Guest Author Tina Donahue with giveaway

INTIMATE DETAILS

by Tina Donahue

MEDIA KIT

Buy Links: 

Siren: http://www.bookstrand.com/intimate-details

PRE-ORDER!

AVAILABLE: Tuesday, November 4th

This title is offered at a 10% discount. Offer ends midnight CST, November 11th

Blurb:

As a computer hacker, she demands justice.

As a woman, she craves two powerful and commanding men.

Shana’s been hacking one of Manhattan’s most corrupt executives, making him pay for what he’s done to his victims. Using her skills, she convinces Mike and Cody to hire her at their intelligence-gathering firm, where intimate details help their clients.

Never has Mike met a woman as delicious as Shana. Smart as hell, curvy and assured, she’d be a delightful challenge in bed. Cody’s carnal hunger is equally intense. He and Mike want to know everything about her.

She won’t divulge the secrets of her past. All she can offer is unquenchable desire and her heart. 

During weeks of shameless lust and pleasure, Mike and Cody peel away the layers of Shana’s life. The stunning truth changes everything. They’ll do all that they can to keep her safe…and in their arms.

Excerpt:

The doors hissed open.

Shana staggered from him, her mouth still wet from his kiss and Mike’s. She’d mussed his hair. Cody’s tie was askew. Backing out of the elevator, she murmured, “Good night.”

Before either of them could respond, Shana turned to flee. No way could she ever come back here.

“Whoa.” Mike grabbed her wrist as he had in the suite.

The guard at the front desk leaned up in his chair. His beer belly hung over his belt. His expression said the security cameras had shown him what had just gone down in the elevator. “Everything okay, Mr. Russo?”

“Is my driver out there?” Mike asked.

The guard craned his neck to see. “Yes sir, he is.”

“Please tell him we’ll be out in a few minutes.”

“Yes sir.”

The middle-aged man hurried outside. Mike held Shana’s wrist gently but firmly. “Good night?”

His lower lip shone with the moisture she’d left on him. Several locks dangled over his forehead. Unable to help herself, Shana eased them back. “I need to go home.”

Mike’s gaze remained lifted to her smoothing his hair. “Yeah, we get that.” Cody had just joined them. Mike spoke quietly. “You’re taking off after what just happened in the elevator?”

She lowered her hand. “It shouldn’t have.”

Cody frowned, his expression a mixture of confusion and disappointment. “Why not? Clearly, we all enjoyed it. You did, right?”

More than anything Shana could recall. Their strength was thrilling and protective, an amazing combination she longed for but couldn’t risk. 

Her throat tightened. Tears threatened.

Suddenly, she felt beyond weary and so alone she rested her head against Cody’s shoulder. Stupid, she knew, but Shana couldn’t help herself.

Cody hesitated a moment, then ran his hand down her hair. Mike played with her fingers. 

She fought against smiling and crying. Crap, her emotions were all over the place.

“You okay?” Cody murmured.

Shana nodded then shook her head then nodded once more.

“You’re hungry and tired,” Mike said, speaking softly. “You’re not yourself.”

She laughed, unable to stop. “How can you say that? You don’t know me.”

“We want to,” Cody whispered.

Her belly clenched with worry. What they were asking for wouldn’t work. Shana knew they’d never harm her deliberately. They weren’t that kind of men. However, they were human and eventually they’d hurt her. It was what people did to each other, whether they meant to or not. Best not to get involved. She needed peace. They deserved a better woman than she could ever be.

“We can talk about it in the car,” Mike promised.

Shana eased away from Cody then memorized his and Mike’s features because she couldn’t see either of them again.

“Really, we can,” Cody said.

Smiling sadly, she straightened his tie then patted the knot, drinking him in, loving the gentleness in his expression, his rough good looks.

“What?” he asked, as Mike had earlier.

Shana’s emotions raged, battling with her thoughts. What she knew she had to do.

The guard returned from the outside.

She glanced at him then the glass door swinging closed. 

Mike and Cody shifted their weight as though they expected her to bolt.

Shana should have. Leave, she ordered herself. Now.

The guard looked at her curiously.

She turned from him before he could read her expression. Mike and Cody studied her. 

Both of them were everything she’d ever wanted in a man, in a friend, and far more than she’d hoped for.

Go.

“Yes,” she said, speaking before she could stop herself. “I enjoyed every second.”

They smiled.

“And I’d like more,” she added, admitting what was in her heart.

Now, they grinned.

“But it’d only be sex,” she said, low enough so the guard wouldn’t hear. “Having a good time. Nothing personal. Ever. You guys couldn’t possibly want that. You deserve more.”

“Wait,” Mike said, again keeping her from leaving. “Who said we’re looking for a commitment for god’s sake. What’s wrong with just being friends?”

“Yeah,” Cody chimed in. “We already know what kind of lattes you like and that you’re into cheesecake brownies. That’s personal. As far as I can see the world didn’t screech to a stop when we found that out.” He glanced around then shook his head. “Nope. It hasn’t.”

Mike leaned close, delivering his wonderful fragrance. “We’ll keep it fun. Promise.”

“Nothing personal,” Cody said. “Strictly surface crap. We’ll talk about work, clients, sports, films, food, books. Stuff like that.”

“Why?” she asked, stirred by what they’d said, frightened as hell too.

Smiling, Mike brushed Shana’s hair from her shoulder and stroked the side of her neck. Her breath caught. 

“Because we like you,” he murmured. “That’s what friends do. However, I do have one personal question, and I want an answer.”

Her skin got clammy. She stepped back.

He followed. “Are you in trouble or in some kind of danger? Is that what this is about? If so, let us know, please. We can help.”

Shana stared at him.

“Is someone trying to hurt you?” Cody asked. 

She thought about Raptor, the threat he’d presented in the past. What he’d do now if he were lucky enough to find her.

“No,” she lied. “No one’s after me.” She faked a laugh. “Seriously, you guys were really in military intelli—”

Cody interrupted, “We just want to help, all right?”

Sobering, Shana nodded.

“We won’t grill you on anything personal,” he said. “But you can’t ask us anything either.”

“That’s right.” Mike took her hand. “No more hacking into our accounts either, business or otherwise. Remember, our lives are as private as yours is. Come on.”

BIO:

Tina Donahue is an award-winning, bestselling novelist in erotic, paranormal, contemporary and historical romance for Samhain Publishing, Ellora’s Cave, Siren Publishing, and Kensington. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised her work. Three of her erotic romances (Adored, Lush Velvet Nights, and Deep, Dark, Delicious) were named finalists in the 2011 EPIC competition. The French review site, Blue Moon reviews, chose her erotic romance Sensual Stranger as their Book of the Year 2010 (erotic category). The Golden Nib Award at Miz Love Loves Books was created specifically for Lush Velvet Nights, and two of her titles (The Yearning and Deep, Dark, Delicious) received an Award of Merit in the RWA Holt Medallion competition (2011 and 2012). Take Me Away and Adored both won second place in the NEC RWA contest (different years). Tina is featured in the 2012 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. She was the editor of an award–winning Midwestern newspaper and worked in Story Direction for a Hollywood production company.

FB Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/TinaDonahueBooks

Email: tina@tinadonahue.com

Website: http://www.tinadonahue.com/ 

Blog: http://www.tinadonahue.com/blog/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/tinadonahue

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tina.donahue.75

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/146988.Tina_Donahue

Triberr: http://triberr.com/tinadonahue

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/authortina/my-books/

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/tinadonahue

My page at TRR: http://erotic.theromancereviews.com/mypageprofile.php?location=tinadonahue

EC Author Page: https://www.ellorascave.com/index.php/authors/index/author/slug/tina-donahue/

Samhain Author Page: http://store.samhainpublishing.com/Tina-Donahue-pa-1630.html

CONTEST

Win 3 of Tina’s backlist erotic romances from this list:

1. Adored – RWA award-winning; EPIC 2011 Finalist; 4 Stars RT

2. Deep, Dark, Delicious – EPIC 2011 Finalist; Holt Medallion Award of Merit

3. Lush Velvet Nights – EPIC 2011 Finalist; Golden Nib Award

4. In His Arms – SIX 5 Star Reviews; 4 Stars RT

5. Sensual Stranger – 2010 Book of the Year (erotic); 4 Stars RT

6. The Yearning – Top Ten Bestseller

7. Take Me Away – #1 Pick, Miz Love Loves Books

8. Unending Desire – Best Book Rating LASR

9. SiNN – Nominated for Book of the Week LASR

10. Sinfully Wicked – Magnificent – Romancing the Book

11.  Claiming Magique – Top Pick – NOR

12. Illicit Desire – Four Stars Romantic Times

13. Come Fill Me – Five Stars – Guilty Pleasures

14. Losing Control - Four and a Half Stars - Sensual Reads

15. Shameless Desire - Four and a Half Stars - The Jeep Diva

16. Illicit Intent - Four and a Half Stars - Sensual Reads

17. Deep Within Me - Four Stars - Romantic Times

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Post by M. S. Spencer

I'm fortunate to have M. S. Spencer talking about her fabulous new book, Whirlwind Romance. Please be sure to leave a comment as M. S. will be giving away one free copy.

What do pirates, princes, Puritans, and propaganda have in common? Lacey Delahaye, forager and jelly maker, finds out in this romantic suspense set in the western Caribbean. If you comment and leave your email address you'll have a chance to win a copy of this romantic adventure.

Whirlwind Romance

Secret Cravings Publishing, 9/2/2014

89,000 words; M/F; 3 flames; Adventure/Romance

Up until my thirties, I traveled a great deal, living in many countries with amenities that many would consider below standard. So it wasn't until I married and settled down in an old farmhouse with an acre of land that I could indulge my fantasy of living off the land. I built a formal herb garden and planted all kinds of fruits, vegetables, and flowers.  The one thing I couldn't get to grow was mint. Yes, the gardeners among you will scoff, but it took me years to get a plot to flourish. When it did, it threatened to take over the entire acre. I had to do something.

So I called upon my sister-in-law, to whom Whirlwind Romance is dedicated. She directed me to an old recipe for mint jelly. Once the mint invasion was under control and I'd mastered the technique, I spent my summers working up recipes for herb jellies—tarragon, lemon balm, rosemary and more. It might have been helpful if I actually liked jellies, but they made lovely Christmas gifts. 

Florida—my new home—contains myriad ecosystems that produce exotic and interesting wild fruits, most of whom can be made into jelly. It was an easy step to make my newly arrived heroine into a jelly maker. I hope you enjoy the recipes as much as you do Lacey and Armand's love story.

<***>

Blurb:

In the aftermath of a hurricane, Lacey Delahaye finds herself marooned on the Gulf coast of Florida with a mysterious man. They are immediately drawn to each other, but before Armand can confess his identity, they are kidnapped and taken far from civilization to a tiny, remarkable island in the western Caribbean. With the help of her son Crispin, a small, but proud young boy named Inigo, and a cadre of extraordinary characters, Lacey and Armand must confront pirates, power-mad ideologues, and palace intrigue if they are to restore the once idyllic tropical paradise to its former serenity and find lasting happiness.

Excerpt (R): Bath Fun

She turned on the taps and poured a few drops of rose water from a small flagon into the tub. Slipping off her shorts and shirt, she sank blissfully into the water. Armand came to the door. “You look happy.”

“At this point it’s the little things.”

“Yes. I have a feeling tomorrow will not bring good news. I wish you weren’t here, Lacey.”

“Well, thanks a lot.” She batted her eyelashes at him.

“You know what I mean. This is a very precarious situation.” He sat on the edge of the bath. “I never should have let you help me.”

“You didn’t have much choice, Armand. Besides, I couldn’t leave you in the mangrove swamp. It’s not done in my family.”

He shook his head. “And then I seduced you in the first five minutes of our acquaintance. I am a wicked man.”

Lacey thought back to that night—to the smells of sulphur, mud, and sex. She’d felt guilty then, believing it was her fault, that she’d thrown herself at him. Not the other way around. She looked up into Armand’s face. Black stubble covered his chin. His unruly hair, a little long now, matched his glistening black eyes. Might as well let him wallow in his ignorance. She reached an arm around his neck and drew him toward her. Just as their lips touched his eyes went wide, and he fell on top of her. 

Bathwater spilled out, leaving Lacey half exposed and shivering. “Ack! What are you doing?”

He struggled out of the tub, his clothes dripping. “It’s your fault. You pulled at me and I slipped.”

“Well, I never. You leaned in and lost your balance.” She turned the tap on again. As the bath refilled, an idea crossed her mind. Her eyes danced. “Now you’re wet, you might as well get in. You could use a wash.”

He cast her a look from under the thick eyebrows. “Might as well.”

She moved over and he squeezed in beside her, then rolled her over on top of him. She felt gloriously sensual and rubbed her body over his, massaging the hard parts. He found the soap and lathering up his hand, inserted two fingers into her pussy. The scent of rosewater filled the room. She slowly rotated her hips while his fingers kept up their pressure. When she pulled away, his fingers slipped out. Locking her eyes on his, Lacey lowered her vagina onto his cock. The soap lubricated her opening, and he slid in to the hilt. She began to rock, slowly, then faster, as he kept his hands on the tub’s sides to steady himself. She concentrated on the thick penis scraping the sides of her vagina, nicking the tip of her clitoris, nudging her orgasm into flower. 

“Oh God, Lacey, don’t stop.” He closed his eyes, and she redoubled her efforts until she came to the tipping point. Shuddering, she collapsed on top of him. They lay in each other’s arms, water bubbling and sloshing around them.

Someone knocked on the outer door.

***

Buy Links:

Secret Cravings:

http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=4&products_id=934

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Whirlwind-Romance-M-S-Spencer-ebook/dp/B00N105I4E/

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-whirlwindromance-1605591-153.html

Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/whirlwind-romance

About the Author

Although she has lived or traveled in every continent except Antarctica and Australia (bucket list), M. S. Spencer has spent the last thirty years mostly in Washington, D.C. as a librarian, Congressional staff assistant, speechwriter, editor, birdwatcher, kayaker, policy wonk, non-profit director and parent. She has two fabulous grown children, and currently divides her time between the Gulf coast of Florida and a tiny village in Maine.

Ms. Spencer has published nine romance novels. The first two, Lost in His Arms and Lost and Found, were published by Red Rose Publishing. The other six—Losers Keepers, Triptych, Artful Dodging: The Torpedo Factory Murders, Mai Tais and Mayhem: Murder at Mote Marine (a Sarasota Romance, Lapses of Memory, and the Mason's Mark —were published by Secret Cravings. Whirlwind Romance, her ninth, was released September 2014.

Contacts:

Blog: http://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com OR

http://bit.ly/1aBzraT

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msspencertalespinner

Twitter: www.twitter.com/msspencerauthor
GoodReads:http://www.goodreads.com/msspencer
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/msspencerauthor/

And the winner is.......

Congratulations Ann. You're the winner of Gini's book. Please contact Kim at kwatters21 (at) hotmail (dot) com (no spaces) to claim your prize. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.

Interview with Gini Koch

I’d like to welcome our guest today, Gini Koch. It’s a pleasure having you come visit us at Much Cheaper Than Therapy, where chocolate is plentiful and advice is free. So grab some chocolate and a lounge chair. Your therapy session has begun.

Thanks, it’s great to be back! Especially because y’all hand out the chocolate freely.

I understand you have a new release out called Alien Diplomacy. Can you tell us a little bit about your fabulous new book?

It’s the best book in the best series ever written and a deal at twice the price! (Hey, you still can not blame a girl for trying.)

The Alien series follows the exploits of Katherine “Kitty” Katt, who discovers that the Roswell rumors are true, but with a twist -- the aliens are here to help us and, as a side benefit, they’re all gorgeous. Kitty first gets involved helping save the world from parasitic superbeings. As the series progresses, Kitty gets deeper into Centaurion Division, and discovers that there’s a lot more evil out there to fight, and a wide variety of conspiracies to prevent and disrupt, with dangers both internal and extremely external to guard against.

In Alien Diplomacy, being newlyweds and new parents is challenging enough for Kitty and her Alpha Centaurion husband, Jeff. But nothing’s ever easy for the Katt-Martinis, particularly not when they have to switch from being super-being exterminators and Commanders in Centaurion Division to mastering the political landscape as the new heads of American Centaurion’s Diplomatic Corps.

Kitty’s brand of diplomacy and lobbying isn’t quite as smooth as Jeff’s—Washington parties, lobbyists of all stripes, and politicians from all states and countries present challenges a well-stocked iPod and quirky sense of humor aren’t always up to handling. But when a shadowy assassination plot and a new set of anti-alien conspirators are identified, Kitty’s the diplomat for the job—in between “Mommy and Me,” “Diplomacy for Beginners,” and the dreaded “Washington Wife” classes.

As explosions, assassination attempts, and murders pile up, the question shifts from “who’s the target” to “will we all survive to see next week”?

Armed with only their wits, and dressed to kill, it’s up to Kitty and the Diplomatic Corps to stop the bad guys from unleashing mayhem on all the world’s leaders. But will Kitty trust the right people, at the right times, or will going her own way prove deadly—not just to her, but to her daughter, Jamie?

What was different for you in writing Alien Diplomacy than the other books in the series so far?

In Alien Diplomacy, everyone’s dealing with a lot of change, and most of them aren’t dealing with it all that well, Kitty in particular. What was different, and what’s pretty much Alien Diplomacy’s main theme, is change -- not just for one character, but for all the characters. How do you handle being moved into jobs you don’t want, weren’t thinking you were ready to move to, that turn out to be completely different than expected, or a combination thereof? Every character in the book is experiencing major change in some way, so they’re all dealing, and not everyone’s dealing with it well. But then, that’s the fun, isn’t it? If everyone handled all things perfectly, why would we want to read about it?

Any Alien Diplomacy teasers you can share?

We see the return of some of my personal favorite supporting characters from an earlier book, who I’m really excited to have back in, and they affect things in a big, big way. And, for those who’ve been wondering when, if ever, they’d get an answer about what’s going on in Paraguay, that answer begins in earnest in this book.

We understand you have a new series coming from Night Shade Books -- Alexander Outland: Space Pirate, which you wrote as G.J. Koch, is releasing this June. Can you tell us a little about that?

Trouble’s brewing out in space, and Alexander Outland -- the least likely hero in the galaxy -- and his eccentric crew have to save the day, despite the fact they’d prefer to take the money and run.

Alexander Outland: Space Pirate is science fiction set in the far future, with a lot of humor, action, mystery, and romance. I think readers who like Kitty & Company, are going to love the Outland and his crew. I think of it as Han Solo meets Pirates of the Caribbean.

What’s something most readers don’t know about you?

Oh, lots of things probably. LOL I’d say one of the more random and little known things is that while I grew up in Southern California and have spent the last decade and a half plus in Arizona, more frequently than not I’m asked if I’m from Pennsylvania. Apparently I sound like I come from PA and always have. This is made odder by that fact that no one in my family has lived in Pennsylvania, ever. So, I’m Californian by birth, Arizonan by choice, and Pennsylvanian by voice.

What do we have to look forward next?

“Being Neighborly”, the next novelette in my series, The Neighborhood (writing as Anita Ensal) released from Musa Publishing March 23rd, and Alien Diplomacy released from DAW Books/Penguin April 3rd. Alexander Outland: Space Pirate releases from Night Shade Books on June 5, 2012 (writing as G.J. Koch), Alien vs. Alien releases from DAW Books December 4, 2012, with Alien in the House coming April 2013, and Alien Collective coming Dec. 2013.

I also have the Martian Alliance Chronicles from Musa Publishing which is a series of short stories & novellas -- “The Royal Scam” is out now, and the second installment, “Three Card Monte”, will be out soon. Soon-ish,. Okay, maybe mid-2012. But it‘s coming, I swear! (Yeah, Musa’s waiting on me for this one, not the other way around.)

As we know, I write under a variety pen names. “The Disciple” and “Hotter Than Hell” by Jemma Chase; “Contingency Plan” by Anita Ensal; and “When Josie Comes Home” and “Deacon’s Ark” by A.E. Stanton are novelettes and novellas available right now from Musa Publishing. And my full bibliography is up at my website via my Author Splash page (http://www.ginikoch.com/authorsplash.htm).

Thanks, Gini!

To celebrate her book release, Gini Koch is offering a free book of winner’s choice of either Touched by an Alien, Alien Tango or Alien in the Family to one lucky commenter on today's blog. (please check the blog Monday night to see if you won. Chances of winning determined by the number of entries.)

She will be around all day today. I'm sure some of you have questions or comments for her, so please ask away...

Bio.
Gini Koch lives in Hell’s Orientation Area (aka Phoenix, AZ), works her butt off (sadly, not literally) by day, and writes by night with the rest of the beautiful people. She writes the fast, fresh and funny Alien/Katherine “Kitty” Katt series for DAW Books and the Martian Alliance Chronicles series for Musa Publishing. She also writes under a variety of pen names (including G.J. Koch, Anita Ensal, Jemma Chase, A.E. Stanton, and J.C. Koch), listens to rock music 24/7, and is a proud comics geek-girl willing to discuss at any time why Wolverine is the best superhero ever (even if Deadpool does get all the best lines). She also speaks frequently on what it takes to become a successful author and other aspects of writing and the publishing business.

You can find Gini at her:
Website: http://www.ginikoch.com
Blah, Blah, Blah Blog: http://ginikoch.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @GiniKoch
Facebook: facebook.com/Gini.Koch
Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hairspray-and-Rock-n-Roll-Kicking-Evil-Alien-Butt-since-2010-GINI-KOCH
Alien Collective Virtual HQ/Official Fan Site: http://aliencollectivehq.com/

Buy Touched by an Alien, Alien Tango, Alien in the Family, Alien Proliferation, or Alien Diplomacy by Gini Koch, and Alexander Outland: Space Pirate, by G.J. Koch, at any bookstore or online. Buy the majority of her other works from Musa Publishing (http://www.musapublishing.com/), or go to her Author Splash page (http://www.ginikoch.com/authorsplash.htm) for specific pen names and selected works.

Interview with Gabi Stevens

I’d like to welcome our guest today, Gabi Stevens. It’s a pleasure having you come visit us again at Much Cheaper Than Therapy, where chocolate is plentiful and advice is free. So grab some chocolate and a lounge chair. Your therapy session has begun.

I understand you have a new release out called Wishful Thinking. Can you tell us a little bit about your fabulous new book?

Wishful Thinking is the third book and final book in my paranormal romance series about fairy godmothers. Each book in the trilogy focused on an individual fairy godmother, and this one’s Stormy’s story. Born to magical parents, Stormy has no powers until her twenty-seventh birthday, and then she discovers she is chosen to be a fairy godmother. Suddenly her life as an artist is upended, and the magical Council assigns a guard to keep her from going rogue as the first two godmothers have done. Hunter Merrick is determined to keep Stormy in line—it’s his job and he does it well, but he doesn’t expect her to be so tempting. Of course, what’s a woman to do when someone threatens the magical world and the only way to save it is to join sides with the rogues? And what’s a Guard to do when his charge becomes a fugitive?

Wishful Thinking is a very interesting title. How did you arrive at that name?

Every book in the series has “wish” in the title: The Wish List, As You Wish and now Wishful Thinking. My editor and I wanted titles that reflect the lighter tone of the stories, tied all three books together, and were familiar enough to readers to be easily remembered.

What made you decide to write in this genre?

I have loved stories with magic since I was a child. I grew up on the Brothers Grimm (and later went on to study them in college—even spending a year at the university they taught at in Germany), devoured the books by Edward Eager, and delighted in the Prydian Chronicles by Alexander Lloyd. Bedknobs and Broomsticks was always one of my favorite movies, and I watched countless hours of Bewitched and I Dream of Genie. Years passed, but I never lost my love of the paranormal. Then with the resurgence of magic thanks to JK Rowling, I thought it was time to write my own books about magic and people with magical abilities. And what better subject than the return to my first love of the Grimm Fairy Tales.

Are you a plotter or a pantser and how did it affect the writing of this book?

I am most definitely a pantser. The idea of an outline gives me hives. I know the basics before I sit down to write—the main characters and maybe one or two sentences about what happens in the book, but otherwise I let the story unfold as it appears in my head. It’s not the most efficient method—I took out two entire chapters in the rewrite of Wishful Thinking and replaced with content completely different than what existed in the rough draft, but the new stuff is much better and tightened and drove the story so much more. I don’t think I’ve written a book where I haven’t changed significant parts on the rewrite.

But cool things happened as well—the type of event I like to call my own magic. In Wishful Thinking, events come together with elements that appeared in the first book. I didn’t plan this out. The second book had even more such elements and when I discovered that all three stories came together in such a complex way, I was blown away because I really did not know it would happen. For example this was my sales pitch for the third book (sold at the same time as the first book):

Free-spirit Stormy Jones-Smythe lives in a loving community of artists, but when she is chosen as the third fairy godmother, the Arcani world forces its boundaries and expectations on her. Luckily even a rigid and strict bodyguard can’t contain her exuberance.

When pitching the first book, I had no idea Stormy would end up being a weaver, and that a tapestry, which appears in the first book, becomes an important element in the third. Weird, right? My husband dismisses the “magic” as simple the plot working in my own brain, and he’s probably right, but there are other examples as well. You can read Wishful Thinking as a stand-alone book, but there are definite threads that weave through all three stories.

Did you have to do a lot of research for the book? What are your favorite research books or sites?

One of the best things about writing paranormal books is that you get to make stuff up. My rules for the magic, my rules for the world. If I want to make vampires sparkle, I can (What? That’s been done?)

However, the series is set in San Diego. I went to school there, my husband grew up there, my father-in-law still lives there. I love San Diego. I made sure to drive around my locations whenever I visited, I used maps and Google Earth to see the places, and I looked up a word I needed in Old English. I also used my knowledge of Latin for some of the spells. But I did check everything.

And, yes, the minke whale that appears in the story is based on an actual event that happened when I was walking along the shore in LaJolla. The entire boardwalk rippled with excitement, pointing at the whale, waiting to see it reappear on the surface of the ocean, and everyone was smiling. That was a magical moment in real life.

Which character did you like writing about the most, and why?

Of course, I love my hero and heroine, but I tend to enjoy my secondary characters best. In this book, I have to say Tank, my hero’s best friend, was the most fun to write. He is confident, sexy guy, who had me laughing almost every time he spoke. And of course the three old fairy godmothers. These three wise women are the guiding force for the young godmothers. They appear in all three books, but in Wishful Thinking, I have to say Hyacinth stands out. She delivers the best one-liners, and if I ever get to be her age, I want to be just like her.
One last mention about characters: In As You Wish, I had two special characters, Joy and Tommy, bakers who have intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). My daughter has IDD, and I’ve pledged ten percent of my royalties from that book to Best Buddies International, an organization devoted to building friendships for people with IDD.

Tell us about how you develop your characters. Do you create character sheets, do interviews, that sort of thing? How does your research affect your character development?

My characters pop into my head almost fully formed. I know who they are, how they think, what their likes and dislikes are. I know their backgrounds, but little of it comes out in the story except where relevant. So I don’t do character interviews or sheets. Stormy was one of my more difficult characters to write because she isn’t like me in so many ways. Above, I mentioned she is a free-spirit. I can only admire free-spirits because I’m not one myself. I love rules. And Hunter is a member of a military like group, the Guards. I have no exposure to the military mindset except what I have read. But I can conceive of believing in something so strongly you’d be willing to die for it. I love stretching myself into other lives—lives I haven’t experienced—and learning from my characters.

Do you have any authors that inspired you?

I have a list of authors who inspire me: Mark Twain and his wonderful wit, Isaac Asimov and his crisp story lines, Ray Bradbury and his use of language (oh, wow, his use of language puts everyone else to shame), Agatha Christie and her constant freshness, Christopher Moore, Stephen King, Malcolm Gladwell, Eloisa James, Teresa Medeiros, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Mercedes Lackey, and the list could go on and on and on.

I have to mention Jodi Thomas and Lori Wilde. They have been special friends to me and have encouraged me and mentored me throughout the years. They always inspire me to try harder and to keep going when I have my doubts.

What do you feel is the most effective promotion you have done for your book?

I made little bottles of fairy dust and miniature wands out of beads to give to readers. Did it work? Who knows, but I had fun making them and giving them away. And from what I’ve heard from those who received them, they loved them. Otherwise, I’d say blog appearances, reviews, and having a web presence is about the best thing you can do to promote yourself.

What do we have to look forward next?

My agent is pitching a series right now about a town in the Rockies that has unusual inhabitants. Cross your fingers. And I have an ebook out for Kindle and Nook (other formats are coming soon, I promise, and may already be there, if the lag time between this writing and its appearance is long enough) under the name Gabi Anderson. Temptation’s Warrior is a re-release of one of my backlist historical novels. No magic in it at all.

Thanks, Gabi!

To celebrate her book release, Gabi is offering a free book of The Wish List or As You Wish to two lucky commenters on today's blog. (please check the blog Monday night to see if you won. Chances of winning determined by the number of entries.)

She will be around all day today. I'm sure some of you have questions or comments for her, so please ask away...

Gabi Stevens travels the world with her robotics engineer husband and her three incredible daughters (Reality: she went to Europe last summer with her family, but lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico). Because she is fluent in three languages and knows Latin, her abilities are in demand from many different factions (Reality: she has Hungarian relatives who needed her to translate to her family and students to whom she taught English and Latin) and her knowledge has helped numerable writers in their quest for publication (Reality: she has presented many writing workshops and has a critique group). Her latest novels feature fairy godmothers. Her current release is Wishful Thinking, from Tor books. Gabi claims no magical powers of her own. You can find her at www.GabiStevens.com, at her blog, www.GabiStevens.blogspot.com, or on Twitter or Facebook, unless she’s off on one of her world tours (Reality: she’s at home with her two dogs).

Discover the magic:
THE WISH LIST
AS YOU WISH
WISHFUL THINKING
.
Check out author’s website at www.GabiStevens.com or www.GabiStevens.blogspot.com. You can also find her at Facebook and Twitter. Buy Wishful Thinking April 24, 2012.

Healing Hearts Free Friday

Kim Watters here. Just wanted to let you know my contemporary romance, Healing Hearts, will be available FREE at Amazon Friday, April 6th only. If you own a Kindle make sure to get your copy. Happy Reading!



http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=healing+hearts+kim+watters

Interview with Cara Marsi

I’d like to welcome our guest today, Cara Marsi. It’s a pleasure having you come visit us at Much Cheaper Than Therapy, where chocolate is plentiful and advice is free. So grab some chocolate and a lounge chair. Your therapy session has begun.

Thank you for inviting me. I’m always happy to visit with you. I’m relaxing with a chocolate martini. What did you say? It’s not yet noon, too early to indulge. Oh, but it’s noon somewhere in the world.

I understand you have a new release out called “A Catered Romance”. Can you tell us a little bit about your fabulous new book?

“A Catered Romance” is the first book I ever sold. It was originally published by Avalon Books under the title “A Catered Affair.” It’s a reunion/redemption story. I love reunion/redemption themes and incorporate them in all my books and short stories. “A Catered Romance” has many food references too. I got hungry a lot when I wrote it.

Here’s the blurb:

There's more than business brewing between two old high school flames...

Stubbornly self-reliant Mary Beth Kendrick needs financial backing to keep her catering business cooking. A looming corporate buyout forces her to accept help from Tom Sackett, the man who broke her heart and left her distrustful of men.

Unable to forget Mary Beth, Tom sets out to win her forgiveness. As he gets to know her again through their shared business interests, he realizes he wants more than forgiveness from her. He wants her in his life.

Grateful for Tom's support but unwilling to trust him, Mary Beth vows to keep their relationship strictly business. But his attentiveness, culminating in a night of passion, starts to melt her icy resolve and shows her the caring, sensitive man Tom has become.

Can Mary Beth learn to love and trust again? Will she and Tom open their hearts to a second chance at love?

“A Catered Romance” is a very interesting title. How did you arrive at that name?

The original title, “A Catered Affair,” was a play on words. Catered affairs are events, usually fancy, that are catered. My heroine is a caterer and she and the hero have an affair. The book was written as sensual, but to sell to Avalon, I had to take out the sex, the alcohol consumption, and the cursing. Since the phrase Catered Affair is fairly common and not usually sexual, Avalon kept the title. I have the digital rights and just published the book myself on Amazon Kindle. Some online friends suggested I put romance in the title so it wouldn’t be mistaken for a cookbook. If you look at the original cover (on my website), it could be taken for a cookbook. I added a love scene, added a few curse words and some wine and champagne drinking, hired an artist to do a new cover, and voila! I had a new book.

What made you decide to write in this genre?

I have always been in love with love. I’m a sucker for a good romance. I grew up watching the romantic comedies from the Thirties and Forties that played on late night TV. I read YA romances as a teen and I was a big fan of the Judy Bolton mysteries, which contained a little romance. Judy was a girl detective like Nancy Drew. I didn’t much like Nancy because she was so perfect. Judy was more realistic and she grew up during the series and eventually married Peter, an FBI agent. I was in love with Peter.

Are you a plotter or a pantser and how did it affect the writing of this book?

I’m a little of both. I always do an outline or a working synopsis before I start a book. I know the beginning and the ending, but I need to plot out the story. And I do character sketches so I have a good in-depth knowledge of my characters. Then when I start writing, I never keep to the outline. My characters grow and go in a direction different from what I’d planned. I follow their lead.

Did you have to do a lot of research for the book? What are your favorite research books or sites?

Not much research on any of my books since they’re contemporary and I set them near where I live or in places where I’ve traveled. The most research I’ve done was for my werewolf paranormal romance, “Cursed Mates.” It’s set in Maine, which I’ve visited, but I needed to research werewolf myths. “A Catered Romance” is set in my home town of Wilmington, Delaware. I like to cook, but I’m a pretty basic cook. I like to eat so I didn’t have any problems writing about food. I did go through a few cookbooks to get recipes I could mention in the book. And it was such fun using food analogies and metaphors.

Where did you get your idea for this particular book?

From something that happened to me in grade school. Tommy, a boy I was crazy about in seventh grade through high school, once said something hurtful about me in seventh grade. That hurt stayed with me for a lot of years. He was cute and rich, I was not. Hence, my hero in “A Catered Romance” was raised rich, my heroine was not. My hero is named Tom, and my heroine is named Mary Beth after my best friend growing up. I used my hurt feelings from the real Tommy’s rejection to get inside my heroine’s head. Writing this book was very cathartic for me. I changed the name of the private high school in the book, but it’s the school the real Tommy attended, and the school from which my son graduated years later.

Which character did you like writing about the most, and why?

Mary Beth because she’s worked really hard to raise herself out of poverty. Although she grew up poor, she went to the same prestigious high school as Tom, only she attended on a hardship grant and had to endure teasing by the affluent students. She has a lot of pride and has grown through the years, yet she still has some lingering wounds to work through from her high school days.

Tell us about how you develop your characters. Do you create character sheets, do interviews, that sort of thing? How does your research affect your character development?

I do character sketches in longhand. I can think better in longhand. I write out my characters’ goals, what motivates them, to what lengths they will or won’t go to achieve those goals, and what scares them the most. I have to know my characters before I start writing.

Do you have any authors that inspired you?

Elizabeth Howard who wrote a series of YA historical romances which I loved when I was a teen. I once wrote her and said I wanted to be an author but I didn’t have a typewriter (this was in the dark ages before computers). She wrote back that I didn’t need a typewriter to be an author. For the past few years I’ve been collecting used copies of my favorites of her books. Others that have influenced me are: Jude Deveraux, Victoria Holt, Helen MacInnes, Rosemary Rogers, Katherine Woodiwiss, Anya Seton, Aola Vandergriff. There are just too many for me to mention them all.

What do you feel is the most effective promotion you have done for your book?

If I knew the answer to that I’d be a billionaire. There’s a saying about advertising: Only half works but no one knows which half.

What do we have to look forward next?

Within a month or two I’ll have a new release called “Storm of Desire,” a steamy romance about two people with a sexual history stranded together during a January nor’easter at the Delaware beach. They’re hot for each other and can’t keep their hands off each other, but they’ve got issues. Lots of issues. My editor has the book now. Once I’m through all the edits I’ll publish it.

Thanks, Cara!

And thank you again for having me.


To celebrate her book release, Cara is offering a free book of the winner’s choice of any of her books to one lucky commenter on today's blog. (please check the blog Monday night to see if you won. Chances of winning determined by the number of entries.)

Check my website for a list of my books. “A Catered Romance” isn’t listed yet, but all the others are.

She will be around all day today. I'm sure some of you have questions or comments for her, so please ask away...

Bio
Cara Marsi likes to describe herself as a former corporate drone and cubicle dweller. Now that she’s no longer a slave to the corporate world, she can more fully indulge her love of romance. She likes to write about feisty, independent women and the hot guys who love them. She’s published in contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance. In addition, she’s sold more than a dozen short stories to women’s magazines.

Cara and her husband like to travel, and she loves to write about the places they’ve visited. They share their home with a fat, black diva of a cat named Killer.

Please visit Cara’s website, www.caramarsi.com, to learn more about her books and her life. And to see a picture of Killer all pumped up for Halloween.

Check out author’s website at www.caramarsi.com
Buy http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007CB5X5M

And the winner is....

Congratulations Borkworm 54. You're the winner of Catherine's book. Please contact Kim at kwatters21 (at) hotmail (dot) com (no spaces) to claim your prize. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.

Interview with Catherine Mann

I’d like to welcome our guest today, Catherine Mann. It’s a pleasure having you come visit us at Much Cheaper Than Therapy, where chocolate is plentiful and advice is free. So grab some chocolate and a lounge chair. Your therapy session has begun.

I understand you have a new release out called PROTECTOR. Can you tell us a little bit about your fabulous new book?

CM: PROTECTOR continues my “Dark Ops” series about a top secret Air Force squadron of aviators who test the latest technology. This story features Chuck Tanaka, an aviator who was captured and tortured. He thinks his days in the field are over due to his injuries…until he’s drawn in by a mission in the Mediterranean and a mob boss’ daughter.

PROTECTOR is a very interesting title. How did you arrive at that name?

CM: The heroine – a mob boss’ daughter – doesn’t know her life is in danger. The hero finds that even with his battle scars, he’s still every bit the honed warrior/protector.

Would you describe your book as a cozy, mystery, suspense, or thriller?

CM: Action/Suspense

What made you decide to write in this genre?

CM: I love to read steamy, action, suspense novels and I’m a military spouse. All of those elements blend into the stories that come to me.

Where did you get your idea for this particular book?

CM: I saw a river boat casino and my imagination took flight.

Do you have all the key suspense/mystery elements thought out before you begin writing?

CM: I have a synopsis written before I start a book, so major plot points and characters are set. The scenes come to me as I write and I always write in order.

Did you have to do a lot of research for the book? What are your favorite research books or sites?

CM: My husband is an Air Force aviator. A good bit of my research comes from talking to him or interviewing other military individuals we know.

Tell us about how you develop your characters. Do you create character sheets, do interviews, that sort of thing? How does your research affect your character development?

CM: I usually start by deciding on a quirk for a character and the character develops from there as I brainstorm. For example, I once wrote a military heroine, very crisp aviator, who collected Beanie Babies.

Do you have any authors that inspired you?

CM: Lori Foster, Suzanne Brockmann, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Sherrilyn Kenyon.

What do you feel is the most effective promotion you have done for your book?

CM: I enjoy directly interacting with readers at conferences and on the internet. Is it the most effective? I don’t know. I just know that I draw great joy from visiting with them, discussing other books and generally having fun hanging out.

What do we have to look forward next?

HONORABLE INTENTIONS, Harlequin Desire, April
UNDER FIRE, Sourcebooks, May
“Dog Tags” in LOVE BITES, HQN, June

Thanks, Catherine!

CM: Thank, YOU! I appreciate your having me here for the day.

To celebrate her book release, PROTECTOR is offering a free book of PROTECTOR to one lucky commenter on today's blog. (please check the blog Monday night to see if you won. Chances of winning determined by the number of entries.)

She will be around all day today. I'm sure some of you have questions or comments for her, so please ask away...

Bio.
USA Today bestseller Catherine Mann writes military romantic suspense for Berkley and Sourcebooks, as well as steamy romances for Harlequin Desire. A RITA Award winner, she has over two million books in print in more than 20 countries. Catherine resides in Florida with her Air Force aviator husband and their four children. FMI, she can be found online at:
Website: http://catherinemann.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CatherineMannAuthor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/CatherineMann1
Buy: http://www.amazon.com/Protector-Dark-Ops-Berkley-Sensation/dp/042524699X

I’d like to welcome our guest today, Margaret Brownley. It’s a pleasure having you come visit us at Much Cheaper Than Therapy, where chocolate is plentiful and advice is free. So grab some chocolate and a lounge chair. Your therapy session has begun.

I understand you have a new release out called Dawn Comes Early. Can you tell us a little bit about your fabulous news?

First I want to thank you for inviting me here today. I never say no to chocolates or giving out advice! As far as my news:“Dawn Comes Early” is the first book in my Brides of Last Chance Ranch series. It takes place in Arizona Territory in 1896 and I am very excited about it. The heroine is a disgraced dime novelist who answers an advertisement to inherit a cattle ranch. You won’t believe what happens next…

Dawn Comes Early is a very interesting title. How did you arrive at that name?

The title was inspired by 2 Peter 1:19 NIV “…for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place--until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts.”

Kate Tenney is in a dark place and though dawn comes early she doesn’t see the Morning Star for quite some time.

What made you decide to write in this genre?

I’ve always loved reading about the old west. That was when men were men and women were women, but a cowboy wasn’t a cowboy unless he was wild, woolly and full of fleas. Of course my cowboy heroes are more likely to be tall, dark and handsome, but you know what I mean.

Where did you get your idea for this particular book?

The idea was inspired by a group of fifty ladies of the First Church of Millford who formed a society of old maids in 1861. Each member vowed she would not marry. Each woman paid five dollars on admission with the principal going to the one who remained unmarried the longest. According to an article in The New York Times thirty years later all but fifteen of the original had married. I was never able to find out who won the prize—and being a romantic I sincerely hope that no one did—but where real life stops imagination takes off.

What are your favorite historical research books and why?

I love reading old diaries, preferable unedited ones with all the glorious misspellings. The book I reach for most often is English Through the Ages, which keeps me from using a word before its time. I recently wanted to use the word hightail only to discover that it wasn’t in use until 1900.

Which character did you like writing about the most, and why?

I really liked writing Kate and Luke. They make an interesting couple; she’s a college educated woman and he’s “just a blacksmith.” He doesn’t know what she’s talking about half the time. He does, however, learn to read her heart and in the end that’s really all that matters.

I also had a lot of fun with some of the minor characters like Aunt Bessie. After reading Kate’s banned dime novel she decides to put some passion back into her marriage with disastrous results.

Tell us about how you develop your characters. Do you create character sheets, do interviews, that sort of thing? How does your research affect your character development?

I’m a pantser which means I write by the seat of mine. To me a character’s all about voice. I have to hear them in my head. When characters start waking me to talk then I know we’re set to go.

I usually start by having each character say a simple prayer. This helps me get a handle on the character and what’s going on in his or her life. In Dawn Comes Early one of the cowhands prayed: “God, the father, thank you for your many blessings and don’t forgit to send rain. And if you ain’t sendin’ rain to us, don’t go sendin’ it to no other ranches, neither.” Boy, did that ever tell me a lot about him and the ranch.

What are some common speech terms, dress modes, transportation or housing facts that you found interesting for your time period?

Cowboy lingo is so colorful and fun. How can we not love it? Can you think of more mouth-pleasing words than hornswoggle, caboodle or skedaddle? Or what about fiddlefooted, ranktankerous, rumbumptious or splendiferous? A latte may be the haute cuisine of coffee, but give me an Arbuckle’s any day. The one drawback of formal education is that today we all sound alike.

Do you have any authors who inspired you?

As a girl I read everything Louisa May Alcott wrote. I was convinced she based Jo in Little Women on me.

What do you feel is the most effective promotion you have done for your book?

The most effective promotion is word of mouth, which today means having readers mention your book on Amazon, Facebook, Twitter and the like. The only way I know to get word of mouth is to write a good book.

What do we have to look forward next?

The second book in the series Waiting for Morning will be published January, 2013. I also have a non-fiction book (my first) coming out. Grieving God’s Way: the Path to Hope and Healing will be available from Thomas Nelson in July. I wrote this book following the loss of our son and it’s very close to my heart.

Thanks, Margaret!

Thank you for having me!

To celebrate her book release, Margaret Brownley is offering a free book of Dawn Comes Early to one lucky commenter on today's blog. (please check the blog Monday night to see if you won. Chances of winning determined by the number of entries.)

More Love and Laughter from N.Y. Times Bestselling Author
Margaret Brownley

“Daily Reasons to Smile” Contest

“I’ve matched up twenty-three couples over the years and in all that time I only made one error. Although I still think the marriage would have worked had she not shot her husband.”—Aunt Bessie in Dawn Comes Early (Brides of Last Chance Ranch)

Characters from Margaret’s new book will send you a reason to smile every day until April 11th. Join in the fun and you could win a book, potted cactus (the story takes place in Arizona Territory) or an iPod Nano and alarm clock docking station. To enter send an email to info@NancyBerland.com. Be sure to put “Reason to Smile” in the subject line. That’s it!


She will be around all day today. I'm sure some of you have questions or comments for her, so please ask away...

Bio.
Thrills, mystery, suspense, romance: Margaret penned it all. Nothing wrong with this—except Margaret happened to be writing for the church newsletter. After making the church picnic read like a Grisham novel, her former pastor took her aside and said, "Maybe God's calling you to write fiction."

So that’s what Margaret did. She’s now a New York Times bestselling author and a Romance Writers of America RITA finalist with more than 25 novels to her credit—not bad for someone who flunked 8th grade English. Just don’t ask her to diagram a sentence.

Check out author’s website at www.margaretbrownley.com
Buy http://www.amazon.com/Comes-Early-Brides-Chance-Ranch/dp/1595549684/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330169454&sr=8-1

Interview with Kathryne Kennedy

I’d like to welcome our guest today, Kathryne Kennedy. It’s a pleasure to have one of our own interviewed today at Much Cheaper Than Therapy, where chocolate is plentiful and advice is free. So grab some chocolate and a lounge chair. Your therapy session has begun.

I understand you have a new release out called The Lord of Illusion. Can you tell us a little bit about your fabulous new book?

It’s about a scholar, Drystan Hawkes, who has been searching for years to find the one woman who might hold the key to freeing England from its slavery to the elven lords who invaded the country long ago. It’s about Camille Ashton, a girl enslaved in Dreamhame palace by the elven lord of glamour and illusion. It’s about healing hearts, and finding true love, and ultimately using that strength to conquer a great evil.

The Lord of Illusion is a very interesting title. How did you arrive at that name?

My hero’s primary magical power is that of glamour and illusion…although he doesn’t find the true strength of his gifts until he bonds with his true love.

What made you decide to write in this genre?

My love of history, fantasy, and of course, romance. When I wrote my first book, there wasn’t even a genre for what I did. Fortunately, other authors have discovered the fun of mixing genres to create a new one, and a new category was born.

Where did you get your idea for this particular book?

I fell in love with Legolas in The Lord of the Rings, and knew I wanted to create a new world centered around the beautiful fae.

What are your favorite fantasy research books, and why?

I don’t have any fantasy research books, although I have quite a few historical. I do use on-line sources for mythical characters. But the best research is to read fiction fantasy, to see what’s been created before, and how you can expand on that, or change it.

Which character did you like writing about the most, and why?

I think I’m a tiny, tiny bit swayed to Drystan. I love both my hero and heroine, but Drystan’s character came from a personal inspiration that stole a bit of my soul when I wrote him.

Tell us about how you develop your characters. Do you create character sheets, do interviews, that sort of thing? How does your research and world affect your character development?

I don’t do character sheets anymore, although I used to. Now, my characters are firmly set within my mind as I start writing…and develop throughout the book. My worlds are a mix of historical and fantasy, so the conventions of the time I’m writing in, and the challenges of living in a world of magic, all affect my characters and their personalities.

How do you go about building your world? Do you use maps, charts or drawings?

Yes, yes, and yes. :} You can view a map of the Elven Lords’ Realm, and my charts and notes on my website.

Do you have any authors that inspired you?

Many. Off the top of my head: Andre Norton, Patricia Briggs, Patricia McKillip, Robin McKinley, Johanna Lindsey, Jude Deveraux, Eloisa James, Sharon Shinn, Dave Duncan, Orson Scott Card, Erin Quinn, Jennifer Ashley, Michael Moorcock.

What do you feel is the most effective promotion you have done for your book?

My website, hands down. Recently, I’ve been enjoying the blog tours that my publisher sets up for me. Such a wonderful opportunity to talk to readers!

What do we have to look forward to next?

The fourth book in the Relics of Merlin series, Everlasting Enchantment. Sourcebooks is re-releasing the first three titles in the series (Enchanting the Lady, Double Enchantment, Enchanting the Beast) starting in August 2012 (so for those of you who’ve asked me for the Kindle editions…they’re coming. ;)

Thanks, Kathryne!

To celebrate her book release, Kathryne is offering a free book of The Lord of Illusion to one lucky commenter on today's blog. (US & Canada Shipping addresses only.)
(please check the blog Monday night to see if you won. Chances of winning determined by the number of entries.)

She will be around all day today. I'm sure some of you have questions or comments for her, so please ask away...

THE LORD OF ILLUSION BY KATHRYNE KENNEDY—IN STORES FEBRUARY 2012

He'll do anything to save her...
Rebel Lord Drystan Hawkes dreams of fighting for England's freedom. He gets his chance when he finds a clue to opening the magic portal to Elfhame, and he must race to find the slave girl who holds the key to the mystery. But even as Drystan rescues Camille Ashton from Dreamhame Palace, it becomes unclear exactly who is saving whom.

For the fate of humankind lies with Camille...
Enslaved for years in a realm where illusion and glamour reign, Camille has learned to trust nothing and no one. But she's truly spellbound when she meets Drystan--a man different from any she's ever known, and the force of their passion may yet be strong enough to banish the Elven Lords from this world forever.

“The world sings with vivid imagery and fantastic magic, and all the previous characters join forces in a thrilling final fight for humankind.”~Publishers Weekly STARRED review

“The hero and heroine are also out of the ordinary, and while this novel remains true to romance-genre mores, Kennedy infuses it with unexpected plot twists that will keep fantasy readers enthralled, too.”~Booklist STARRED review

“Superb writing and a fast-moving plot combined with magical passion make this a real page-turner!”~RT BOOKReviews Top Rating and TOP PICK

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Sourcebooks
BooksAMillion
Chapters/Indigo
Kathryne’s Bookseller Directory

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kathryne Kennedy is a critically acclaimed, best-selling, award-winning author of magical romances. She welcomes readers to visit her website where she has ongoing contests at www.kathrynekennedy.com. She’s lived in Guam, Okinawa, and several states in the U.S., and currently lives with her wonderful family in Arizona, where she is working on the next book in her Relics of Merlin series, Everlasting Enchantment.