gotten real.

Setting: After the earthquake that toppled Seattle as we know it, the powers that be swooped in with all the money and power and drive it took to rebuild. Now, in a post-apocalyptic, isolated Seattle called, not so originally!, New Seattle, people struggle to survive in the lower streets while the wealthy keep their eyes on the sky in the heights.

Subgenre: One part urban fantasy, one part suspense. The hard-working men and women of the Mission are no strangers to murder, mayhem and mystery.

Hero: Oh, Silas. How I love you — but don’t love you so much that I want to risk fighting your adoring fans for you! Silas Smith is a witch-hunter who is so over his job. Wounded and unable to really recover as long as he keeps abusing his body like he does, he’s a grim, exhausted, dedicated and dangerous man who carries too much of the world on his shoulders. He was born and raised in this city, but got out to work alone after a mission went tragically wrong. He’s back because someone from his past pulled some strings, and boy, does he hate that.

Heroine: She’s a witch! Which, as you may guess, poses a bit of a problem when a witch-hunter comes calling. Jessie Leigh has raised her little brother on the streets of New Seattle, but after he took off and went missing, she’s survived all on her own. Fiercely protective of her brother and a little bit of a pathological liar—hey, a girl does what she has to in order to survive on the lower city streets!—she’s got no intentions to let Silas locate her brother without her. Problem is, all the lies are going to start stacking, and how long can she play him before he finds out her heretical secret?

One sentence summary: A witch-hunter on a mission is forced to use a civilian as bait, but she’s got plans of her own—and they sure as hell don’t involve sitting pretty to let a murderer to find her brother without her!

Scene you like most and would never cut: I have a few favorites, but one is especially dear to me. I can’t tell you too many details, because it comes on the tail of an epic revelation for poor Silas, but there’s a point where he bloodies his fist on a wall. I love it. Something about the raw aggression there is so Silas. I love a man who can’t hold back emotion. Even the bad stuff.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: Jessie’s a smart girl. There’s a lot of things she would do to avoid being caught dead. But if I asked her? Something like this: “Sure. I’ll stay right here and knit while you go do something dangerous. Sounds like fun.” Bzzt! Try again, sparky. She may not be She-Ra, but the girl’s got drive.

Your hero, is he a boxer or brief kind of guy: Boxers, if he had to, but Silas typically goes commando. It’s not because he wants to, it’s usually the fact that he can’t be bothered to remember to do laundry. And he feels weird about anyone else doing it. I mean, that’s his underwear, yo. No one needs to be handling it but him. Not that he, you know… handles it. Not like—Wait, let’s start over…

Ancillary character you had the most fun with: Jonas Stone. Oh, Jonas. You fascinate me. Of all my characters, Jonas is the most mysterious. He’s extremely smart, light-hearted in a job that sucks the soul right out of you, understanding, funny, and part of the reason why Silas has such a cross on his back. I love him. I love him so much, I want my very own to hug and squeeze and have hack into computers for me. But I don’t know him as well as I’d like, and I hope one day to rectify that. I think of him like a guardian angel. I’m sure he has his reasons for doing what he does, but he hasn’t shared with anyone. He’s Naomi’s best friend (if a woman like Naomi could be said to have a best friend), and the most technically savvy hacker (ahem, analyst) the Mission has. And he’s got his own motives. But what are they?

Your heroine’s favorite hobby: In order to have a hobby, one needs time. She’s so busy living hand to mouth and trying to keep her head down in a world determined to see her dead that she’s let the concept of hobbies fall by the wayside. But if pressed, she’d probably point to her knack with disguises: she’s gotten pretty good at looking like not-her. Just ask Silas.

Your hero’s favorite hobby: Sunbathing and swimming! Who knew, right? But Silas, he’s a regular sun-baby. So much so that even Jessie thinks it’s weird that a guy’s walking around with a tan in perpetually gray New Seattle. Give him an open stretch of water and sun, maybe even a fishing pole, and he’s happy as a man like him could be.

What you think readers will like best about this book: I think the concept of witches in Blood of the Wicked will surprise readers. It seems that most people have a very solid concept of what makes a witch, and it involves charms and crystals and sticks of sage and the like. There’s nothing wrong with that concept, either, but in a world where everything else is set on its ear, why not toss this one down the rabbit hole, too? The witches in this book mean business. After decades of persecution, murder and abuse, I think people might be really surprised to find themselves torn. A witch can’t be all bad, right? At least until you realize what a witch has to do to survive…

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: At first, I got a lot of requests for Naomi West—but then they read the cover for Lure of the Wicked and realized she’ll have her own story out June 28th. Since then, there haven’t been many requests for special characters. Except for one… And that came from my best friend and beta reader, who knows me too well to think I’d leave well enough alone.

What’s next: Next is Naomi West’s book, the second in the series, Lure of the Wicked. Where Blood of the Wicked takes us through the dark streets of the lower city and deeper in to the ruins below, Lure of the Wicked shows us a small patch of the good life: a life that she hates, loathes and despises with everything she is. Following that June 28th release, the third in the Dark Mission series will be ready for devouring. Whole, even. All Things Wicked is scheduled for an early 2012 release, and if I don’t get at least one email of, “AUGH! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?” when that comes out, I will be seriously disappointed.

What about you? What’s next on your TBR pile? Do you gravitate toward one type of sub-genre in romance over the other? Inquiring minds want to know! (Namely, mine. All of them.)

Now let’s talk about Karina Cooper…

It’s my favorite subject! Actually, that’s not really true. (She’s sort of a ditz… I mean, have you heard her talk? ADHD, much? … What? Oh…) Where was I?

Oh, yes, me. I’m an internet addict, a smartphone junkie, I’m a fanatic about cherries and tea and coffee. I write gritty romance, but I also dabble in historical mysteries and Steampunk couture, and I’m a total gypsy when it comes to my hobbies, my various side-jobs, and my hair colors. (It’s currently blue.) I love paranormal romance and have read it for years and years, but I’m The Great Book Devourer and have been known to read anything lying around. Including medical journals. No reason. Keep the scalpels away from me, though.

My favorite book is A Monk Swimming by Malachy McCourt, and I think it will be my favorite book for all time. I play with brunettes and marry blonds, which may explain why I don’t have many blond heroes, but I’m working on that. And I have four cats, a rabbit, and a gaggle of gamer geeks all taking up space inside my apartment at any given time. The geeks come and go; I have to feed the others.

There it is! There’s your thirty-second glimpse into me. You can come hang at my website or follow me via Twitter to catch more of my various ramblings and meanderings. Of which there are many. I hope you really enjoy Silas and Jessie’s story, and thanks so much for letting me come and visit at the Borders True Romance blog! It was a blast.

XOXO

Karina Cooper
http://www.karinacooper.com

Setting: Present Day – San Diego and deep under the Pacific Ocean
Subgenre: Paranormal YA (mermaid)
Heroine: Tempest
Love Interests: Kona and Mark

One sentence summary: Tempest is a seventeen year old surfer on the brink of a major decision: remain human like her father or become mermaid like the mother who abandoned her?

Scene you like most and would never cut: Honestly, there are a bunch in this book. But if I have to pick only one, I would choose the battle scene because this is the scene in the book where Tempest really learns who she is and what she’s capable of—also, what is at stake if she makes the wrong decision. If I get to choose a second scene, I would also pick the one where Tempest plunges into the underwater world for the first time. I loved writing this scene and describing a whole new world for her.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? Kona is a selkie.

Heroine: Tempest is a wonderful and funny big sister.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: She’s a high school junior and an amateur surfer—oh, and a mermaid for the second half of the book

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Mark is a high school junior and a kick-butt surfer. Kona is a selkie and a four hundred year old prince.

What you think readers will like best about this book: I think readers will really like Tempest. She’s strong but uncertain, brave but not foolhardy and puts other people first. Watching her become who she was always meant to be was really cool for me and I think my readers will feel the same way.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: I’m getting a lot of email asking me if Tempest’s younger brothers are going to get their own stories as they figure out their places in the world.

What’s next:
January 2012: The International Kissing Club, by Ivy Adams, a YA novel I wrote with two of my closest writing friends about four small-town Texas girls who become international exchange students and start the IKC Facebook page to keep track of kissing points and each other as they travel abroad.

Fall 2012: Zero Day, a modern day retelling of the Pandora myth, except instead of a box, Pandora opens an attachment and hearkens technological Armageddon.

I’d love to hear what books readers would love to see turned into movies? Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series gets my vote! Oh and a series called ZODIUS!:) My publisher is giving away a copy of Tempest Rising to one random commenter (USA and Canada only).

About Me:
What’s your favorite movie of all time? I’m a big fan of angsty heroes and Matt Damon, so to this day, my favorite movie is Good Will Hunting.

What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in? I love paranormal romance and urban fantasy. These days I’m reading, and loving, YA novels, especially dystopian and paranormal ones.

What’s the first book you remember reading? Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and Put Me in the Zoo. My first romance novel was Jude Deveraux’s Velvet Promise the summer before sixth grade.

What’s your favorite fairy tale? The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen, of course. It’s sad and dark and just a little twisted—definitely my kind of story (though I am a sucker for a happy ending)!

What’s your favorite cartoon character? I’m in love with Phineas and Ferb. Seriously in love with them, which is a good thing since I’m the mother of three boys who watch them almost every day.

What’s something you’d like to tell your readers? Thank you so much for taking a chance on me and picking up one of my books. I know it’s hard to try new writers, especially in this economy, and I feel so blessed that my readers have been willing to try my stories out.

What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer? I’m an English Professor, so even if I couldn’t write, I would still do that. I love, love, love to teach students to write and appreciate literature.

What do you do to unwind and relax? I love to shop, hang out with my guys, watch movies, swim, dance, do lunch with my friends and I am an incessant reader.

Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it? London Fog’s made with English Breakfast tea and plenty of steamed milk.

What does love mean to you? Taking people as they are, embracing them with all their good points and their flaws

What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? Zoe. This has been my favorite name since I was a little girl, but it’s been kind of overused lately, especially in YA fiction, so I’m waiting until it goes back out of vogue so that I can use it.

Dog person or cat person? I’m allergic to cats, so dogs. I love big, floppy, goofy dogs.

Setting: Present Day – Nevada Mountains and Las Vegas
Subgenre: Suspense
Hero: Michael
Heroine: Cassandra

One sentence summary: The Zodius series is a new military paranormal suspense series with sizzling romance, hot heroes and brave heroines.

Scene you like most and would never cut: There is a scene when Michael and Cassandra first meet again after an event that tore them apart that occurs outside a Washington party. I love the interaction between the two of them and the attraction/emotion that denies all dark happenings that separated them.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: She is conservative as a general’s daughter so fairly prim and proper. But Michael throws that all out the window.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? He is a Stephen King fan and named his Mustang Carrie.

Heroine: She knows how to handle a gun as well as any soldier. Her father made her learn at a very young age.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: She meets Michael when she takes over as the head of clinical psychology at the Area 51 facility.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: He is a Special Forces soldier who was told he was getting immunizations under Project Zodius at Area 5. But he wasn’t getting an immunization. Instead he, and 200 other men, were given an experimental injection using alien DNA. This makes him develop special abilities. I’d call the soldiers in the Zodius series to a cross between Universal Soldier and Resident Evil in terms of his enhancements. Michael is super strong, super fast, and he has the ability to travel with the wind. So while you see orbing in a lot of paranormal romance, his method of travel is the wind. The group of soldiers who were given these immunizations break into two groups. The Renegades – good. The Zodius – bad. Michael is a Renegade.

Note: This isn’t a sci-fi series at all. Michael is a Super Soldier created by an experimental injection at Area 51 but there are no aliens or spaceships.

What you think readers will like best about this book: Michael is such an alpha hero and he would absolutely die to protect the woman he loves. But he is wounded and dark, and in need of saving himself. I think the bond between Cassandra and Michael that allows that to happen is very special. I also think readers will get to know the group of Renegades – soldiers and warriors who are fighting for good over evil and look forward to their individual stories. I also love the Vegas flavor and I hope readers will enjoy getting to know that city well.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: I’ve been really excited to have readers already asking about book 2 – The Storm That is Sterling (Formerly titled The Renegade Conquest). This is Sterling’s story out in November of 2011. He was so much fun to write and readers meet him in Michael’s story. He reminds me of the Tim McGraw song – I might be a real bad boy, but baby I’m a real good man.

What’s next:
The Storm That is Sterling – November 2011
The Danger That Is Damion – May 2012

I’d love to hear what books readers would love to see turned into movies? Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series gets my vote! Oh and a series called ZODIUS!:) My publisher is giving away copies of The Legend of Michael to 5 random commenters (USA and Canada only).

About Me:

What’s your favorite movie of all time? That’s hard. I love so many movies. I’m such a paranormal fan that the Underworld movies really excited me the second I heard about them. They delivered in the theater too. I like the super hero movies too. Batman, Iron Man. Robert Downey JR is just perfection. I can’t wait to see THOR!

What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in? I love a good romance or Urban Fantasy that really pulls me into the world and makes me forget I’m a writer. To just be a reader and enjoy is wonderful.

What’s the first book you remember reading? My mom adored Victoria Holt so I started out reading Victoria Holt. I don’t remember which title because I read them ALL. She was, and is, a big reader, so I grew up with reading as a core part of my life.

What’s your favorite fairy tale? Oh Cinderella for sure. Who doesn’t want a Prince Charming?

What’s your favorite cartoon character? Well my fiancée would be so very happy if I said Sponge Bob but… I would say I have to say it’s a cross between Felix the cat and Casper simply because I grew up loving those characters and they bring back fond memories.

What’s something you’d like to tell your readers? Thank you! I love each and every one of my readers. The emails I get and the support is so very appreciated. I get to write books and people actually read them. I pinch myself often.

What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer? I can’t even begin to think what I would do. Writing feels too a part of me. I can tell you what I wouldn’t do. I owned a staffing agency for 11 years and worked insane hours and lived the corporate stress. I would NOT get back into staffing.

What do you do to unwind and relax? People will think this is nuts but I workout. I love the gym. I learned early to make it part of my life and it helps me let go of stress. And movies, television, and books. I have shows I just can’t miss.

Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it? White mocha and I can’t live without them. Nonfat, no foam and no whip, though I love the whip. I absolutely love my white mochas.

What does love mean to you? A deep bond that is unbreakable and unconditional– that make the bad bearable and the good better.

Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? Well not the 80’s for sure and that seems to be coming back now. The wild colors thrown together. UGH! I look back at my big hair and wild clothes and cringe. I love the past few years as far as style goes. They were classy and trendy and fun. I love the fun boots and shoes. I have a feeling I won’t love the next if this 80’s trend continues.

What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? Xia. I just discovered this name when I met someone with it. It’s so unique. I actually proposed using it for a future Zodius book.

Dog person or cat person? Funny thing about this is I grew up with dogs and though I didn’t like cats because the neighbor’s cat was mean. So a couple years back my fiancée found a cat by the dumpster. It was so thin and weak, and we took it in. Neither of us thought we liked cats. Turned out she is an Oriental Shorthair, a rare bred that has dog like tendencies. The vet couldn’t believe she didn’t have a chip. We tried to find her owner’s and swore we’d give her away. Then she just found her way into our hearts. It took a full year for her to fully come out of her shell and show her HUGE personality. She went from timid to Queen of the house. She has become our baby. We adore this cat so much I cannot image her not being in our lives. She sits by my side when I write and is truly my little writing partner.

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.