WINNERS!!!

Congratulations to

Gale Nelson - a copy of ENRAPTURED by Elisabeth Naughton

Barbara E - a copy of DEMON'S BRIDE by Zoe Archer

Thanks to everyone for leaving a comment or question.

Please visit often and feel free to leave a comment to tell us what you think of our blog. 

What a Dragon Should Know- G.A. Aiken

Only for those I love would I traipse into the merciless Northlands to risk life, limb, and my exquisite beauty. But do they appreciate it? Do they say, "Gwenvael the Handsome, you are the best among us-the most loved of all dragons?" No! For centuries my family has refused to acknowledge my magnificence as well as my innate humility. Yet for them, and because I am so chivalrous, I will brave the worst this land has to offer.

So here I stand, waiting to broker an alliance with the one the Northlanders call The Beast. A being so fearful, the greatest warriors will only whisper its name. Yet I, Gwenvael, will courageously face down this terrifying…woman? It turns out the Beast, a.k.a. Dagmar Reinholdt, is a woman-one with steel-gray eyes and a shocking disregard for my good looks. Beneath her plain robes and prim spectacles lies a sensual creature waiting to be unleashed. Who better than a dragon to thaw out that icy demeanor?   And who better than a beast to finally tame a mighty dragon's heart?

This book is about Gwenvael and Dagmar aka the Beast lol. Dagmar is the only daughter of the Reinholdt clan. She is a very smart woman who can talk her way into getting anything she wants. Dagmar is wanting an alliance with Annywl because she is worried about her father's son bring a huge army after them for the land. So Annwyl sends Gwenvael to go there because he is diplomatic himself but he loses it when he sees the Beast is a woman. So Dagmer goes with Gwenvael and they both help each other out. I enjoyed this book and it made me cry. I was like no way that can't happen. Gwenvael and Dagmar are good together. Will Dagmar let Gwenvael claim her since she has been tricked by a dragon before? What happened in here to make me cry? You have to read to find out lol.

Sandy: My rating- 4

Natural Evil- Thea Harrison

Attempted Murder. Passion. Betrayal. It’s a dog-eat-dog world.

Claudia Hunter is on a road trip through the Nevada desert when she sees the body of a dog on the side of the highway. Pulling over to investigate, she quickly determines that the enormous animal is clinging to life. While working to save him with the help of the local vet, Claudia realizes there’s something about the creature that seems more. Other. Wyr. Which makes this case of animal cruelty attempted murder.
Too injured to shape shift, Luis Alvaraz is reluctant to tell Claudia what he knows about his attack, afraid it will only make her a target. But the sheriff is corrupt, and his attackers know Luis is alive and vulnerable. To make matters worse, a sandstorm is sweeping into town, and if they’re going to survive the night, Luis will have to place all his trust in Claudia.
Warning: Take a gorgeous man temporarily stuck in the dog house, add a strong, take-no-prisoners woman, mix in encroaching enemies and a raging sandstorm and stir to combine. Enjoy with a freshly opened can of whoop-ass.

Let me start off by describing Luis a little more 6'5 all muscled man she calls precious to get him mad enough to tell her his real name since he's not able to shift into a human.. There’s a big age different with these two, she’s 40 ex-military and he's 27 peacekeeper of the wyr. While investigating some strong shipments coming from a silver mine. Luis is sent to find out the truth. That’s when he is shot twice while in dog form and unable to shift back while being dragged behind their car until they thought he was dead. That’s when Claudia finds him and takes him to the nearest vet. She knows that most of the people in the town are corrupt and she will have to protect this wyr alone until he's able to protect himself. Luis is very, very sexy. This was a book that covered the whole story with and open ended ending so I think we will see more of this couple. No one admitted love and there’s a strange tarot card box that chooses who it wants to be with.
LT: My rating 4.5

Oracle's Moon- Thea Harrison

As a second daughter, Grace Andreas never had to worry about the intrigues of the Elder Races. But when her sister, Petra, and Petra’s husband are both killed, Grace inherits the Power and responsibilities of the Oracle of Louisville, as well as her sister’s two young children – neither of which she is prepared for.

Yet, she is not alone. Khalil, Demonkind and Djinn prince of House Marid – driven by his genuine caring for the children – has decided to make himself a part of the household both as their guardian and as an exasperating counterpoint to Grace’s impudence toward the Elder Races.
But when an attempt is made on Grace’s life, she realizes that Khalil is the only one who can protect her – and offer her more than a mortal man…

When Grace Andreas's sister, Petra, and her husband are both killed, Grace inherits the Power and responsibilities of the Oracle of Louisville, as well as her sister's two young children--neither of which she is prepared for. Then Khalil, Demonkind and Djinn Prince of House Marid, decides to make himself a part of the household both as guardian and counterpoint to Grace's impudence towards the Elder Races. We First meet Khalil as an unwilling Friend to Carlings the Vampire queen, DJinn work with a favor process , You give favors for services.. So the DJinn with the most favors owed to them is the most powerful but sadly for Khalil he had to war with his ex mate who had kidnapped and tortured their daughter , She was 1st DJinn and Khalil is 2dn DJinn , So he had to give favors to build an army to save his daughter , it took 500 years and his daughter was damaged, Carlings owed favors from Khalil, and When Carlings needed to escape a place only a Djinn who are made of smoke could escape she called Khalil who took them to see the very new unprepared Oracle. Who had just lost her sister to a car crash. and was now the new mother to very young niece and nephew. Grace was not in the mood to handle callers at the wee hours of the morning. the baby had an ear infection and wouldn’t stop crying.. last thing she needed was the Wyr people coming to her door. After carlings healed the baby she was willing to help. But was unwilling the help of the Djinn who offered to protect her kids while she was away. but with no other choice she took it.. thinking soon this would all be over. But days after they left she learns from her niece about a talking dog/cat and soon learns that the Djinn never left. Angry she confronts him , He offers his protections for the children, Grace turns him down.. Khalil is outraged this mere human would turn down such a gift. But Grace soon learns she needs Khalil for more then just protection , When she learns all their lives are in danger. I so Love Khalil... he going to the top on my list of main men in books LT...  My Rating 5

Good Morning and Happy Friday to everyone. Instead of doing a Q&A today, we are going to shake things up a bit. Zoe Archer is here to tell us her thoughts on Historical Paranormal Romance. Zoe wanted to write soon after her mother taught her how to read. (Incidentally, the first book she read was Arnold Lobell’s, Grasshopper On The Road.) One of her first works, written at the age of eleven, was a 60 page fantasy epic inspired by the musical Cats, which is now sadly lost to the mists of time. Now Zoe likes to entice readers with her books, The Hellraisers, (featuring a group of very bad boys), and The Blades Of The Rose. Thanks for being here Zoe.

Seven Reasons Why I Love Writing Historical Paranormal Romance:

1.  History dork.  I love doing research into historical time periods and learning all kinds of interesting facts, then incorporating them into my books.  For example, did you know that, in the 18^th century, most London business relating to trade and stocks was done in coffee houses? This is where Leo, the hero of my novel DEMON’S BRIDE, spends his days, wheeling and dealing and making himself into one of the richest non-titled men in England.

2.  Cool powers.  It’s so fun thinking up cool and unusual magical powers to give to my characters.  Thanks to a gift from the Devil, if Leo touches a coin or piece of money, he can foresee a disaster that will befall the owner of that money.  It certainly helps Leo plan his business ventures.

3.  Pretty clothes.  Today’s fashions are fine, but if you want really sumptuous clothing, look no further than the 18^th century.  Silks, satins, lace, embroidery—and that’s just on the men!  Also, I can never resist an opportunity to put my heroes in tall boots.

4.  High stakes.  Nothing raises the stakes of a story than adding the paranormal into the mix.  It’s not just about a person’s reputation in a ballroom, but the fate of the world. When Leo and his fellow Hellraisers are given powers in exchange for accidentally freeing the Devil from his prison, they unwittingly set in motion a chain of events that could lead to literal Hell on Earth.

5.  Hot romance.  It’s fun to play with the elegant veneer of 18^th century society, and throwing in some steam to mix things up.  Leo’s marriage to Anne starts off as one that’s primarily a business arrangement.  Yet Leo and Anne discover an unexpected connection, which leads to very spicy scenes between them.

6.   World building.  With historical romance, an author has to do research (see Number 1 above), and with paranormal romance, the research consists of world building (creating the rules, the history, the different types of magic and how it works).  By writing historical paranormal romance, I get to combine both! So I needed to figure out exactly what kind of magical gifts the Hellraisers receive, and also how those gifts integrate with their everyday lives in 18^th century London.

7.  Kick ass heroines.  It can be a challenge in historical romance to find ways for heroines to be empowered and strong.  It’s definitely possible, but as an author, I often find history’s societal expectations of women’s roles to be confining.  By adding the paranormal into a historical setting, the heroines can break out of these confines and really kick some butt!  Anne starts off DEMON’S BRIDE as a woman limited by society’s demands.  Without giving away spoilers, I can tell you that, through paranormal means, Anne discovers her own strength—which she’ll need when it comes time to fight for Leo’s soul.

So, tell me, have you read any paranormal historical romance?  What about the subgenre might attract you?  Leave an answer along with your email address, and one commenter will win a copy of DEMON’S BRIDE (US/Canada only).

DEMON’S BRIDE

The Hellraisers, Book 2 

Hell to Pay 

Leo Bailey may have been born to poverty, but ruthless business sense and sparkling intelligence have made money worries a thing of his past. It doesn't hurt that the Devil himself has granted Leo the ability to read the future.  

But even infallible predictions are a déclassé commoner's trick to some members of the ton. They'll never see Leo as their equal - one good reason to prove himself their better. And a noble marriage is an obvious start.

Bookish Anne Hartfield, daughter of a baron, is hardly the flashiest miss on the marriage market. But her thoughtful reserve complements Leo's brash boldness in an attraction neither can deny. A whirlwind courtship sweeps Anne and Leo into a smoldering marriage before either can believe their luck. But happiness built on Leo's dark powers can't last. Soon, Anne will have to save her husband...or lose her heart.

Zoë Archer is an award-winning romance author who thinks there's nothing sexier than a man in tall boots and a waistcoat. As a child, she never dreamed about being the rescued princess, but wanted to kick butt right beside the hero. She now applies her master's degrees in Literature and Fiction to creating butt-kicking heroines and heroes in tall boots. She is the author of the acclaimed BLADES OF THE ROSE series and the paranormal historical romance series, THE HELLRAISERS. She and her husband, fellow romance author Nico Rosso, created the steampunk world of THE ETHER CHRONICLES together.  Her steampunk romance, SKIES OF FIRE, is now available from Avon Impulse, and Nico’s steampunk Western, NIGHT OF FIRE, will be available in July. Zoë and Nico live in Los Angeles.

Excerpt 

Website, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr 

To buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Chapters Indigo, Amazon UK

1762. James Sherbourne, Earl of Whitney, is a gambling man. Not for the money. But for the thrill, the danger—and the company: Whit has become one of the infamous Hellraisers, losing himself in the chase for adventure and pleasure with his four closest friends.

Which is how Whit finds himself in a gypsy encampment, betting against a lovely Romani girl. Zora Grey’s smoky voice and sharp tongue entrance Whit nearly as much as her clever hands—watching them handle cards inspires thoughts of another kind...

Zora can’t explain her attraction to the careless blue-eyed Whit. She also can’t stop him and his Hellraisers from a fiendish curse: the power to grant their own hearts’ desires, to chase their pleasures from the merely debauched to the truly diabolical. And if Zora can’t save Whit, she still has to escape him…

http://www.zoearcherbooks.com/DK_Excerpt.html

A former junior high science teacher, Elisabeth Naughton traded in her red pen and test tube set for a laptop and research books. She now writes sexy romantic adventure and paranormal novels full time from her home in western Oregon where she lives with her husband and three children. Her work has been nominated for numerous awards including the prestigious RITA® awards by Romance Writers of America, the Australian Romance Reader Awards, The Golden Leaf and the Golden Heart. When not writing, Elisabeth can be found running, hanging out at the ballpark or dreaming up new and exciting adventures.

Shonna- On a personal note I want to shout out to all our followers about what an AWESOME author Elisabeth is. I’m telling you the truth when I say, this lady can write! I absolutely LOVE her work and am so thrilled to be able to spread the word about her ETERNAL GUARDIANS series. Each book is a fantastic read that should immediately be put at the top of you TBR list. The stories will captivate your mind while you become a willing prisoner to the world she has created. If you are looking for a series to grab your attention, look no farther. This is it!

Thanks so much for having me here today!

1. Resigning as a middle school science teacher to become a writer with two children is a big step into a whole new ball field. Was this transition difficult, and how long was it before your first published book?

For me it was an adjustment. I'd worked since I was sixteen so to go from working full time outside the house to being home all day was definitely a transition for me. Working from home is very different from getting up and going to an office (or school). I've had to learn how to be productive when the kids are screaming and the dog is barking and the phone is ringing. I suppose in some ways it's not all that different from when I was teaching, but the dogs and phone (and even my own kids) don't respond to "Knock it off or I'll give you detention" like my students used to.

It took me five years to sell my first book, which (I'm told) is the average for a writer. Some of my early manuscripts will never see the light of day, but they taught me a lot about craft and prepared me for my eventual career as an author, so I wouldn’t change any of the time I spent toiling away before I sold.

2. You use a publisher and are an indie. Having experienced both systems to sell your books, which process do you prefer and why?

Both have benefits as far as I'm concerned. If you're an author with a publisher who's willing to get behind you and your book, it can be beneficial to your career to let them market you in ways you can't do yourself. Likewise, the Indie market can also be a boon to authors because it takes the reading experience from author to reader, bypassing a lot of red tape that can sometimes slow down releases.

3. The covers for your ETERNAL GUARDIAN series are all very YUMMY, YUMMY. Yes, we are having a hard time not staring. (focus Crazy Chicks, focus) What can you tell us about them? Do you have much input on the finished product? (Oh and if you ever need any help with future covers, you know, selecting models,... inspecting those sexy bodies as the possible pick, just give us a shout, PLEASE)

The Eternal Guardians covers ARE amazing, aren't they? I often sit and stare at them myself (for hours). I'm lucky in that I have a GREAT cover artist who's captured the tone and flavor of the series (okay, of the GUARDIANS). I'm also lucky in that my publisher has let me have a say in the cover designs. For both ENRAPTURED (book 4) and ENSLAVED (book 5, which releases in November 2012) I got to see two different designs and give my feedback on which one(s) I liked better.

4. Tell us 3 things you love about being an author, and 1 that you don’t.

Three things I love…

I love that I can work in my pajamas if I want to.

I love that I get to do write what I'm passionate about.

I love that my stories touch readers in ways I never expected.

One thing I don't love about being an author…

(This one's hard.) For me it has to be that I'm never "off". At 5 pm I'm not done working. I can't easily turn off the creative side of my brain and chill out with the family at the end of the day. Even when I'm watching movies with them, story ideas, plot twists and character arcs are always going through my head. And I'm ALWAYS thinking about the book I'm working on. Whether I mean to or not, I'm constantly working, even when it looks like I'm just staring off into space (which happens a LOT).

5. If you could, would you like to go to Argolea for a 48 hour visit? If yes, what would you want to do while there?

Absolutely! I'd love to see Tiyrns. I have this image in my head of the white city framed by the Aegis Mountains and the Olympic seas, but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't even compare to reality.(Maybe Peter Jackson will take my books and create the world for me??? A girl can hope…) As for what I'd do there? Hang out with those sexy Argonauts, of course! (And I would be the center of attention as their creator, don't you think?)

6. The strong silent type always grabs our attention. Can you tell us one little bitty secret about Nick that we haven’t been able to read about in your books? When will you be writing his story? (Shonna here: And just in case you might be interested in a good name for his “ONE”. I think Shonna is the perfect name to go with Nick.*hint hint*) (Wendy and LT, shaking their heads and rolling their eyes)

Oooh…Nick. I get a lot of fan mail about Nick. Readers are dying for his book. Nick's book is coming up soon. I'm actually plotting it out right now. His story is going to be the culmination to the overarching power struggle between the gods and the Argonauts. As for a secret…people won't like this but as stated in the end of TEMPTED, yes, Isadora really is Nick's soul mate. He doesn't have another. And his relationship with  both Isadora AND Demetrius will change drastically in Nick's book.

Was that enough of a teaser for you? LOL
(Shonna: I was really hoping for a loophole where Nick was concerned,..DARN! )

7. The forth ETERNAL GUARDIAN installment was just released a couple of weeks ago. Tell us about ENRAPTURED.

ENRAPTURED is Orpheus's story. Orpheus was not an Argonaut by birth. A descendent of Perseus, he's Gryphon's older brother, passed over by the gods to serve with the Argonauts in favor of the younger "chosen" son. Orpheus has a serious chip on his shoulder because of this, and he's been a trouble maker throughout the series. But he's got this heroic streak that's in direct contrast to his own personal goals, and whenever the Argonauts need him, he seems to show up.

In ENRAPTURED, Orpheus is searching for a way to rescue his brother Gryphon from the Underworld. Unbeknownst to him, however, Zeus has ordered Orpheus stopped, and he's sent his number one Siren—one of his personal assassins—to put an end to Orpheus. Skyla, a Siren, finds herself wickedly attracted to Orpheus, and she senses Zeus is not behind honest with her about who and what he really is, but the bigger secret—how the two of them are connected—is the one that has the power to change everything about her and him and the world as they both know it.

Excerpt from ENRAPTURED

Orpheus followed Skyla up a flight of stairs and paused outside a blue metal door in the run-down rent-by-the-week motel on the edge of town.
As he stared at the back of her head, a waft of honeysuckle met his senses. The same fragrance he’d noticed in the concert crowd, in that clearing, and every second since. A scent that was oddly…familiar.
She reached up to the doorframe, felt around, flashed him a one-sided grin as her hand lowered with a key. “Stay here. I’ll be right back out.”
He didn’t know what she was up to, but he waited in the hallway while she disappeared into the apartment, then came out seconds later with folded jeans and a T-shirt slung over her forearm. She locked the door, replaced the key, then motioned for him to follow her again down the hall.
“What was that?” he asked.
“Neighbor. He’s about your size. Works nights. Way too trusting.”
He smirked as she stopped in front of another blue door and pulled a key from her pocket. A schemer, like him. Who’d have thought it? “I thought you said they were your clothes.”
“I never said that,” she answered, pushing the door open with her hip. “And no way you’d fit into my pants. If you did, I’d have to kill myself.”
He eyed her pants. And her sexy backside. Told himself trying to find a way into her pants was a really dumb idea. He didn’t have time to play with the blond, no matter what she was. He should be back out there already, searching for the dark-haired female again. But he didn’t want to be. For just a few minutes, he wanted a break. Craved something just for him. Needed that connection with another person to remember he wasn’t dead. Like Gryphon.
Thoughts of Gryphon brought back the tightness to his chest he’d been living with the last three months. He thought of the female he’d been chasing earlier. And the way the blond had talked to her in the crowd at that concert.
The two knew each other somehow. Why else would the blond have followed them into the trees?
She closed the door after him, flipped on the kitchen light. The place was a far cry from the Ritz. The kitchen spilled into a tiny living room with a wall of windows that looked out to an enclosed deck and the darkness beyond. The furniture was old, covered in brown and orange checked fabric that looked like something straight out of the seventies. The tables were wood veneer, and the draperies hanging on one side of the windows were made of some heavy off-white, smoke-stained material.
He turned a slow circle, took in the closet-sized kitchen with its avocado green Formica and matching fridge that barely reached Skyla’s shoulder, the cracked vinyl brown chairs and matching table. And the short hallway off to his left, with its thick, brown shag carpet that was bracketed by two doors, both dented and scarred from time and abuse.
He didn’t doubt for a minute that this was nothing more than a stopping place for her, one that suited her as much as the Argonauts suited him.
“The bathroom’s here.” She moved down the hall, pushed the door to the left open, flipped on the light.
More avocado green countertop and a mirror over the sink that reflected hollow cheeks streaked with blood, pale skin, and hair standing out every which way.
He looked away from his reflection, moved into the doorway of the other room, where she’d disappeared. A full-sized bed with an ugly, burnt-orange bedspread filled the space. A small dresser, nightstand, and lamp rounded out the room. “Gorgeous. You do the decorating yourself?”
She crouched in front of the dresser, pulled the bottom drawer open, and extracted a clean towel. “Oh yeah. Shit brown and puke green are my favorite colors. Aren’t they yours?”
“Obviously. I’m a daemon, right?”
One corner of her lips curved. A sexy little grin that supercharged his blood. And again he was struck by the fact she didn’t seem the least bit afraid of him.
She stood, held out the towel and clothes. “While you get cleaned up, I’ll find bandages for your head.”
He didn’t bother telling her he didn’t need bandages. Instead he took the clothes, pulled them against his chest so she could pass. Was just about to ask why she wasn’t scared as a normal person would be, when her body grazed his in the doorway.
Her heat seared every inch of him, reigniting the arousal he’d felt back in the trees. Only this wasn’t just sexual. No, this was something more. An awareness. A déjà vu feeling. A memory he couldn’t quite bring into focus.
Her feet stilled. Her smile faded. And his stomach felt as if it flipped over when he realized she felt it too.
Who was she? What was she to him? And why the hell couldn’t he figure out how he knew her?
She turned back toward the kitchen. “Take your time.”
Why the hell was he so rattled around her?
Skata. Maybe that last shift had been one too many. Maybe he’d finally suffered some serious brain damage in the process.
Stepping into the bathroom, he shook off the thought, avoided the mirror. He didn’t need to see his reflection to know he looked like shit. He felt like it too. And not just from the change. Months of searching, only to be met with disappointment, were taking their toll. He needed food. A couple hours of shut-eye. And to find that damn dark-haired female before he lost the Orb for good.
Steam filled the room as he let the water beat down on his battered body. He rubbed soap all over his skin, washed his hair with shampoo from a purple bottle that smelled way too girlie, then flipped off the water and dried with a towel from the rack. As he did, he caught sight of the ancient Greek text on his forearms that ran down to entwine his fingers.
Man, if the Argonauts could see him now. No, nix that. He already knew exactly what they’d say or do if they’d seen the switcheroo he pulled in that clearing. Daemons weren’t just discriminated against in their world, they were the bitter enemy. If word got out he was half daemon, the Argonauts would be the first to crucify him, likely in Tiyrns Square, for all Argoleans to see. Forget the fact he was the last living descendant of the famed hero Perseus. And never mind that he’d helped their queen and all the Argonauts more times than he could count. He tossed the towel away in disgust, jerked on the fresh jeans. To them he’d forever be nothing more than a daemon. Useful one way: dead.
He tugged on the dark blue T-shirt that barely fit, shoved his feet back into his boots, and finger-combed his hair. Screw what he thought he wanted. There was only one thing he needed right now. The Orb of Krónos. Once he had that…well, then the tide would finally turn.
As for the blond…yeah, she was hot, but he didn’t have time for this. And the weird sensations pinging around in his chest when he looked at her weren’t just delaying him, they were distracting him. So he’d go out there, find out what she knew about his target, then be on his way.
Decision made, he grabbed his weapon from the counter where he’d left it and opened the bathroom door. Steam preceded him into the hall, where the scent of bacon filled the air. His stomach growled, and he turned the corner to find the blond—shit, he should have asked for her name—standing at the stove, flipping bacon and scrambling eggs. She’d dressed in fresh clothes: another black shirt—this one short sleeved—a fresh pair of slim black pants and the same kick-ass goth boot she’d worn earlier. But it wasn’t her outfit that made the room spin. It was the modern appliances fading into the background that tipped the world out from under him.
Weathered stone, a baking hearth, and an old scarred table filled the space. And at the counter, the same female, stirring something in a ceramic bowl. Only this time she was barefoot, wearing a slip of a dress made of gauzy white and tied at her narrow waist with a woven gold braid.
He reached out and gripped the hallway wall to steady himself.
She looked up. Her hand stopped moving. The bowl sat cradled in the nook of her other arm. A streak of flour ran across her right cheek.
A warm smile spread across her face. One filled with heat and mischief and knowledge. “Stop looking at me like that. Thou knowest that is playing with fire.”
She went back to stirring. Looked back down at her work with a victorious grin. Turned to reach for something behind her.
But Orpheus felt like he’d just been sucker punched in the gut.
The air left his lungs on a gasp. The room spun again, flipped his stomach end over end. The scabbard fell from his hand as he reached for the wall with his other hand. He felt himself going down. Saw shadows barreling in from all sides. But was powerless to keep from fainting like a giant pussy.
“Daemon? Can you hear me?” The voice was muffled. Distant. Something hard pressed down on his chest. “Come on, already. Wake up!”
A crack echoed around him. His eyes flew open.
“That’s it. Yeah, that’s right, keep looking at me.”
He couldn’t do anything else. He stared up into amethyst eyes that sparkled like the Aegis Mountains in the early-morning sunshine. And felt that rush of familiarity all over again.
“There you go. See? Not so bad after all.” Her voice wasn’t so muffled anymore. “Let’s get you up.”
He didn’t fight her when she pulled on his shoulders, maneuvering him around to lean against the wall, his legs kicked out in front of him. While his head continued to spin like a top, she went back into the kitchen, flipped off the stove, reached for bandages and other supplies, then came back and knelt next to him.
Honeysuckle wafted around him as she leaned close to look at the side of his head. But that vision of her in that old-time kitchen wouldn’t leave his head. That and the knowing smile she’d sent him that spoke of familiarity on a personal level. An intimate level.
Shards of heat ricocheted everywhere she touched, sending a tingle down his spine that left him more off-kilter than before. “This looks like it’s finally scabbed over,” she said. “I know daemons heal quickly, but…well, you are not what I expected.”
Neither was she. Whatever she was doing to him, though, he was about to put a stop to it.
He grasped her wrist, ignored the heat that flared beneath his fingers. “I want…answers.”
Another jolt of déjà vu rippled through him. She looked down where he held her, and something akin to shock washed over her face. Then she pulled her hand free with a quick snap of her wrist, a motion that told him she was stronger than she appeared, and pushed to her feet. “You need food. We’ll talk after you eat.”
Screw that.
He’d never fainted in his life. Couldn’t believe he’d done so now, especially in front of her. Whatever she was—witch, sorceress, immortal—she was playing some kind of mind fuck on him. Getting him to see and feel things that weren’t real. His mother had been Medean. He’d studied her craft, knew how to cast spells himself when the time was right, and was well aware of the power the dark arts could harness. He wasn’t about to be manipulated by this female, in any way.
He pushed to his feet. Before she reached the end of the hall, he flashed in front of her, bringing her feet to a dead stop.
Surprise lit her eyes. Confusion followed quickly on its tail. Argonauts could only flash in Argolea. In the human realm they were limited to the same laws of nature as humans. But not him.
She dropped her supplies, eased back. “What…? How did you do that?”
“I’m full of surprises.” He took a step toward her.
She moved back more. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“I’ve had a shitty day and I’m tired of the head games.” Her back hit the wall. He knew his eyes were glowing green, illuminating the dark hallway around them, but he didn’t force his daemon back as he normally would. Right now he needed its strength. “I want answers, and I want them now.”
He pressed a hand against the wall and leaned in close. Until the heat from her skin slid over his and the beat of her heart was all he could hear. “I want to know who the hell you really are. And I want to know what your being here has to do with me.”

8. Listening to music is part of your writing regiment. What did you pick for ENRAPTURED and why?

I listen to instrumental music when I write and flock toward movie soundtracks—Lord of the Rings, Gladiator, Last of the Mohicans, etc. When I'm "thinking" about my books though, I listen to music with lyrics and have put together an itunes playlist with songs that inspired the books. I have eclectic music tastes, so on my ENRAPTURED playlist you'll find Linkin Park, the Goo Goo Dolls, Evanescence, The Fray, Bryan Adams and even Lady Antebellum. To listen to the ENRAPTURED playlist, go to: https://c.itunes.apple.com/us/imix/enraptured/id499167620

9 This coming November ETERNAL GUARDIAN fans have book #5, ENSLAVED, to look forward to. It would make a wonderful Holiday gift to tell your friends you want, if you can wait a few weeks to read it. The Three Crazy Chicks,.... NO WAY. We will be reading it the day of release.  Could you give us a glimpse of what is to come in this read? (LT here: Give us the goods Elisabeth, spill, spill! Wendy, chimes in but still can’t take her eyes of the book covers)

LOVE that idea!

Book five is Gryphon's book. I was trying to keep the identity of the hero in ENSLAVED a secret, but can't. Gryphon plays a BIG role in ENRAPTURED so hopefully readers will be eager to get to his story. From a reader's perspective I wasn't that nice to him in ENRAPTURED…but I promise I'm nicer to him in ENSLAVED! (I'm not giving away any more…you have to read ENRAPTURED to find out what's happening with Gryphon!)
(Shonna: I am about to BUST! I was glued to every page of ENRAPTURED, and can not wait to read this)

10. Elisabeth where can our followers click to in the cyber world to find more about you and your must read books?

Aw, I'm so glad my books are must-reads for you! You just made my day. To learn more, readers can find me at the following locations:

Website: www.elisabethnaughton.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/elisabeth.naughton1

Twitter: www.twitter/ElisNaughton

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2002988.Elisabeth_Naughton

Elisabeth’s publicist at Sourcebooks is donating a copy of ENRAPTURED to one of our lucky followers. Leave a question or comment for Elisabeth along with your email address to be entered in the random drawing. (Limited to US/Canada residents

THERON – Dark haired, duty bound and deceptively deadly. He’s the leader of the Argonauts, an elite group of guardians that defends the immortal realm from threats of the Underworld.
From the moment he walked into the club, Casey knew this guy was different. Men like that just didn’t exist in real life—silky shoulder-length hair, chest impossibly broad, and a predatory manner that just screamed dark and dangerous. He was looking for something. Her.
She was the one. She had the mark. Casey had to die so his kind could live, and it was Theron’s duty to bring her in. But even as a 200-year-old descendent of Hercules, he wasn’t strong enough to resist the pull in her fathomless eyes, to tear himself away from the heat of her body.
As war with the Underworld nears, someone will have to make the ultimate sacrifice.



ZANDER — The most feared of all the Eternal Guardians. It’s rumored he can’t be killed, and he always fights like he has nothing to lose. But as a descendant of the famed hero Achilles, he’s got to have a vulnerability… somewhere.
Forces of daemons are gathering and have broken through the barriers of the Underworld. Now more than ever the Eternal Guardians are needed to protect both their own realm and the humans’. Zander can’t afford to think about what might have been with the bewitching physician he once regarded as his soul mate. But with eternity stretching before him, he also can’t fathom spending his life without the one woman who makes him feel most alive. Perhaps he’s found his weakness, after all…


DEMETRIUS—He’s the hulking, brooding warrior his fellow Guardians avoid. Too dark. Too damaged. And given his heritage, he knows it’s best to keep everyone at arm’s length.
Isadora is missing. The words pound through his head like a frantic drumbeat. For her own protection, Demetrius did all he could to avoid the fragile princess, his soul mate. And now she’s gone—kidnapped. To get her back, he’ll have to go to the black place in his soul he’s always shunned.
As daemons ravage the human realm and his loyalty to the Guardians is put to the ultimate test, Demetrius realizes that Isadora is stronger than anyone thought. And finally letting her into his heart may be the only way to save them both.

Lynsay Sands - Under a Vampire Moon (Book 17)

When Vampires Go On Vacation . . .Escaping a horrible marriage, Carolyn Connor has no desire to think about men—a vow she's determined to keep while on vacation in St. Lucia. She'll take the Caribbean sun and sea and plenty of tropical drinks with those cute umbrellas poolside, thank you. She absolutely does not need male company, no matter how tan and rock-hard his body may be.Easy enough, but then Carolyn meets the charming Marguerite Argeneau, who is infamous among her family for her matchmaking prowess . . .Christian Notte has well known the power of finding a life mate. He's seen enough of his Argeneau relatives taken down for the count, but he never imagined he'd let himself fall in love—until he meets the enthralling, charmingly skittish, and oh-so-mortal Carolyn. But how will he reveal what he is and still convince this once-bitten mortal to trust him with her heart . . . and her forever? 

I enjoyed this story. I will admit it did seem a little slower but I enjoyed seeing Carolyn and Christian come together. You do get to see Marguerite, Julius, and some cousins in this book also. Julius gives Christian a hard time about finding his life mate since Christian did it to him. I enjoy seeing the characters together and as always Lynsay Sands does a great job with the interactions of them. When Marguerite meets Carolyn she knows that she is Christian's life mate but she also knows the past that Carolyn has had with her ex-husband Robert. So Marguerite knows that they have to think of something for Christian to be near her without Carolyn running away. So Gia talks to Carolyn and finds out that Carolyn use to be a beard (pretend girlfriend for a gay guy) so Gia tells her that Christian is gay and then the story takes off. The story was funny and like I said, Christian and Carolyn are great together. Will Carolyn ever be comfortable with a younger guy to let her love again? And will Christian be able to convince her to not run away from the love they have?

My rating -  4

Sandy

Guest Blogger

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Nancy Holzner grew up in western Massachusetts with her nose stuck in a book. This meant that she tended to walk into things, wore glasses before she was out of elementary school, and forced her parents to institute a “no reading at the dinner table” rule. It was probably inevitable that she majored in English in college and then, because there were still a lot of books she wanted to read, continued her studies long enough to earn a masters degree and a PhD.She began her career as a medievalist, then jumped off the tenure track to try some other things. Besides teaching English and philosophy, she’s worked as a technical writer, freelance editor and instructional designer, college admissions counselor, and corporate trainer. Most of her nonfiction books are published under the name Nancy Conner.Nancy lives in upstate New York with her husband Steve, where they both work from home without getting on each other’s nerves. She enjoys visiting local wineries, listening obsessively to opera and she says there are still a lot of books out there that she wants to read. Thank you so much for coming by Nancy.

Thank you for inviting me to stop by. I'm very happy to be here!

1. Let’s start off with a summary of your DEADTOWN series for followers that need to bump it up on their TBR list.

DEADTOWN features Victory Vaughn, a shapeshifter who is Boston's only professional demon slayer. Vicky makes her living killing other people's personal demons but finds herself wrestling with bigger, badder demons of her own.

Deadtown is Boston's paranormal district. Three years ago, a mysterious plague hit the downtown at lunchtime on a weekday, killing two thousand Bostonians before mutating into something harmless. Paranormals, who were immune, helped maintain the quarantine zone and deal with the bodies—three days later, the bodies rose. The quarantine zone became the city's paranormal district, with all the newly reanimated “zombies” and other paranormals required by law to live there.

Vicky has a teenage zombie apprentice, and her roommate is Juliet, a 650-year-old vampire who takes exception with Shakespeare's depiction of her. She dates Kane, a workaholic werewolf lawyer whose goal is to establish paranormal civil rights at the federal level. And a book of ancient prophecies, written in the language of Hell, predicts a pivotal role for her in the coming war between demons and humans.

2. Writing reference and how-to books is much different than writing urban fantasy. Was switching an easy slide or did you have to rethink the process? How long did you think about doing it before you took the plunge and started seriously writing urban fantasy?

For several years, I worked on fiction simultaneously with writing the nonfiction books. I published a couple of short stories, abandoned an attempt at a novel, and finished a mystery, which my agent sold to a small press. Switching from nonfiction to fiction became a part of my work day: I'd  spend most of the day writing the how-to or tech book I had under contract, take a break, and then switch to fiction in the evenings. Because we both worked at home, my husband and I liked to go out to a coffee shop in the evening. The switch in venue helped me switch what I was writing. Different surroundings, different project.

The two kinds of writing are very different. For a nonfiction book, I rely on a detailed outline. The outline becomes part of my contract, and I rely on it to structure the book. It helps me know how many pages to devote to each topic and what needs to be covered. Also, technical and reference publishers tend to frown on including zombies. :) For fiction, I start with a much looser outline (a 5- to 7-point bulleted list) that allows for plenty of changes and surprises as I write. It's important to let a story develop organically—and those twists and surprises are the best part of writing.

I started writing urban fantasy because I was reading almost exclusively in that genre at the time. It was so much fun to read, I thought I'd try writing it. And doing that was as much fun as I'd hoped!

3. Do you feel like some of Tina’s personality traits surfaced from past experiences of being a parent?

I have a daughter, but she and Tina don't have much in common. Tina is more a composite of some of my favorite—and most frustrating—students from when I was teaching high school. She started out as almost a caricature of a teenager, but she's grown in ways that have surprised me.

4. Is it sometimes hard to separate yourself when you leave the keyboard, or do your characters follow you and continue to badger you throughout the rest of your waking hours?

When the writing is going well, my characters follow me everywhere. They won't shut up. Occasionally, though, they take off on vacation without telling me where they're going. Not even a postcard.

5. Finish this sentence.

Writing, to me is,.......

...something I do every day. Writing means a lot to me, but everything follows from the practice of writing daily.

6. Do you plan to use mythology as a part of future projects? If so will you stray, or stay with with Mabinogi stories?

I'm interested in all kinds of mythologies, because they use stories to explain how the world works. Taking those stories at their word and bringing them into the present day can be a springboard for all kinds of great plots. That said, I'm thinking of writing some spinoff stories, perhaps featuring Aunt Mab, drawn from other aspects of Welsh stories  and mythology that I haven't worked into the DEADTOWN books. 

7. Recently, the cover for DARKLANDS (due to be released next July) was revealed on your web site. It’s awesome, by the way! Tell us how much input do you have when it comes to designing, and the finished result for your book covers.

Glad you like it! I've been very lucky with my cover designers at Ace.

My editor asks me for input before the cover meeting. At that point, the manuscript may not yet be finished, so she asks about major scenes and any cool new weapons Vicky might have. A couple of months later, I'll see a draft of the cover. By then, the concept is nailed down and the only changes will be tweaks. So my main chance to influence a cover is to give my editor ideas to take into the initial cover design meeting. But honestly, I'm not a design professional, and the actual designers have created covers that far surpassed any ideas I had. 

Nancy was able to convince Vicky to come along with her today and we have a few questions we would like to ask her now. 

8. Vicky, how would you describe the relationship between Nancy and you? Does she listen to you when you have something you need to discuss, or you don’t like a scene she has written?

Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say “sadistic,” but there have been times when I fought my way through a really tough situation and expected a breather, only to hear Nancy asking, “What's the worst thing that could happen now?”—and then brainstorming a whole list of possibilities. She tends to pick the worst one, and I'm the one who deals with the fallout.

I prefer to work solo—that's partly why that whole apprenticeship thing with Tina didn't work out. Still, Nancy and I make a pretty good team. She thinks up impossible situations, and I fight my way out of them. Once in a while, though, she tries to push me into doing something I wouldn't normally do. That's when I dig in my heels, and the story just stops. That gets her attention, and eventually she sees things my way. 

9. What is your all time favorite situation you have found yourself in that Nancy has published?

Something pretty amazing happens in DARKLANDS (something I never imagined could happen), but since the book isn't out until the end of July, I'd better not talk about that yet. So I'll pick a moment in HELLFORGED, when Kane bought me a replacement for a watch I'd lost that keeps outside time in other people's dreams. I knew then that he was paying attention in a way I hadn't realized. Gave me butterflies. 

10. Vicky, tell us three things about yourself that we haven’t read in Nancy’s books.

Okay. One, I love Thai food, but Nancy has never yet set a scene in a Thai restaurant. Two, I'm an Aries (nobody knows this because Nancy let my 29th birthday fall between books). And three, when I was a kid nobody ever asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. Because of some demonic prophecies that may or may not come true, along with a few other reasons, it was assumed my career path was demon fighter. And that was fine—it was want I wanted, more than anything. But one time when I was in high school, I watched ambulance workers help this kid who'd been hit by a car while riding his bike. For a few minutes, I thought that would be a great job, to be an EMT. Instead of killing things, I could save people, or at least try to. That really appealed to me. 

Thanks for visiting with us Nancy and Vicky. For more information about your books and future projects Nancy, where can our followers find you?  

My Facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/NancyHolznerBooks

I'm on Twitter at https://twitter.com/#!/NancyHolzner

And my website is http://nancyholzner.wordpress.com/ 

Thanks so much for a fun interview!

You are welcome and please come back anytime, we enjoyed talking to you and Vicky.

Nancy is having an awesome giveaway for one of our lucky followers. She is offering a signed copy of one of her book. Winner’s choice: Deadtown, Hellforged, or Bloodstone. Just be a follower, and leave a comment or question for Nancy with you email address. Nancy also wants everyone to know that this is open to our international followers so take a minute, visit with Nancy, and good luck to all.

About A Dragon- (book 2)

For Nolwenn witch Talaith, a bad day begins with being dragged from bed by an angry mob intent on her crispy end and culminates in rescue by - wait for it - a silver maned dragon. Existence as a hated outcast is nothing new for a woman with such powerful secrets. The dragon, though? A tad unusual. This one has a human form to die for, and knows it.According to dragon law, Talaith is now his property, for pleasure...Or otherwise. But if Lord Arrogance thinks she's the kind of damsel to acquiesce without a word, he's in for a surprise...Is the woman never silent? Briec the Mighty knew the moment he laid eyes on Talaith that she would be his, but he'd counted on tongue-lashings of an altogether different sort. It's embarrassing, really, that it isn't this outspoken female's magicks that have the realm's greatest dragon in her thrall. No, Briec has been spellbound by something altogether different - and if he doesn't tread carefully, what he doesn't know about human women could well be the undoing of his entire race.

I enjoyed this book also. The story was great and the characters were funny as every lol. Talaith was taken from her home to do as a goddess has instructed her. The goddess Arzhela and her faithful follower Hamich are trying to get her to follow their plan. There is a reason why Talaith is obeying Arzhela and you find out during the book but I won't spoil it. Briec and Talaith are great together. Also you see his brothers and sisters in this book and Annwyl is back as well. Will Briec keep Talaith around since he bores easy? Also what kind of plan is Arzhela and Hamich trying to do and who are they going after? There are a lot of interesting surprises in this book.
My rating 4
Sandy

Author's Website: http://gaaiken.com/aboutadragon.php

Bear Meets Girl- (book 7)

Lou Crushek is a reasonable, mellow, easygoing kind of guy—especially for a shapeshifting bear. But once someone starts killing the scumbags he works so hard to bust, that really gets under his fur. Especially when that someone is a curvy she -- tiger who's bringing his passion out of hibernation...

Marcella Malone is a member of an elite feline protection unit, and Crush is proving one major pain in her gorgeous tail. The only reason she's joined forces with him is to track down the wealthy human who's got her entire species in his ruthless sights. But there's no denying that beneath that big, burly exterior is a man who knows how to rub her in all the right ways...

LOVED this book!  I don't know what it is about the bears in this series but I adore each and every one of them. Shelly Laurenston writes with so much humor that I laugh through the whole book but not so much humor that it kills the romance and storyline. Lou is a by-the-book cop and likes order so when he wakes up with a she-tiger in his arms it throws his world into a tailspin and on top of it he finds out she is one of his all time favorite hockey players with a wicked sense of humor just adds to his misery or what he considers misery. I love how this big bear gets tongue tied around his all time favorite hockey heroes and learns that they are just "regular shifters" like he is. Lou fights his feels for Cella while pretending to be her "pretend boyfriend" so when she opens up to him about her feelings it truly is a romantic story. I look forward to the next book in this series- hope it is about a wolf by the name of Reid- lol
My Rating- 5.. Loved every single thing about this book
Wendy


Authors website: http://shellylaurenston.com/index.php