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Harlequin will randomly select 3 commenters to winners a set of the six books! Valid only in USA.

Watch how the covers have changed over the years and get an exclusive sneak peek at how a Harlequin® Blaze™ cover is made, and all the fun behind the scenes at the photo shoot!

Extra Innings by Debbi Rawlins
One sentence summary: The book is an Encounters, a trio of novellas revolving around three minor league baseball players hoping to be called up to the Majors and the three women who challenge them more than the game.
Tell us one quirky thing about your heroine? Naturally I like all three women, and choosing one I like the best feels too close to naming a favorite child. That said, Tori tickled me. The woman has no concept of censorship. Bless her, she says all the things I wish I could.
What is your heroes occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing? One hero is an enigmatic short stop, another is a bad boy pitcher who’s already pitched in the Majors, and the third a heartthrob first baseman.
What you think readers will like best about this book? The stories are fun and fast paced, with the heroines achieving what few of us mere mortals can.

If you had the chance to go out with a celebrity, be it a sports figure, movie star, singer, anyone, who would it be, and what about him or his profession do you find attractive? This is just between you and me. of course

About Me:
1. What’s your favorite movie of all time? Hard to choose just one, but I’ll pretty much see anything Bruce Willis does, and I’ve watched Pretty Woman and Pride and Prejudice an obscene number of times.
2. What’s your favorite cartoon character? I had a ridiculous crush on Johnny Quest.
3. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer? Anything to do with animals
4. What do you do to unwind and relax? I love to read, grow flowers, not to be confused with weeding, play with my dogs and annoy my cats.
5. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? Any time before women wore pants would have been a deal breaker for me. If I ever wear a dress again it’ll because someone held me down and sprayed it on.

Hotshot by Jo Leigh
One sentence summary: He shattered her heart once, can she dare to let him get close enough to do it again?
What is your heroines occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Sara is an Air Force Captain
What is your heroes occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Luke is an Air Force Pilot
What you think readers will like best about this book: The passion and the redemption.

Have you ever reconnected with a guy from your past? Was it disappointing or did it change your life?

About Me:
1. What’s your favorite movie of all time? Too many to name, but some are Raiders of the Lost Arc, Love, Actually, Sin City, Broadcast News
2. What’s your favorite cartoon character? Rocky & Bullwinkle
3. What do you do to unwind and relax? Hang out with my pets.
4. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? Least: Upper Palaeolithic. So few really great handbags. Most: 1930s-40s. Of course, I’d want to be as tall and gorgeous as Kate Hepburn while I’m there.
5. Dog person or cat person? Both. We have four dogs and five cats, all rescues!

Too Hot to Touch by Julie Leto
Scene you like most and would never cut: I love the final scene where the hero has to use skills he disapproves of in order to get the heroine back. She’s brought him to his knees. That’s always fun.
Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: My heroine would never be caught saying, “Well, officer, you see, I lied about who I was and I’m actually a fence dealing in stolen goods.” It’s all true, but she’d never say it.
Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? My hero is not quirky. He frowns at quirky. Unless it’s the heroine, in which case he embraces it. Heroine: I think the fact that she lives a double life is fairly quirky.
What is your heroines occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: She’s a fence, meaning she moves stolen goods for her adopted brother, who is a thief. But she’s also an art expert.
What is your heroes occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Alex would never be unemployed! His family owns an auction house in Madrid and he runs it.
What you think readers will like best about this book: I think the readers will love the subtle references to a certain legend regarding a mask-wearing bandit who made the ladies swoon all over colonial California. And they’ll love Alejandro, because he’s the quintessential tall, dark and handsome hero.

Readers always seem to love spin-offs and sequels. How many is too many?

About Me:
1. What’s your favorite movie of all time? Star Wars, or what George Lucas wants us to call now “A New Hope.” This story ignited my imagination in ways that directly led to me becoming a writer.
2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in? The kind that is well-written and emotionally compelling. It can be anything, but it’s the writing that grabs me and takes me away.
3. What’s the first book you remember reading? Misty of Chincoteague, about the wild horses. I distinctly remember that book.
4. What’s your favorite fairy tale? The better question is what is NOT my favorite fairy tale. I adore fairy tales.
5. What do you do to unwind and relax? Ha! I wish I could say I escape to my vacation home in the south of France, but honestly, I usually try to find a Criminal Minds or NCIS marathon to watch on television. I do love to travel, though.

Cowboys Like Us by Vicki Lewis Thompson
One sentence summary: When an injury ends Logan’s pro baseball career, he heads to the Last Chance Ranch and discovers that Caro Davis makes him forget all his troubles!.
Scene you like most and would never cut: When Logan’s thrown from his horse into a patch of wildflowers and ends up with them in his hair.
Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: “My glass is half empty.”
Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? Logan can juggle cocktail shakers.
What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: She’s a bartender.
What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: He was a pro baseball player and now has to figure out what to do with his life.
What you think readers will like best about this book: COWBOYS LIKE US is about resilience — finding new dreams when old dreams die.

About Me:
1. What’s your favorite movie of all time? Anything starring Colin Firth.
2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in? A swashbuckling adventure in which I picture Colin Firth as the hero.
3. What’s the first book you remember reading? THE SECRET GARDEN, which I now picture starring a young Colin Firth.because guess what? The boy in that book is named Colin.
4. What’s your favorite fairy tale? Beauty and the Beast, which I’d love to see enacted by Colin Firth.
5. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers? I love you all almost as much as I love Colin Firth

The Braddock Boys: Travis by Kimberly Raye
One sentence summary: A sexually frustrated wedding planner meets the ultimate Texas bad boy (oh, and he’s also a vampire).
Scene you like most and would never cut: They’re like my babies. I love them all!
Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: “I can’t do that”. Holly is the ultimate wedding planner and she wants to make dreams come true for her brides.
What is your heroes occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: He’s a working cowboy who trains horses. Very good at what he does because of his vamp senses. Can communicate telepathically with the animals and understand their primal instinct.
What’s next: I’m currently working on the last book in the Braddock Brothers series—this book features Colton and will finally give the brothers closure on the tragedy that destroyed their family. Oh, and I’ve just discovered Twitter. I’m becoming a major Twitter whore.

What’s your favorite hero type? Cowboys? CEOs? Cops? Vampires? Which type of man really floats your boat?

About Me:
1. What’s your favorite movie of all time? The Terminator. The romance was skimpy, but those few moments were smokin’ hot!
2. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers? It’s so comforting to know that I’m not the only hopeless romantic out there.
3. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer? A baker. I love to bake goodies in my spare time. (Cupcake Wars here I come!)
4. Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it? Neither. I’m a diet coke fanatic and yes, Brenda, it is possible to consume an entire six pack in less than three hours.
5. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Regency. Too many rules. Most? The Wild West. No rules!

Undeniable Pleasures by Tori Carrington
One sentence summary: In UNDENIABLE PLEASURES, the third and final book in the Pleasure Seekers miniseries, bad boy Jason Savage from RECKLESS PLEASURES is all over over a special case involving a difficult federal witness…along with sexy club owner Jordan Cosby, who has ‘pleasure’ written all over her…
Scene you like most and would never cut: Oh, that’s a tough one! Each scene is so tightly connected to the next if you were to cut one, the entire story might unravel. But I know that’s not what you mean. Hmm…in this case, I’d have to say one of my personal favorites is when Jason and Jordan indulge in a hot and heavy hallway make-out session at his grandmother’s house and she catches them. Instead of scolding them, however, she merely asks they not get anything on the rug…and points out there is a perfectly good bedroom nearby. Few things are more satisfying than when a character – secondary or otherwise – surprises you….
Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: “No.” Well, at least not to a perfectly good proposition from a perfectly yummy proposition maker. Too suggestive? Well, then, let’s go with “Single With a Cat.” Of course, this is before she’s put in protective custody and ends up spending more time in her apartment in two weeks than she has in the past two years and one of her friends gives her a black, long-haired female named Cleo to keep her company. Then again, by book’s close, it appears she’s not going to be single for very much longer, either….
Tell us one quirky thing about your hero and heroine: She loves breakfast cereals…the sweeter and more kid-like the better. He loves to cook…the more complicated and gourmet the better. A match made in Food Network Heaven…
What is your heroes occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: An inactive Marine, he’s one of the original six partners of Lazarus Security, which usually handles more important cases than Jordan’s… But as luck would have it, this particular one turns out to be one of his most important to date….
What you think readers will like best about this book: The interplay – sexual and otherwise - between these two strong-willed, independent characters. She’s the ultimate bad girl to his irresistible bad boy. They’re lucky to make it out alive, much less in love. Also the fact that it’s intimately tied into stories that have come before.
What’s next: RED-HOT SANTA, Harlequin Blaze Uniformly HOT! available December 2011. While UNDENIABLE PLEASURES is the final book in the Pleasure Seekers Miniseries, I’m thrilled to report Lazarus Security stories will continue, beginning with RED-HOT SANTA, which features Jason Savage’s younger brother Jackson and Jackson’s longtime best friend Maxine McGuire…who decides she wants to take “friends with benefits” to a whole new hotter level….

When did you first discover the hotness that is Blaze? Have you been with the line since the beginning? Or are you just now picking up the awesome titles?

About Me:
Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it? Tony and I are both coffee fiends. Rare is the time you’ll find us without a cup at our elbows. I do tea every now and again, usually green. In the summer, I’m also a huge fan of frappes, a favorite of our comedic mystery gal pal Sofie Metropolis, who drinks ‘em all year long. For info on all of our titles, visit us at toricarrington.net. For fun and easy Greek recipes, go to sofiemetro.com.

Setting: Boston, Detroit and New Orleans
Subgenre: Paranormal Romance (vampires)
Hero: Hunter, a laboratory-born Breed assassin
Heroine: Corinne Bishop, Breedmate recently freed from imprisonment in those same labs

One sentence summary: As a blood war escalates within the Breed, the Order’s most lethal warrior will have to decide how far he’ll go to end his enemy’s reign of evil–even if carrying out his mission means shattering the heart of the woman whose biggest mistake may have been in trusting him.

Scene you like most and would never cut: I’ve been lucky I guess, because I’ve never been asked to cut a scene from any of my books. In DEEPER THAN MIDNIGHT, the scene I feel would be most missed is the one where Hunter learns about his origins in Dragos’s labs. I’ve known the truth of what happened to him ever since he walked onto the page in VEIL OF MIDNIGHT (Book 5, January 2009), but it took this long before I could share it as part of Hunter’s story.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: “Oh well, I gave it my best shot. I quit.”

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? Hunter is a virgin. Not really “quirky” but it says a lot about him. He’s never known intimacy or compassion, having been born and raised to be a killing machine from the time he was a boy. Because emotions and social interactions are new to him, he can be kind of quirky in a Spock-ish way sometimes….

Heroine: Corinne’s quirks were stripped from her the day she was abducted and imprisoned in Dragos’s labs. Before that time, she was a free-spirited eighteen year old who loved the blues and jazz. She still loves it, she discovers when she and Hunter end up in a sultry, shadow-filled club in New Orleans.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Corinne doesn’t have a job, but she does have a driving purpose now that she’s been rescued from years of captivity and torture. If she had a job, she would probably be some kind of avenging angel.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Hunter is Breed, but more than that, he’s Gen One Breed, which means he’s stronger, more deadly than later generations whose bloodlines have been diluted from their otherworlder forbears (my “vampires” are actually an alien/human hybrid). Hunter is also an assassin, and he’s the very best. He used to serve Dragos, the enemy of the Order, until several months ago (story timeline) when circumstances persuaded him to join forces with the warriors of the Order.

What you think readers will like best about this book: DEEPER THAN MIDNIGHT is Hunter’s story, which readers have been asking me to write for quite some time. But more than just his story and happily-ever-after, this book also revisits the Order in Boston and the conflict that’s been escalating with their chief adversary, Dragos, as well as those brewing with a certain member of the Order itself. There is a lot of drama (good and bad) ahead for Lucan and the rest of the warriors and their mates in this book.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: That honor definitely goes to Sterling Chase, aka Harvard. And the good news is, his book, DARKER AFTER MIDNIGHT, will be coming out next January! I had a great time tormenting poor Chase, and I think readers are going to love his special heroine too. Their book wraps up the larger story arc that’s carried the series from its beginnings and spins the Midnight Breed world into an exciting new direction. I can’t wait to share all the upcoming twists and surprises with my readers!

What’s next: As I mentioned above, DARKER AFTER MIDNIGHT will be releasing in January. In the meantime, I’m working on a Midnight Breed novella, which will release as an e-book original from Bantam Dell around November or December of this year. The novella will be a standalone romance featuring a secondary character readers have already met in the series. I’ll post more details about it at my website (www.LaraAdrian.com) and on my Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/LaraAdrianBooks) in a few weeks.

Thank you, Ellen and Borders, for inviting me to be part of the True Romance Blog today! I’m looking forward to popping in to say hello and chat a bit with readers.

For a chance to win a signed copy of DEEPER THAN MIDNIGHT and some Midnight Breed series swag, tell me in the comments what you like best (or like least) about long-running series.

Random drawing, open to U.S. and non-U.S. entrants, but void where prohibited. And all that other legal stuff that needs to be said. We’ll post the winner’s name in the comments section tomorrow.

Good luck to all, and thanks for reading!

About Me

What’s my favorite movie of all time? I love so many movies! I can’t possibly point to any one as my all-time favorite. How about if I tell you my all-time favorite song instead? It’s IMAGINE, by John Lennon. If I could choose a particular song to hear in my last moments of life, this is the one.

What’s my favorite kind of story to get lost in? Anything dark and engrossing, whether it’s a paranormal romance or urban fantasy, or a psychological thriller, or horror (excluding slasher stuff and serial killers doing awful stuff to women – blech!).

What’s the first book I remember reading? I can still vividly recall sitting in first grade reading Dick and Jane books aloud in class one day and thinking to myself, wow, this reading thing is *easy*. I’ve been a devourer of books ever since.

What’s my favorite fairy tale? Hands down, it’s Beauty and the Beast. I love the message of: “Look inside a person’s heart and love them for who they truly are.” That’s practically the romance writer’s credo!

What’s my favorite cartoon character? Not really a big cartoon fan, sorry to say.

What’s something I’d like to tell your readers? Thank you for reading! It’s such an incredible privilege for me to have a career doing something I absolutely love. Hearing from readers who enjoy my books and root for my characters’ happiness the same way I do is icing on an already wonderful bit of cake. I feel very fortunate, and I am grateful every day.

What would my occupation be if I were no longer a writer? Ooh, tough question. I’d love to be a bookstore owner, or maybe even an editor. I would need my book fix one way or the other!

What do I do to unwind and relax? Unwinding and relaxing is rare these days, I have to tell you. But my favorite thing to do is read, uninterrupted. For a whole day. That would be heavenly. So much the better if the reading could be done on a beach somewhere, with a tropical drink in hand and my husband kicked back on the chaise beside me.

Tea or Coffee? And how do I take it? Coffee, black and strong. Preferably fair trade, shade grown Colombian.

What does love mean to me? Simply put? Everything.

Which era would I least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? I wouldn’t want to live in the Georgian period, with all that white face paint and powdered wigs, even though I like the look of it aesthetically. It must have been awful in reality. I like the fashions of the 60s, with sophisticated styles and clean lines. Think classic Audrey Hepburn and Jacqueline Kennedy.

What name have I been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? It works the opposite way for me. I start with the character, then find a suitable name. Which isn’t always easy….

Dog person or cat person? It’s definitely a dog’s world, but I’ve always been drawn more to cats. We have three former strays who keep things lively around our house. It’s a shame to me that more people don’t recognize what truly wonderful, loving and loyal animals cats are. Yes, they can be aggravatingly stubborn at times too, but that’s part of their charm!

More Midnight Breed books:

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: Fairview, a small city along the cost of the Pacific Northwest.
Subgenre: Paranormal Romance
Hero: Lore, the hellhound Alpha
Heroine: Talia Rostova, a vampire

One sentence summary: A beautiful vampire on the run is the chief suspect in a murder, but the acting sheriff, a hellhound, isn’t sure if she’s the villain or was meant to be the victim.

Scene you like most and would never cut: When Talia reveals her past to Lore, I set the scene in a derelict hotel that’s slowly being restored to its original beauty. There’s a parallel. Both Talia and the place have been badly neglected and even abused, but the right man with the right vision can see their true loveliness and make them whole again. It’s a wrenching moment, because her secrets are terrible and most would kill her if they found out what she’d done. Lore—well—you’ll have to read the book to find out what happens next.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: She’s not used to cutting loose and having fun. That’s something the hero has to teach her.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? He likes Cap’n Crunch breakfast cereal.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Talia is a teacher.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Lore is the deputy for the vampire sheriff who keeps the peace in the supernatural community. He’s also a Mr. Fix-it type—he’s the friend you’d call about a leaky tap or to jump-start your car.

What do you think readers will like best about this book: The Dark Forgotten series sits between paranormal romance and urban fantasy (i.e. hot sex AND explosions).

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: Darak, the leader of the Thanatos vampires. All I can say is the boy works fast to win the ladies over.

What’s next: I’m writing a Dark Forgotten novella with a western twist.

Question – If you were able to adopt a supernatural pet, what would it be?

(Blogmaster’s Note: Sharon will be holding a giveaway of FROSTBOUND to 3 lucky commenters!)

About Me:

What’s my favorite movie of all time? Possibly the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It blows me away every time I watch it.

What’s my favorite kind of story to get lost in? Give me action and suspense!

What’s the first book I remember reading? The first “real” books I recall were about dinosaurs. I wanted a T-rex of my own when I was about six, but my mom just wouldn’t let me.

What’s my favorite fairy tale? The Tinder Box. It has a lot to say about compassion.

What’s my favorite cartoon character? Wile E. Coyote because he never gives up.

What’s something I’d like to tell your readers? My goal as a writer is to create books that people remember once they’ve closed the covers. I don’t write fast food.

What would my occupation be if I were no longer a writer? I already work full time in the finance field.

What do I do to unwind and relax? Explore antique stores or outdoor markets.

Tea or Coffee? And how do I take it? Black coffee in the morning (possibly intravenously) and tea with milk in the afternoon.

What does love mean to me? Not having to hide your heart.

Which era would I least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? I tried wearing an 1860s gown once and knocked over half the furniture with the hoops. Regency fashions look far more graceful to me.

What name have I been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? Sebastian.

Dog person or cat person? I like both, but I’m currently kept by cats: one is a mature tabby girl and the Demon Lord of Kitty Badness is exactly what he sounds like.

Visit her website to read all the Dark Forgotten excerpts and see the trailers! www.SharonAshwood.com

Setting: Atlantis and Sedona, Arizona and the surrounding area
Subgenre: Paranormal Romance
Hero: Daniel, a Night Guild Mage and vampire
Heroine: Serai, an Atlantean princess

One sentence summary: When powerful vampire Daniel decides to walk into the sun after an eternity of stark loneliness, he finds the one woman he’d ever loved—11,000 years ago.

Scene you like most and would never cut: There are too many to pick one! There’s a scene with a bubble bath that is as poignant as it is sexy . . . maybe that one.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: Asking permission. She’s an Atlantean princess with powerful magic.

Tell us one quirky thing about your heroine: Serai is a little confused about modern slang—eleven thousand years is a lot of time to process! Also, she was slightly afraid of green Jell-O. : )

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Serai is an Atlantean princess who has been held in stasis for millennia to one day become queen.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Daniel is the most powerful vampire in North America and rules all the rest.

What you think readers will like best about this book: It’s one of my most emotional books. I loved watching Daniel and Serai overcome their own fears and their history while they are in danger on the quest to retrieve a lost jewel of Poseidon’s Trident.

What’s next: High Priest Alaric will finally take rebel leader Quinn on his own terms, even if he has to drown the entire world to do it, in HEART OF ATLANTIS, coming in January. Alaric is my most highly requested (begged for? Pleaded for? Demanded?) character, and I can’t wait to bring him his happily ever after.

Discussion: Daniel and Serai found each other again after eleven thousand years.

Do you have a long-lost friend or love you found again? I’d love to hear about it! (Or, if you don’t have a long-lost-and-then-reunited story, tell me about your favorite picnic food, even if it’s green Jell-O!)

One long-lost story and one picnic food comment entrant will each win a signed copy of Vampire in Atlantis!

Vampire in Atlantis – please link to my website at www.alyssaday.com for excerpts!

More adventure in Atlantis:

Setting: small town New England and Chicago’s vampire underworld
Subgenre: paranormal romance
Hero: Tynan MacGillivray
Heroine: Lily Quinn

One sentence summary: An enslaved vampire must decide between ancient loyalties and the mysterious woman who could change the dark dynasties of the vampire world forever.

Scene you like most and would never cut: I love, love, LOVE the scene where Lily and Ty first meet! For me, that scene is sort of the essence of their whole story. Dark, sensual, fraught with this forbidden attraction neither of them quite knows how to deal with. I’m my own worst critic, generally, but I really love the way that scene turned out, and I would never cut it!

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: “Group hug!”

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? Heroine: Lily has a hopeless sense of direction. She wouldn’t be able to find her way out of a wet paper bag unassisted (and readily admits to that!). Ty has a thing for late night television and has seen almost every bad cable movie in existence.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Lily teaches English Lit at a community college.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Ty is Queen Arsinöe of the Ptolemy’s personal hunter. He specializes in tracking down and taking care of “problems” for the vampire queen.

What you think readers will like best about this book: I hope readers will love the interplay between Lily and Ty as much as I enjoyed writing it. They seemed to spark off of one another right from the get-go, so every interaction brought something new!

What’s next: Next up is the story of Jaden Harrison, Ty’s closest (actually, only) friend in Dark Awakening. He’s a cat-shifter too, but with an entirely different set of problems. Actually, one particular problem, and she doesn’t like him much either. Of course, that’s what happens when you put cats and dogs (or rather, wolves) together! Midnight Reckoning comes out in January 2012.

Thanks so much for coming by today! I’ll be in and out to chat, and I’ve got a question for you. Ty’s part of a world in which the mark you wear determines your place in vampire society. His mark, a trio of intertwined cats, makes him a slave, though a powerful one with the ability to become a large cat. Each bloodline, in fact, has a special ability. If you were a part of this world, what ability would you most like to have? Anything goes!

About Me:

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

2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in? I love a complete escape from reality, whether it’s into history or fantasy. I’ll always be drawn to romance, because I need my Happily Ever After fixes on a regular basis!

3. What’s the first book you remember reading? I was three, and it was a big book of Disney stories

4. What’s your favorite fairy tale? Beauty and the Beast

5. What’s your favorite cartoon character? Patrick Star (from Spongebob Squarepants)

6. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers? That having readers to share stories with is absolutely the most fun part of this job. Well, that and being able to work in my PJs. I think other employers might frown on that, and I’m spoiled now.

7. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer? Professional hobbyist? I don’t know, I don’t think anyone wants to pay me for the other things I like to do. Could I sing karaoke for a living? That would be amazing.

8. What do you do to unwind and relax? I’ll play with the Newfs, or curl up with a book, or zone out in front of Dragon Age. Once the kids go to bed, I’ll often stay up late just to enjoy the quiet!

9. Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it? Coffee in the morning, two Splenda and some Coffeemate. Herbal tea in the evening…I love Sleepytime tea with some orange blossom honey.

10. Dog person or cat person? I’m mostly a “fur person”. We have two young Newfoundlands, a crotchety old Pekingese, and a big Siberian cat. I love all of them…they’re a bunch of characters, and I know one of them is going to turn up in a book at some point!

The Scent of Life

As authors, we talk a lot about how to evoke all the senses when we write, and I truly believe that a certain scent can take you back to a particular moment in your life just like a particular song can.

For instance, when I was a kid, we weren’t allowed to cuddle up to our parents in church, except during the long sermon. If I managed to finagle a seat next to my father, (there were a lot of us) I’d tuck my hand into the crook of his elbow, push my face against his coat and just breathe him in. Now my dad smelled of cigarette smoke, damp wool and beer, not perhaps the most pleasing of scents, but intrinsically him. When I catch that combination of smells forty years later, I still think of him.

So when I embarked on my Tudor Vampire series and we decided to use Rose in the titles, I thought a lovely complement to the books would be a rose scent. Considering that roses aren’t native to England, they are very entwined with British history. The rose is the national flower of England, and we’ve all probably heard of the War of the Roses and the Tudor Rose that united the two warring factions.

I was lucky enough to connect with Julie at Latherati on Etsy and between us we came up with a unique rose-based scent using Tudor herbs and spices to promote the books. The fragrance is packaged in miniature bottles and bars of soap that are ideal to carry in your purse.

I’ll be giving away a copy of ‘Blood of the Rose’ book #2 in the Tudor Vampire Chronicles and a set of rose soap and perfume to one commenter. Here’s my question: What are your favorite scents and why?

Kate Pearce
http://www.katepearce.com

Welcome to Last Chance by Hope Ramsay

Setting: Last Chance, South Carolina
Subgenre: Contemporary Romance
Hero: Clay Rhodes
Heroine: Jane Coblenz

One sentence summary:
With bad guys on her trail, Jane uses her last dollar to buy a ticket to Last Chance, South Carolina, where she encounters a town filled with lovable and quirky characters, not to mention Clay Rhodes, a sexy country and western musician who’s determined to rescue her, whether she thinks she needs it or not.

Scene you like most and would never cut:
The emotional high point in the story comes when Clay confronts Jane about her past. Clay knows something terrible happened to Jane when she was seventeen. In fact, the local police chief is convinced that Jane was involved in a murder, but the chief, who is also Clay’s older brother, can’t prove his theory. Clay wants to believe in Jane’s innocence, but he also trusts his brother. He’s horribly conflicted and he’s scared that learning the truth about Jane’s past might change the way he’s coming to feel about her. When Clay finally gets the truth out of Jane, he’s really surprised by it. Of course I can’t divulge Jane’s secret because it would be a huge spoiler.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying:
Jane is the walking embodiment of the power of positive thinking, so she would never fall into pessimism without a huge push. She committed to “manifesting” a better future for herself and she works hard at reaching her goal. She has her moments of doubt, of course, but she refuses to give into them. Instead she unfailingly finds the silver lining in every gray cloud — until the climax of the book, when her faith in the future is challenged to its core.

What celebrity is your hero like:
Clay is a successful musician so I have always imagined him looking like Trace Adkins or Tim McGraw. From an artistic standpoint, though, Clay’s music has a big emotional punch like the music of David Wilcox or James Taylor.

What celebrity is your heroine like: Jane looks a little bit like Jennifer Garner. But beyond that, she’s her own self. She has a beautiful singing voice that’s somewhere between Dolly Parton and Leeann Womack — what I think of as a real bluegrass voice. She hails from West Virginia and she’s also a coal miner’s daughter.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing:
Jane has a dream of becoming a country and western singer, but in the meantime she makes her living as a beautician. She arrives in Last Chance without a job, but that’s quickly remedied when she takes a job as the manicurist at the Cut ‘n Curl, the local beauty shop owned by Ruby Rhodes, Clay’s momma. You can just imagine what fun I had writing the beauty shop scenes, where the gossips, church ladies, and unrepentant matchmakers come together to meddle in the private lives of Last Chance’s younger set.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing:
Clay is a musician. But when his girlfriend dumps him for the lead singer in Clay’s band, Clay walks away from Nashville. He’s discouraged about his future at the beginning of the book. He’s come to Last Chance to figure out what comes next. In the meantime he’s sitting in with the local country and western band, playing organ on Sundays at church, and helping out at his uncle’s hardware store.

What do you think readers will like best about this book:
I’m sure readers will love the quirky town of Last Chance, South Carolina and its cast of busy bodies and matchmakers. And, of course, there is the loveable eccentric who owns the miniature golf course right outside of town dedicated to the Lord, called Golfing for God. The putt-putt place is a character unto itself.

Aside from the quirky town and its inhabitants, I think readers will fall in love with Clay’s best friend, Ray Betts. Ray suffered a brain injury in a car accident when he was a teenager that has given him an unusual view of the world. Ray is determined to help Clay find the perfect woman, and his attempts at matchmaking are both sweet and amusing. He’s my favorite secondary character.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet:
Well, since this is my debut novel, I haven’t heard from many readers, yet. But I’m sure that as the series goes on, readers will want to see Last Chance’s police chief, Stone Rhodes, find his way back to love. Stone is a widower and a single father struggling with his grief. In CHRISTMAS IN LAST CHANCE, the fourth book of the series, Stone will meet someone who helps to melt his cold and lonely heart.

What’s next:
There are four Last Chance novels in the works.

The next book, HOME AT LAST CHANCE, features Tulane Rhodes, a NASCAR driver, whose sponsor has painted his car pink and put a snuggle bunny on its hood in order to advertise Cottontail Disposable Diapers. Tulane’s contract also requires him to officiate at baby-changing races that the good ol’ boy finds humiliating and embarrassing. When Tulane blows off one of these appearances, his sponsor sends Sarah Murray, a prim little market researcher to keep him in line. Sarah quickly learns all of Tulane’s embarrassing secrets, then proceeds to bond with the church ladies of Last Chance in their quest to rebuild the putt-putt place right outside of town. Tulane’s career is in Sarah’s capable little hands, while his thoughts are stuck on those bodacious S curves Sarah’s got hidden underneath her tailored business suits. . . HOME AT LAST CHANCE will be available in the fall of 2011.

Two more Last Chance books are scheduled for 2012 — LAST CHANCE BEAUTY QUEEN and CHRISTMAS IN LAST CHANCE.

Last Chance is not a real place, of course, but it was suggested by a little town in South Carolina where I spent my summers, swimming in a black-water river, fishing for catfish, and learning a lot of life lessons from a village of good people with solid values. There is something golden about the summer memories of early childhood, when we’re free to discover and learn. My childhood summers gave me so many ideas for wonderful stories. I’d love to hear some of your stories of special times in your childhood and how your parents, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, friends, or distant kin made them special. Come share your memories and stories with me, I’d love to hear them.

Four lucky commenters will get free copies of WELCOME TO LAST CHANCE.

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

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

One sentence summary:

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

Scene you like most and would never cut:

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

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

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

What celebrity is your hero like:

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

What celebrity is your heroine like:

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

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

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

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

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

What you think readers will like best about this book:

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

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

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

What’s next:

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

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

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

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

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

Setting: New Orleans, as well as a mortal-run prison island for immortals
Subgenre: Paranormal Romance
Hero: Aidan the Fierce–a Viking berserker–who is reincarnated repeatedly, this time as Declan Chase, a modern-day Celtic warrior
Heroine: Regin the Radiant, an immortal Valkyrie and the last of the Radiant Ones.

One sentence summary:
A gritty, passionate love story about a fiercely loyal Valkyrie and a tormented soldier who has no memory of her or his previous lives–which is a problem since he works for an order bent on eradicating all immortals.

Scene you like most and would never cut:
In the book, Regin recounts to Chase details about his past lives, weaving these mesmerizing tales for him in order to delay her torture or execution (à la Arabian Nights). In one scene, Chase asks her what she would tell a future reincarnate *about him*. She describes a scorching interlude–detailing how they would touch each other and kiss–that makes even a disciplined soldier like Declan lose control.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying:
Saying “I don’t want to stand out in a crowd.” Regin loves being a showstopper, enjoys doing/saying things just to shock people.

Your hero, is he a boxer or brief kind of guy:
He goes commando under commando pants.

Ancillary character you had the most fun with:
The millennia-old vampire Lothaire the Enemy of Old basically writes himself. He’s evil, but with flair, and such a contradiction. He’s physically magnificent but emotionally chilling, crazed but cunning, and though he kills so easily, he has his own warped code of honor. Lothaire is a fearless warrior, yet he’s haunted by one vulnerable female.

Your heroine’s favorite hobby:
Making demons eat things (crab traps, pizza boxes, fire extinguishers, etc.). Pranks “involving nuclear waste” are a close second.

Your hero’s favorite hobby:
He has none. No pastimes, no social life, no relationships. He’s obsessed with destroying the creatures that murdered his family.

What you think readers will like best about this book:
The intensity of the hero! Declan is tormented by his fever-pitch–but forbidden–desire for Regin. In one scene, he’s in the shower, roaring with frustration, pummeling the wall because he wants her so much–and he believes he can never have her. He was the villain of my previous book, Demon from the Dark, so he’s got a lot of making up to do.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet:
Nïx the Ever Knowing, Soothsayer Without Equal, though Lothaire is a close second. His story is coming up next!

Anyone who’s read my Immortals After Dark series can tell I love dark, tortured alpha heroes, and Declan Chase is no exception.
What is your favorite alpha male trait? Who are some of the great alpha heroes in romance? One commenter will be chosen to win a $20 gift certificate to Borders!