Dark Diva Reviews

Heather Beck In The Spotlight

2009-08-07T07:11:00.000-07:00

Twenty three-year-old Heather Beck was born in Canada. She currently attends university where she studies English and a vast array of other disciplines.
Heather began writing seriously at the age of sixteen. Her first book, The Paradise Chronicles was published when she was only nineteen years old. Since then, Heather has written several more well-reviewed books. Although university keeps her busy, Heather is adamant about making time for her writing career.
Besides writing, Heather’s other passion is the outdoors. She is an award-winning fisherwoman and a regular hiker. Heather also enjoys swimming and playing badminton and tennis.

Visit http://heatherbeck.tripod.com Author of "The Paradise Chronicles" and the "Fable Farm" Series

Official Website: http://heatherbeck.tripod.com/

Purchase link: http://romancedivine.com/WhatLegendsAreMadeOf.html

Excerpt 1:

The Sir Tristan Estate

"What’s going on?" As she continued to stare at the picture intensely she shook. "I have to get out of here. There’s no way I’m spending another night in this estate."
Images of her strange dreams featuring Tom filled her mind. They had been so realistic that Skye began to believe they were more than just dreams. "They’re waking nightmares," Skye realized in a shaky voice.
Her hand reached for the telephone. She was going to request a taxi come immediately. Before Skye had the chance to dial the telephone number, her body suddenly froze in terror, at the ethereal voice.
"Don’t leave," Tom begged from behind Skye. With Tom’s hand on top of hers, Skye shakily placed the telephone on its receiver.
"How…how did you get in my bedroom?"
Tom gave a gentle laugh, "That wasn’t much of a problem."
He’s acting as if this situation is normal! "How did you get in my bedroom?" Skye repeated, her voice steadier, her tone firmer.
"I used the door; what a concept, huh?" Tom took his hand off of Skye’s and sauntered to the bed. He sat at the edge of the bed and smiled.
Skye cast a glance at the bedroom door then did a double take. The door was locked; her slippers lay in front of the door untouched.
"That’s impossible!" Tom let out a gleeful laugh and then fell backwards on the bed.
Skye knees went weak and her breath stopped when she saw Tom literally disappear into the bed. With slow, shaky steps, Skye looked under the bed. Tom lay under the bed, a smile on his face, his eyes locked on hers.
"Surprised?" he asked with raised eyebrows.
Skye stumbled backwards then fell to the floor.
Tom crawled out from underneath the bed and offered his hand to Skye. She stared at his hand but didn’t make any attempt to touch it.
"That wasn’t an illusion…was it?"
Tom shook his head. He suddenly looked sad.
"What’s going on?" Skye demanded. "If you don’t tell me the truth, I’ll scream so loud that Mrs. Bradford will come to my aid in a second."
"That’s an exaggeration," Tom said with a weak smile as he sat down beside Skye. Her body tensed in response. "Besides, your screams wouldn’t yield any results. I’ve fired all the staff. The last employee, the woman from the gift shop, left the estate just minutes ago. We’re alone."
Skye’s terrified eyes darted around the room; she bit her lip.
"Don’t be afraid," Tom gently urged. "I’m not going to hurt you."
"Tell me what’s going on," Skye begged.

Thank you to Heather Beck! Don't Forget to check her out!

Changes at Dark Diva Reviews

2009-08-05T14:06:00.000-07:00

Please take note that our Interviews and Spotlights will no longer be posted at this blog. Please visit us at our new blog.

Dark Diva Reviews

Author Interview: KIERNAN KELLY

2009-08-05T08:07:00.000-07:00

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Kiernan and welcome to the Dark Divas’ Den! You are very prolific, but my first question would have to be about your new book, Outland, which has had great reviews. It’s also an interesting subject matter. You tackle gay love in the bible belt and, something I find absolutely fascinating, your two leads are in their 50’s! You don’t see that much in gay erotic fiction. Where did the idea come to you for this book?

Hi, and thanks so much for the opportunity to interview here! The characters in Outland, Hank and Beaver, were inspired by a pair of real life partners I met two years ago during the Gay Days convention in Orlando. The men were older, in their late fifties or early sixties by my estimate. They stopped by my table and when we got to chatting, I discovered they’d been together twenty some-odd years. I remember thinking how awesome it was that they’d remained together for so long, and wondering about the challenges they must have faced in their lifetime, and how interesting it would be to base a pair of characters on them. The opportunity arose when I sat down to write Outland.

I realized when I wrote the book that using a pair of silver foxes was taking a chance (I’m as guilty as the next writer of using hunky stud muffins as my characters), but truthfully, I think there’s something incredibly sexy about mature, experienced men. I don’t think my readers were disappointed.

2. Your reviews always say that in spite of the high ‘heat’ level of your books, that your story development is excellent, that you don’t have your characters jumping into the sack on page one. Is this a deliberate choice on your part?

Absolutely. I think that if the characters have the time to invest emotionally in one another, then the sex is hotter and more fulfilling. Plus, I like the reader to feel like they’re right there in bed with the characters, and the only way I’ve found to do that is to vividly describe the setting, and let the readers inside the characters’ heads before diving between the sheets.

3. Are any of your stories based on your actual experiences?

I haven’t written any “true” stories, but I’ve often pulled bits and pieces from my life, experiences, and my personality and infused the stories with them. The character closest to being me is Beaver from Outland. The dedication in the book reads, “This book is for my husband. He tolerates my odd hours, encourages me always, and most of all, believes in me even when I don’t believe in myself. Hon, we are Hank and Beaver.” It’s true, we are, right down to the aching joints and gray hair. LOL

4. I know you live in Florida. Whereabouts and are you juggling a dreaded day job as well as your prodigious output of fiction?

I’m in Central Florida, land of the Mouse. I love it here, actually, even when it’s six degrees hotter than hell. I even love the kitschy tourist traps. I was fortunate enough to be able to leave my day job two years ago to write full time. Believe me, writing is the hardest, most time-consuming job I’ve ever held. I put in far more hours at my computer now than I ever did when I worked a day job!

5. As far as I can tell all your books are published by Torquere Press. How has your experience been with them and will you be working with other publishers soon?

Actually, while my novels are all held by Torquere, and I’ve written numerous short stories for them (and will continue to do so as long as they’re willing to publish them!), I’ve also written shorts for several other houses as well, including Cleis, Starbooks, Aspen Mountain Press, MLR Press, and coming soon, Circlet Press.

My experience with Torquere (pronounced “Tork-AH-ray” by the way) has been wonderful. They took a chance on me when I wrote my first title, Riding Heartbreak Road, and have been instrumental in helping me develop my craft.

6. There is a raging debate on the web about women writing gay erotic fiction. Do you think it matters and can you personally tell if a book’s been written by a man or a woman?

Personally, when I pick up a book to read (which I do often, having always be an avid, near-rabid reader), it never occurs to me to question the plumbing of the author. All that ever matters to me is the story. If it’s good, I treasure it, and look for more by that author. If it’s bad, I put it behind me and move on. I think that gay erotic fiction is the only genre where people seem to question whether the author has an “innie” or an “outie.” In my opinion, a good writer should be able to get inside anyone’s head, -- male, female, gay, straight, or other.

That said, I can’t always tell who wrote what. It depends on the person’s writing style. I’ve never made a secret of the fact that I’m a woman. People who haven’t read my webpage, or any of my interviews still often address me in emails as “Mr. Kelly.” I take that as a compliment.

7. You have a fondness for ice cream (even if crazed supermarket workers like to challenge your determination to eat it – yes, I read your blog!) what do you eat and/or drink when you’re writing?

Coffee. I’m a diehard coffee drinker. I would set up an altar and worship the beans in Starbucks if they’d let me.

Wow, you read my blog? Thank you! Yes, that was some adventure I had trying purchase ice cream at Publix. Sometimes you just have to sit back and laugh, or go crazy, you know?

8. I know what you mean! Kiernan, do you read much and which authors and what genres do you enjoy the most?

I am a voracious reader, always have been. I ‘m pretty eclectic, too, reading everything from horror, to romance, to thrillers, to historicals, both straight and gay. As I said before, what really matters to me is the story. I love Stephen King, especially his early work, when his novels were set in or around Castle Rock. I adore Jean Auel and her Earth’s Children series. I would read Sherrilyn Kenyon’s laundry list. I loved Milton Stern’s On Tuesday, They Played Mahjong.

9. As an author, which words or phrases do you find you most overuse?

I am forever looking for new and inventive ways to say “penis,” without resorting to stupid euphemisms like “greased love pole.” Seriously, there are only so many times you can use the word “c**k” in a paragraph, particularly when both parties involved have them.

10. How old were you when you learned there was no Santa Claus? How upset were you?

Wait…what? No…oh, no.

Seriously, I was eight when a horrible boy (whom I hope grew up to have terrible acne and is still a virgin living in his mother’s basement) in my class told me. I didn’t believe him.
Still don’t.

11. Another tough question: What was your favorite toy growing up?

My absolute favorite toy when I was growing up was a ratty old pair of roller skates. Mind you, this was before rollerblades -- these were bare-boned, metal skates that had a key that you needed to use to make them fit over your shoes. My parents’ basement had a tile floor, and I had a ball skating around down there like it was my own private rink.

12. Please tell me about your upcoming books.

My next novel releases in October, I believe, from Torquere Press. It’s the second book in my In Their Own Skins shapeshifter series, called The Mark of Cain. This one picks up several years after the first book ends, and continues the story of the shapeshifters at the Shifting Sands Ranch. I’m also working on a pirate novel, a vampire novel, a young adult series, and plan to begin writing a sequel to Seti’s Heart this fall.

13. If you weren’t a writer, what talent would you most like to have?

In an alternate universe, where I was not a writer, and was thin and graceful, I’d be a dancer. I always wanted to learn to dance, especially tap, but considering how clumsy I am, how uncoordinated (I barely qualify for having opposable thumbs at times), and how frequently I trip over my own two feet, the chances of my being a dancer have always been slim to none.

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I’d like to thank Kiernan Kelly for stopping by today. To learn more about Kiernan's work, please check out these links:

http://www.kiernankelly.com/
http://kiernankelly.livejournal.com/
www.myspace.com/kiernankelly

Janet Mullany In The Spotlight

2009-07-31T09:05:00.000-07:00

BIO
Janet Mullany grew up in England and has worked as an archaeologist, performing arts administrator, classical music radio announcer, bookseller, and editor, and unexpectedly became a writer eight years ago. Her first book, DEDICATION (2005), was the only traditional Signet Regency with two bondage scenes and she continued to break conventions with her Regency chicklit book THE RULES OF GENTILITY (2007, HarperCollins and 2008, Little Black Dress, UK). She’s currently writing another book for Little Black Dress, an alternate historical-paranormal about Jane Austen joining vampires to battle a French invasion (HarperCollins, summer 2010), and pursuing another existence as a writer of erotic contemporaries for Harlequin Spice. She lives outside Washington, DC and is a voracious reader. Find out more at http://http://www.janetmullany.com/ and enter Janet’s contest.
LINK TO BUY WITH FREE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE:
http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/browse/book/isbn/9780755347797/ref/janetmullany.aff
BACK COVER BLURB
1822, England. Young, beautiful Lady Caroline Elmhurst is down on her luck. Twice-widowed (once is unfortunate, twice just looks like carelessness...), pursued by creditors, she needs to get back on track before the world realizes just how desperate she's become.
But she's optimistic about finding a new husband and when she meets handsome, mysterious Nicholas Congrevance at a houseparty in the country, she sets out to entice him. For his part, Nicholas simply sees Lady Caroline as just the sort of woman he's used to exploiting--rich, available, and gullible. Neither realizes the other is penniless--and neither has any intention of falling in love...
EXCERPT
After fainting with hunger at an inn, Lady Caroline Elmhurst, traveling with her maid Mary, meets a handsome stranger and discovers they are both on their way to the same house…
I am not so much of a fool, or a hypocrite, to deny the carnal interest that hums between me and Congrevance. He has done nothing but sum up my various parts since our first meeting, and I must admit I have given him every opportunity to do so. My lawn scarf is too creased to wear at my neckline and I cannot help if my skirt pulls up a little as I enter the trap. I study him with equal interest. I was not entirely unconscious when he carried me inside the inn; I heard the pleasing thud of a man’s heartbeat close to mine, and had the opportunity to examine the cloth of his coat (a very fine wool). An excellent sign, as is his absence from London, for chances are he has had little opportunity to squander his money there, or to know the most sordid details of my fall from grace.
Being pressed against his warm, hard person (his chest, that is) almost made up for the distressing weakness and sickness that assailed me, but happily that was dispelled shortly after by toast and tea (paid for by Congrevance) and now I feel quite restored to health.
He travels simply, but the quality of his clothes, his air, speak of breeding and undoubted fortune. He is accompanied by a manservant whose ugly face and squat build I find repulsive, but with whom Mary, the shameless slut, flirts and giggles as the trap bowls along the country lanes.
“I have missed this,” Congrevance says, gesturing in a foreign sort of way.
“Cows, sir?”
“No.” He shakes his head, smiling. “The countryside. It is so very green and soft.”
“You are a great traveler, then?”
“I was most recently in Italy.”
He doesn’t seem inclined to chat, which is as well--for gentlemen, I find, gnaw upon topics that are of no interest whatsoever like a dog upon a bone: Bludge (politics), Elmhurst (horseflesh), Linsley (cricket, surely the worst of the lot), and Rotherhithe (military maneuvers, a close second). So I am quite content to watch Congrevance, and a beautiful creature he is, with his long elegance of bone and dark gray eyes--a surprise, for I should have thought he would have blue eyes. However, I do not wish to appear a mindless ninny who cannot carry on a conversation, and I like to watch his mouth when he speaks.
“Do you know which part is yours in Otterwell’s play, Mr. Congrevance?”
“His play?”
“Yes. Has he not invited you to be an actor in his, or rather Shakespeare’s, A Midsummer Night’s Dream?”
“Ah. Otterwell did not mention anything of the sort to me when we met in Italy earlier this year, although one cannot help but notice how much he admires Shakespeare. And you, Lady Elmhurst? What part is yours?”
“I am to play Hermia.” Hermia, in my opinion, is something of a tediously virtuous ninny, but she fits quite well into the impression I intend to make on Congrevance--that of a respectable and modest widow. How very fortunate that he has been abroad, and how relieved I am to find that my reputation has not crossed the Channel. If he had been in London, it would be an entirely different story. Indeed, it is a miraculous stroke of luck that he is a blank slate upon which I can rewrite myself, provided he does not listen to vulgar gossip from his fellow guests.
“You enjoy the theater, Lady Elmhurst?”
“Oh, I adore it.” I clasp my hands to my bosom (he watches) and sigh deeply (he blinks). “It is tremendously diverting. It is one of the great pleasures of town.” I do not mention that cards and flirting and activities well beyond flirting behind closed doors are what I really prefer. “And of course I enjoy music; I play a little upon the pianoforte--my friends say I am not totally devoid of taste--and I have a very small skill with watercolors.”
“Otterwell has some very pleasing prospects on his estate. I expect you will wish to sketch them. Perhaps I might be permitted to accompany you, Lady Elmhurst.”
“That would be delightful, Mr. Congrevance.”
The question, of course, is whether I should take him as protector or husband. As enamored as he seems to be of the countryside, there is a good chance he will want to settle on some tedious estate and commune with his cows. He might expect a wife to slop around there with straw in her hair and breed! But I am sure that if Congrevance wished to amuse himself in town he could keep me in the manner to which I am accustomed (or, to be honest, unaccustomed of late). Mary, whose knee is now pressed firmly against that of that ruffian of a manservant, can find out the extent of Congrevance’s fortune well enough.
However, there is no great rush to entrap him. I should wait and see who else Otterwell has invited; for although I cannot deny the attraction I feel to Congrevance, it would not do to sell myself short. How would I feel if I, for instance, missed a duke?

Author Interview: MARC JARROD

2009-07-29T07:50:00.000-07:00

1. Hi Marc and thanks for coming into the Dark Divas’ den…don’t get too many other guys in here, so this ought to be fun! Okay, my first question is, apart from being an author of romantic fiction, you’re a UPS driver. What’s the weirdest thing that ever happened to you in the course of delivering a package? Ever had a woman open the door naked?
Well, I hate to say this but, even though, I do work for UPS, I am not a driver. I am sorry I misled anyone. I think what it is, is that when I tell somebody I work at UPS, they immediately think I am a driver. What I do is work inside the building. I sort packages to their destination and I am also a clerk, doing address corrections. However, I was a driver at one point. One of the most humorous comments I would get from people receiving packages is when I would knock on the door and say UPS, I have a package, I would hear from the other side, Is it paid for? I don’t want it, if it’s not paid for. In other words, if it was a COD, they wouldn’t even open the door. (Okay, you had to be there.) LOL

2. Your books are intriguing because you seem to understand women very well and tell the stories from their POV. They all have quirks though, such as Charlie Jackson from One Dangerous Woman being a very violent, dangerous assassin. You know many women like this in your every day life?
Well, I hope not. LOL I love reading about the underworld— Demons, vampires, etc. I also love mobster novels, such as the Godfather. So, I incorporated the two genres into one. What I loved about One Dangerous Woman, especially from the woman’s perspective is that though Charlie was a cold blooded assassin, she also had a human side in that she loved children and she could also be in love as in loving Dexter.

3. If I were to describe your books, I’d say they were twisted romances…with demons, Satan and vampires running around in them. What books do you have coming out next? Will you continue in this paranormal realm?
As a matter of fact, next release will be in that genre. Last Christmas I wrote Ferver Black’s Christmas Wish, which was a vampire story. I had never written vampire before, even though I love that genre in that I have seen dozens of movies dealing with vampires. My favorite is Interview with a Vampire. There will be a sequel to the Ferver story, titled, Ferver Black’s Christmas Wish…Return to Darkness.

4. I know you are tackling M/M for an anthology…how graphic will it be and ahem…how much research is involved here?
Just like my Ferver story, this will be my first attempt. Luckily because it will be an anthology, it will be short so I wont have to stretch my imagination. J I believe it will be a love story. More like a male who thought he was straight, and a gay male who brings him around and shows him the joys of the gay life style. Because it will be his first time, it won’t be very graphic, but there will be some sex involved. I did my research from reading your stories, AJ. You are a master storyteller where, though your characters are vampires, you also make them human in that they laugh, cry, joke around etc. I love that. That is why I believe you are so successful.

5. Wow, thanks, Marc! You live in St. Louis, Missouri but moved there from Italy when you were a child. Do you remember much of Italy? Have you been there since?
Not a whole lot, I must admit. When I came here, which was July 4th, 1959, I spoke fluent Italian. Unfortunately, I went straight to school that September. I was able to speak some English but not a whole lot. So when a nun would tell me to color the drawing of a boat, blue, I would color it another color because I had no idea what she was talking about. LOL. I am thinking of perhaps traveling there when I retire from UPS.

6. What are the best and worst things about living in St. Louis?
The best things— along with the Arch, I would say it is truly a sports town what with The St. Louis Cardinals and Rams and the St. Louis Blues. When it comes to the Cardinals, people and even other teams say St. Louis is one of the best sports towns in the country because of the support we give our team. I was also proud that St. Louis was the host of the All-Star game in which we were able to showcase our city. The worst part is, because of the economy, two of our major auto plants—Chrysler and Ford have down. They were major employers for the city.

7. What is your writing routine like? With three books published (that I know of, including One Dangerous Woman, Ferver Black’s Christmas Wish and A Heavenly Christmas, you are pretty prolific. Do you write every day?
Well, not as prolific as you, AJ. LOL but thanks for the moral and morale boost. I try to write everyday even if it is in small spurts. Sometimes, just as every writer goes through this, I hit writer’s block. When that happens, I watch TV, take a walk or go to a movie. Believe it or not, I also get inspiration when I work. Sorting packages can be boring, so I would kind of daydream, thinking how I could write a scene. When it hits me, during lunch, I take pen in hand and start writing the scene before I forget it.

8. You were in the middle of edits on a book called Time Eternal when the publishing company went under. Will you ever resurrect that? The premise sounds so intriguing!
I am glad you asked that. Time Eternal—now renamed, Imagine because I felt it fit the story line better and the title to me, was exotic—is just about finished. I am very proud of this story because it was my first effort as a writer. To show how naïve I was a writer, the first thing I did after finishing the story, was to look for a literary agent to hawk my masterpiece. LOL I had no idea epubs were out there. Then I came across some epubs on the internet and after getting rejected a number of times, StarDust Press took me on. That is where I met one of my colleagues Stephani Hecht. Imagine is a time travel book but it will have a twist in the end and of course a HEA.

9. I know you are a big football and baseball fan. What other interests do you have? Do you read a lot and who are some of your favorite authors?
My favorite author is James Patterson who writes crime novels. I love his books because he is a fast read. His chapters are like only 2-3 pages long. What I love about his works is he is an author who cuts to the chase, without giving vivid descriptions of scenery or minor characters. Another favorite leisure time is Trivia. I occasionally go to Trivia Night gatherings and more than once, my team has won first place.

10. Now for a tough question. You ready? What was your favorite toy growing up?
The old Etch A Sketch and yo-yo’s. I loved doing, walking the dog, rock the cradle, around the world etc. on my yo-yo. I loved drawing landscapes on the Etch a Sketch. OMG, I am truly showing my age now. LOL

11. I know you like classical music and oldies rock. Do you listen to music and what kind when you’re writing? What about when you’re having sex?
I listen to oldies rock when writing. But if I am struggling, I will listen to classical to help me relax. Music while having sex? I don’t usually have music, but if I did, it would be classical because it would be so relaxing.

12. Which living person do you most admire?
My next door neighbor. She is close to 90 but has the energy of a 20 year old. I could only hope I have even half that energy if and when I reach that age.

13. Which living person do you most despise?
Osama Bin Laden. He is the true antichrist. And any dictator who is guilty of genocide.

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I’d like to thank Marc Jarrod for stopping by today. To learn more about this awesome author’s work, please check out his links:
www.myspace.com/marcjarrod

Cindy Jacks : Point of Distraction

2009-07-23T18:15:00.001-07:00

Blurb:

Ever dreamed of leading in a glamorous, sexy, and extravagant life? Experience it all vicariously through Ana Welsh in these dynamic chick-lit stories. In the third collection in the Point of Distraction Series, Ana's back -- and as bad as she wants to be!

In Ghosts of Ana Past, Ana reconnects with an old flame who stirs up memories of a more carefree time in her life. Now that Eli's set this fire, it's up to Ana to contain the blaze.

Misadventures in cougar-ing plague Ana in Boy Toy. Jake's hot, bold...and only twenty years old. But in the midst of a premature mid-life crisis, what's a girl to do?

Friends with Benefits finds Ana reeling from a family emergency. When Nikhil provides a strong shoulder to cry on, it's all too tempting to toss out that pesky platonic relationship and give in to romance.

Excerpt:

My eyes drank in the expanse of his mocha skin. I’d suspected since I’d met him that underneath his clothes lay a body of exquisite muscle tone. Now, faced with his taut abdomen and sinewy arms, I was taken by his form. The desire to touch every inch of him struck me, but before I could act, he reclined me and covered my neck with his mouth.

I relaxed into his caresses. His lips, his tongue, his fingertips seemed on every inch of my exposed skin. Urgency existed in his embrace and yet he did not stray from my neck, my breasts and abdomen. He spent untold time there as if he were making a careful map of my body.
Though I was enjoying his sweet attentions, my natural impatience flared. I reached for his belt buckle, but his hands diverted mine and set them back onto the blanket. He stretched out one of my legs, untied my shoelace, and slid the boot off along with the sock. He repeated this with my other boot. His fingers strayed to the zipper of my jeans and unfastened it with apparent care. He slipped my pants over my hips and off my legs. His hands stroked the length of my bare legs, varying the pressure of his fingertips. His thumbs hooked the waistband of my panties and inched them down, over my knees, past my ankles, and laid them to rest on the growing piles of my clothes.

Buy it now link: http://www.lyricalpress.com/cindy_jacks

Web link: http://cindyjacks.com/

Bio:
Cindy Jacks worked for ten years in the corporate arena, but left the boardroom at the age of thirty-three for a more fulfilling existence. Three years later she is happy to be a full time writer. Her characters are usually strong women, but with real insecurities and concerns of universal to all women. Recurring themes in her books include the sensuous qualities of food, the identity struggles we all experience, and pushing the boundaries of traditional femininity.

She lives in Northern Virginia, a stone's throw away from Washington, DC. When not writing or chasing after her four year-old son, she makes jewelry, practices belly dancing, and experiments with international cooking.

Author Interview: ERIN SINCLAIR

2009-07-22T03:25:00.001-07:00

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Erin and thanks so much for entering the Divas’ dark den. So in doing a little homework on you, I googled your name and was shocked to find the first entry is you as a bondage and fetish model. I knew you were naughty, but Erin, you’re NAUGHTY! All jokes aside, I know you are not this particular Erin but don’t you get some nasty, suggestive email from men thinking you ARE that Erin?

They say you never really know people, huh? LOL Hello, AJ and thank you for inviting me! No, not me, but the irony of a porn/fetish model and a romance writer who writes sensual, sexy love scenes sharing the same name is hysterical to me.

Actually, I’ve had the pen name Erin Sinclair (for my romance author persona) picked out for years than the model has been alive, because I thought the first name and surname sounded good together. Approximately one month before the debut of Twilight’s Son, I double-checked Erin Sinclair and BAM, Erin Sinclair, model, pops up all over the place. Not sure if I didn’t notice it in prior searches or her career hit a point where constant searches brought her to the top of the Google list, but the rest as they say is history.

I advised my EIC and my publisher at Devine Destinies. A name can’t be copyright protected. We’re in two divergent career fields. I like the pen name Erin Sinclair, so I ran with it. No suggestive email thus far, although I noticed I started receiving an awful lot of young men following me on Twitter recently.

Young men following a sensual romance writer somehow didn’t compute. I updated my tweets with the message, “Sorry, not her”. Apparently, someone must have mentioned it to her because Miss Sinclair started to follow me! Time will tell if it becomes an issue. I have no judgments about her. In my mind she’s a consenting adult, has a constitutional right to live her life as she chooses. I have my career, she has hers, there’s more than enough room for the both of us on the ‘Net, lol.

2. I have read one of your books, Witch One - and enjoyed the cats in it by the way - and enjoyed your story. You are a romantic, clearly. Where did the idea come to you for this book? Thank you, I’m glad you liked it. I love Minerva and Cyrano. I had fun developing the interplay between the cats and dogs. Having been a companion to both species, the personalities I attributed to the characters comes from owning animals I swore thought they were human.

I’m most definitely a romantic. I believe in the power of love. I believe that a partnership, be it friends, family, lovers, built on a foundation of respect, communication, and loyalty wrapped in a blanket of love will succeed against all odds. Witch One grew out of my enjoyment of escapist fantasy over the years plus ideas I have on certain aspects of spirituality. I grew up watching Bewitched, Fantasy Island, etc. My personal spiritual belief system includes the concepts of a divine feminine and a divine masculine presence in my life. The idea for Witch One is an evolution and inspiration of all those influences.

3. Please tell me about your Fallen Angels series. I know Twilight’s Son came out last year and I am fascinated by the topic of reborn angels and the lives they live on earth. I know you have a new book in the series, The Betrothed coming out. I know this involves the same two characters, Brie and Shade. What new developments occur in this book and how many do you see in the series?

I’m fascinated by angels, angelic energy and have explored the concepts all of my life as well. The idea for the novels came to me when I was on the phone at my former job listening to an irate customer.

In order not to take his ranting personally, I zoned out. Suddenly, this beautiful angelic man appeared in my mind’s eye. I started writing down everything about him. His name is Shade. He calls himself Shade, as he believes he is only a shadow of his former self. The love he has for his human ward is so powerful he gave up his entire angelic existence just to be with her. In the world I’ve created that means giving up a very special gift clearly delineating the difference between an angel’s soul and a human’s soul. I don’t want to say what that is, suffice to say it is an enormous sacrifice.

However, as is the way with most great loves there is always something or someone who attempts to interfere. In my world, that would be the Archangel Uriel, the angel whom, according to biblical lore, will be the judge all of humanity when the world ends in the distant future. Twilight’s Son introduces our couple. Their relationship and their world develop in the first novel. It isn’t lighthearted (she’s a homicide detective and investigates a murder) but it is romantic and sensual.

The Betrothed is far darker than Twilight’s Son. It is a continuation of Brie and Shade’s story but revolves around discovery, conflict, and revelations leaving the hero and heroine at a place in their relationship where the rose colored glasses from Twilight’s Son are ripped away. Garden of Eden is the third and final novel of the series. It’s the Armageddon, the culmination of Books 1 and 2 and will take place in a very short period, picking up where The Betrothed left off. Yes, the biblical/spiritual references are intentional. The Fallen Angel series is a trilogy.

4. Wow, Erin. It sounds great. I WILL read all three! Where do you live and what is your life like? Apart from writing, what are your interests?

I live in Las Vegas, Nevada but not for much longer. My husband and I are moving to the Midwest at the beginning of August, 2009. My life right now consists of endlessly packing. My life prior to prepping for the move consisted of defining me.

I was reborn at 30 when I divorced and became a single mom. The succeeding years spent learning an awful lot about myself and realizing I’m still…becoming, what that is remains to be seen. However, one aspect I know for sure is perennial is I am a writer. I can’t wait to see where this part of the journey takes me.

I have varied interests, but they seem to revolve primarily around all things artistic. I love design--interior and horticulture. I’m considering becoming a certified paralegal (as I have practiced in law for years) however, because I have such a passion for design that may change once I’m settled in Oklahoma.

Our environment is so important to us on so many levels I love the idea of helping people create sacred spaces inside and out. I’m a very conscientious green fiend and love the idea of nurturing and protecting my first mother, the Earth. Time will tell. My immediate goals are to finish my degree (in Art and Creative Writing) and become a successful author.

5. What is your writing routine like? Are you balancing a job as well as being a wife and mom - as well as writing? Do you write every day?

My writing routine prior to publishing Twilight’s Son was more along the lines of dreaming. I wrote when the mood struck me always with the desire of someone publishing me in mind. My haphazard writing habits are now unacceptable. It is my career. Organization and consistency is the key to production.

Over the last year I’ve let life take over and haven’t been as consistent in my writing technique as I know I should be. I try to write something every day but even that approach is unacceptable to me and will be pushing myself harder once after The Big Move. One thing I didn’t anticipate is how overwhelming it is to learn how to self-promote. I know my way around a computer and one or two social websites but I am a total novice in public relations. I’m considering a promotion company eventually but I’m the kind of person who wants to know how first before I allow others that type of control over me. It will enable me to know what to look for if their approach gets out of hand.

I balanced wife/mom/day job/writing and it wasn’t easy. Something always had to give. I put needs first wants second. My gorgeous girls are now married and on their own. My husband is very low maintenance because he’s so easy-going my focus has narrowed to me which is really helping me develop my writing career and how I should approach it.

6. Which authors and genres do you like to read? What are you reading right now?

I read everything. I’m finally incorporating reading for entertainment back into my life. I’ve been a student for so long I’ve been reading books that teach me something for the most part. I read all genres with the exception of horror/gore because I don’t understand the attraction to that genre at all. I do love suspense/thriller if it is well written and keeps me breathless until the end though.

I love anything by Marion Zimmer Bradley, love Anne McCaffrey. I’ve read just about everything ever written by Kathleen Woodiwiss. Love Anne Rice. When I was younger I was a big fan of King and Koontz. Loved Judith Krantz and Danielle Steel when a teenager, definitely Maya Angelou, Judy Blume, Toni Morrison. I love anything written by the husband and wife team of David and Leigh Eddings. I’m having so much fun writing romance, I’m rediscovering my enjoyment of the genre.

7. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

Self-doubt. I was going to say procrastination, but I get around to accomplishing what I put off, eventually.

8. What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Lying.

9. What was your favorite childhood toy?

My Breyer model horses. Anything to do with horses for that matter. Oh and my Pentax K-1000 camera, of which I still have to this day. I fancy myself an up and coming genius free lance photographer one day, lol.

10. You have an intriguing quote on your website. I bet you would have been so much fun to hang out with at school! “One of my many goals in life is to engage you, the reader, to take you to my worlds, drop you off, let you have fun in my playground, then bring you home. Tomorrow we’ll do it again!” Don’t you think romance writing should be like this? A beautiful escape?

I write with two goals in mind, one to entertain, one to impact. I love receiving feedback from readers because the ideas I think about enter into my novels. I wonder if other people think about those subjects I write about and what’s their perspective on them as well. Romance writing is all about beautiful escape. I’m glad to be a part of it.

I have very distinct ideas on what romance should be like. I observe some couples I know and think, “You guys, it doesn’t have to be that hard!” One of the most beautiful expressions of love I’ve EVER heard of was while watching an Oprah Winfrey show many years ago. It dealt with the devastating effects cancer has on a family psychologically, spiritually and emotionally. I was crying my eyes out through the whole show.

A wife learned she had breast cancer. Her adoring husband was by her side through all of it. When she started going through chemotherapy, she started losing her hair, a feature the husband adored. She was afraid he wouldn’t love her any more because she was losing her hair, her breasts, things she thought marked her as woman, as female (okay, choking up here). He lovingly shaved her head, and then he shaved his! When her eyebrows fell out he shaved his as well. It was the dedication, the solidarity that brought me to tears. He let her know in no uncertain terms he had her back, she wasn’t alone and never would be.

Another love story that I’ve never forgotten was on a NOVA episode regarding HIV. This old (they were both in their 70s) divorced couple, who remained friends despite the break-up had a gay son who tested positive for the virus.

The young man’s partner nursed his lover until the day the young man died in his arms. The old man, who had issues at first with his son’s sexuality but eventually came to terms with it, made such a profound statement in his interview, I’ve never forgotten it. This isn’t verbatim, but he said, “The love my son experienced prior to his death was astounding. The devotion his partner showed him until he died was not something I could ever have been capable of giving my wife. Who am I to judge my child when I myself could never love like that?”

I bawled my eyes out! That’s what I write about, the love we should all have, should be able to give and love that knows no boundaries. It is the type of love I have with my current husband.

11. That was a beautiful answer, Erin...wow...I have water on my face...ahem...what is your greatest extravagance?

Designer perfume. One day I hope to include designer shoes and purses of unique beauty in the mix. They are all my weakness! LOL

12. Please tell me about any of your other upcoming projects.

My current publisher, Devine Destinies, mainstream imprint to eXtasy Books, has contracted me for some wonderful projects. Once the Fallen Angel series is complete I am moving on to my next set of stories, a paranormal romantic comedy series known as Big Fat Greek Tall Tales of which Cupid’s Folly – Tall Tale 1 was released on February 15, 2009! It is a series set in 21st century San Francisco approaching the Greek pantheon of gods and goddesses with tongue totally in cheek.

I’m having a rocking good time writing them because I love romantic comedy with an HEA. From there I will complete my shape shifter series known as The Five Prides (five full length novels in all). This series will be dark and intense. I’ve come up with an intriguing twist on the concept I hope readers will love. I’ve also written a short erotica story for eXtasy Books’ Café Nowhere anthology entitled, Kameoth.

It is set during the firestorm created by the allied bombings of Hambourg, Germany in 1943. It is currently in edits. It is my understanding Café Nowhere will be released in September, 2009. I have much more on my plate, now to start writing them!

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I’d like to thank the lovely Erin Sinclair for stopping by today. To learn more about this talented author, please check out her links:

Thank you, AJ, this was so enjoyable and thank you, readers of romance! I can be found at— www.erinsinclairauthor.com

www.devinedestinies.com,

www.myspace.com/erin_sinclair_author,

www.facebook.com/ErinSinclairRomanceAuthor

www.twitter.com/ESinclairWriter,

plus I blog every Friday at http://themanyshades.blogspot.com/.

Come join me and together let’s believe in love that’s out of this world!

Vivian Vincent : Spotlight Author

2009-07-10T07:41:00.000-07:00

Author Bio:
Ms. Vincent was born and raised in the great state of Michigan, where she’s remained a resident for her entire life and has worked in a local assembly plant for the past 15 years. She also enjoys reading, movies and listening to 80s tunes on her mp3 player when she’s not working or writing her next story.

Her work in erotic fiction only began a few years ago, but she’s always been a writer through works of poetry, blogging, fiction and as far back as the high school newspaper. She gets her inspiration from the people in her life, songs she hears on the radio or just her wild imagination.

She holds a distinction in the world of erotic romance as being one of the few authors who remains happily single. Her style comes from the passion, hunger and variety of always being able to call the shots on her own.

Blurb:
Taylor Stone, the former lead singer of a popular 80's rock band still carries a flame for her first love, Tommy. When she's attacked one night after a solo performance at a local bar, a stranger comes to her aid.

Tommy can't believe after nearly 20 years, he still feels such intense love for Taylor. Unable to hold a steady relationship, he's resolved to spend his life alone, that is until Taylor comes back into his life.

Can they pick up where they left off or has too much time passed between them?

Excerpt:
Flashback to 1989...

Taylor and the band arrived in New York City six days before their three concert dates at Madison Square Garden. Exhausted from a string of twelve cities in twelve days, they were all happy to have a few days to rest. Unknown to any of them, Lethal Weapon's first appearance at Madison Square Garden would be the last time the band appeared anywhere publicly again.

Leo, their manager, put them up in suites at The Plaza hotel. Taylor declined when the band asked if she wanted to do some sight-seeing. She opted instead for a long hot bubble bath and an early night.

After her bath she called her mother to let her know they'd made it to New York safely. When she finished the call, she crawled into the large bed and immediately drifted off to sleep.

When she woke the next morning, she felt rested and relaxed. Getting up to go to the window, she saw it was going to be a beautiful, sunny day. She dressed quickly and left a message for the other band members telling them she was going to go check out the city.

With Lethal Weapon still being relatively new to the concert circuit, not many people recognized her which suited Taylor just fine. She wanted to be a normal girl visiting New York City, taking in the sites. A few people had approached her asking for autographs and she was happy to oblige, but other than that, she went virtually unnoticed in the bustling city.

As she headed into Central Park, she spotted a hotdog vendor. Walking quickly, she reached in her pocket to count out money so she could grab herself a quick breakfast. She dropped a few of the bills on the ground in front of the vendor and bent to pick them up. At the same time, another hand came down to pick up the money also.

Snatching the bills up quickly, she brought herself upright and looked into the eyes of the man who she thought was trying to steal her money. She froze, unable to look away from the piercing blue eyes looking down into her brown ones.

"I--I--you--" she stammered. What the hell is happening to me? Taylor had never been tongue tied a day in her life.

"I'm Tommy," he said, reaching out his hand to her.

Her eyes still locked with his, she reached out to shake his hand. The simple touch of his hand caused her to blush profusely and a jolt of awareness to course through her veins.

"Taylor," she answered. Her heart was beating so loud, it felt as if it would pound right out of her chest. Tommy broke eye contact, ordered a dog for both of them, then handed her one.

"Nice to meet you," he said.

She was still staring up at him. What a hunk! He stood about six foot one with short, almost spiked, sandy blond hair and the bluest eyes she'd ever seen. She nodded at him, agreeing silently it was nice to meet him also.

"Let's sit over there." Tommy motioned to a bench behind her.

Taylor followed, unable to think or do much else. She sat on the bench looking down at the hotdog in her hand. She brought it to her lips and felt his gaze on her again. Taking a bite, she turned to look at him.

"What?" she asked.

"You're Taylor Stone." He flashed a wickedly sexy smile at her.

"Yeah. That's me." She broke eye contact with him and took a few more bites of her hotdog before she spoke again. "You know me, huh?"

"Oh yeah. I've been trying for months to get tickets to one of your shows at the Garden. They sold out pretty quick." Reaching up with his thumb, he wiped a blotch of mustard from the corner of her mouth. "Your first show's not 'til Thursday, you guys get here early to take in some sights?" He smiled devilishly at the rosy color in her cheeks when he put his finger in his mouth and licked the mustard off.

Author Links/Purchase Link:

Purchase link:
http://excessica.com/index.php/books/lost-and-found-by-vivian-vincent/

Vivian Vincent's website:
http://www.vivianvincent.2ya.com

Vivian Vincent at excessica:http://excessica.com/index.php/search-by-author/vivian-vincent/

Author Interview: DANA LITTLEJOHN

2009-07-08T09:39:00.001-07:00

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Dana and welcome to the Divas’ dark den…first of all I’d like to ask you about your Dioni Chronicles series. How did the idea come to you for this series and how many books do you envision being in it? I also believe it’s coming out in print soon. Is this correct?
Yes, The Dioni Chronicles will be in print later this year. It didn’t really start as a series. I came up with the idea from the role playing game Dungeons and Dragons. I asked one of my friends if all the creatures did was fight and conquer to get to the next level. When he answered yes that kind of bugged me (don’t know why). So I decided if my nocturnal creatures had to fight they would have something to fight for. And, since there is nothing worth fighting for more than love, I turned it into a romance. After the first one was done people started asking me if I would write a story for other vampires in the pack.

2. You seem to enjoy writing contemporary romances as well as fantasy/paranormals…which are your favorite?
I like contemporaries best. The rules in the real world are already locked in place. When I do fantasy it becomes complicated trying to keep the rules of the world you create in order and kinda sorta realistic.

3. With such a prolific output, do you write every day? What is your writing routine like?
Oh yes, every day, without fail. Even if I only get an hour I still take that hour and put pen to paper…well, fingers to keyboard. My schedule is erratic at best. Some days I have more time to write than others because of my nine to five, but I am never too busy to improve on my craft or do what I love.

4. I read on your website that you were something of a poet when you were a small child. Can you share with us a sample of your youthful work?
Oh no! I left that hickory dickory dock stuff back there in the 80’s. LOL

5. Is it true you wrote your first sensual romance at the age of 7? LOL and what was the story about?
No, not 7! LOL Seventh grade! Geesh! I wasn’t thinking like that at 7, I shouldn’t have been thinking like that in the seventh grade! I can’t believe I’m telling you this. Keep this between us, AJ. I had a major crush on Zorro and had a dream that a mask man was running around kissing making love to all the girls in the neighborhood. I later found out what I thought was sex was not, at best it was something similar to dry humping, but what did I know? I was 12!

6. You’ve collaborated with our mutual friend Kendra Mei Chaiylin on the Cupid’s Arrow anthology. I was very intrigued by the time-travel theme of these stories. Did you enjoy the collaboration? How did you do the actual writing together?
I love doing that book. It was a lot of fun to write off another and collaborate on ideas. The concept was Kendra’s and she asked if I wanted to do two stories for it. I read the stories that she did to get an idea of what she wanted and wrote my own to complement hers.

7. What can we expect to see from the two of you coming up? And will there be any other pairings coming up for you?
We have been talking about doing a cop series for a while. It will be contemporary, but it will touch several sub genres…if it comes to past. It is up in the air.

8. You have some new books coming out this year, including The House through Whiskey Creek Press-Torrid, To Have and To Hold with Red Rose Publishing and Happy Feet coming at the end of the year with Phaze, I noticed. Congrats! Please tell me what is coming soon and a little about your forthcoming projects.
I did a story for Take Over Publishing for their version of the seven deadly sins called Street Vices. My story was for anger. I called it Blaze’s Black Widow. I am working on a Halloween, too, but it may be too late to send it somewhere to be published except Red Eclipse Writers.

9. I know you have a public appearance coming up with a book signing for the Street Vices anthology in Indianapolis during Black Expo weekend (July 17-19) at Circle Centre mall. Do you enjoy these public experiences and how have they been for you so far?
Unfortunately, the book signing at Circle Center is cancelled because I had to move to Kansas City, Missouri this summer. But on the up side, I am working on a book signing there for the end of the summer. I have done only two other signings and they have been really cool.

10. What is your greatest fear?
I really, really don’t like the water. Up to my waist is as far as I go.

11. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
I may be a little too trusting. It has cost me to have a lot of pain and to make a few bad decisions.

12. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
When people don’t say what they mean and mean what they say.

13. Which living person do you most admire?
I really like Oprah. She has all this money and power and yet she makes it her business and thinks it’s really important to give back. I think that is awesome.

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I’d like to thank Dana Littlejohn for stopping by today. To learn more about this awesome author, please check out the following links:
websites: http://www.danalittlejohn.net/
and http://www.liljohndana.webs.com/
My blog: http://www.danalittlejohn.blogspot.com/
My videos trailers: http://youtube.com/shantemaria

Nicole North in the Spotlight

2009-07-03T07:45:00.000-07:00

Author Bio:

Nicole North writes sensual and erotic romance novels and novellas. She is the author of paranormal erotic romance novellas Devil in a Kilt, Red Sage Secrets Volume 27 Untamed Pleasures, July 2009; Beast in a Kilt, Red Sage Secrets Volume 29; and (contemporary) Kilted Lover. She lives with her husband in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, but wishes she lived in the Scottish Highlands at least half the year. Though she holds a degree in psychology, writing romance is her first love. Visit her at www.nicolenorth.com

Blurb:
Devil in a Kilt: A trip to the Highland Games turns into a trip to the past when modern day psychology professor Shauna MacRae touches Gavin MacTavish’s four-hundred-year-old claymore. What she finds is a Devil In a Kilt she’s had erotic fantasies about for months. Can Shauna break the curse imprisoning this shape shifting laird and his clan before an evil witch sends Shauna back to her time?

Author Links:
http://www.nicolenorth.com
http://fierceromance.blogspot.com/

Available for preorder from Barnes and Noble and Amazon!
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Secrets-Volume-27/Leigh-Court/e/9781603100076/?itm=1

http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-27-Pleasures-Leigh-Court/dp/1603100075/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241557838&sr=8-1

Devil in a Kilt, Red Sage Secrets Vol. 27 Untamed Pleasures 7/09
Beast in a Kilt, Red Sage Secrets Vol. 29
http://www.nicolenorth.com
http://fierceromance.blogspot.com/

Author Interview: T.D. McKINNEY

2009-07-01T08:35:00.001-07:00

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi T.D. and welcome to the Divas’ Den! So nice to have you here. First of all I’d like to ask you about your southern influences. I know you have said that the history of the south has influenced you as an author and you experienced your first New Orleans mardi gras at the age of three. What do you remember of it and how much have they differed over the years?
Thank you, A.J. It’s great to be here. Thank you for inviting me. Ah, Mardi Gras – My favorite holiday. I will admit I remember very little of that one in 1963-64 (LOL – yeah, go ahead, do the the math). A man who in my admittedly fragmented memory had a nice smile and dark hair caught a bracelet and gave it to me. Just flat plastic bead strung on two strands of elastic but I thought it was wonderful. I suppose I should insert something here about relying on “the kindness of strangers.” At least with my accent it sounds right.

2. You wrote the well-acclaimed historical romance My Secret Yankee with Aimee Masion about a Union officer falling in love with a Confederate lady and set during occupied New Orleans. Your research was extraordinary with this book. Will we be seeing historic New Orleans as a backdrop again?

Thank you. I think authenticity adds to a book. As for revisiting occupied New Orleans, well, I might. It sort just depends on how the mood strikes. I do now have quite a few books on the War and lots of URLs I can delve into. New Orleans has marvelous history. The whole of the American Gulf Coast does. It’s an old, old land with all sorts of fascinating, interesting bits unique from the rest of the country.

I’d love to do something in Alabama with the Casket Girls in Mobile or with the massacre at Fort Mims or the yellow fever in Blakeley. It’s really easy for me to fall into something so lush and exotic. Well, exotic to the rest of the world. I grew up hearing stories going back over a hundred years. Fascinating ones about cursed love, hidden children, murderous duels, forbidden love, Indian battles where the natives weren’t the bad guys. I might actually do something based on my own great-great-grandmother who was disowned by her wealthy father for marrying a moneyless Scots-Irishman. There’s so much to tempt.

3. I am impressed that you received a sparkling review from my all-time number one hero, John Douglas, one of the pioneers of criminal profiling for the FBI. How did you get him to read Dancing in the Dark? Is he a big vampire fan?
John is my number one hero as well. I’m am tremendously proud to say he is also my friend and mentor. I adore the man. When I wrote Dancing, that research geek who demands authenticity rose up again and possessed me. I figured if I was going to write about profilers I better be damned sure I got it right. I contacted a dear friend who I knew was into the whole forensics thing (now remember this was before the CSI craze). She directed me to MindHunter by John Douglas.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with the least interest in profiling. I was completely fascinated and more than a little freaked at how close my fictional profiler, Jack Niemczyk, was to John (though John’s much nicer). I visited the forum attached to John’s website and found everyone there very helpful. John was fairly active on the site at that time. When all the final tweaks were done, I got brave or crazy enough to send him an email asking if he’d be kind enough to look it over. I firmly expected him to say no. Instead, I got a phone call from him in the middle of the day! We talked for an hour – well, mostly he talked and I listened!

Before we hung up, he gave me his address and told me to send the manuscript to him. Believe me, I was then and am now completely aware of how rare something like that is from him.
To have him tell me “you got it right, kid” about the profiling means more than I can explain. I was lucky enough to attend an 8 hour class he taught on profiling a couple years ago at the American College of Forensic Examiners. We had the chance to talk a good bit and he introduced me to fellow profiler Greg Cooper and some other L.E. people. It was great! I hope to get to see John in September when he’s here in DFW as keynote speaker at a conference.
LMAO!! As far as I know, John isn’t into vampires in general, but he likes mine. And boy, does that put a grin on my face.

4. I am so jealous. I met him at the signing for his book Journey into Darkness....but..sob! You really know him! Ahem...I see that Dancing is the first book for a slated Shield and the Darkness series. When will be seeing more of this fascinating character, Jack Niemczyk?
The next book, Walking After Midnight will be released by Amber Quill Press early this fall – probably September-ish. It’s about a year and a half after Dancing and Jack’s life has gone to hell. Baby’s left him to go to Europe with the Master and even though Jack still has the mansion, the car, and the money, he’d trade it all to have her back. Now, just to add to the misery, some wacko is killing Chosen – humans who are the bonded lovers of vampires. And it’s very personal, the killer is leaving notes at each scene addressed to Jack. Shall we just say that Jackie is not pleased!
I’m working on the third book, Going Down in Flames, between other projects. I love this series but it takes a lot of effort and planning. Writing it is a very emotional experience. I love the characters and I love being in Jack’s head. But I do dig about in some very dark psyches. Of course, I may be getting really good at that. I’ve been asked to co-author an authorized non-fiction exploration of the BTK killer in Kansas. I’m a tad conflicted on how I feel about crawling about in Denis Rader’s mind. But I have a wonderful co-author and John Douglas’s support, so I should be okay.

5. You have strong and vibrant tastes in writing - from sci fi, to historical – even gay historical with Paxton’s Winter, to crime, paranormals, contemporary romance. Which is your favorite genre to write?
LOL This is the question everyone always asks me because I do have books listed in so many different genres, sometimes the same one simultaneously. And I’m going to give you the answer I give everyone else – I don’t write genres; I write stories.
Honestly, I don’t have a favorite genre. See, I don’t worry about “oh I have to do this because this is a ROMANCE” or “all mysteries must have this” or “the rules say I need to do this in a gay romance.” that! I expend that energy on making 3-dimensional characters with real emotions and reactions. I work on atmosphere and settings. I’ll visit the places I write about so I can convey that sensory experience to the reader. I love a smooshie gay romance, I love an adventurous one, too. I love vampires and profilers and mucking about in a serial killer’s head. I had a blast doing Paxton’s Winter. Sort of my tribute to all those Louis L’Amour books I read as a teen. Gunfights are so cool. But it wasn’t about the genre stuff – it was about the Colorado mountains I remember living in for 6 weeks at age 16 and about all the westerns I watched as a kid and actually meeting Mr. L’Amour at a book signing 35 years ago. It was about the good memories.
I sit down to each story pretty much the same. A mystery or historical may need more research and plotting than a romance but some of the romances take just as much. I get some idea in my head (usually from listening to a song) and I need to write it. So I do.

6. You had a wonderful collaboration with Trixie Stilletto in Eight is never Enough. Can we expect to see more of these humorous contemporary romances from you and Trixie?
I love working with Trixie. She is a great person and a wonderful author. Such an amazing sense of humor. I’d love to do something else with her and we’ve batted around a few ideas. It’s sort of hard for Trixie to work with me when we’re at opposite ends of the country, though. So I’m not sure when you’ll see something from us.
I’ve been really lucky with having such wonderful co-authors. T.L. Lawrence/Terry Wylis and I practically think with the same brain. We’re working on a gay romance set in Maine right now.

7. I know you live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas and you and your husband share a love of vampires, sword collecting and Japanese. Do you have a lot of swords? And do you know any dirty words in Japanese?
No, but I can cuss in Cajun. :)
Yes, we have swords. I don’t know what you’d consider a lot. There’s a bit over a dozen. One day I’ll have to tell you the story of getting a very expensive tashi and an equally expensive autographed Highlander katana back to DFW from Denver on Continental Airlines… in a rifle case… in the cabin of the plane… with a switchover in Houston…

8. I know you juggle marriage, motherhood, writing and other careers. What is your writing routine like? Do you write every day?
Yes, I write every day. It’s very rare when I don’t write something. It may just be play. It may just be something for me (there’s an epic fanfic going that will only ever be seen by a handful of people) or for a friend. But I write. I have to. I’ll go nuts if I don’t.
I gave up sleep. Seriously. I used to sleep 8-10 hours a night. Now I sleep 4 or 5. I use the extra hours for writing. I often start writing for the day after 9 or 10 pm.

9. Now for a tough question. How old were you when you learned to tie your shoe laces?
OMG – that was the hardest thing! My first grade teacher thought she’d never get me to understand the concept! I always wore slip-on or buckle shoes. Poor Mrs. McGowen. But I had mastered it by the end of first grade. I still hate tie shoes though. I think I only own one pair and I keep them loose enough I don’t have to tie and untie them.

10. Another toughie. Are you a snoop? Ever looked anyone’s medicine cabinet? Found anything scary?
I’m not a snoop. I have enough weird shit just appear in my life. I have absolutely no need to go looking for any. LOL – my day-to-day life can occasionally turn fairly terrifying so I just let it go.
11. Who is the sexiest vampire of all time?
Ooooo – tough questions! There’s been so many. And I collected them all up until about 1985 or so. St. Germaine…Langella’s Dracula…Saberhagen’s Dracula… So many choices!
The sexiest vampire of all time – Jean Claude DuValliere… until I turn Jack.

12. Please tell me about your upcoming projects.
I think I’ve already worked them in! Look for the 2nd in my vampire and FBI profiler series, Walking After Midnight, this fall. Keep an eye out for Sea Glass & Solitude, my next gay romance written with the wonderful Terry Wylis. A reclusive former child actor sheltered in abject loneliness on an island off the coast of Maine falls for a vibrant, altruistic young man with a beautiful Appalachian accent and a fearless heart. At some point there will be a true crime exploration of Denis Rader, the BTK, told with full access to Rader and with the blessing and cooperation of the families of his victims.

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I’d like to thank the awesome T.D. McKinney for stopping by today. To learn more about her work, please check out her links:
http://www.tdmckinney.com/ - website
http://twitter.com/Ebony_Silvers - twitter
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=783300628&ref=name – Face Book: Theresa D. McKinney
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Terry-Wylis-TD-McKinney/44450105669?ref=s – Face Book: Terry Wylis & T D McKinney

Mila Ramos in the Spotlight

2009-06-26T04:30:00.000-07:00

Bio:

Studying Chemistry in Texas, and always on the go, whether writing or trying to finish her master’s degree July 2009, Mila credits her passion for writing to her family and third-grade teacher.

With an environment rich in paranormal and sci-fi, thanks to her brothers, she always had a quick response, a quicker story, and lightning speed imagination. It first started with the show The Misfits of Science, roared with her first ‘big book’ as a child A Gift of Magic by Lois Duncan and then skyrocketed into various genres of reading when she discovered her first romance Pride and Prejudice, shortly thereafter. With that much fuel no wonder she was writing stories by the fourth grade.

Staying true to her roots, Mila writes paranormal, fantasy and contemporary stories without fearing of delving into other genres of writing. Currently as a chemist, she mixes Organic Chemistry with a good story line and sometimes writes her thoughts on her own exams.

As eclectic as her books, music and taste, her life is the best book she has written thus far. She has traveled all over the US and outside as well, taught high school, met a couple Nobel Laureates, was a competitive swimmer, and is proud to say she bungee jumped once (with the intention to never do it again). Further chapters and sub-chapters are still being written. Though her fiance calls her a gypsy, she says it’s her childlike, curious Aries spirit that makes her multi-interested. That debate will never be settled.

Juggling school work and writing, her publishing debut came in December of 2006. As of December 2007, she has is adding her list and a billion ideas written to life with her home publishers and many more contracted. Described as having sassy characters and great plot lines, Mila loves getting deep into the worlds she creates. She wants her readers to love the worlds she creates as much as she loves to write about them and believes that anything can happen or exist.

For more information on Mila, her new releases and to chat, visit her blog at http://jademystique.blogspot.com or myspace http://www.myspace.com/jademystique

Blurb:

Smoldering Ember
Five years after their divorce, Cassandra and Ethan Vance still have an estranged relationship. In a single conversation with her ex-husband, Cassandra discovers why Ethan had to give up everything in his life, including their marriage. Coming to terms with secrets and truths, both Cassandra and Ethan learn that there are some fires that can never be extinguished.

Touch of Fire
Katherine (Kat) O'Brien has moved on after a terrible, life-threatening relationship. Relocated with a new life, she learns her ex-boyfriend, Jared, has escaped from jail. She's now the target of revenge, and the one man she has pushed out of her heart is the one she needs to help her survive. Will Kat touch the fire she once knew, even if it means revisiting a painful memory?

Excerpt:

Touch of Fire

Several Years Later…

Thud.

“Aw sh— That’s gonna leave a mark.”

Jumping on one foot, Kat saw the culprit. The deep mahogany oak table, known to take its aggressions out on her, had managed to sneak from its current location and move to a new one. This elusive plot was executed through a long, drawn-out process, and resulted in another stubbed toe. That wasn’t the surprising part. Not only did this table do the stealth operation with fast and efficient ease, but managed to get Murphy’s Law to call her at that exact moment, especially when the phone was located fifty feet away in the receptionist area and didn’t have an answering machine attached to it.

“Kat, are you going to get the phone?” her business and dancing partner, Adrian Jackson, yelled from the back of the studio.

She rolled her eyes and hobbled closer to the phone. “No, I’m going to wait for you to do it, Adrian!”

As she made her way to the receptionist area, the pain doubled. “Thank you for calling Dancing Spirits; how may I help you?” The voice of her long-time friend and confidant distracted her from the swelling toe. “Hi, Cassandra, what’s up?”

“Kat, sweetie, are you busy?”

“Yeah, Cass. Remember, I have that benefit performance?”

“That’s why I’m asking; Noah wanted to bring you food before the performance.”

“That’s so sweet. Tell that angel of course he can.” Her godson, Noah, was too precious for words. “I’ll be here for a few more hours before heading out.”

“Okay, we’ll be down soon.”

“Bye, Cass.”

Kat placed the phone on its receiver and hopped up on the counter to better examine the site of pain. Focused on her task, she didn’t notice Adrian entering.

“My goodness, woman, I’m amazed you have feet.” Adrian chuckled as he filed the papers in his hand. “We should get beepers on your toes—ear-piercing shrills any time you come close to a corner. Then again, knowing you, you’d actually hit those walls with the intent of destroying those shoes.”

Kat stuck out her tongue and continued checking her foot. “At least I don’t walk into walls.” Wiggling her toes, she flexed and pointed her foot in various degrees.

“Okay, I was drunk those times and you know that, Katherine!”

Well over six feet, with russet-colored hair and soft chocolate eyes, Adrian’s good looks, combined with a sarcastic and quirky sense of humor, made rough times bearable and years of friendship special. In this case, though, his complaining made her laugh.

“Tell me again how you met Evelyn.”

Adrian rolled his eyes. “Dammit, you always bring that up.”

Kat grinned from ear to ear, waiting for the story. “C’mon, Adrian, tell me.”

Adrian shook his head and moved to the back office. Kat followed with a slight limp that gradually improved with each step. “No, Kat. I’m not telling for the umpteenth time how I met Evie.”

“C’mon, Adrian, please!” she begged.

“You already know! She’s your twin sister for goodness sake!”

“Please!” she continued, hands clasped with a huge smile on her face.

“I don’t know what the hell fascinates you about that damn story so much,” Adrian muttered under his breath.

Kat leaned in closer, her fingers bringing her ear forward. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t hear. You were muttering.”

Adrian glared at her and let out a deep breath. “I said that I was trying to pull a prank on you and confused you and Evelyn. I walked up to Evie instead and asked what it felt like to have a god in her presence, and then she punched me and I hit the wall.”

Laughter broke out even before Adrian finished his sentence. Kat leaned forward, holding her sides. Adrian playfully swatted at her. “Shut up, Kat. When it’s your turn, I’ll make sure your humiliation is broadcast on national TV.”

“You say that with such tender conviction, Adrian.” Wiping the tears from her eyes as the door chimed indicating a visitor, Kat scanned the two gentlemen waiting in the receptionist area. Both men, dressed in dark business suits, casually perused the area and admiringly observed the photos on the walls.

“Hello, gentlemen, welcome to Dancing Spirit Studios. How many I help you?”

The man who had stared at the photos approached and flashed three letters of his identification, and with them years of peace vanished.

“I’m Agent Donald Wyatt of the F.B.I. We are looking for a Katherine O’Brien.”

Kat nervously tucked the strands of her curls behind her ears. “I’m Katherine O’Brien. May I ask what this is about?”

The second agent, who idly drummed his fingers on the countertop, stepped forward and lowered his sunglasses. “Agent Clive Bloch, Miss O’Brien. Are you the same Katherine O’Brien who testified against Jared Malloy, drug mule for the Roman family?”

Kat locked her jaw. Her stomach rolled and turned. The soft pastel colors welcoming visitors to the comforts and professionalism of Dancing Spirit disappeared. The two federal agents, who moments before stepped through unheard by her, stripped the joy she had made out of her life with three letters. Those important yet powerful letters sent her spiraling back to the bleak and cold day she decided to regain control of her life.

It marked the beginning of legal action, court appearances, and convictions spanning state lines that directly connected an influential drug family on the upper eastern coast. When Jared was placed on death row, she thought she could live again. She thought she had left that life of danger, that time, behind her. Adjustment didn’t come without its problems, manifested in the form of nightmares and various fears. She hadn’t been able to forget, but it was Jared’s promised retribution which she had somehow forgotten over time.

“Yes, I am the same Katherine O’Brien. May I ask what this is about?”

Agent Bloch stepped forward. “Ms. O’Brien, I regret to inform you that Jared Malloy has escaped prison.”

Thank you to Ms. Ramos for being featured, and don't forget to follow her links below!

Mila Ramos, Paranormal & Contemporary Romance
Blog: http://jademystique.blogspot.com
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/jademystique
Website: http://www.milaramos.net/

Author Interview: ADRIANNE BRENNAN

2009-06-24T09:07:00.000-07:00

Author Interview by A. J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Adrianne, and welcome to the Divas' dark den. You are one of my favorite people on our group Midnight Seductions Authors. Your paranormal/vampire Dark Moon series books Blood of the Dark Moon and Blood and Mint Chocolates have done very well and received rave reviews. I know there are a slew of sequels and even a prequel coming out soon. Can you please tell me where you got the inspiration for the series?

Mostly from dreams and my crazy Muse. My Muse and I go waaayy back. Ah, good times. First he introduced me to the wide, wonderful world of writing, then he got me addicted to things like LARPs (Live Action Role Play) and RPGs.
I just have to send him offerings of wine and chocolate, and he does so much for me. :)
What are the titles and release dates for the upcoming books?
Due to my recent unemployment, my life got a little crazy. I have no release dates for anything right now because I've been focused on trying to make sure I can continue paying my mortgage, and interviews and studying for tech interviews have eaten up my life.
I can, however, refer people to the following page: http://www.adriannebrennan.com/books.html

It contains previews for upcoming books with blurbs and in some cases, cover images.
Examples include books 3-5 in The Oath Series: Broken, Anointed, and Union plus the sequel to Blood and Mint Chocolates which is Blood and Spice, and Book 2 in the series which is Shadows of the Dark Moon.

2. Blood and Mint Chocolates is a fascinating F/F novella in the series, but will soon have its own sequel. What can you tell me about Blood and Spice, and when is it coming out?
Blood and Spice picks up some months after Blood and Mint Chocolates left off with Merideth visiting Kalia and the rest of Clan Corvus in New Orleans. Their relationship continues to grow, but political issues within the Order of the Dragon and the Rose may tear them apart. A new character will finally be introduced, and I'm doing my best to prevent this individual from taking over the story. Needless to say, there's already been some intrigue about this person and I'm looking forward to seeing people's reactions!

3. I am fascinated that you own a big car called The Tardis. You are a Doctor Who fan! Who, in your mind is the best Doctor and why?
Only bigger on the inside! *laughs* That's actually how the name came about. People kept telling me that the car was bigger on the inside and I thought to myself, "Hm...where have I heard this before?" It's even the right color of the police box he travels in, so even better!
Honestly, I'd have to say that it's David Tennant who's pulled off the best Doctor. He's clearly watched the show and has incorporated bits and pieces of all of the Doctors into his personality, and it makes for splendid viewing. I will miss him when he goes, and feel that he's leaving way too soon. :(

4. Speaking of cars…I am excited to know more about your upcoming series My Other Car is a Broom. What can you tell me about it? Obviously it's about a witch, right?
It's about a witch named Samantha living in Salem. Aside from the obvious bad luck she'll have with that name, it's not your typical tale about witchcraft. In this book I'll be covering love triangles, alternate realities, and the fae. It's going to be very interesting when I'm done and I hope people will enjoy it!

5. I know you live in Boston and you juggle your prolific writing schedule with the dreaded day job. How do you balance the two? What is your writing routine like?
Well, the dreaded day job is sadly gone. You'd think this would be mean I would have more free time, but in reality I probably have a bit less. The stress is keeping my Muse at bay and I'm trying to get that back.
My writing routine...well, isn't. I usually am the most awake during the evenings and hence my Muse is out in full force during then. I can't tell you how many times I've sat at a computer, started to type, looked up and suddenly...daylight. I can get like that. :)
I still struggle with the balance. I have a lot going on in my life, and if I don't take care of me then my Muse will withdraw until I do. He's a harsh taskmaster but doesn't like working with me when I'm less than optimal. I recommend long walks, music, trips to the spa, and treating yourself to your favorite meal and beverage.

6. I know you went to Salem and visited some of the “witchy” type stores. What were they like? Did you get a sense of history there and which ones are your favorites?
My favorite stores are Nu Aeon, Artemisia Botanicals, New England Magic, and Magic Parlor. All of them have "the real deal" in regards to their products and are run by the same. I try to avoid the places that sell the colored glitter as "fairy dust" as it's cute, but it's not my thing. :)
There's definitely huge amounts of history. Just wander around in the graveyards and look at the dates of some of the homes. If you're up for it, stay at the Salem Inn--rumor has it that it's haunted. I did once for a weekend getaway and while I didn't spot any ghosts, I did have a wonderful stay.

7. You took a deep dive into the BDSM community for your Oath series. How did you research this genre? Also I have to ask you, why of all erotic genres does BDSM seem to engender such fierce and diverse opinions by practitioners of it?
I'll be blunt--I didn't really have to. I've been in and out of the BDSM community for the past decade or so and have friends who are heavily into the scene and dated a few who were as well. As a result, I've attended certain clubs, play parties, events, and workshops. I'm also a member of a few local groups who do their best to educate and provide resources to others.
If you're ever in Boston, I highly recommend attending the Fetish Flea. :)
Like any subculture that specializes in a particular field of choice for their study/practice/what-have-you, people guard that information jealously and with every five people you'll get twelve opinions. It's a passionate group of passionate people. I'm sure some will read my works and love them. Some may read and dislike certain aspects.
We alt types are an opinionated lot. I think that this comes from being so used to hiding out among the mainstream. We keep it all in, then we explode when we're around each other. I see the same syndrome among fellow pagans, occultists, even gamers.

8. I know you are a fan of the ancient philosopher Iamblichus. What is so alluring about him? Will we see him pop up in your erotic fantasy novels any time soon?
Iamblichus was the one who coined the term "theurgy" which literally means "god work". In essence, it's mysticism and/or magic for spiritual purposes. This term is used heavily within many modern secret esoteric societies, traditions, and religions. I'm also quite fond of his work as not much of ancient Greek mystical thought has survived.
I don't think he'll pop up, but I'm sure you'll find references to other characters in history who will be found just as alluring to others of similar backgrounds. The original 007, John Dee, may make such an "appearance". :)

9. Do you read much fiction or do you prefer non fiction? What are your must-keep books?
I snack, devour, and hoard both. Recent purchases include the latest Charlaine Harris novel, Crowley's Book 4, a book on Reiki, and a huge book on ASP.NET and C#. As you can see, I'm a little diverse in my reading interests. :D
Must keep books include anything by Madeleine L'Engle, Neil Gaiman, Karl Kerenyi, Peter Kingsley, Charlaine Harris, LA Banks, and Yasmine Galenorn. They're among my favorite authors. :)

10. Now for a completely off the wall question. You get to invite six people alive or dead to dinner. Who would you invite and what would you serve?
Jim Morrison, Madeleine L'Engle, Neil Gaiman, Peter Kingsley, Robert Anton Wilson, and Jack Parsons.
I'd make sure an excellent vegan gourmet meal was served. :D Good wine, too.

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I'd like to thank the amazing and wonderful Adrianne Brennan nfor stopping by today. To learn more about this awesome author, please check out her links:

~ "Where love and magic meet" ~http://www.adriannebrennan.com/Experience the magic of Blood of the Dark Moon: http://www.adriannebrennan.com/botdm.htmlTake a bite out of Blood and Mint Chocolates: http://www.adriannebrennan.com/bamc.htmlDare to take The Oath in this erotic fantasy series: http://www.adriannebrennan.com/books.html#the_oath

A Hint Of Wicked: Jennifer Haymore in the Lights

2009-06-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

Author Bio:
Jennifer Haymore grew up on the Big Island of Hawaii, where she surfed, learned how to fly airplanes, raced bicycles, and developed a love for sailing. She was an avid reader and completely destroyed her eyesight by sneaking a flashlight under her covers and reading far into the nights — making her mother wonder why on earth she couldn’t get up for school in the mornings…Jennifer holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from UC Berkeley and a master’s degree in Education from UCLA. Before she became a full-time writer she held various jobs from bookselling to teaching inner-city children to playing bit roles in soap operas. You can find Jennifer in Southern California trying to talk her husband into yet another trip to England, helping her three children with homework while brainstorming a new five-minute dinner menu, or crouched in a corner of the local bookstore writing her next novel. Author links: http://www.jenniferhaymore.com/
Blurb:
CAUGHT BETWEEN DUTY AND DESIRE…Sophie, the Duchess of Calton, has finally moved on. After seven years mourning the loss of her husband, Garrett, at Waterloo, she has married his best friend and heir, Tristan. Sophie gives herself to him body and soul…until the day Garrett returns from the Continent, demanding his title, his lands—and his wife.
TORN BETWEEN TWO HUSBANDS…Now Sophie must choose between her first love and her new love, knowing that no matter what, her choice will destroy one of the men she adores. Will it be Garrett, her childhood sweetheart, whose loss nearly destroyed her once already? Or will it be Tristan, beloved friend turned lover, who supported her through the last, dark years and introduced her to a passion she had never known? As her two husbands battle for her heart, Sophie finds herself immersed in a dangerous game—where the stakes are not only love…but life and death.
Excerpt: here is the link to one: http://www.jenniferhaymore.com/bookshelf/
Thank You to Ms. Haymore for being in the Spotlight! ~ Ava James

Author Interview: KAYELLE ALLEN

2009-06-17T08:09:00.000-07:00

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Kayelle, welcome to the Dark Divas…my first question to you is how do you manage to be SO prolific? You have so many intriguing and varied books out…do you write every single day?

Thanks for inviting me! Do I write every single day? Yes, I do. There are rare days when I take time off, but few full days when I don't write or discuss plotting or marketing with someone online, in person, or on the phone. If you do something fifteen minutes a day for five years you become an expert and develop skills you'd never have thought you'd possess. That applies to almost anything.

Researching a medical field, reading poetry, writing letters, studying the Bible, writing the history of a future people... it adds up! Every day at lunch for about six months, I had nothing to do but relieve a receptionist. Four days a week all I did was smile at the rare visitor, or answer two-three phone calls.

So I used my PDA and wrote an entire language for the feline Kin people, called Felis. I developed the sound (lots of breathy pauses and hisses, plus hard k sounds), studied the way the mouth forms words, and tried to figure out how a mouth with fangs would say words. I eliminated the letter B from their language, which led to having to watch every word to ensure I hadn't used it.

Once a Kin learns Etymis (essentially English), they learn to make the B sound with little difficulty, but at first, asking someone where the BarBeQue is can be a trial! Probably the reason I have so many books is that I don't have to reinvent the world each time. It's all there, laid out, ready to write. I have a short history of every world in the empire, a background for each character, and even the immortal empress has a list of all the hot young men she will eventually bring to her harem (her "Jades"). Each has a name and many other details. If I need a blonde with brown eyes between the ages of 25-35, it's easy to find one in my Jade database. It's a hard job being a writer but someone has to do it. *grins*

2. Your new Surrender series has an immortal lead character Luc Saint-Cyr (love that name) and immortality is a recurring them in your work. What was your inspiration for the Tarthian nation?

Thank you! I love Luc. He's easily my favorite since he's been in every book set in the Tarthian Empire. Someone asked me since substituting the T in Tarth with an E made it Earth, was that saying Tarth is really an alternate Earth? It was a darned good question, but in the book Jawk, Tales of the Chosen, Luc Saint-Cyr takes Jawk to Earth, so that pretty much showed it wasn't. Tarth is a world and the capitol of an empire on the other side of the galaxy from us.

The books are set about ten thousand years in the future, long after a series of genocidal wars wiped out much of mankind and caused those who survived to erect a barrier across one arm of the galaxy to prevent the genetically enhanced "non-humans" from coming over into human space, and vice versa.

Thousands of years later, the barrier is failing, and there are huge holes that permit anyone to pass through. The immortals that had been created as warriors and were isolated on a world they called Sempervia (Latin for ever living) have now developed space travel and are free to roam the galaxy they once sought to subdue. The difference is, the homeworld wants no part of mankind, and shields itself from any type of probe. They value their privacy and peace. However, a hundred exiles were ejected thirty-four hundred years ago and they have an agenda. "Make mankind pay."

My inspiration was reading ongoing science information about the Human Genome Project, clones, genetic tampering, and extending life. I thought, what if all of that worked? What would happen next? So I curled up and jotted down a basic timeline, which I've since developed into a ten thousand year history with as much detail as I need for my current series of books set in the Tarthian Empire. I have separate timelines for other parts of the galaxy as well, and books planned for those areas. I will never run out of stories. My imagination has never known how to shut down.

3. What is especially appealing to you about the paranormal realm as a writer?

The fact that we can make up our own worlds with our own rules. Yes, a vampire survives on blood, but one author says it's a curse; another swears it's genetic. Some fear garlic and crosses, yet others are unaffected by them. The sheer unique possibilities of each vampire world-view fascinates me. I'm a world builder at heart. I've never written a vampire tale or a time travel, but I want to do both. And I will. Someday. Just ... not yet.

4. What are your favorite immortal characters in other books and/or movies? Do you read paranormals in your private time?

My favorite immortal characters in other books and/or movies ... wow! I have many. I like Hellboy because I'm a huge Ron Perlman fan, and fell head over heels for Prince Nuada (Luke Goss) in Hellboy II The Golden Army. I even follow His Evil-but-Sexy Majesty on Twitter (no lie). I also have a thing for Anne Rice's vampires (all of them but Armand is my favorite). I read all sorts of things and I read every day of the world. I love anything by Kiernan Kelly and Michael Barnette.

I have every book by Lynn Viehl, Raven Hart, and they are on my see-it-buy-it list. So is Medieval period author Helen Kirkman. I love the Dark series by Christine Feehan. Who could miss Acheron and the Dark Hunters by Sherrilyn Kenyon?

I also love her books written as Kinley MacGregor. I have a young character named Talyn MacGregor who is half Kin and half human, so when I saw that name, I grabbed the book out of pure curiosity and have bought them ever since. Karen Marie Moning is a must have. Chris Owens and Jodi Payne write wonderful gay erotica, and I have countless -- seriously countless favorite authors in this genre. Vampires are my favorites but I also love sweet to spicy Regency period books, anything by Dara Joy, and now Kiernan has gotten me hooked on gay cowboys and I will never give them up. I'm an addict when it comes to hot man sex.

5. Your motto seems to be that Romance Lives Forever…does it live forever in your personal life?

It sure does. I don't talk about age much online, because I don't think it has anything to do with what our lives are really about. It's a limit most of us put on ourselves. I remember a friend saying she was 55 and if she went back to college then in four years she'd be graduating at age 59.

I asked her how old she'd be in four years if she didn't graduate. After a surprised look, she went ahead and registered, and got her degree. People tell me that I write like I'm in my twenties, which I take to mean that I sound like I write for today, and I think I do. However, I've been married for 34 years to one man, and I'm more in love now than I was the day we married. He feels the same way.

I was fortunate -- no, make that blessed -- to have found a man who truly cherishes me and treats me like a queen. I adore him and do everything I can to make his life easier and stressfree. My parents had been married for fifty years when they passed away, and my husbands folks have been married more than sixty-five. We had good examples.

For us, the romance is still there. We work at providing that for the other. Whether it's saying "I love you" every day, or making a special dinner, or simply saying, "You were right," romance is the heart of a love relationship. Romance lives forever in my world, as well as the world of my books. Does that mean that all my romances are happy-ever-afters? No, sorry to say, it does not. But my main characters are immortals, and when they finally find their true loves, their "forever loves", then for them Romance Lives Forever. It's also the name of my yahoo group, myspace page, and blog. (Links below)

6. You hold online seminars for romance writers to help them market their books. What, in your opinion are the fundamental mistakes authors make in their marketing and/or promotion?

1) Don't give away a book once it's been released. Only have drawings for a new book before it's out and don't give away one single copy for at least six months, or until the next book is released. No one will buy if they think they can get it for free. This is most important in the first month of your new book's release.

2) Don't depend on your publisher to send out review requests. Though many send out books automatically, most review sites have a policy (unofficial and unnanounced) of always reviewing a book requested by the author. They may pass over the book your publisher sends because of a rush from many others, but they will usually review one you personally request.

3) Don't expect everyone to hear about your books and rush to find you. Plan as far ahead as you can and start promoting the day you sell the book. It's never too early. Announcing you've just scored a contract for ________ is big news. Tell everyone.

4) Try to imagine a modern business that doesn't have a phone. How many orders will they get, or how many people will they be able to contact? A website is today's phone. It's a must have. Pay for a domain name (godaddy.com will sell you one for $1.99 if you also host your site on their servers.) It's not that expensive. If you don't have a website you are commiting literary suicide. How is anyone going to find out anything about you? If I can learn to do it, so can you. Hire someone if you can, if not, google "how do you" and your question.

The answer is out there and you *can* do it. No excuses. Are you serious about writing? Get a website first thing, before you submit to editors. They can look you up online and learn a ton about you, including whether you know how to present yourself. Study this.

Look at twenty sites a day for a week and paste the sites into a document. Write notes about what you did / didn't like. Figure out your colors, your must-have pages, and then get to work. I knew nothing about websites, but today, mine has over 130 pages. You can do this. If you can write a book and submit it for publication, you have the brains to create a website.

7. Wow Kayelle, this is fabulous and generous information. Thank you!! Let me ask you, do you think the advent of the new crop of online PR companies flooding Yahoo groups has helped or hurt authors?

I use one myself -- Heartfelt Promos, and I think the answer to the question depends on how the promo group actually operates. Heartfelt has a warm/fuzzy feel to its promos and is very personal in the way it approaches readers. I've used others in the past, but this one has been the most helpful to me.

Overall, I think authors should take great care in what they spend and what they get in return. Keep this acronym in mind: ROI - Return on Investment. If you are paying $45 for a book launch party and only end up selling three books, your royalties won't even cover the cost. However, if you have one for your new book the night before release, have special guests such as your editor and publisher (and give them prearranged questions so they can prepare) then you are likely to have a huge hit. Your promo group will do most of the promo for you, but you should also be planning ahead.

If I know a book is coming out mid fall, around spring time I start asking for interviews, blog time, author chats, and co-contests with other authors in my genre to be held during that time period. If you see an author offer blog time, or offer to "interview" your characters, try to set up the date far ahead - ideally to right after your book's release, or right before. The buzz this generates will help you create sales and interest your readers in the book.

8. What are the three most important things an author can do to promote their work?

1) Perform regular "vanity searches". This means Google your name in quotations often. Add +review, or +"book title" to find specific info on your book. You may also find pirates this way. Handling those is another entire subject. Personally send thank you letters to the review department of each place that reviewed your book, no matter what they said. Copy the link, paste it into a document and then copy the entire review and add it. Note the reviewer etc. Then choose a line or two you can quote and add them to the bottom of the document.

Personally, I save mine in a Reviews folder and name them with the book title first followed by Review. This way, all reviews for the same book sort together, making them easy to reference. When you open it, the blurb you want to quote is next to the link and reviewer, ready to post in a promo.

2) Create a Marketing folder and keep anything there that you use for marketing rather than with the specific book. Reviews, Interviews, Promo material such as headshots, your logo, contests you run, specific things for your group, etc. Try to keep it focused and small enough to back up on a CD.

3) If you have a trilogy, which I do, give away the middle book. If you give them the first book, they may not be curious enough to seek the other two. If you give them the last book, it will wrap up what the other books said. The middle book, however, will entice them to buy the other two.

9. I know you live in Atlanta, GA. Can you give me an idea of what your life is like there? Do you hang out at coffee houses? Any special places you like to go and absorb local color?

Favorite places in Atlanta... well, I don't miss DragonCon which is Labor Day weekend right in the heart of downtown. I take the MARTA train from the northenmost station and get off at Peachtree Center, then walk one block to reach one of the four hotels (D*C hosted about 95k people last year).

Other than that, I detest going downtown. It's a maze of one way streets all going the wrong way and all of them are named Peachtree something or other. Locally, I like to curl up at Waffle House (yes, WAHO) and drink diet Coke with vanilla while I make notes for my next book. One of my local friends who's like a sister to me will often meet me there and we spend an hour chit chatting over coffee. I only go to Starbucks if she treats. I can't see paying that much for coffee. My favorite cup is decaf with about 3/4 c hot water to dilute it and a huge spoonful of chocolate creamer, so Starbucks just doesn't do it for me. I walk at least three days a week in a local park, putting in two miles each time.

It's an easy course with only three hills, but it gets your blood pumping. I was invited to attend a play downtown at the Fox with my friend, and it was one I'd never heard of before, called Wicked, which turned out to be one of the best plays I'd ever seen.

Now I know that the understudy for one of the main parts was Adam Lambert - who's my favorite hottie! I have no idea where I put the program from that night, and since I keep everything I know it's here somewhere... Imagine being in the audience that night - two understudies performed; I remember that. But which ones? ACK! It's an amazing theater and I've also seen David Copperfield there.

In my hometown, way up north about 45 miles outside the city, there's not much to do but we have almost any restaurant you'd ever want, plus a new mall with all the biggest chain stores, so I no longer need to drive any distance to go shopping. The weather here is usually hot and wet; in summer we swelter and in winter it gets down to 40 or so and only freezes a handful of days. Spring is glorious. The colors are splendid, with vibrant golds, yellows, reds, fuschia, and every shade of green. Fall is when we drive up into the north Georgia mountains to see the colors change.

We just broke a seven-year drought, so it's good to know the trees will survive. We lost seven on our property during the last three years. At the height of the drought, the colors were magnificent due to the quick release of sap into the ground, revealing an early bloom of every shade of gold, red, and yellow under the sun. I love living here. It's beautiful in every season.

10. I know you grew up in the southwest and apparently moved around a lot. You even lived in Central America. What was that like?

My parents joked that they had itchy feet and were always looking for treasure beyond the next rainbow. I've lived in almost every state, and in one year I changed schools five times. My dad was a mechanic, and he went where the business was. My mother homeschooled me most of my first seven years, and I was always the new kid in school, until I hit junior high and my folks settled down.

So I say my hometown is Henderson NV, right outside Las Vegas. That's where I spent my teen years and eventually ended up joining the Navy, where I met my husband. I still have three sisters in the general area, and Vegas is my favorite place to vacation, though I never gamble and haven't even dropped a dime in a slot machine in at least 30 years. There are plenty of other things to do and see, especially in the desert.

Wild mustangs and burros still roam there and you can see them from the road. When they come out on the highway everyone has to stop; they walk right up to your car and look in the windows. It's an amazing sight.

11. And now a couple of tough questions. You ready? What was your favorite toy growing up?

Probably the thing I remember best and used the most was a small telescope that my parents bought me. I was outside with it every night. Imagine how cool it was to discover that the drive-in movie several miles away came in clear as could be -- without sound, of course, but I could figure out the story line pretty well. And I was always stargazing. In the desert, the stars look close enough to touch. Small wonder I ended up writing Science Fiction Romance!

12. Favorite TV show?

I budget TV so I'll have time to write, but I don't miss "24" for anything. My next favorite was the Unit, starring Dennis Haysbert (also known as President David Palmer on the first four seasons of "24") canceled this year *sniff*.

He was the model for my character Luc Saint-Cyr. He's also the Allstate Spokesman. I'll watch anything he's in. Recently at a convention where Allstate had a booth, I managed to grab a poster of him sitting in a sports car. It's right over my desk for inspiration. He has a voice like buttered velvet. OMG I could listen to him all day.

Ron Perlman's voice is the same way. If either of these guys were to read their laundry lists, I'd go buy a copy. When I can, I also like House, Castle, Mental, the Mentalist, Bones, DollHouse (I miss the Terminator series - *sniff*) and CSI Las Vegas because it's my hometown. I rarely get to see all these though, due to prior commitments on line and deadlines. So I look them up on HULU or iTunes if they're keepers. My dh is studying to be a nurse so he actually has homework taken from episodes of House and Bones. No kidding. If it's a medical show, we watch it.

13. Did your parents encourage your writing? Do they know about your work now?

My mother always wanted to write and had a poem published. She was also an artist and sent a portrait to President and Mrs. Kennedy and received a thank you note from the White House. Later, the painting was featured in the film 1000 Days, about JFK's life. My father hand made frames for her and cut up masonite to use for her canvases. Sadly they both died years ago but I know they'd have been very proud.

14. How old were you when you learned to tie your shoelaces?

About four or five, I think. I remember everyone trying to help me and me being frustrated that I couldn't do it right. Finally it all clicked into place. It was exciting - especially for a little kid!

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I'd like to thank the amazing Kayelle Allen for her talent and her wisdom. To learn more about this gorgeous author's work, please check out her links:

Email kayelle@kayelleallen.com
Homepage http://kayelleallen.com
Booklist http://kayelleallen.com/Books.html Romance Lives Forever – Yahoo http://groups.yahoo.com/group/romancelivesforever Marketing for Romance Writershttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/MarketingForRomanceWriters/
Twitter http://twitter.com/kayelleallen Romance Lives Forever – MySpace http://myspace.com/romancelivesforever
Kayelle's Coffee Corner http://coffeetimeromance.com/board/ Manloveromancehttp://manloveromance.com
Romance Lives Forever – Blog http://romancelivesforever.blogspot.com/
The Romance Studio - Blog http://trsblue.blogspot.com/ The NaughtyTruth Newsletter http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=987 Linked In http://www.linkedin.com/in/kayelleallen
Wiki Romance – Kayelle http://www.romancewiki.com/Kayelle_Allen

Publishers

http://loose-id.com

http://liquidsilverbooks.com

http://shadowfirepress.com

http://wolfsingerpublications.com

Paty Jager in the Spotlight

2009-06-12T18:13:00.000-07:00

Author Bio:

Wife, mother, grandmother, and the one who cleans pens and delivers the hay; award winning author, Paty Jager, not only writes about the western lifestyle, she lives it. Jager and her husband of thirty years have raised four children, built a house, and now ranch 350 acres. Jager began her writing career as a freelance reporter for local newspapers. Found RWA (Romance Writers of America) and after eight years of attending many conferences, workshops, and being a finalist in eight contests, she broke into the publishing industry with The Wild Rose Press. She credits the RWA organization for helping her work on her craft to become a published author and giving her the contacts necessary to build her career. Two western romance historical books were published in 2006. Marshal in Petticoats and Gambling on an Angel. Her third romance novel, Perfectly Good Nanny, a contemporary western romance, won the 2008 Best Contemporary Romance EPPIE. The second book of the Halsey brother series, Outlaw in Petticoats, was released November 2008 and was a finalist for Best Western Romance at the Love Western Romances. Her fourth historical western and third book of the Halsey brother series, Miner in Petticoats will be available June 2009.

Blurb:
Shouldering the burdens of his family and the mining community, Ethan Halsey devotes himself to providing for his brothers’s growing families. However, Aileen Miller, a widow, also looking out for her family’s interests, refuses to part with the land he needs. As they battle- one to push his dream to reality and the other to prove no man will hurt her again- their lives become enmeshed and their hearts collide.

Excerpt:
She slid her arms around his neck and pressed her body against him. “That’s okay. You taught me numbers, I’ll teach you what a woman wants.” Her lips brushed his lightly, back and forth, teasing, tingling. Her wet, warm mouth opened and he surrendered to her instruction. Aileen owed the man kissing her back passionately, yet, she wasn’t sure how much she was willing to give. She wanted him. Her body wanted him. He’d proven his gentleness and was now proving his desire as his hands roamed over her hips and back up over her bottom and around just brushing the sides of her breasts. The feel of his strong, yet, gentle hands brought back faded memories of being loved. A feeling she thought would never happen again. She placed her hands on either side of his rugged face and pulled back enough to keep their lips separated as she looked into his eyes. “Ah’ve a hunger fur ye. But Ah’ve bairn to think aboot.” The desire in his eyes didn’t lessen as his lips curved into a smile that dazzled her senses. “I’ll keep my hands to myself when the children and others are present as long as you promise to slip into my arms when we’re alone.” She studied his face. Was he willing to not bed her? Even though she knew he was rock hard and had to be hurting.
Author Links/Purchase Link
http://www.patyjager.com/

http://www.patyjager.blogspot.com/

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/

Author Interview: REMMY DUCHENE

2009-06-10T08:08:00.000-07:00

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Remmy and welcome to the Dark Divas’ den! I know you are a prolific author under several different names, but Remmy’s M/M fiction seems to be doing very well. You have a new contract with Phaze and I know you released a short, Saddle Up N Ride last month. Your website is under construction so I have no idea what is coming out soon, but I read Caribbean Heat and enjoyed it. Please tell me what we can expect from Remmy in the near future?Thanks for having me! I’m glad you enjoyed Caribbean Heat. Erm, well, right now I am in works with another M/M author on a full length novel – nearing completion. It’s Interracial, murder mystery and erotic. Not sure if I can say more about it yet but we are hoping to have it released late this year. I am in the process of re-editing my novella titled Redemption about a sexy ex con rancher (who was convicted for a crime he didn’t commit.) and a baseball player. And I’m researching a novel idea I have titled Black Gold (The titles tend to come to me first lol). It is going to be about a sexy rancher, a secret agent and oil. So my Remmy plate is full. I’m writing longer stuff now because people often times tell me they love my work but they are too short.

2. Where does Remmy Duchene live and how does he pump out so many books? I know you were at college when I first met you. Are you still studying or have you graduated?I live in the cold white north, Canada. And yes, I am still in university, a year left (Thank heavens). I pump out so many books because I don’t sleep lol. But seriously, I rotate my writing projects – hence the reason why I only tackled shorts.

3. Do you have a day job and if so can you tell me a little about your writing routine?
Yes right now I work as a lifeguard at a recreation centre. I don’t have a routine for writing. I steal time when I can get it here or there. I spend about two hours a nights trying to write, promote, do interviews, websites, Facebooks…man there isn’t enough hours in the day!

4. What genres of books do you personally enjoy reading and who are some of your favorite authors?I am what you call a nerd. I read almost anything that I can get my hands on. I draw the line at most of the latest fads in reading. I am into genre of action adventure, science fiction, romance/erotica (of course lol), magic/fantasy, murder myster…I love reading stuff by John Simpson, Nora Roberts, Dan Brown, Carol Shields, Margaret Attwood, Catherine Coulter, Elizabeth Lowell—and the list goes on and on.

5. You have a lot of different yahoo groups and author sites going – Romance Erotica Connection, Red Eclipse Writers, The Peeping Hole and more…how do you manage everything and do you find that yahoo groups are beneficial for promo?
Lots of wonderful friends and hours swearing at the computer Lol. I have author friends who have my back when I decided to create something. They help me moderate, co-own and all that good stuff so I don’t have to do it all myself. It is a little beneficial for promotion but they shouldn’t be used as the only way to promote.

6. What words or phrases do you most overuse?
I use “Oi Vey” a lot or “Brotha is fine!”

7. LOL! I love it! What is your favorite dirty word?
*giggles* hrm…my favorite dirty word…”fuck.” Lol admit it, you knew that one was coming!

8. That’s my fave word too! Ahem…what qualities do you look for in a man in fiction and in real life?

He has to have a brain – Intelligence above all else and a sense of humor. It may sound cliché but I love a good laugh and if he is smart and don’t take everything overly serious, we’re off to a great start!

9. What is your greatest fear?
Bears lol. No seriously, I’d have to say my greatest fear is heights.

10. What is the worst piece of advice anybody ever gave you about writing?
“Stop using Jamaican dialect in your writing.” Now that defeats the purpose of writing Jamaican characters. That seriously STEAMED me.

On Behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I’d like to thank the talented and sexy Remmy Duchenefor stopping by and flirting with me…er…I mean chatting with me today. To learn more about his exotic works of fiction, please check out his links:

http://remmyduchene.webs.com
http://remmyduchene.blogspot.com
www.myspace.com/remmyduchene
and I am on facebook!

Author Interview: PATTI SHENBERGER

2009-06-03T07:22:00.000-07:00

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Patti and welcome to the Divas’ Den! My first question to you is that I know you are a Devine Destinies author. Your books up to this point have a lovely, dreamy quality. They are contemporary paranormal romance novels with a throwback feel. You now have a new 12-part series starting at eXtasy Books on August 15 based on the zodiac signs. This sounds very intriguing. Will you be continuing in this genre or is this a whole different type of work for you?

Thanks AJ for the lovely words about my paranormal books. There is always going to be a soft spot in my heart for a ghost hero. Now The Zodiac Club will all be contemporary, but with a new twist for me, more heat, more erotic. I’ve always done a softer, less sexy book up till now and I’m going to throw caution to the wind, and full steam ahead.

2. Why did you switch from Devine Destines to the “mother” imprint eXtasy Books for this series?

I was going back and forth with my editor Jay about writing a series for them and eXtasy Books seemed the better fit, especially since I was amping up the heat levels. I never thought Jay would say go for it, but she did. And I’m very glad she took the chance on me!

3. You sold your first book, Womb for Rent in 2007. What was that like for you and how did it come about? I love the title by the way!

Actually I sold Womb For Rent way back in 1998, but RWA recognized me as a published author when I reached the qualifications set by them for making over $1500.00 in royalties on my own. So October 31, 2007 I received a call saying I had made it! Womb came about after watching Baby Boom, the old movie with Diane Keaton and Sam Shepherd. I started writing and never stopped till it was finished. It was the second book I ever wrote. Thanks, I love the title as well. It does make people do a double take when you tell them it. They lean forward and say “What was that first word again?”

4. Your DD novel The Captain’s Wench received wonderful reviews and seems a delightful play on the 1940s comedies like Topper and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir…any chance of a sequel for Meg and Captain London?

The Captain’s Wench definitely came about because of my love for The old black and white Ghost and Mrs. Muir movie. I absolutely adore that movie! I’ve never seen Topper though. (G) You know I was just thinking today about how to make it a sequel. To keep Captain London and Meg in the picture and yet bring in a new hero and heroine. You never know, maybe someday it’ll be out there.

5. Go for it, Patti! Your novel The Laird’s Lady also has an old ghost…and a smelly dog! What poor creature inspired the smelly dog?

Wow, that’s a good question and boy have you done your homework on me. Should I be scared (G)?

AJ says: Yes! LOL

I really don’t have any clue why I put Algee in there, but he blended in so perfectly, I left him. And his being scared of Laird MacLay didn’t hurt either. It only brought out Devin’s desire to protect him.

6. Have you had any ghostly encounters yourself…if so, what happened?

Actually yes I have. I took care of my great grandmother from the time she was 96 till she passed away in our home (in my home office where I’m currently typing this) till she was 99 on May 25th, 2003. (Yesterday was 6 years) When she passed, I had the room redone. New carpet, paint, office furniture, you name it. Then about a week after the carpet was installed it developed spots. I would clean, they would come back, I would clean, new spots different places would appear.

This went on for about two months until one day I finally sat on the floor in the middle of the room and said “Nonnie, enough is enough. I love you, I miss you, but you’re killing me in carpet cleaning.” Never again did a spot appear. I kid you not.
Another thing we had happen for probably a year after she died was we could be upstairs (we have a quad level house) and you would hear the front door open and close in the living room. My two dogs would run like maniacs downstairs and sit at the door. By the time I got there, the door was shut, locked and deadbolted just like I had left it.

This happened to me on numerous occasions, to my hubby and to my then 19 year olf daughter. She freaked out one night as she was talking on the phone to a friend and we were out. She heard the door open and close, the dogs go flying downstairs and nothing. So she walked downstairs and told her friend she had to hang up and call us. She was literally terrified as the dogs were still sitting there wagging their tails at nothing. We were about two blocks from the house when she called in tears.

It later became a joke that “Nonnie had come home.” It did stop and you know, I miss it. Nonnie and Papa (my great grandfather) raised me from the age of 3 months after my mother gave me to them. My mother was a widow at age 18 and had no idea what to do with a baby. Also my mothers next boyfriend really didn’t want to deal with a child that wasn’t his. So I owe my entire life to my great grandparents and really miss them to this day.

7. What a great story...I smell a book here...and not a smelly one, either! Do you write every day? What is your routine like?

I try to write every day. Some days I do much better than other days. This week is hard as my son is home on leave from the Army and when he goes back this coming Saturday, he will be getting ready to deploy overseas. I’m trying to spend as much time as I can with him without smothering him (he’s 24). I also have been known to do writing weekends where I produce 40 pages in two and a half days. Not a good thing, but I know I can do it if need be.

8. Who and what are your biggest influences as an author?

My great grandparents are huge influences on me. Papa always said the only ones opinion who matters is your own and he was right. You can’t let other people dictate who you can and can’t be. My family is also a big influence. I would never want to do anything to hurt them in anyway. God knows, I’ve embarrassed them many times over though (G)

9. LOL! Is there anything in fiction you would never want to write?

Truthfully there is so much more out there that I haven’t written. I don’t know if there is or not. I’m open to all suggestions if you have any.

10. I asked one of your closest friends, Stephani Hecht this question so I feel compelled to punish you with it, too. What was your favorite toy when you were growing up?

I knew this question was coming and yup, here it is. Well I didn’t have a sock monkey growing up but I did have a woolie. Man, I know I shouldn’t be saying this but I had a blanket that I literally picked into little fuzzy pieces and then carried it around with me.

Everywhere I went, it went. My great grandfather traveled for General Motors (when it was solvent) and we were in New York for an auto show and had dinner at a very classy restaurant that overlooked Niagara Falls. I was about 6 at the time. I had my woolie in my hand and sat it on the table top to put my napkin in my lap.

The waiter almost had a coronary thinking a bug was on the table and was trying to get it without any of us seeing. So I grabbed my woolie and put it in my fist and he freaked. Then Papa had to explain what it was. After that I wasn’t allowed to take it with me. To this day I still love knitted or crocheted afghans because of how soft they are and you can pick at them. I have one on my bed right now that I’ve had for over 20 years. I kid you not.

11. Wow Patti, that is such a sweet story I can't even run with it...however, you and Stephani do have a thing for yarns now, don't you? Ahem...please tell me, how does your hubby feel about your books? Does he read them? Does he act out the naughty bits with you? Come on you can tell us…

My hubby supports me tremendously in my writing, but is not above the “Where’s the money?” question. He does not read them, but does read the dedication since I have dedicated a book to him. And no alas he does not act out the dirty parts with me. But he has given me ideas.

Last night we had a family dinner with both kids here and we were playing Trivial Pursuit and somehow the subject was Cameron Diaz. Holy cow, he has the hots for her so bad, and was saying he’d love to eat crackers in bed with her. I thought the kids were going to hurl! They were mortified at the thought of their father in bed with her. My answer, “If she lets you in, she has to keep you. I don’t want you back.” (G)

12. What is the quality you like most in a man? What is the quality you least like (apart from crackers with Cameron)?

I love a man who is strong and protective, but also knows how to treat a woman. My hubby did everything for me when I was going thru chemo for colon cancer. I didn’t do a thing but go back and forth to doctor appointments and treatment for10 months. He did laundry, cooking, cleaning the house, caring for the animals, and even cared for my aunt’s cat here in our house when she went on vacation. I don’t know what I would have done without him. He is my hero, my rock and the love of my life! As to what I dislike, that would be a man who uses physical, emotional abuse and mental abuse to get what he wants from a woman.

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews I want to thank Patti Shenberger for stopping by today. To learn more about this awesome author, please check out her links:

http://devinedestinies.com/shopdevine/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=ebook_flypage&product_id=40&category_id=23&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=52 Devine buy link
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/patti-shenberger-m-73.html?zenid=692e54e52214790c4f35160bd1f3712b WRP buy link
http://www.pattishenberger.com/ my own site
http://www.betweenoursheets.com/ shared site with Stephani, Bonnie and Tianna

Beth Trissel Heats Up The Blog Spotlight

2009-05-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

Author Bio:

I’m married to my high school sweetheart and we live on a farm in the lovely Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with assorted children and animals. The valley and the mountains are my inspiration.
As of 2008, I’m a Wild Rose Press author of historical and light paranormal romance and a Golden Heart ® Finalist. My first release, SOMEWHERE MY LOVE, a murder mystery/ghost story romance with flashbacks to early nineteenth century Virginia, won first place in the 2008 Preditors & Editors Readers Poll for Best Romance Novel and received a stellar review at Publisher’s Weekly.
My fascination with the colonial frontier and the Shawnee Indians is an early and abiding one. My English, Scot-Irish ancestors had interactions with this tribe, including family members taken captive. Intrigued with all things Celtic, much of my writing features the Scot-Irish who settled the valley and spread into the surrounding mountains and the Carolinas.
This absorption with early America also extends to the high drama of the Revolution and ancestors who fought and loved on both sides of that sweeping conflict. My research into the Southern face of the war was partly inspired by my great great great grandfather, Sam Houston, uncle of the famous Sam, who kept a journal of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, North Carolina, 1781, used by historians today. ENEMY OF THE KING grew out of my passionate interest in the Revolution.
I’ve researched extensively and consulted with members of the Shawnee Nation United Remnant Band to ensure authenticity of the Native American aspects in my work. THROUGH THE FIRE is set in the colonial American frontier with a strong THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS flavor.
My light paranormal release, DAUGHTER OF THE WIND, is a suspenseful historical romance set among the clannish Scots-Irish in the Alleghenies two years after the revolution. The Celtic flavor of these early Scots is a unique twist on stories set in the Old Country with an intriguing paranormal element in the form of a 'bear walking' Shawnee warrior and a mystical necklace. The Ohio Shawnee confided this ancient belief/practice of bear walking to me and they are long known for their belief in the power of amulets.

Blurb for THROUGH THE FIRE:
At the height of the French and Indian War, a young English widow ventures into the colonial frontier in search of a fresh start. She never expects to find it in the arms of the half-Shawnee, half-French warrior who makes her his prisoner in the raging battle to possess a continent--or to be aided by a mysterious white wolf and a holy man.

Excerpt for THROUGH THE FIRE:
For a moment, he simply looked at her. What lay behind those penetrating eyes?
Shoka held out the cup. “Drink this.”
Did he mean to help her? Rebecca had heard hideous stories of warriors' brutality, but also
occasionally of their mercy. She tried to sit, moaning at the effect this movement had on her
aching body. She sank back down.
He slid a corded arm beneath her shoulders and gently raised her head. Encouraged by his
unexpected aid, she sipped, grimacing at the bitterness. The vile taste permeated her mouth.
Weren't deadly herbs acrid? Dear Lord. Had he tricked her into downing a fatal brew?
She eyed him accusingly. “'Tis poison.”
He arched one black brow. “No. It's good medicine. Will make your pain less.”
Unconvinced, she clamped her mouth together.
“I will drink. See?” he said, and took a swallow.
She parted her lips just wide enough to argue. “It may take more than a mouthful to kill.”
He regarded her through narrowing eyes. “You dare much.”
Though she knew he felt her tremble, she met his piercing gaze. If he were testing her, she
wouldn't waver.
His sharp expression softened. “Yet you have courage.”
****
THROUGH THE FIRE is available in digital download and print at The Wild Rose Press: http://thewildrosepress.com/
Also at out at Amazon and other online booksellers. Local bookstores can order it in.
For more on my work please visit:
http://www.bethtrissel.com
http://bethtrissel.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/bctrissel
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/

I MARRIED MY HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART TOO! Thanks Beth for being in the Spotlight, and be sure to check out Beth Trissel’s works!

Author Interview: LEX VALENTINE

2009-05-27T08:49:00.000-07:00

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

Hi Lex, I am so excited to be talking to you today. Thanks for coming…hey, step closer, I won’t bite (unless you ask me to)…now I have to start this on a personal note. I was on an author chat with you one day and you kindly offered participating authors a free book trailer and I snapped it up – all for the exchange of my e book Phantom Lover. Somehow, I think I came out way ahead. The trailer is freaking gorgeous and I thank you for it. How did you come up with the idea of doing trailers for people and has it worked out well for you?

Thanks for having me here today, AJ! And nibbles and licks are always nice. *wink* I loved Phantom Lover so being able to do the trailer was an honor for me. I had a great time putting it together and finding the music. My friend David Simmer II of Blogography.com had some great Hawaii photos he took with his brand new camera and I couldn’t resist begging him to use a few. Dave’s a graphic artist and it comes out in everything he does from photos to toons. It was all a perfect karmic fit I think… you, me, and Dave!

I got into trailers by accident sorta. We occasionally have to make memorial videos at my work and the woman who does them showed me how. I took that knowledge and starting making trailers for myself for my WIPs to help prompt me along when I first decided I wanted to get published. It all just snowballed from there.

I have to say that doing trailers for other authors has mostly been a great experience. Not everyone has left me basking in the afterglow as you have, AJ. Right now, I’m only doing a few more and after that it will probably only be the clients whose series I adore like Renee Wildes’ Guardians of the Light and Bonnie Rose Leigh’s Serenity.

You and I both love vampires and your blog “Sunlight Sucks” always leaves me thinking. Who are your favorite cinematic vampires? When did you first become aware of them and did they influence your book Tales of the Darkworld series at all?

You know, movie vamps haven’t influenced the Tales vamps at all. The Darkworld’s Acerbian vampires are more a creation of things I’d already had in my head, bits from the serial story where I write (The Bar) and from books. I’m not much of a movie or TV person. However, I’ve read a lot of vampire books that had my wheels spinning from the moment my sister handed me Interview with the Vampire on my 17^th birthday. I will say that my favorite vampire movie of all time is the Fearless Vampire Killers by Roman Polanski and starring Sharon Tate.

I love that movie! Speaking of your series, there are two books so far: Shifting Winds and Hot Water. Will there be more books in the series?

Book 3 Fire Season is in edits currently for a July release. FS is full length, M/M, dragon shifters. No vamp love here but lots of hot man love instead! And there’s a cliffhanger epilogue! Actually, the Tales series is plotted to a total of ten books at which point I will probably wrap that series.

Your very first book Sunday’s Child: Wise Guy throws us headlong into the world of witches and mages. Will we be seeing more of the delicious Rand?

Rand as a child, probably. The Tales of the Magia have been bouncing around in my head for awhile and if/when I get around to it, I’ll probably start with the story of Rand’s godparents Zoe and August. I rather like the idea of showing Aug trying to turn himself into a cat for the very first time and not quite making it. LOL

You have a ton of stuff coming out…I’ve been checking on you Lex. Don’t look at me like that! I hardly stalk anybody anymore! What can you tell me about the following:

From Cobblestone Press - The Pixie Prince: This is the first of my Twisted Tales. It’s a twisted version of the Princess and the Pea. Max is a pixie and a supermodel who models underwear. His mate Bliss (Bellisandra) is a vampire and runs the club Carpe Noctem. My editor thinks the story is “utterly charming” and I have to say that like The Wise Guy, it’s a feel good story, very fun and filled with heat. We’re about to start our second edit pass and I’m working with an artist on the cover.

From Freya’s Bower - Mating, Runaways

These two are companion stories, shorts that run just under 8K. Mating was written for a contest for the cover by M.E. Ellis. It’s the tale of a werewolf, the Alpha, whose brother mates suddenly sending him into a slight tailspin. Wanting to ensure his brother is okay, he hires an agency called Watchers to follow his twin. The owner of Watchers (a white werewolf) turns out to be his mate. Mating is with the proofers and hopefully, will have a release date soon.

In Runaways, the Beta twin meets his mate (a vampire) on a train and they recklessly mate then have to deal with the consequences. Each story is a stand alone, but I think they work best together to give you a real sense of who these twin werewolves are. Runaways is with the editor who did Mating. M.E. Ellis did the cover so they would look related.

From Wild Child Publishing - Ain’t Nuthin But a Hellhound (in the Weirdly 3 anthology)

Hellhound is just finishing edits. It’s a dark tale about sex and power in the demon realm. Lilah, who is half demon, hunts hellhounds and saves the human souls they seek to take. Her father the Demon Lord and her ex-lover Xavion the Lord of the Hellhounds, both want her in their world. She resists, but then learns a lesson about power from a soul she saved. There is no sex in this story although the characters talk about it and it is integral to the plot.

From Midnight Showcase - Silver Lining

Silver Lining is in edits and should be out in July in the Thrilled digest. It’s rather a personal story that came from a little “what if” daydream I had about my ex. The heroine finds a man online who intrigues her and when she goes to meet him finds the greatest love of her life, a man from her past.

From Pink Petal Books - Fire Season

Fire Season is Book 3 in the Tales series, currently in edits. It’s a full length novel about a straight male dragon whose mate is a man. Holden Antaeus is a black dragon, a lawyer for his family’s company. Garret Renquist is a green dragon, a genius, stock market whiz. Their story is fun, hot, and will make you reach for the hankies.

So now I must start asking you a few really tough questions. Ready, chika? How old were you when you learned to tie your shoelaces?

Uhhhh… I don’t know. Probably rather young like 3 or something. My mother said I did everything early starting with arriving on Halloween instead of Christmas.

What was the worst date you ever went on?

What’s a date? I’d see a guy I liked, smile, and if he smiled back, I’d ask him if he wanted a blow job. Well, maybe I’m not quite that bold, but I was never the dating type. I did a lot of friends with benefits before it had that name.

Which living person do you most admire?

I admire the hell out of Marcus Schenkenberg. I can just stand there and admire those muscles all day long…

Which living person do you most despise?

Anyone and everyone who lies to me. Seriously, I’m not into the whole admire/despise famous people. I don’t know them. The people I dislike are the ones who have personally done something dishonest or mean to me. The people I admire are the ones who go out of their way to do something nice for me, despite their own hardships.

Tell me about your writing routine. Do you write every day? Do you listen to music? Any must-haves to get the muse to obey?

I’m actually pretty easy. I pop off paragraphs anywhere I have a computer to type on. I write with and without music. Mostly, I don’t write after work because I’m tired, but that’s not hard and fast. I’ll get an idea and the next thing I know I have 3K. I think I do my best work in Word Wars with Dee Carney and L. Shannon cracking the whip over me. Although, Moira Reed can sure crack a mean whip too! All the Word Wars ladies are such consummate professionals that I’m honored to be part of their group. With them behind me, it’s not unheard of for me to do 8K in a Saturday and repeat it the next day.

Have you ever snooped in somebody else’s medicine cabinet?

Maybe when I was drunk and looking for Pepto Bismal…

Hmmmm…okay, I sorta believe ya, Lex!

On behalf of the Dark Divas, I’d like to thank Lex Valentine for stopping by today. To learn more about this love, lovely and so talented author, please check out her links:

Official Author Website – http://www.lexvalentine.com/

Personal Blog Sunlight Sucks – http://www.sunlightsucks.com/

Tales of the Darkworld – http://www.talesofthedarkworld.com/

Follow me – http://www.twitter.com/lexvalentine

My Space – http://www.myspace.com/cemeterywinter

Trailers - http://www.youtube.com/user/lexvalentineauthor

Francesca Hawley In The Spotlight

2009-05-22T07:30:00.000-07:00

All About the Fabulous Francesca Hawley...
I earned a Master of Arts in Library and Information Science in 2003 and work as a librarian in central Iowa. I'm a member of Romance Writer of America, including multiple special interest chapters. Even in my teens I wrote romances, spending my lunch hours with pen, paper, and characters. I love to weave new tales by embroidering and knitting intriguing narratives for the amusement of myself, my friends, and my readers.
My writer's mission statement is to write about exciting, sensual, plus-size heroines who love and are loved by their intense, passionate and seductive Alpha heroes.
Why create a mission statement, other than because I'm a librarian and it's something we tend to do? Because I've been plus-size all my life and I don't know how to be anything else. When I started reading romances, almost every heroine had a slender, girlish figure. If she didn't start out that way, she ended up that way. Plain or pretty, the heroine was thin. I loved those stories and their writers, but I tired of not seeing me in the heroines of my favorite books.
As I started writing, I followed market trends and wrote about slender heroines. Then I thought, am I part of the market? Yes. I am. There must be other readers who want to read about a differently shaped heroine, too. Everyone deserves to find love. So now, I write about plus-size heroines who know, or learn, how to live in their skins. My heroines are authentic and that's part of the reason my intense, passionate, and seductive Alpha male heroes love them. I hope you will too.
Email: Francesca@francescahawley.com
Website: http://www.francescahawley.com/

Protect and Defend
Release date: January 7, 2009 ISBN: 9781419920042 Available now from Ellora's Cave
Mikaela Laughlin discovers a whole new world, and an entirely new species, when she tours the crime lab to meet Lieutenant Diarmid Redwolf while researching her next book. She's lusted after "Delicious Diarmid" from afar for a long time, but meeting him sets her body on fire. It doesn't take long for Mikaela to discover there's more to him than meets the eye. Diarmid is far more delicious up close than she ever dreamed.
Diarmid has bad guys to catch, but one look at the voluptuous writer has him wanting to catch her instead. His shapeshifter blood recognizes his True Mate and he wants her naked body arching beneath his. Now. But with a cold-blooded serial killer on the loose, Diarmid has one shot at his future and he will not fail. Because this time, the killer wants Mikaela.

An Excerpt From: PROTECT AND DEFEND
Copyright © FRANCESCA HAWLEY, 2009
All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.
“Just wait there while I come around to help you down,” Diarmid ordered. Miki bristled at the tone of command in his voice.
“I am perfectly capable of getting out of a vehicle myself.”
“Indulge me.” Diarmid grabbed his garbage, shoving the SUV door open.
He stalked around the vehicle where Miki waited for him. She didn’t know why she waited, but she did. He opened her door and lifted her to the ground. He grabbed her garbage along with his and she moved out of the way so he could close the door. He stopped at the back of the SUV to grab his kit then headed for the front entrance. Miki ran to keep up as he crossed the street. He slowed to accommodate her shorter legs and from that moment on, she didn’t have to run anymore.
“Sorry,” he muttered.
“No problem.” She glanced at his kit. “You weren’t kidding about keeping it stocked were you?”
“No, Mikaela, I wasn’t.” Diarmid raised a red-gold brow at her as his lips twisted into a wicked smile. “I keep my weapon clean and ready for use whenever it’s needed too. You’re welcome to inspect it at length if you’d like.”
Miki blushed a fiery red from his suggestive banter, almost tripping up the stairs as they climbed the steps to the entrance.
“Yeah. Um… Right. I’ll take your word for it, Diarmid.” Miki could almost visualize his weapon ready for use and had to look away when he chuckled at her as he pulled open the entry door to allow her to precede him.
“Too bad. I was looking forward to showing it to you.”
His gravelly voice sent chills down her spine making her clit throb in response. Damn him, he was enjoying this. She stopped to slug him in the shoulder before breezing past him through the doors. His laughter echoed behind her.
Half a dozen cops stared at her as if she had two heads when Diarmid followed her inside. He tossed the garbage into a trash can, motioning her toward the elevators. Miki sucked down the last of her shake and threw it away. She glanced around the lobby. Miki had the impression the cops in view wondered how she was still alive after whacking him. She raised her brows at one or two of them. They looked away, pretending they had other business to conduct. She shook her head.
“Do they think you’re a god or something?” Miki asked curiously after the elevator doors closed behind them.
“No, but I do outrank them.”
“Your rank wasn’t the reason they looked at me like I’d just taken my life in my hands by smacking you, though I think you will admit you deserved it.”
Miki turned to him. Diarmid pressed the stop button, set his kit on the floor and stalked her into the corner of the elevator.
“All I did was offer to let you inspect my weapon.”
His grin teased her as his hand went to his waist. He unsnapped his holster and rocked his gun out then he pulled the clip and emptied the remaining shell from the chamber leaving the slide open, then Diarmid handed the unloaded weapon to her for her perusal.
Miki blushed because she’d been thinking about something else and she knew he’d meant something else when he’d said it. She took the gun from him, blinking because it was heavier than she expected. She lifted it in his direction, but he gently, but firmly, pointed the muzzle at the floor.
“I never point my weapon at someone unless I intend to use it.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” She eyed the weapon, deciding two could play this game. “It isn’t as big as I expected, but I suppose it gets the job done. After all, it isn’t the size of the weapon that counts, but how it’s used, so they say.” She lifted her eyes to Diarmid’s, raising her brows tauntingly.
His suggestive grin widened as he leaned closer. “It isn’t the size of the weapon but the caliber of the ammunition that does the job. I can assure you, my shot can do any job you need doing.”
Miki couldn’t stop a flirtatious laugh from escaping. “I’ll let you know if I have any jobs I need you to do for me, Lieutenant.”
“I can think of one or two I’d be happy to volunteer for.” Diarmid took the weapon from her hands, reloaded it and reseated it in his holster.
“Really?”
“Really.” Diarmid leaned toward her to nuzzle her neck, taking a deep breath of her scent. He nibbled her earlobe. “I can show you how to shoot a weapon, how to clean it, and I think we’d both enjoy the process of holstering it deeply and thoroughly. Over and over.”
“You don’t just put it in once and leave it there?”
“Oh no. You have to slide it in and out to make sure it’s seated just right. Do you want me to teach you?”
Miki groaned arching toward him, sliding her hands over his chest and up around his neck. “Yes, I think I might like that part the best,” she whimpered when his hands cupped her bottom lifting her toward his hips.
He slid a leg between her thighs. Miki ground herself against his leg just as he caught her mouth with his. She opened her lips so they could taste one another. His tongue dueled with hers until they were both breathless. Diarmid lifted his head and Miki stroked his cheek softly.
To ease the sexual tension, she joked, “I told you if both of us ate onion rings it would cancel out.”
Diarmid smiled, dropping an affectionate kiss on the tip of her nose. “So you did, but I think we’d better stop now because the security officer on duty is probably tired of staring at the ceiling.”
Miki gasped as she realized there was surveillance in the elevator. “Oh my God.” She found the camera easily and wanted to sink through the floor. She buried her hot face against his shoulder.
Diarmid caught her chin gently in his hand. “Don’t be embarrassed, Mikaela. After all, I’m the one who works here. I can assure you they’ve never seen me seducing a woman in an elevator before.”
Miki giggled. “Poor baby. How will you ever live down the damage to your reputation as a hard-ass?”
Diarmid threw his head back and laughed; Miki felt as if she’d won the lottery. “I’m sure I’ll survive it somehow. You’ll just have to find a way to console me.”
He gave her a wolfish grin, waggling his brows at her then stepped over to the control panel to set the elevator running again. He picked up his kit, winking at her when the doors opened. The reception officer stared at them both, blinking and speechless.
Miki chuckled as Diarmid escorted her down the hall. “So, where are we headed first, Lieutenant?”
“Let’s go visit Vasha in the morgue.”

Thanks Francesca for your patience and this fabulous feature!

Author Interview: JAMBREA JO JONES

2009-05-20T07:39:00.001-07:00

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Jambrea, thanks so much for stopping by the Dark Divas’ den…you are one of my closest and most cherished online buddies. I’ve watched you grow from a reader and reviewer to full-fledged author and I am proud of you! Please tell me first of all how it felt when you sold your first book Runaway Man.

Thanks for having me here AJ and xoxo to you! I was OVER the moon. Runaway Man is not only my first solo story, but it is also my first try at M/M. I love seeing my name on that cover!

2. I know you like reading M/M books and have written one. But your new book, the Marine tale is M/F isn’t it? Which genre do you prefer to write?

I don’t just like reading M/M, I LOVE it. Lol I really don’t have a preferred genre yet. I like the challenge of the characters and the genre sort of follows. I’m still pretty new and want to find my voice. I have a M/M/F in the works as well as more M/M & M/F. I have Sci-Fi, Paranormal, Contemporary…We’ll just say I’m an eclectic writer! heehee

3. You contributed a short piece called The Unseen Path to a contest I held with several other authors on our Seven Wicked Writers site. You came in the top three according to our publisher, Tina Haveman who has given you a contract for the book and I know it’s coming out in time for Halloween. Congratulations! I loved this story, not just because you’re my girl but because it is a stunning piece of writing. What was the inspiration behind it and what can we expect from the longer piece?

Thanks AJ! I started out because I LOVE contests. They push me to write things I might not try otherwise. I knew the story had to have a Halloween theme and I started with the typical scary house and it was downhill from there. Lol I actually had a tough time when I went to make the story longer. I knew the main character had to have a brother. I had to think, what would make her give herself to a stranger to protect her brother and how did the brother wound up cursed. At first he had a girlfriend and she was the cause of the whole problem, but it didn’t feel right. So I gave him a boyfriend and it just came to me. The story started to really flow. His story is next. J So Unseen Path is Molli’s journey to help her brother and her introduction to a world she didn’t know excited. I had fun writing it and can’t wait to get to her brother!

4. You have several WIPS including the tantalizing-sounding The Seeds of Dawn series. Is this fantasy? Sci-fi? What do we have to look forward to?

Thank you again. The Seeds of Dawn is a shifter story and paranormal. The first story in the series is called Dreams and it was the first full story I finished. It is around 30k. I have at least three stories I want to do in this series. Maybe more. It needs a lot of polishing before I try to sub it again.

5. I know this is your first-ever author interview but I have a massive ego that needs constant reinforcement. Who’s the sexiest author who ever interviewed you?

Hmm…can I think about it…lol Of course it’s the ultra sexy AJ Llewellyn!

6. What is your writing routine like? I know you are juggling the demands of marriage, motherhood, the dreaded day job and writing. Do you write every day?

I try to write every day. It doesn’t always happen. Some days I have time at work where I can write. I usually try to wait until my son goes to bed and work for a couple hours. I’m lucky to have wonderful in laws who love their only grandchild so much that he spends a lot of time with them on the weekends so I try to write some then too. As you can see…I really don’t have a routine. It’s just write when I can. lol

7. When you are writing, do you listen to music? Do you choose different types of music for different works? Do you play your hubby’s music?

I usually write with the tv on in the background. Sometimes I’ll listen to music and I’ve gotten a few ideas for stories listening to the radio. When my son or husband isn’t here, I’ll turn music videos on and listen to them while writing. I know some writers have soundtracks for their stories, but I don’t. Well…I should say I didn’t. heehee. I was listening to Pink and got this GREAT story idea and I’m going to use her album and listen to it when writing the story. I can’t wait to get started with it.

8. Do you have sex to your hubby’s music? Does he ever stop in the middle of it to air guitar along with himself?

ROFLMAO! Hmm…now you have me thinking, I don’t think we have. We’ve had sex after he’s rocked out at a show. Does that count? lol

9. You recently took your hubby to a strip club for his birthday. Am I allowed to mention this? And how did he enjoy it?

Yes I did take him to a strip club. I think he was a little uncomfortable to tell you the truth. Heehee. Of course the woman wouldn’t dance for him because I was there. The cool thing was they had one of his CD’s there from an earlier band he was in and one of the dancers danced to it!

10. She wouldn't dance with him because of you? Whaddya know, a scared stripper! Ahem...What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

I can’t get a routine going. I would love to have a set time to do everything, but it never works out. I know I would be more productive if I had a schedule. I also wish I could write faster!

11. What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Meanness. I really don’t like it when people are mean for no good reason other than it makes them happy.

12. As a writer what words or phrase do you most overuse?

Um…how much time do you have? Lol I have an addiction to was, just, felt…um…I know there are more. But hey…at least I admit I have the problem. heehee

13. If you were Queen of the World for 15 minutes and could make any changes and do anything in the world you wanted, what would you do?

World peace? Does that sound too Miss America? Lol

14. Okay…you are having a dinner party and you can invite six guests – they can be anybody at all alive or dead. Who would you invite and what would you serve for dinner?

Only six? Okay…AJ Llewellyn, DJ Manley, TA Chase, Linda Winfree, Mari Carr and Margret Mitchell. I would love to sit around a table talking to everyone about writing! Now for dinner, it would have to be something vegetarian for my AJ. I’m thinking some veggie lasagna with lots of sweets for dessert. :)

15. Jambrea, I'm on my way! Hon, thanks for your time. I have just one more question. Was it as good for you as it was for me?

It was FABULOUS darling! I think I need a cigarette. Wait…I don’t smoke. heehee

On behalf of the Dark Diva Reviews I’d like to thank Jambrea Jo Jones for stopping by today. I love this woman! To learn more about this talented and gorgeous author, please check out her links:

http://internationalheat.wordpress.com/
http://jambrea.wordpress.com/
http://playgroundmystique.wordpress.com/
http://themanyshades.blogspot.com/

Coming soon
www.jambrea.com

Yvonne Eve Walus In The Spotlight

2009-05-15T09:17:00.000-07:00

Yvonne Eve Walus

Author Bio:You won't believe this, but when I'm not a novelist I'm actually a Doctor of Mathematics. A wife and a mother. Most of all though - I am a writer (in several languages) and I will sell my soul for a place on the NY Times Bestseller List.Professional stuff: I'm a full member of Crime Writers' Association (CWA) which can be found here. (I blog for them, so check it out here.) I also belong to Romance Writers of New Zealand (RWNZ). JPG file of coverattached (Witch Hunts On the Internet)

Excerpt/Blurb:

Danger!!! Internet chats are immediate and intimate, but sometimes they only create the impression of a relationship. Sometimes they break hearts. Sometimes they claim lives. Danger!!! The Internet makes many things look ok even though they are not: porn, sex parties, talking to strangers. It changes the rules and the way the world works. Danger!!! Internet People are not always what they seem. When your 13-year old daughter pretends to be 15 and in a dating chat room with a 40-year old guy... how far would you go to protect her? Week 1-This is a transcript of a chat I found on my daughter's computer. Well, not the whole transcript, which was full of stuff like 'random' and 'weird' and 'whatever'. What follows is only the salient bit.-

Tom16: Need to tell u something important. A secret.

Alicia15: Ok ... :-)

Tom16: Not sure if I can trust u.

Alicia15: Why not?

Tom16: Lots of people online aren't who they say they r. If I hear ur voice, I'll know u r not a middle-aged perv posing as one of us.

Alicia15: Makes sense.

Tom16: So. Do u have a mobile?

Alicia15: Yeah. But no.

Tom16: A webcam?

Alicia15: Forget it!

Tom16: Just kidding. How about photos then?

Alicia15: Plural? That's greedy!!! LOL

Tom16: Anybody can have 1 pic of a 15yo girl. If u have 5, u may be for real.

Alicia15: Dunno. I'm not cool with sending my photos.

Tom16: Come on. It's not like giving ur home address or the gold, u know?

Alicia15: GTG PAW

Author Links/Purchase Linkhttp://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eBook77234.htm

Author Interview: JOSH ATEROVIS

2009-05-13T08:02:00.000-07:00

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Josh, welcome to the Dark Divas’ den. My first question to you would be about your Killian Kendall series. So far there are three books in the series and Killian is a very intriguing, original and compelling protagonist. I think he is possibly the first gay teen sleuth I’ve ever come across. Please tell me, what was your inspiration for him?

Thanks so much. I'm excited to be in the Dark Diva's den! Actually, there are two books out now, but the third will be out this summer. According to Drewey Wayne Gunn, who wrote The Gay Male Sleuth in Print and Film, Killian is the first and only gay teen sleuth, so you're right there. When I first started writing Bleeding Hearts back in 1999, there really weren't many gay books for a YA audience at all. Really, there were none as far as I knew.
The only thing I could find to read with young gay characters was online, and those stories focused almost entirely on sex. I wanted something story- or character-driven, like the books I loved reading. I was complaining about it one day, and a friend said, "So why don't you write something yourself?" So I did. I didn't start out to write a mystery, it just sort of evolved into one, probably because of my love of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys growing up, and my continued love of Marcia Muller.

Of course, after BH was published in 2001, there was an explosion of YA gay books, starting with Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez the same year. I like to feel like I was a small part of that, at least. [laughs]

2. Actually, I might be wrong in my assumptions here. Did you ever get the feeling the Hardy Boys were gay?

[laughs] You know, I really didn't, but then, when I was reading the Hardy Boys books, I was pretty young and naïve. I think the original books are just from a more innocent time. I read a lot of the later series, from the 80s and early 90s, and the boys were pretty aggressively hetero in that incarnation. You know who I always thought was gay? George from the Nancy Drew series. She just screamed lesbian to me, even then.

3. I can see that! Interesting…I must go back and read those stories. Now back to Killian. he enjoyed quite a bit of character growth in Bleeding Hearts and Reap the Whirlwind. I know the third book, All Lost Things is coming out August/September. What can we expect for Killian in this one?

A lot more character growth. [laughs] Killian was sixteen in the first book, 17 in RTW, and 18 in All Lost Things. That's a time when we're just starting to figure out who we are and what we want from life, so I try to reflect that in the series. In this next book, Killian breaks up with his first boyfriend, starts a new job working for a private investigator, and meets someone new. That's a lot going on for anyone, let alone an eighteen-year-old.

4. Every successful mystery author has what I call a special quirk. Sue Grafton for example keeps her character Kinsey Millhone in the 1980s, living in a guest house and pretty much desperate and dateless. Janet Evanovich has publicly stated her bounty hunter character Stephanie Plum will never get married, her hamster will never die and neither will her grandma. Faye Kellerman on the other hand has put her orthodox Jewish detective Peter Decker through the proverbial wringer. Where do you stand on Killian? Is there anything that is an absolute must for you?

Killian will age and develop throughout the series. Unlike, Kinsey or some of the other mystery characters, I don't want him to remain static. There's not a lot of room for character growth if your character never changes. I'm much more in the Kellerman vein, or Marcia Muller is actually more my inspiration. The first book in her Sharon McCone series was published in 1977, and she's still writing it today. The series is just as fresh and entertaining as it ever was. That's my goal — long-term relevancy and quality.

5. You don’t have a lot – well no overt sex actually in your stories, but a lot of kissing. Will there be a lot kissing come up for Killian?

Not only will there be a lot more kissing, you will eventually see more sex in the stories. Romance and personal relationships are really important subplots in the series, so Killian will always have a love interest. I'll never be writing really erotic scenes that read like an instruction manual (part A inserts into part B), that's just not who I am as a writer, but there will be more sex.

6. I read your interview with Survivor’s Spencer Duhm and you asked him some very direct questions. I was specifically interested in his comment that "In the culture that we live in, there's not much to gain from people finding out you're gay." Do you personally find this to be true?

No, and I had issues with it at the time, but doing an interview for AfterElton.com isn't exactly the best time to get into all that. I do think, in context, he was just talking about the show, the culture of living together on Survivor. He was not a seasoned interviewee, so he wasn't very good at choosing his words, as evidenced by the minor scandal that followed his pre-show interview when he made some disparaging remarks about former gay contestants.

In life, I believe that the more people who are out and open about who they are, they better. Studies have proven that people who have gay friends and family members are more tolerant and accepting. And just in terms of for yourself, it's so hard to always be lying and hiding who you are. Being honest and out is so much healthier emotionally. I'm not saying you have to march at the front of the Pride parade, but just be honest.

7. You live in Baltimore. Is the gay community strong there? What is your every day life like? Are you a party guy or do you hunch over the computer mostly?

Baltimore has a pretty interesting gay community. Baltimore itself is pretty quirky, I mean, it is the home of John Waters, and at heart it's a blue collar city. The gay scene reflects that. It's very laid back, very friendly. Like any community, it has its queen bees with their cliques, but I've found it very welcoming. I like to go out and have drinks with friends, maybe dance a little. I try to get out a few nights a week, just so I'm not always stuck at my computer. Since I started dating again, my weekends have been pretty full. [laughs]

8. Since you write mysteries, who are your favorite mystery authors and what is it about their work you enjoy?

Well, I've already mentioned Marcia Muller a couple times, so needless to say, she's one of my favorites. I've also always enjoyed Faye Kellerman. As a kid, I read a lot of Nancy Drew books, and later Agatha Christie. I like Muller and Kellerman because their books are very character driven, their protagonists grow and evolve. I think it keeps the series fresh and exciting.

9. Do you watch cop shows of any kind? Which ones do you like?

I really don't. I don't watch much TV at all anymore, to be honest, and cop procedurals just don't capture my attention. There's just not enough story to hold my interest. I watch more competition-style reality shows than anything. I'm very excited about the return of So You Think You Can Dance. [laughs]

10. Do you write full time or do you have a dreaded day job? How do you balance these and what is your writing schedule like?

I was able to write full time for several years when I was in a relationship, but after we broke up last year, I had to more or less start over from scratch, so now I have to balance a job with my writing. It's been really tough, but you gotta do what you gotta do. I try to make time every day to write or edit, even if it's just an hour or so.

11. I know you have a writing gig with www.Afterelton.com a site for gay and bisexual men. Are you enjoying your work there and how much freedom do you have to write the things you want to write?

I love working for AfterElton.com. Michael Jensen is the best editor anyone could ever hope for. It's just a great environment, and I get to talk to celebrities on the phone. It's just fun. I get assignments, mostly. I can pitch story ideas, but it all depends on if they think there would be enough interest, or if there's enough budget for it.

12. What else is coming up for you? You have so many stories and articles published…what else apart from Killian can we expect? How many books do you anticipate in his series?

Well, I'm already working on the second draft of the fourth Killian Kendall book, The Truth of Yesterday, which is scheduled to come out in Spring of 2010. The fifth book, A Change of Worlds, is scheduled for Fall of 2010, and a spin-off romantic comedy, Breaking Masks, I wrote with my friend Dave Schreiber will be coming out in Spring of 2011. I also recently started a new relationship column for Baltimore OUTloud. It's called Single Black Sheep. My friends keep telling me I'm the gay Carrie Bradshaw, to which I say, "Isn't that redundant?"

I'll keep writing the Killian books as long as people want to read them. With Killian starting so young, he should have a lot of stories in him. I hope to continue the series for a long time.

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I'd like to thank Josh Aterovis for stopping by today. To learn more about this amazing and talented author, please check out his links:

www.joshaterovis.com
www.myspace.com/joshaterovis

Donna Hatch in the Spotlight

2009-05-09T17:31:00.001-07:00

Bio: Donna Hatch has had a passion for writing since the age of 8 when she wrote her first short story. During the 8th grade, she began writing her first full-length novel, and has been writing ever since. In between caring for six children – yes, that is 6! – (7 counting her husband) she manages to carve out time to indulge in her writing obsession, with varying degrees of success, although she writes most often late at night while the children are sleeping. A native of Arizona, she currently writes Regency Romances. And yes, all of her heroes are patterned after her husband of 20 years, who continues to prove that there really is a happily ever after.

Blurb: When her parents and only brother die within weeks of each other, Alicia and her younger sister are left in the hands of an uncle who has brought them all to financial and social ruin. Desperate to save her family from debtor's prison, Alicia vows to marry the first wealthy man to propose. She meets the dashing Lord Amesbury, and her heart whispers that this is the man she is destined to love, but his tainted past may forever stand in their way. Her choices in potential husbands narrow to either a scarred cripple with the heart of a poet, or a handsome rake with a deadly secret.
Cole Amesbury is tormented by his own ghosts, and believes he is beyond redemption, yet he cannot deny his attraction for the girl whose genuine goodness touches the heart he'd thought long dead. He fears the scars in his soul cut so deeply that he may never be able to offer Alicia a love that is true. When yet another bizarre mishap threatens her life, Alicia suspects the seemingly unrelated accidents that have plagued her loved ones are actually a killer's attempt to exterminate every member of her family. Despite the threat looming over her, learning to love the stranger she married may pose the greatest danger to her heart.

Excerpt:
As Cole looked down into Alicia Palmer’s face, he knew of a surety she was worth any risk. She touched him in a place he’d thought long dead. A younger man wearing a saucy grin approached Miss Palmer.

“Evening, Lissie. Did you save me a dance?”Cole’s frown of disapproval for the man’s cheekiness faded into one of puzzlement. He knew that young man from somewhere. A vague unease arose.When the young man’s gaze moved to Cole, he paled visibly.

“You!”Miss Palmer gasped. “Robert Palmer, where are your manners?”Of course. Robert Palmer. From London. Cold dread trickled across his heart as he considered the ramifications. Cole inclined his head. “Mr. Palmer.”

“What are you doing here?” Palmer demanded.Maintaining his cool demeanor, Cole raised a brow.

“Dancing. And you?”Palmer took Miss Palmer’s arm.

“We are leaving.”

“Now see here—” Cole began, but Palmer pinned him with a dangerous glare. “Stay away from my cousin. You’ve done enough.”

“Your cousin?” Cole looked from him to Miss Palmer and understanding dawned. He cursed under his breath. He hadn’t been aware Armand Palmer had a sister. Not that he’d bothered to find out. He glanced at Miss Palmer. The ramifications he’d considered a moment ago took a more serious turn.Palmer shot Cole a venomous glare. Anger rolled off his body as he led Miss Palmer away from the ballroom. Wanting desperately to explain, Cole followed them into the foyer, away from the others. After sending Cole a look of apology, Miss Palmer dug in her heels. “Robert, explain yourself.”

Cole remained rooted to the floor and waited for the condemning stare she would surely turn upon him.

Palmer trembled in rage. “That’s Cole Amesbury.”

Puzzled, she nodded. “Yes, I know. What..?”

Palmer spoke quietly, but Cole heard every word. “He’s the scoundrel who shot your twin.”

ebook available at:http://www.thewildrosepress.com/the-stranger-she-married-p-1001.html
print book available at http://www.donnahatch.com/or Amazon.com

Donna~Donna HatchBelieve in happy endings…
"The Stranger She Married"a Regency Romance Novel with a twist of intriguepaperback at donnahatch.come-book at http://www.thewildrosepress.com/
Troubled Hearts, a Regency Novellae-book at http://www.thewildrosepress.com/

Thank you to Donna Hatch and don't forget to check out her web site and blog!
http://www.donnahatch.com/

http://donnahatch.blogspot.com/

Author Interview: JAXX STEELE

2009-05-06T08:16:00.000-07:00

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Jaxx and welcome to the Dark Divas! My first question to you is did you know there is a Jax Steele who is a Playgirl centerfold? Does anyone ever confuse the two of you?

Really? Wow! Believe it or not I had no clue. None of my readers have mentioned it to me either. Hmm, I’ll have to track him down!

2. Congratulations on your recent sales. I know you have some books coming out with Dreamspinner Press, Phaze and Freya’s Bower. You already have some books out, including I Saw Daddy Kissing Santa Claus (love that title, Jaxx), After the Storm and so many others! However, and The Devil Made Me Do it seems to be quite controversial with its extreme sex practices. What propelled you to delve into the BDSM world in this way and how did you research this book?

When I started to do The Devil Made Me Do it I wondered what one would do if the devil was pulling your strings. How far would you go to save someone you loved? Could the devil tell you to do something and you say no? So in this book I figured if the devil was pulling your strings he would not ask you to bake cookies, would he? I thought a BDSM style fit the tone of the devil and taboo. I suppose it is not for the faint of heart. As far as research goes, I know a woman and a man that delve into that life style and drove them crazy with questions and ‘what would you do’ scenarios.

3. Your genre seems to contemporary M/M fic with a bit of vampire love thrown in. What can we expect in the future?

The first book to my Dreams Delivered series was just released and I am doing two fantasy magic stories, A Double Sacrifice and Cam’s Best Friend. I also have a cowboy story called New to the Posse I want o come out this year.

4. Where do you live? I know you live with your man Hou and your cat…which city?

Yes, we live in a suburb just outside of Indianapolis, In that Judo lets us live in with him. LOL.

5. Do you have any favorite haunts there? Anything that inspires you as a writer?

I have been going to 2 different spots lately to people watch. One is a straight bar called Club 500 because I am doing research for a biker story and the biker boys there are cute and the other is a gay bar called The Ten.

6. What is your writing routine like? Do you write every day? Do you work around a day job?

I try to write every day, but I do have a day job and Hou to think of so I work on balancing all three into my daily routine.

7. Do you work on WIP at a time or do you have several going?

I work on the one that calls me the loudest. Sometimes one story will call to me and I cannot do another until it is done, but then, not very often, 2 or 3 will speak at the same time and I’ll find myself bouncing from story to story.

8. What are the two things I will always find on your desk?

My drinking mug (sometimes with green tea most times with Long Island Ice Tea) and a bag of sunflower seeds.

9. Do you read much and what is your favorite genre? Fave authors?

I really like historical romance. I read them when my brain needs a break. I don’t really have a favorite author for the genre.

10. Okay, then since you’re holding your cards close to the vest on that question, what is your favorite era of history? Will we see you penning a gay romance set in that period?

I like the regency period with all the my lord this and my lord that. And, no, you will not see a gay historical from me. I like to read them gay and straight, but I will not write one.

11. Tough question time: What was your favorite toy growing up?

I had a race track that I loved. I spent a lot of time making wild and crazy twists and turns with tracks all over the house.

12. Now for a couple of off the wall questions. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

I am very critical of myself. I like me a lot, but sometimes I ask way too much of myself. I have been told I need to lighten up.

13.What is the trait you most deplore in others?

It bugs me when you say you’re going to do something and then you don’t. Just be true to your word.

14.If you could choose to come back in your next life as ANY literary character, who would it be and why?

Harry Potter! I have read all the books and he had so much going on in his young life. With all the crazy things he has happen to him he learns so much, gains so much and loses much, but turns out to be a really incredible man when it’s all over.

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I'd like to thank Jaxx Steele for dropping by today. To learn more about this talented author, please check out his links:

Jaxx website: http://www.jaxxsteele.webs.com/
Jaxx blog: http://www.jaxxsteele.blogspot.com/ Jaxx video trailers: www.youtube.com/jaxxsteele

In the Spotlight C.R. Moss Postponing Eternity

2009-05-02T19:20:00.000-07:00

I apologize to C.R. Moss and all of you. A technical issue kept this post hostage until now. Here it is, so enjoy. And thank you to Ms. Moss for her patience and wonderful excerpt!

Ava James ~ the Belated Spotlight Diva

Author Bio: C.R. Moss, resident of the hot, high desert in the southwest, knew she wanted to write at a young age, as early as she learned to read, cooking up stories to entertain herself in the rural, non-kid-laden area she had lived in. But she took a round about way to settle down as a fiction writer, having worked in the corporate and real estate realms writing newspaper articles, press releases, corporate newsletters, etc. Now that she’s settled into the health care industry, she has returned to her first love: creative writing. When she isn’t working at her practice or at her computer cooking up another tale, she can be found hanging out with her husband and cat or reading a book. Visit her at: http://home.earthlink.net/~cr_moss/

Postponing Eternity ~ Si’Ludo Prophesy: Book 1 available at www.devinedestinies.com

Blurb for Postponing Eternity ~ Si’Ludo Prophesy: Book 1:

Facing one’s past, present and future along with discovering the use of supernatural powers can be challenging…Two beings from a Prophesy foretelling their union on Earth are about to face the fight of their existence as living on the planet separates them from their powers and the ultimate truth while in their human forms.Calissa Parker doesn't believe in soul mates or true love especially after watching her parents' marriage fall apart and experiencing for several years strange dreams of lovers who are constantly separated by circumstances beyond their control. All she wants to do is escape – from the town she lives in and from the visions of several different lifetimes that plague her night and day. Even when she meets JT and her dreams become reality she remains stubborn, unwilling to see her destiny before her and accept the truth that’s been buried for so long.JT Sterling was born with certain powers but people are adamant about keeping the knowledge of his abilities and who he truly is from him. These people also do not want to see Calissa and JT form any kind of bond. JT knew from the moment he met Calissa and couldn’t read her mind she was meant for him. He realizes she’s the only one able to protect him and free him from his family’s strict confines. Convincing her of the same is a constant uphill struggle he’s determined to win if only she’d stay around long enough for his efforts to work.Can they help break through each other’s obstacles and their own stubborn pride and learn what they need to know to save their lives before it's too late?

Excerpt from Postponing Eternity ~ Si’Ludo Prophesy: Book 1:

“The only way I can prove to you that I wouldn’t hurt you is if you let me into your life. You need to open yourself up and trust that maybe your path is showing you the truth now. That there will be a man in your life.” He enfolded her in his arms again. “Trust me, Callie.” She did feel safe and secure with him, but could she trust him? Was he the one who would stick around through all the thick and thin and love her unconditionally forever? Though he probably would claim to be that man, she was unsure and afraid. Her instincts screamed to use caution. JT kissed the top of her head, then placed his chin in the spot. We do fit nicely together. The slow sizzling burn flared. A fire of longing, of craving another’s pleasurable contact, blazed through her. Screw instincts. She pulled away and turned to him. Before he could question her actions, she grabbed the back of his head and brought his face close. She claimed his lips with hers and forced them open with her tongue. The kiss was urgent, exploratory, demanded a response. He returned her ardor and thrust his tongue into her mouth. She caressed the strong muscles of his neck and his back, trying to bring him into her, to consume him like the burning rage engulfing her. Beneath her fingers and his clothes, his skin warmed. His heat roused her passion even more. She sought for and moved the bottom rim of his shirt. Slowly she slipped her fingers up and under the garment to explore his skin. She slid her hands along him and stroked the sides of his torso and back, then the base of his spine. He pulled away from the kiss, leaving her panting in need for another round. “Beautiful,” he whispered, brushing his cheek along hers before capturing her lips again. An alarm dinged in her head. The word he spoke triggered an awareness of a long ago event. She couldn’t quite remember it, but sensed the situation did not end well. And you would be correct, the male voice in her mind stated. Author Links/Purchase Link: Visit http://home.earthlink.net/~cr_moss/

Author Interview: SOPHIA DANU

2009-04-29T07:08:00.000-07:00

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Sophia and welcome to the Divas’ Dark Den…so great to have you here. My first question for you would be about Kentucky Hunger. Are there such things as vampires in Kentucky? Because I loved this book!

There are vampires EVERYWHERE…even in Kentucky. :) Okay so maybe they only exist in my head, but since Kentucky is where I live then that’s where they live. :)

2. I know you recently had your first book signing with the Atlantis Allure anthology. What was that like? I read your blog where you described how great it was to see your family congregated there. Did some of your readers come to it?

Yes, readers came and bought and it was a fabulous experience! I was so nervous about not selling a book (to anyone other than my family and friends that is) but that didn’t happen! I am so glad that I agreed to do it. It was a true joy speaking to readers.
I am grateful to the Kentucky Romance Writers for including me in the book signing. They are a wonderful group of women and writers and I appreciate that they involved me in the event.

3. You have four books out with eXtasy Books – five with the AA anthology. What is coming up next for you?

I have six books out with Extasy Books, including the AA anthology: Mystic Roots, Forbidden Desire, Kentucky Hunger, Keeley’s Curse, The Cotillion and Atlantis Allure.
I am currently working on a novel for Halloween release and the title is still up in the air. It’s a psychic heroine and an Irish Druid hero with most of the plot set once again in Kentucky. Demons and rogue druids are involved. I am really enjoying writing it.
The next book is going to be Book II in the Mystic series. I’ve had so many readers request for Mystic Roots to be a series that I thought I should listen. lol

4. Your books are all paranormal, obviously a genre you love writing…do you also enjoy reading this genre and who are some of your favorite authors?

I do enjoy reading paranormal and my favorite authors include (I can’t possibly name them all) Laurell Hamilton, Charlaine Harris, Kim Harrison, Christine Feehan, Sherrilyn Kenyon, and Angela Knight.
Having said that, I enjoy any genre with a well-developed plot and characters. I read a lot of suspense and horror and from time to time, I go back to the classics for a little break from the dark stuff. :)

5. I know you are married and have two daughters. Do you have a day job? And how in the world do you balance all these things with writing?

I do have a full-time day job. I am a software developer and I work for an engineering firm. We specialize in providing software and solutions for E911, Fire Depts, Police, school bus routing, property value administration, etc.
I have to say that it is really tough to balance the time. Sometimes I either work on my day job’s projects or writing until 3 am, and of course I work in time for my very sexy husband and my sweet girls and soccer and school plays, etc. Honestly though as overwhelmed as I get at times, I wouldn’t want it any other way. I love my family and my friends and all of the activities that come along with them.

6. Now let me throw out a ‘writerly’ question. Which word or phrase do you most overuse as an author?

WAS and HAD BEEN
I am constantly going back over my work and trying to take those out; to make more action statements and less passive wording. :)

7. As a writer, what qualities do you think define a romantic male hero?

I like a dominate male hero, a take-charge kind of man who maintains an honest and noble character and is willing to do what’s necessary to protect the people he loves.

8. What is the best advice – and the worst – anyone ever gave you as an author?

The best advice I’ve been given is to be persistent and to keep on keeping on. Keep writing and growing and developing my craft.

9. Since you are into the paranormal realm and oddities are possible, if you were to die and could come back as anyone or anything, who or what would you be?

That’s really a hard question since I am a pretty happy person and wouldn’t want to be anyone else, but to be on the whimsical side of things, perhaps a witch. :)

10. What is your personal motto?

Uh….let me think on that one…lol

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews I'd like to thank Sophia Danu for stopping by today. To learn more about this awesome author's work, please check out her links:

http://www.sophiadanu.com/
http://sophiadanu.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/sophiadanu

Helen Hardt in the Spotlight

2009-04-24T07:24:00.000-07:00

Author Bio:

Helen Hardt is an attorney and stay-at-home mom turned award-winning romance author and freelance editor. She met her real-life hero in law school, and they live in Colorado with their two teenage sons. Helen writes contemporary, historical, paranormal, and erotic romance. Her first two releases, Seduced in Seoul and Passion in Paris, are available at www.wilderroses.com. The Outlaw’s Angel, part of a western historical anthology, Lawmen and Outlaws, releases June 5 at www.thewildrosepress.com.

Blood Wolf, an award-winning dark paranormal, will be out in October, and her first Ellora’s Cave story, Slow and Wet, comes in November. Her non-writing interests include Harley rides with Her husband, attending her sons’ sports and music performances, traveling, and Taekwondo (she’s a blackbelt.)

Visit Helen at www.helenhardt.com and www.helensheroes.blogspot.com.

Passion in Paris

Blurb:

Attempting to overcome her fear of heights by visiting the top of the Eiffel Tower, Raine never expects to end up in the arms of a gorgeous Frenchman. But after fainting in the tower’s elevator, that’s where she awakens. Blaise is young, charming, and hot, so why, Raine wonders, is he attracted to her? And why does she have the strange feeling she’s seen him somewhere before?

Excerpt (PG):

Raine struggled to clear her vision. If he was as handsome as his voice suggested, she definitely wanted a better look. She widened her eyes and scanned his face.“Oh, God.” Her heart thudded against her sternum.

He sat across from her on a black lacquer coffee table. A few days’ worth of golden stubble dusted his chiseled jaw line, and his long nose turned up just a touch at the tip, which, for some reason foreign to Raine, was incredibly sexy. High cheekbones, full lips, an adorable dimple in his chin. And eyes. Deep set and slightly slanted, they sparkled like lapis lazuli fringed with a nutmeg curtain of lashes.But as spectacular as his eyes were, they paled in comparison to the flowing mane of gold that fell over his broad shoulders. She wanted to touch it, let it slide between her fingers like strands of silk. But that would be insane. He was a stranger. He had cared for her, taken her from the tower when she couldn’t help herself, but still, he was a stranger.

“What is it?” He searched her face. “Are you all right?”

“Huh?” Damn, his hair was beautiful.

“You said, ‘oh, God.’ Is something the matter?”

"Uh, yeah. I said “Oh, God” because you’re the most amazing creature I’ve ever laid eyes on.“I just...” Raine cleared her throat. “Water. Please.”

“Yes. Of course. I should have thought. You’re American. You don’t want wine.”

“I’ve nothing against wine. But right now, I need water.”

“I will get it.”Blaise rose from his seat on the coffee table and strode out of the room. His firm ass encased in jeans drew Raine’s gaze. Every part of him was good looking. And...familiar? Where had she seen him before? The elevator? But she didn’t remember his face from the elevator...

Buy Link: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/wilderroses/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=680&zenid=f0013f0608b6aa0bf2003e22d6f15419

Author links:http://www.helenhardt.com/http://www.helensheroes.blogspot.com/

Thanks to Helen Hardt!

Author Interview: DEE DAWNING

2009-04-22T07:04:00.001-07:00

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Dee, and welcome to the Divas’ dark den. How nice to have another man around the place! Firstly, I hope I am not telling tales out of school but you recently told me you are reworking your Eppie finalist novel Fortune Cookies. Care to share the reason why?

Hi, A.J. Nice shirt. Thanks for having me.
It looks like you want me to spill the cookies. Fortune Cookies, that is. LOL Actually, I’m just going through it and making sure the tees’ are crossed and the i’s are dotted. There were a few editing things that bothered me and while I’m at it, I’m tweaking it a little. Remember it was good enough to be a finalist, but it didn’t win and that can be disappointing, as you know.

2. Tell me about the Gizmo series…it looks like it’s very naughty, Dee…am I wrong or just a little bit psychic?

Oh, yeah. It’s naughty, but not as naughty as Bananaz. But you know A.J. When I get in those really naughty writing moods, I temper it with humor. Some say sexy and humor don’t mix, but I’ve never heard any complaints.
BTW, If you like, I’d be happy to give you the first two installments of Gizmo. I wouldn’t mind the A.J. seal of approval. Assuming you think it’s worthy.

3. I have read many of your blogs and they are to say the least provocative. Do you like to stir the pools of controversy my friend?

(Chuckle) I do get a lot of comments don’t I? We are in a provocative industry, so I write about some of the things we write about. Some of it is research. I was having a problem believing women enjoy anal penetration, so I blogged about it and found out many of them do.
I think the last blog I wrote was about fisting on the eXcessica blog. Again the comments were revealing. Anyway. What’s so controversial about male whore houses and sexual tourists? I’m not making things up. Everything’s been tried and probably for thousands of years. Just not by us.
My next blog, you may be interested to know will be about the new fad, for lack of a better word, of discouraged middle aged heretofore hetero women entering into lesbian relationships.

4. You say your age is fifty-fifteen. This sounds like a tennis match. Who is winning? You or gravity?

Damn, A.J. Did you have to bring up my age? Is nothing sacred. Just kidding Pal. As for who’s winning, I think I am. Despite my slightly advanced age. I appear to be much younger.

5. Please describe your life in Cave Creek for me…you seem to love the desert – years in Vegas, Baby and now Arizona. To quote you, you haven’t melted yet. But what is it about the desert you find appealing?

Hell, I’ve lived in the desert for almost fifty years. Arizona’s a gas though. It’s such an interesting state and really I’ve just begun to explore the innate beauty here. Even the desert here and around Cave Creek is beautiful compared to the desolate desert around Vegas. And for inspiring beauty, I’ll put the Grand Canyon and Sedona against anything.
Then again. I’ve never been to Hawaii. Have you?

6. Um -yes, often! Can you tell me about your writing routine? Do you write every day?

Oh yeah. I joke about being a two fingered pecker. I don’t type. I’m a slow reader, but I get ideas, so I write despite the handicaps I face. I’ve always been an idea man and it shows in my writing.
On the average day I rise between 2 and 3 a.m. This morning it was 2:17. I make coffee, check emails etc. and then start writing. I write until eight when I go to work. If work is slow as it tends to be these days, I write some through the day. Weekends I write even more, unless we have something planned.
Sleep? Yeah, I get some. I go to bed at eightish. I usually subsist on six hours sleep.

7. I know you juggle writing with being a home designer/builder. Have you felt the pinch with the economic downturn or are people still building?

Oh, it’s flat killed my industry. There’s talk about setting up good banks and bad banks. I think they should make it good banks and ‘dumber than dirt’ banks. But you don’t even want to get me started on this. I’m carrying around a lot of anger. Writing is actually my therapy for this.

8. What’s the craziest request you ever had from a client?

Client? Seems like it’s been forever since I’ve had a client. Ya hear that readers? Help the economy by buying my books.

9. You’ve said in more than one interview that you are a man who likes women…as a male romance author would you ever write M/M or ménages where the guys go at each other as well as the lucky lady?

Hmmm. Would you really want me competing against you? Nah! I wouldn’t be much competition. I could give it a go, but I seriously doubt I could do a credible job. How about you? Do you think you could write m/f, f/f or f/m/f effectively. I try to write what I know or at least can imagine, which is what women writers of m/m etc. do.
BTW, during an interesting scene in Gizmo, using the gizmo our heroine experiences the same feelings and sensations the man in a porno movie experiences.

10. Okay, an off the wall question: what is your greatest extravagance?

I suppose, the fact that I have two classic RX7’s qualifies. Also, for many years, I’ve lived in upscale homes I’ve built is an extravagance, though I always thought of it as showing my abilities.

11. Oh, just for the heck of it, I’m curious to know, which living person do you most admire?

That would be President Barack Hussein Obama. I could go on and on about him but suffice it to say, I expect to see his likeness on Mt Rushmore some day.
I wonder if he’s read any of my books? I’ll bet Michelle would like to.

12. And which living person do you most despise?

Since our previous president was just a pawn, I’d have to I despise his default boss, Vice President Darth Cheney is someone I wouldn’t mind seeing shot with a shotgun.

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I'd like to than Dee Dawning for stopping by today. To learn more about this talented author’s work, please check out his kinks...er, I mean links:

www.deedawning.com

www.myspace.com/deedawning

Blog: http://deedawning.wordpress.com/

Christie Kelley in the Spotlight

2009-04-16T19:41:00.000-07:00

Christie Kelley was born and raised in upstate New York. After seventeen years working for financial institutions in software development, she took a leap of faith and started her first book. Seven years later, EVERY NIGHT I’M YOURS was bought by Zebra books.

She now lives in Maryland with her husband and two future romance heroes. Come visit her on the web at http://www.christiekelley.com/.

Every Time We Kiss

GUILT KEPT THEM APART
It’s been five years since Lady Jennette Selby’s fiancé died. Each courting season since has been filled with suitors eager to win her affection. But Jennette’s guilt has prompted her to swear off marriage. For her secrets are as dark as she is beautiful, and the accidental death of her fiancé was tainted by a forbidden attraction…

PASSION BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER
Matthew Harris, the new earl of Blackburn, has been scorned by the ton for unintentionally killing Lady Jennette’s fiancé. Forced to sell his estates and abandon his tenants if he does not marry a wealthy, respectable woman, Matthew turns to Lady Jennette to help him find a suitable wife. But sharing such close quarters only re-ignites an all-consuming desire neither can resist–even as every shadow of the past threatens to tear them apart….

Thank you to Christie Kelley for sharing, and don't forget to check her out online at the following links!

Every Time We Kiss, Available now
Every Night I'm Yours Available now
Zebra Books
www.christiekelley.com
www.romancebandits.blogspot.com

Author Interview: ANASTASIA RABIYAH

2009-04-15T08:35:00.002-07:00

Author Interview By A.J. Llewellyn

1. Anastasia, welcome to the Dark Divas’ Den. It’s so nice to have you here! My first question to you is about your extensive and fascinating range of books from contemporary titles to demons, vampires, and your Shahzar series. Dozens of books! Phew! So what can we expect next from the author whose motto is: Follow Your Dreams?

Hi A.J. and thank you so much for interviewing me and thanks to Dark Divas for letting me into the den.
Readers can expect love and passion in my stories although not all of my characters fit the norm of belonging in romance. I am a fantasy author at heart, and threads of that genre often weave heavily into my plots. I like magic, dark creatures, and the unknown. I like to find love where most people would not dare to look, and I like characters that challenge themselves and dare to look beyond what they see as well. So often we miss things in life that could be fabulous and wonderful because of how we see them on the surface.

An underlying theme in my stories is that love is often redemption—and redemption may be for a goblin, gremlin, demon, or sorceress.
Yes, I do have dozens of books available! Most are novellas and there are some short stories. It’s obvious I enjoy my writing time. I do have some contemporary works which I consider a successful fluke. The first was Rope, for the Cowboys anthology available at http://www.loveyoudivine.com/.

A fellow author invited me to write a cowboy themed erotic romance, and, after shaking my head no and repeatedly saying: “I write fantasy.” I decided to give it a shot. Two fun shorts, Seducing My Husband and The Envelope Room, were written more as writing exercises. I was coming off of writing Shahzar, which is a 150,000 word epic fantasy, and I needed to know I could write shorts as well.
I do love my demons. They are a recurring theme in my dark fantasy/paranormals. I think it’s because I see so many of the people around me who must face their own proverbial demons: addiction, obsession, depression, and even insecurity. The demons in my works are flesh and blood living creatures whose purpose is often to grow and change along with the main characters they are with. Demon in the Basement is a perfect example of that concept. Now available at http://www.purplesword.com/, it was a story I doubted because I thought it too odd. It proved me wrong and has been my bestseller.

2. You and I are both Greek Orthodox and with Greek Easter coming this weekend, (which I love more than any other holiday!) I am wondering what special family traditions you plan to follow this year?

I married into a Greek Orthodox family, and I am very United States southern because my parents were raised in Oklahoma. My husband was born in New York, but his parents were born in Greece. The traditions of the Greek culture are rich with meaning and center around family and the religion. Every Easter we roast a whole lamb over a spit, dye red eggs, and gather together in a raucous, loud bunch to celebrate. I was raised Baptist by Methodist parents who had gone to church regularly growing up, and didn’t feel like they needed to impose that on their children. So, when I met my husband, and his incense wielding father who keeps icons and shrines in the house, I was a little shocked!
For the last two years we hosted Greek Easter at our house, but this year we plan to go to a friend’s. He’s from Cyprus and he loves to cook (like my husband) so it will be a spectacular feast. We usually attend the service at the church the night before which goes past midnight, then further celebrate the resurrection by bringing home a lit candle in the car to make the sign of the cross on our door jamb. If my husband’s parents are here visiting from Greece, his father makes the mayiritsa soup and we stop at my brother in law’s house for a very late night of visiting.

3. I love that soup except nobody makes it like my aunty did and she lives in Australia…so…anyway, I know you originally started writing children’s books, then migrated toward fantasy and erotic romance. How did this progression occur?

After I left my job at a credit union to stay home with my first son, I became bored. I decided to take a creative writing correspondence course to write children’s books. That choice was really fostered by my being with my son so much. The last assignment was to write for a young adult—a full chapter. After I finished that chapter, my instructor encouraged me to keep writing. The farther I went into that work, the more I realized I wanted to write for adults, not children.
That first novel, to date still unpublished, was an action adventure, but heavy with romance between the main characters. Too embarrassed to write anything hot and heavy at that time, I ended up setting the book aside. It would be several years before I found a place where I could face that side of me.
I joined an online fantasy novel critique group after the birth of my second son—online because with two children underfoot, I needed to be able to write and critique when the kids were asleep. There I met a fellow author who confessed that she had joined the erotica critique group. She felt all alone in there and because we often traded reviews on our fantasy chapters and benefited from each other’s constructive criticism, I followed her over to the harem, confessing that I, too, had always wanted to write in that genre. With each other’s encouragement, we both broke into publication at about the same time with our cowboy stories.

4. Please tell me about how your Shahzar series came about and can we expect more titles from you in the series?

Shahzar was a direct result of back story for that first teen novel I started. She was the main character’s mother, a seemingly cold-hearted queen possessed of powerful, dark magic. I wrote her story in bursts on notebooks, often while driving to and from the restaurant my husband and I were starting. I feel like that time writing is the only thing that kept me sane during such a stressful period in our lives. My husband had lost his auditing job, and we decided to open a Greek restaurant—a lifelong dream of his.
After the restaurant, there was no time for writing. My in-laws watched our children for us while we both worked from open to close. I was the cashier. My husband was the cook. It was grueling work and I “quit” on many days because my husband and I have very opposing personalities. I am the calm, and he is the storm. It balances us out though, and I never went more than ten feet out the front door. It got to be a joke between us after a while. That first week after we opened I found out I was pregnant! Months later, we were able to hire an employee, and I again, found myself as a stay at home mom, this time with three little boys to keep me very, very busy.
Time went by as it does. Life got in the way of writing and Shahzar was forgotten. But then, I got bored again. I wanted to open Shahzar’s file, but the document was so old that it was not compatible with Word. In the meantime, I had made several online friends and one, Fernando who lives in Spain and works as a software tester, was able to convert the old file into a Word file. The rest is history after that!
Shahzar is a strong willed woman who, throughout the story, is misunderstood and often hated because of her drive to do what she feels is right. There is always a reason behind everything she does, but she doesn’t always make the best choices. It’s a story about love and all it can endure. She has closed herself off to the emotion. Part of the tradition of her city requires that she conceive a child with the bishop of the temple. When he is sent to her bed, she plans to kill him on her uncle’s wishes, but he is not what she expected.
Her dark magic is another facet to the story. She doesn’t understand it or know how to wield it, so she plans to seek out someone who does. Her city is threatened by war, and she believes if she can bring back the old priests of the temple who do know how to use that dark magic, that her city can be saved. There is a Pandora theme to Shahzar.
The series was first released as a four part set of e-book novellas at Forbidden Publications. Unfortunately, on March 30, 2009 Forbidden closed after three years of business. At present, Shahzar is available in a three part series at Lulu.com, and in one epic e-book at http://www.purplesword.com/. Purple Sword will eventually release the full length novel in print as well.
As to when you can expect more from the series, I’d like to go back to that original teen novel and rewrite it with the knowledge and experience I have gained since I finished it. It would be a romance and certainly a bit of spice would not hurt the plot at all. That’s what I think it’s missing, that and a lot of self editing for excessive adverbs! I would love to see that book come out by next year. Again, it’s an epic, so it takes much longer than my novellas.

5. Do you have any favorite authors in fantasy/erotic romance?

One of my favorite fantasy authors is J.K. Rowling of course. She is certainly an example of a strong-willed woman who followed her dreams. When I was younger I read a lot of Dungeons and Dragons twist a plot type books. Mercedes Lackey and T.S. Elliot, as well as C.S. Lewis were ones I enjoyed. I love Anne Rice and Stephen King. I’ve dabbled in James Patterson, too. Lately, I only get to read what I’m editing, and that leaves little time to choose a book I want to read for pleasure. Editing has changed the way I read. I have to consciously turn off the editor so that I can enjoy the book.
I read some erotic romance books as a teen, but I can’t say that I remember the authors. They were my mother’s books and she’d left a big box of them out. I was probably too young to be turning those pages. Again, I’ve read a lot in the genre but mainly those works that I’m editing. I love Dawné Dominique’s stories, S.D. Grady’s, and Max Griffin’s. Cyna Kade wrote a hot one at Ellora’s Cave that sticks in my head.

6. I know you are married and have three sons. Hot mama! How on Earth do you manage such a high output with such a big fat Greek life? Do you write every day?

My goodness, I get asked this question a lot! I try to write every day. But I also edit and design cover art for several publishers, so that takes up a lot of my writing time. I am currently the PTA president at my sons’ school and I volunteer to help at Student Council. I’m also a soccer mom. I like to be involved with my children’s life and their education because I feel it makes a huge difference for the better.
Here’s the big secret to writing as much as I do. I stopped watching so much television. It was really more of a choice the men in this house made for me because they like to control the remotes. I do a lot of writing while my husband watches sports. Football makes me fall asleep—literally! The kids prefer age appropriate TV which I grow tired of. I find it amazing how much time people spend sitting on the couch in front of the TV. That’s the majority of my writing time. Or late at night after the kids get to bed. The only shows I like to watch are the news and American Idol.

7. Please describe your life in Tucson to me. If I had just landed there, what places should I see? Where would I find the best cupcakes? Best cup of coffee?

Tucson is a funny city. It’s big, but not as big and sprawling as Phoenix, and once I get out and start visiting with folks I realize how small and interconnected it is. If you visit Tucson, you must see Old Tucson Studios, the Desert Museum, Sabino Canyon, Colossal Cave, and travel up to Mt. Lemmon. If you visit in March, look for the Tucson festival of Books and the 4th Avenue Street Fair. We also host a Gem and Mineral show every year. The city is in a valley surrounded by mountains. In the summer it gets horribly hot, as much as 117 degrees in the shade, but there is little humidity.

Winters are relatively mild compared to most of the world. Snow is rare. People who have never been here expect the desert to be made of dunes, but it’s not that way at all. The Sonoran Desert is a “living desert” filled with plants and animals well adapted to living in our arid conditions. We have coyotes, bobcats, cougars, javelinas, and deer in the wild places.
The best cupcakes? That’s tough. If a muffin can qualify as a cupcake, the best ones are at Costco (where I do a lot of shopping weekly for our restaurant). They make monster sized chocolate chocolate-chip muffins that are to die for.
Best cup of coffee, and don’t laugh, is either at the local McDonald’s drive through or the Dunkin Donuts. I’m not much into fancy coffee. Now, if I want the luxury kind, like an iced mocha extreme with whipped cream, I’d go to Coffee Xchange. Mmm.
My life is not as exciting as some might think. I do a lot of shuttling kids to school and soccer! When I’m not being Mommy or restaurant owner/accountant, I’m usually writing.

8. What virtues in life do you think are the most overrated?

No sex before marriage? Can I say that here? *taps microphone* I think people ought to live together before marriage and make sure they’re with a person they can stand for the rest of their lives. I’m all for the test drive before the contract, but that’s my personal opinion. There is no excuse for irresponsible sex though.

9. You’re having a dinner party. You may invite six people (living or dead). Who would they be and what would you serve?

I’d serve something my husband cooked because my cooking is not reliable unless I’m making a dessert. As to the people I’d invite…hmm. That’s tough. If I were being completely selfish, I’d invite no one and pig out on whatever the hubbie made for dinner. If I absolutely have to invite someone, it would be my mom. She’s my best friend and biggest supporter. Then my husband. My father. My brother. Can Elton John come play the piano for us?

AJ says: Sure!

Then I guess I’d have Barack Obama over. Why not? That’s just completely weird. Haha.

10. What is the worst advice you were given as a writer?

“Stop writing. You’re wasting your time on this.”

AJ says: Somebody actually said this to you?

Yes, but I must counter that with the explanation that when someone tells me I can’t do something, it only makes me want to do it more, especially if it’s something I truly enjoy.
The best advice I’ve gotten was to find a writing critique group that suits my needs.

AJ says: I can’t believe somebody told you to stop writing! You rock Anastasia! On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I’d like to thank you for coming by today. To learn more about this awesome author, please check out her links:

Website:
http://www.rabiyahbooks.com/
Published by:
http://www.amirapress.com/
http://www.loveyoudivine.com/
http://www.mysticmoonpress.com/
http://www.purplesword.com/
http://www.sugarandspicepress.net/

Welcoming Jasmine Black to the Author Spotlight

2009-04-10T08:01:00.001-07:00

ALL FOR AN ANGEL

All For An Angel Excerpt:

What the hell? This can’t be happening. “Ma’am, I need to see your license and registration.” The officer pointed his flashlight at her breasts. “You’ve got to be joking.” Amy Bradshaw laughed.

“This is no laughing matter. Speeding is a crime, and I’m going to have to write you a ticket.” The officer opened his book, but left the light turned on the same spot.

She shifted in her seat, uncomfortable about his gaze on her breasts. “A ticket? For three miles over the speed limit?” She had been working double shifts three days a week, for the last month, saving to move from that roach infested hole the landlord called an apartment.

With the speeding ticket last week, her car needing tires and now this impending ticket, all her hard earned money would be gone. “Gabe, does this have anything to do with the fact you asked me out not ten minutes ago, and I turned you down?” She rolled her eyes and hoped it was too dark for him to see.

“Again,” he muttered.

“What?” What was he talking about and did he have to pull her over on Main Street? Even at night, the whole town would recognize her car. “You turned me down again. License and registration.” If her luck didn’t change, she’d never be able to move out of that hell hole. She gripped the steering wheel, willing herself to maintain her poise. “Please don’t do this. My insurance will go through the roof, and it’s hard enough to put food on the table for Angel and me.” The six foot, solid steel man flinched at the mention of the three foot, pudgy-cheeked girl. Oh, why did I bring up Angel? She should have just given him the documents he wanted and kept her mouth shut. But then her cash would be gone, and she’d have nothing as a deposit for that apartment on the nicer side of Seawell. The small Indiana town had grown fast over the last few years, making good affordable apartments a rare commodity.

Gabe wandered around her car, checked the lights, and then came back. “I’m going to have to ask you to step out of the car.” His voice stayed calm and in control even though she could see the pain on his face.

She wanted to argue her case more, but instead she shoved open the car door and stepped out. Her baby waited with the sitter and needed to be tucked in bed. She didn’t have time or the strength to go through this again. Going on a date with Gabriel Hawkins, a.k.a. Hawk, was out of the question. It hurt having to say no to him over and over, but she didn’t have a choice. Too much was at stake to risk it. The night breeze blew across her exposed skin and cooled her. She’d only been in her car a few minutes but without air-conditioning it was stifling. He flashed the light inside her beat-up old Pinto and cleared his throat when the beam landed on the stained car seat. She despised what her past mistake had done to him. As he riffled around, she couldn’t help but stare at his muscular arms and tight butt in his uniform. Nor could she stop the thought of running her fingers through the short brown curls growing at the nape of his neck. The curls were sexy when he let his hair grow out.

“If you need some cash to get you through—”

“No, no. I did okay with tips tonight, and I couldn’t ask you for money. Lou’s the one who’s behind on child support.” Behind? Hell, that man had never paid one dime. Plus, she didn’t have a court order to make him pay. She’d been stupid and naïve to leave his name off the birth certificate. But she’d been in denial, praying to God Gabe was the father, even though it was impossible.

He stopped looking through her car, slid his flashlight into a loop on his pants and took her by the arms. “He doesn’t pay? Wait till I find that no good . . . I can’t believe we have the same blood in our veins.”

“Gabe, don’t start a fight with your brother. Promise me?” She looked into his eyes shadowed by the brim of his hat, but she knew the color by heart. Sky blue when he laughed and a deeper ocean blue when he was angry. She guessed they were the darker shade right now.

“He should help you. It’s not right that you have to work double shifts at the diner while he’s off having fun as if he has no responsibilities. Or at least none he’d acknowledge. Let me take you to dinner Friday and for once have someone wait on you. I’ll even forget the citation.” He dropped her arms and closed the ticket book he hadn’t written in.

Jasmine Black also has two upcoming releases in anthologies with Coming Together. One in Al Fresco to be released on Earth Day in April, and a second, Against the Odds, in June. Proceeds goes to benifit charity.

Thank you to Jasmine Black for being in the Spotlight!

Visit Jasmine Black at her blog www.jasmineblackromance.blogspot.com
Jasmine Marital Affair from Mystic Moon Press
All For An Angel from Mystic Moon Press

Author Interview: RUTH SIMS

2009-04-08T07:48:00.000-07:00

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Ruth and welcome to the Divas’ Den! I must say your book The Phoenix is very intriguing…a 19th century roué in Jack Rourke (son of a demon and a whore) who becomes Kit St. Denys. He finds love with Nick. Will we be seeing anymore stories involving them?

Hi, A.J. Thank you for the chance to fill every writer's wish, namely to talk about ourselves! I must say, you have an interesting set of questions. The questions are more interesting than the subject, I’m afraid.

Am I allowed to take mild issue with you on something? I would never describe Kit as a roué, defined as “a dissipated man; debauchee; rake”. To my mind, a roué is someone who’s pretty much a waste of space, useless, cynical, and corrupt from choice. Kit’s excesses are brought on by his attempts to deal with his past and by fears he can’t face. If he were truly a roué, he couldn’t possibly function as he does in the theatre. It’s only when the damaged child in him takes over that he loses it. That’s why steady, compassionate Nick was able to do what no one else could. And Kit also has a sweetness and generosity about him that no roué would be caught dead with. At least that’s how I saw him; perhaps I didn’t do a very good job of getting it across. And, of course, every reader interprets things differently.

Didn’t answer the question, did I? Short answer: I don’t know. Several people have requested a sequel. But the only story idea that came to me would be about 18 years after the end of The Phoenix, just after WWI, when Nick’s grown son, raised to hate him, would put in an appearance. The only scene that has been written was a confrontation between Nick’s son, Jamie, and Kit. Nobody has ever won an argument with an infuriated Kit.

2. What is it about the 19th century that inspired you to set your story there?

I like the late Victorian era because I’m lazy. It’s close enough to our own time that it’s easy to research and I feel at home there. It’s not so far back that I have to spend eons researching underwear, food, and footgear. And since it’s not contemporary I don’t have to contend with AIDS, cell phones, and Terrorist Attacks. I say “I feel at home there” facetiously, but in a way it’s true. One of my best friends is a Wiccan priestess who is adamant that I lived a prior life in the late 19th century and that’s why it feels natural. I think it's just that the only books I had when I was a kid were from the public library and I early on discovered Dickens, Hardy, Poe, Twain, London, the Brontes, etc.

3. Oscar Wilde has a minor part in your tale, not without reason being such a prominent figure there. How do you feel about the legendary gay bookstore named after him in NYC closing its doors?

I hate to see any independent bookstore close, but especially one that had such a historic link to gay history. I always thought Oscar would be proud to have a bookstore named after him. I’ve never been there, but I have read about it and seen pictures. But…in this economy I suppose we’re lucky that any independent bookstore stays afloat. All independent bookstores are struggling for their lives. I always urge my readers to buy from them if they’re lucky enough to have one in their town. We don’t. I either have to buy from the internet or not buy books at all. When I look at my teenage granddaughter and her friends texting every five seconds I wonder if the next generation will even read books, let alone go into a bookstore.

4. Since your stories seem so immersed in history, who are your favorite historical figures?

The two Alexanders: our Alexander Hamilton—I’ve been working on a book about him on and off since the 70’s, and Alexander the Great—as long as we’re not talking about the godawful movie of a couple of years ago. FDR. Eleanor Roosevelt. Mother (Mary) Jones (who is in one of my w.i.p.s).

5. Do you read other historical authors? And speaking of authors who are your favorites?

I actually read more nonfiction and biographies than I do fiction of any kind. Here are just a few of my favorite historical novelists. (I have not included several top favorites because they are personal friends and I’m afraid I might accidentally leave someone out.) Mary Renault, Pat Barker, Patricia Nell Warren [The Wild Man],Gore Vidal, Anya Seton, Stephen Vincent Benet [John Brown’s Body], Dalton Trumbo [Johnny Got His Gun]. Often those who might be considered historical writers really aren’t because when the books were written they were contemporary!

Favorite authors, again leaving off my friends (will they ever speak to me again?)
Thomas Hardy, Arthur Heller (God Knows), Ron Chernow, Gore Vidal, Walt Whitman, Jack London, Mark Twain, Rod Serling, James Baldwin, Edgar Allen Poe, Toni Morrison, Joe Keenan, Sheldon Bart (Ruby Sweetwater and the Ringo Kid), Judy Blume, Harvey Fierstein, Iris Murdoch…so many more the list would be endless.

6. I am a big Jack London fan too! Is it true you have lived your entire life in the Midwest and have never seen the sea? Or was this you just being poetic?

I don’t have a poetic bone in my tubby little body. I really have never been out of the Midwest except once to Vermont and Rhode Island for two days and once to Orlando for two days. I was disappointed that I didn’t get to see the Atlantic. On the other hand, I’m afraid of water. Give me a sea of amber waves of grain and tall corn any time. My mind and spirit have ranged worldwide, though, thanks to books, and film, and the Internet.

7. What is about gay men that particularly enthralls you to write about them?

The odd this is that I did not set out to write about gay men. Believe it or not, the book first saw the glimmering of life in the mid 1980’s and it was supposed to be a straight Civil War romance! That’s right: a straight (as in non-gay) story. I had never met a gay man (as it turned out, I had but didn’t know it) or read a gay book. You must remember, I grew up in this same small, rural town in the 50’s, in a place and at a time when gay books were as few and far between as gay people themselves.

So…how did a straight Civil War novel end up as a gay late Victorian novel, with basically the same protagonists? Funny you should ask. I worked on it every moment I had between my job, my family, my kids’ school activities, which means it was written at odd hours in corners on a Selectric. Anyway, as time passed I was puzzled and a little freaked out when the two main characters—men—kept being drawn to each other instead of the designated female. Again and again I just threw up my hands and put it away only to bring it out and work on it again a couple of years later. But the characters would not behave! Damn them, anyway. Finally, I decided to just let them do whatever they were going to do and go wherever they were going to go and be whatever they were going to be. And I also decided that there are a lot of wonderful Civil War novelists around and I wasn’t one of them. Hence, the shift in era.

With the writing of that book I discovered that I could write about gay men if that’s what the characters had to be. I don’t force it; just like children my characters let me know if they are or if they aren’t as the story goes along. The reception of my book by gay men was very positive and now I don’t freak when two guys fall in love in my books. Of my works in progress about half of them are about gay men, and so are the short stories I’ve done.

8. Have you had any negativity from gay men about being a woman choosing to write “their” stories?

Not at all, though people being what they are I’m sure there are men who get sniffy about it. It would be unrealistic to think otherwise. Some of my biggest fans are gay men; some of them are prolific authors who are far more successful than I would ever be. I’ve had wonderful letters from gay men, most of whom have gone on to become my good friends. I think the only actually negative personal response I’ve ever had was from a straight woman who ranted that she felt cheated because the sex scenes in my book were not explicit enough. But from gay men themselves I’ve had nothing but encouragement and kudos. It’s very, very humbling.

9. What are the qualities you most admire in a man both in life and art?

I admire the old fashioned things that don’t seem to be valued much anymore, like steadfastness (now there’s a word you don’t hear these days), intelligence, compassion, loyalty, generosity, courage—not the Rambo kind but the kind that keeps him going when things are tough. But then, they’re the same qualities I admire in a woman, too. I have all too few of those qualities, myself. Maybe that’s why my characters so often do have them; I can pretend they’re mine.

10. You described yourself once as an evergreen granny. What does an evergreen granny do every day?

Did I really use that term somewhere?

AJ says: Yes, in an interview with Josh Aterovis. I did my homework on you, Missy!

Blessed if I remember it. I don’t even know what it means unless it’s because I’m so old moss is starting to grow on me in unlikely places. The only thing I really recall saying about being a granny is that I bake a lot of cookies, and that I adore my grandkids.

11. I see you have several WIPS including Counterpoint, another Victorian story, which your website says is under consideration with a publisher. What else do you have coming up?

So-far untitled novel about Alexander Hamilton; Quinn – the violence and drama of the organized labor movement in the 19th century; A Bit of Earth – US Midwest 1910-1925—an interracial couple fights poverty and prejudice; Cullain—19th century gay romance between a young Wiccan and a disgraced schoolteacher; Forbidden—19th century gay romance of two young Rom (Gypsies) in England; Rain Dancer—contemporary gay/hate crimes police story. It’s hard to make anything sound interesting in five words so they probably sound very, very boring! They even sound boring to me, but the stories and characters are intriguing—even to me.

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I'd like to thank Ruth Sims for stopping by today. To learn more about this wonderful writer, please check out her links:

My website: http://www.ruthsims.com/
My book review site: http://www.reviewsbyruth.wordpress.com/

My publisher’s website http://www.lethepressbooks.com/

Nyki Blatchley @ DDR Tomorrow

2009-04-04T06:52:00.000-07:00

Stop by the Dark Diva's yahoo group tomorrow, between 12pm and 1pm est, and chat with Nyki Blatchley about his up coming book Kaydana and the Staff of Ishlun.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DarkDivaReviews

Welcome to the dungeon, sorceress--where every man, woman and demon is against you.

Freelance sorceress Kaydana seeks her fortune in the city only to find it overrun with like-minded magical entrepreneurs. To make ends meet, she takes a commission from the seductive golden-skinned Tati.

Kaydana reluctantly agrees to rescue Tati's lover from a sadistic king and his demonic devourer, knowing she's no match against the castle's mystical protections. Amid plotting, intrigue and sexual trickery, the powers hidden within the mysterious Staff of Ishlun begin to emerge and awaken Kaydana's darker sensual desires.

Kaydana and The Sword of Ishlun is the first tale in a sizzling sword and sorcery series.

Warning, contains strong sexual content, f/f, f/f/m.

Keena Kincaid in the Spotlight with Art of Love

2009-04-02T20:16:00.000-07:00

About Art of Love

Abigail d'Alene has been sinfully in love with learning all her life. Now a widow, she has the means and freedom to indulge in her passion. Pretending to be Abelard, a fifteen-year-old boy from an outlying village, she heads to the Latin Quarter of Paris and the abbey schools that will one day change the world.
Shocked by her ineptitude at masquerading as a boy, Alain of Huntly Woods takes the young “Abelard” under his protection until she recovers her sense and goes home. But her audacity, intelligence and refusal to compromise spark enough friction between them to burn through his cold logic and carefully laid plans. In Paris as a spy for Henry II, Alain has sold his soul to the Angevin devil in exchange for the king's promise of an heiress, land and power.
As his good intentions bring him unexpected passion, he struggles to find a way to have it all. Then he discovers Abigail's uncle, confessor to King Louis VII of France, plots against the English king, and Alain must choose between protecting his king or the woman he loves beyond all reason.
ART OF LOVE is available in both print and e-book formats from The Wild Rose Press, Amazon and other booksellers. ISBN: 1-60154-381-6. To read another excerpt, go to: http://www.keenakincaid.com/artoflove.php

Excerpt:
Abigail blinked against the cold, sickly morning that invaded the room. Frost coated the broken windowpane, and a draft eased its way inside, as unwanted as the dawn. The air that bit at her cheek smelled faintly of smoke. Pulling the blanket over her face, she burrowed into the solid warmth beside her. It shifted slightly, threw an arm around her waist and pulled her against hot skin and solid muscles.
Abigail jerked fully awake. Her stomach pitched as she remembered where she was, who she was with, and what they had done. Mon Dieu, what was I thinking? Lifting Alain’s hand from her waist, she edged away from his embrace and sat up. The frigid air rushed over her shoulders, shocking her skin. A sleepy groan sounded to her left, and the arm returned to her waist.
“Good morrow,” Alain said in a raw voice. He blinked at her with a warm, sleepy expression that invited her to repeat last night. “How did you sleep?”
“Well.”
Something in her voice erased the easy smile. Slightly more awake, he propped himself up on an elbow. The left side of his face was bruised, marred by the cut and traces of blue paste.
She looked at the wall behind the headboard, then at him. His intense silver gaze never left her face. “Abigail?”
“Nothing. Everything.” Her stomach knotted and twisted. She had a lover. She’d never had a lover before, and now she had one. She had no idea what that meant or why her thoughts kept tripping over hidden fears that this would end badly. Maybe not banished to a convent badly, but badly all the same. “We should not have done this,” she whispered, barely aware that she spoke as her mind tried to catch the supple fright that congealed her blood. “What were we thinking?”
“Thinking does not accompany passion if you do it right.” He sat up and raked a hand through his tangles. The blanket pooled around his hips. He was naked. As was she, she realized. His gaze felt like a beam of light on her bare body, exposing legs, breasts, and belly. She reached for the blanket, still soaked with his heat. “Really, Abigail, there is no need to blush like a virgin.” His eyes went from warm to icy. “Obviously, we have both done this before.”

About the author
Keena Kincaid is author of ANAM CARA and ART OF LOVE from The Wild Rose Press. Her only house rule is no talking before she’s had her first cup of coffee. You can learn more about the book and its author at http://www.keenakincaid.com/, as well as MySpace, FaceBook and Twitter. You can find her books at The WildRose Press (http://www.thewildrosepress.com/) Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Art-Love-Keena-Kincaid/dp/1601543816/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237339570&sr=8-2 and http://www.amazon.com/Anam-Cara-Keena-Kincaid/dp/160154409X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237397467&sr=8-8) and other booksellers.

Thank you to Ms. Keena Kincaid!

Author Interview: BETH WYLDE

2009-04-01T06:59:00.000-07:00

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Beth and welcome to the Divas’ Den! When I first met you a couple of years ago, you were a prominent F/F author. I am curious why you think the genre not only does not “sell” but why some publishers are now not even accepting F/F themed stories.

I wouldn't say it doesn't sell I would just say it is a niche market. It takes quite a while to break into the ranks of the top lesbian fiction authors but once you develop a fan base the lesbian fans are the best in the world. The support from readers is fabulous. The books also sell much better in print than in e-book format and I think that is because fans of the genre probably don't realize how many great lesbian stories are available online. This is where those of us that write this pairing need to focus our promotional efforts.
There are several publishers that will not even look at a f/f manuscript but will accept m/m themed submissions. The same also goes for m/f/f vs. m/m/f. But i have noticed that now several more publishers are opening up to lesbian themed stories. Maybe it's just a sign of the times. ^_^

2. You have written a couple of M/M books with Cassandra Gold in a were-lion series. Obviously this was a shrewd move, but do you enjoy writing in this genre? And what did you do to research male-male sex?

I really enjoyed writing this pairing and i didn't think I would. I was very hesitant going into it. I've read and enjoyed plenty of m/m books but i wasn't sure i could pull one off then the storyline for Alpha-Omega hit me. Cassandra does my beta work so I told her my idea and that I was really worried about pulling off the m/m sex scene. She took my hand online and led me through it. She was so patient and the scene turned out HOT!!!! We just released the sequel to Alpha-Omega too which was so much fun to write. It's called The Morning After, and is available from Torquere Press http://www.torquerebooks.com/

3. Is there a genre you would never touch?

So far I haven't found one. My muse seems to believe in equal opportunities for everyone to find love.

4. What do you think of the HOT new genre M/M/M/F. Does it seem to you readers want more and more extremes of emotion?

I have to admit that I haven't read any m/m/m/f yet, my writing has been keeping me really busy so I don't get to read as much as I used to. I think lots of readers read to escape from reality and when characters are more realistic and emotional it makes the escape even more meaningful.

5. You are a wife, mother of three (two of whom are twins!!) and an author. Please describe your average day. Do you write every day?

I'm not sure anything in my house is ever average. LOL I try to sit down at my computer for at least a couple hours a day but that doesn't always mean I'm getting any writing done. Trying to be creative with three young kids running around is tough. A lot of times I'll work on answering emails and promo and then at night, if I'm not totally exhausted, I'll try to squeeze in an hour or two of writing time after the kiddies have gone to bed. When I can't get computer time I usually carry a pen and notebook with me and work longhand then transcribe it to a word document. I do what I can when I can.

6. Does your family know about your work and how do they react?

Not really. They know I write stories with very adult themes but that's it and things for me are better off that way. I get all the support I need from my readers and my close friends. My family likes to turn a blind eye because they think what I write is smut. I know I can't change their opinion so I'm done trying.

7. You mentioned in a recent post your urge to write Y/A. Have you actually done this?

I have a YA story in the works but with so many other projects going on the story has been put on the back burner. Hopefully when things settle down this summer I can pull the manuscript back out and finish it up. I love the storyline and the characters.

8. You once said in an interview you write what you like to read. Who are your favorite authors?

OMG! How long do you have? LOL My bedroom looks more like a library and I still need to add at least one more bookcase before the current stacks start collapsing. I've been a bookworm as far back as I can remember and I've saved almost every book I ever bought. If it deals with a paranormal or erotic theme and the blurb catches my eye I will buy it. Some of my favorite authors are Kim Harrison, Laurell K. Hamilton, Diana Gabaldon, Jolie du Pre, Mychael Black, Cassandra Gold, DL King, Syd McGinley, Kathleen Bradean, Lara Zielinsky...the list goes on and on. I'm such a nerd. ^_^

9. As a writer, do you have ‘pet’ words you tend to overuse and must excise from your work?

LOL
I tend to be pretty good about that. I love my thesaurus!

10. And now…an off the wall question. What is your greatest fear?

Hmm...that's a hard one. For me I think it is getting old and dying.

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I'd like to thank Beth Wylde for stopping by today. To learn more about this awesome author, please check out her links:

My Website: www.bethwylde.com/
My yahoo group for hot excerpts and fun author days at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bethwylde/
MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/bethwylde
Also I have yahoo IM. Just look for b.wylde

Plus you can find me on facebook, ning, twitter, bebo, GLEE... Just visit my group for all the links and info.

Anne Sorgeson a Pure Magic Author Spotlight

2009-03-27T06:38:00.000-07:00

Thank you to the magical Anne Sorgeson for this terrific excerpt of a book I really enjoyed! You can find Anne at the following links.

Website: http://www.annesorgeson.wordpress.com/
Blog: http://www.annesorgeson.blogspot.com/

Pure Magic- Out now with Red Rose Publishing

Blurb:
Is there more than magic in the air?
Cassie and Harold have worked together for a long time. Hearing about a great opportunity to do a nude magic show, Harold is all for it but knows that Cassie will need to be too.
Cassie has kept her feelings to herself for so long, now she finally sees her chance to let him know how she really feels but will she regret it or will it be Pure Magic?

Excerpt:
Now, hear me out before you say anything, Cassie,” he said, about to burst. “You’ve been to the Torvald Olson Art Gallery in town, right?”
I did all I could to keep quiet and just nodded my head in response.
“They’re about to present a body form art exhibit, with different paintings and sculptures showcasing body types. They’ve contacted me about doing a different magic act. They wondered if we’d be willing to do a performance entirely naked.”
My eyes just about popped out of my head. I wasn’t even sure that I had heard him correctly.
“Before you freak out too much, I’ve not agreed to anything yet. I wanted to talk to you first.”
I had the most difficult time wrapping my mind around it. Harold and I had always kept things professional. We liked working together, but this gig meant we would have to practice naked too. For being rather self-conscious, it had never stopped me from doing anything; but I questioned the sanity of this idea. An attraction could form between us after this. Then again, I had always felt there was something beneath the surface, but kept it to myself.
Having nothing separating us clothing-wise could be interesting, given how close we work. There had been a few times during a performance when his hand had brushed against my breast or even my thigh while helping me into whatever was being used for the trick, and his expression would change for just a second. Things could get charged between us if there was nothing in the way.
“Cassie, all you have to do is say no and I’ll understand,” Harold promised, breaking through my thoughts.
I shook my head and cleared my throat. “I can see where you’re coming from, and I think this could be an interesting opportunity,” I said before I even realized it.

Website: http://www.annesorgeson.wordpress.com/
Blog: http://www.annesorgeson.blogspot.com/

Pure Magic- Out now with Red Rose Publishing

Author Interview: GABRIELLA BRADLEY

2009-03-25T07:30:00.000-07:00

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Gabby, thanks so much for stopping by the Divas’ den. I just want to start by saying how much I love your work and how happy I am to see you active again after quite a long break. You have a big hit right now with your book Seducing Serena, the first in a series with Bonnie Rose Leigh and your own From the Ashes released last week. What have you been doing all this time and what can we expect to see next?

Hi AJ, thanks so much for the interview and your compliments about my work. I’m never ‘inactive’ but have had so much interference of late that I have a tough time finishing any projects I’ve started, and believe me, I have a ton more in the works.

Seducing Serena was fun to write with Bonnie Rose Leigh. Unfortunately, due to a severe illness, Bonnie will be away for a while so I don’t know when the second book will come out. Seducing Serena was a best seller at eXtasy Books and at Fictionwise.

I have started working on the 4th book in the Minharian Chronicles called Impact Horizon. These are not stand alone books but need to be read in sequence. If readers have not bought the first two books, they won’t have a clue what’s going on. I’m having a lot of fun with book 4 and hope to finish it quite soon. I don’t know when it will be released though.

2. You have Sasquatch in From the Ashes which is intriguing to me. Please tell me about your fascination with them. Do you find them sexy creatures?

I got tired of the usual shapeshifters and wanted to do something different. The Sasquatch has always been a mysterious creature and no real evidence has ever been found of their existence. The stories about so-called sightings have always fascinated me, as all things mysterious and paranormal, sci-fi, etc., do.

I saw a documentary about the Sasquatch on TV and started thinking about it. What if the Sasquatch had shapeshifting abilities and could revert to human form at any time? What if the Sasquatch was really a creature from another planet? That’s how my first book in the Minharian chronicles, The Seventh Portal, was born. Of course I gave the Sasquatch some interesting body parts, as in two cocks...

3. I always say two cocks are better than one! Ahem! From the Ashes is the long-awaited sequel to The Seventh Portal as you mentioned, and your lovers Cain and Anke certainly seem star-crossed. What do you plan next for them?

In Impact Horizon the Minharians need to warn Earth’s dignitaries of pending disaster. An alien race plans to invade Earth and destroy the planet. Meanwhile, the Minharian have acquired other shapeshifting abilities. This book will have some humorous moments, that’s for sure. I can’t really tell you without giving the story away, but I’m grinning as I’m saying this.

4. Your book Metamorphis, which came out at Christmas has a bit of M/M in it…is this new genre for you going to be one you tackle again in the future?

Metamorphis was a fun little story to write. No, I’m not about to venture into the M/M genre, even though Metamorphis has some M/M elements. It becomes a ménage a trois, though the two main characters, two men, were lovers and remain lovers. Again, I can’t say too much without giving the story line away.

5. What is the most unusual source of inspiration you’ve ever had for a story?

I would say the Sasquatch story line. I don’t know where this whole series will go. With book 4 in the making, who knows what kind of trouble the Minharians find themselves in at the end of this one, leading to a 5th…

6. It says on your website your favorite music is Abba. Is this true? Do you play Abba as you write and what are your favorite Abba songs?

I love Abba, and one of my old time favorites is Elvis, his mellow songs. Favorite Elvis song is It’s Now or Never. Favorite Abba song is I Have a Dream.

7. I think these songs were written for you, Gabby. You are a strong woman and a creator of myth and magic! Let me ask you, of all the stories you’ve written, which do you love the most and why?

I think Christmas Child is my favorite as it was my very first full length book ever written. (by hand) Although it’s not overloaded with sex, it sold quite well and had some great reviews.

8. I know you are an avid Trekkie. Which series do you like best and who are your favorite characters?

Captain Janeway. I think that’s how it’s spelled? LOL I like all the Star Trek series, but Voyager is definitely my favorite, probably because Captain Janeway is a strong woman and I like her as an actress.

9. Have you seen Torchwood? I believe it’s the best show on TV and I think has Gabriella Bradley stamped all over it.

No, I’ve been trying desperately to find it here, but haven’t been able to. I haven’t seen it on TV as I don’t watch a lot of TV. I’d really like to get my hands on the DVD.

10. I will send you my copy! Now for a couple off the wall questions: what trait do you most deplore in yourself…and others?

Now that’s a LOADED question, roflmao...I think I’d best pass on answering this one. It could get me into a heap of trouble.

11. Gabby, you wimped out one me! Okay then, which person living do you most admire?

Barrack Obama. I am so glad he made it to the White House. Though I’m not Canadian, I was rooting for him all the way.

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I'd like to thank Gabriella Bradley for stopping by today. Even though Abba songs are now stuck in my head!
To learn more about this awesome author, please check out her links:

http://www.gabriellabradley.com/
gabriellabradley@gmail.com
http://www.extasybooks.com/

Spotlight Author ~ Marjorie Gilbert

2009-03-20T04:46:00.000-07:00

Welcome Marjorie Gilbert!

Author Introduction: Marjorie Gilbert is the author of The Return, a historical novel set in Georgian England.

I decided to write a book because I'm a fan of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer, and I just love the Georgian and Regency periods. I got the idea for my first book when writing a screenplay for an adaptation of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park. When I reached the part where Sir Thomas goes to the West Indies, I began toying with the idea of two families who lived near each other in the Cotswalds and how the second son of an earl and the daughter of the other family grew up in each others' pockets. The son assumed that they'd get married, but as he was the second son, she dumped him to marry someone richer. This nearly destroys the son, makes him face some unpleasant truths about himself, so he leaves for the West Indies where he stays for 10 years. As I was writing the book I realized, since I was writing about his return to England, that there would have to be more books written to tell his story--that in fact I was writing book three in a series of five. George Lucas did something similar with Star Wars, and CS Forester with the Hornblower series, so why not me...

My favorite part about the writing experience is the research. I get to read fascinating books, talk with fascinating people, learn about so many interesting things. I got to learn how to box from an amazing man who had champions as students (boxers, kick boxers, grapplers, MMA artists, and more, plus a five time Junior Olympic kick boxer and boxing champion as a son), shadow a two-time world cruiser-weight kickboxing champion, meet with a gem cutter and a silver smith, observe draft horses get hitched to a wagon in the same kind of harness that was used in the 1800s, and so on. I've even gone the length of making a period Empire gown from Janet Arnold's book, Patterns of Fashion 1: 1660-1860. It took me three tries, but the gown came out very well (http://marjoriegilbert.net/album_33_020.htm). I have attached an excerpt from my WIP, Lord Wellesbourne. It is set in July of 1800. As my second book is half historical and half not and set in Maine.

The hero is an earl who discovers a woman lying on the Great North Road as he's traveling home to his country estate in Warwickshire after Parliament's session ends. He inherited his title following the deaths of his father and older brother, both of whom nearly ruined the estate through their irresponsibility and poor management. He does not wear boxers or briefs and not even drawers--the Georgian equivalent of going commando, I suppose. We'll just say he strips to great advantage.

Excerpt:

Sudden shouts. The coach jolted, shuddered, jerked with the movements of the horses as they reared and finally halted.
“What is happening?” yelled William Sinclair, Earl of Wellesbourne. When no one answered, he lowered the glass in the coach, and felt the cold rain dampen his hair. He winced as lightning flashed, then threw open the coach door and leapt down to the ground when the light revealed a still shape in the middle of the road.
When he reached the body and knelt, another flash of light shone on the delicate features of a woman who lay in the boneless manner of a discarded doll. He checked for a pulse and found one, then gently attempted to determine if her neck was broken. Though the woman’s head lolled, her neck had not, it appeared, received any damage. More disturbingly, the woman’s skin felt very cold and she did not respond to his efforts to revive her.
“Is she dead?”
Wellesbourne looked up briefly to see his groom standing over him. “No. But she will be if she remains here.” He gathered the woman into his arms. The groom walked with him as he carried her to the coach, and assisted him to climb in and position her safely so she sat across his legs with her head resting against his shoulder. “What happened, Thompson?”
Thompson pulled a woollen travelling rug from beneath the other seat and wrapped it securely around the still woman and Wellesbourne. “I don’t know, my lord. Roberts could tell you. All I know is that suddenly the horses are rearing, and that postillion’s yelling his head off. Then I see a saddle horse standing beside the road.” He shrugged. “You know the rest, my lord.”
“My lord!” Roberts stood in the open doorway of the coach, rain streaming down his beaver hat and shoulders. “She’s not dead?”
“No. Not yet. What happened?”
“If it hadn’t been for the lightning we might not have seen her. The horse, hers I think, is still here. I made that postillion catch him. That worthless wrench nearly tumbled from the lead horse, bellowing like a stuck pig. As if he didn’t know that racket wouldn’t add to the cattle’s fright.” The coachman seemed so overcome with fury he could not continue.
Wellesbourne did not wait. “Thompson, check the saddle horse to see if it is sound, then ride it to Mr Tanney’s. Tell him his services are required immediately. Roberts, we must get back to Taunton Hall as quickly as this weather will allow. This woman needs to get into some dry clothes and a warm bed. Lord knows how long she has been exposed to the elements.”
Roberts tugged his forelock and disappeared. Thompson nodded and climbed down, then paused as he closed the coach door behind him. “What if the horse is lame, my lord?”
“Ride the postillion for all I care. Perhaps then he will finally be useful.”
The next ten miles passed with painful slowness.
Wellesbourne could see the woman’s face in momentary bursts as lightning penetrated the dark recesses of the coach, see lines of strain etched there.
She lay still against him. Her body remained cold despite his warmth and the heavy woollen rug that enfolded them. They must reach Taunton Hall soon. Wellesbourne clenched his jaw, forcing down a rising sense of anger. He could not allow this one to die.

Thank you to Marjorie Gilbert!

You can find our fabulous spotlight author at...
www.marjoriegilbert.net
http://historicalfictionbooks.ning.com/profile/MarjorieGilbert
www.gilbertinfrared.com

Sexy New Look & New Services

2009-03-19T07:55:00.000-07:00

Hi all! I want to invite you to check out Dark Diva Reviews new site and look.
http://darkdivasreviews.webs.com

Also we have some new services to offer...

Author List

If you would like your name and link added to our Author List please send an email with "Author List" in the subject line to Melissa at ddrauthors@gmail.com

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Having a contest? If so, email Melissa at ddrauthors@gmail.com with the details and link of the contest. Please add “Author Contest” in the subject line.

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If you would like to participate in author days send an email to darkdivareviews@gmail.com with “Author Days" in the subject.

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If you are interested in having an author spotlight send an email to Ava our Spotlight Coordinator at ddrauthorspotlight@gmail.com with "Author Spotlight" in the subject line. Please include the following information in the email:

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We are currently full on Author Interviews. But feel free to take advantage of our other services.

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We have more things in the works so stay tuned. :)

Author Interview: DESIREE LEE

2009-03-18T07:25:00.000-07:00

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Des, and welcome to the divas’ dark den…you say you’re putting the romance back in necromancy…what does this mean exactly? I’ve been er…dying to ask.

I tend to like things on the darker side of life. Paranormal, horror, most anything macabre really piques my interest. When I discovered that romance books weren’t all sappy, Velveeta-laden fluff, I was stoked. Hey, I could get away with writing stories I like to write… and interject a romance in there too.

2. I know your earliest work was a short story about food…that grows to human size and takes over. I love this idea…what is the scariest food in the world to you?

Um, good question. I’m allergic to tomatoes and nuts so anything with those in it has scary potential. I love lasagna though, and salsa, so sometimes I cheat and suffer the consequences anyway.

About 15 years ago, Jake, a guy I was dating at the time, and his friend Stu got it in their minds that they wanted to try haggis. There is an annual Highland Games & Celtic Festival in the city we lived in and we knew that there were haggis vendors there. The three of us resolved that yep, we were going to try it. We got there. We got in line. We got up to order and I got a whiff of it. OMFGoodness, it smelled like a steaming dog turd. I gagged and said I was chickening out. I couldn’t get past the smell to try it. Jake and Stu each ordered some. Jake took a few bites and said he didn’t like it. Stu said it was pretty good. He ate all of his and the rest of Jake’s portion too. I’ve since been told that wasn’t “real” haggis and that if I ever went to Scotland, I’d have to try it there. I don’t know.

AJ says: I am the wrong person to ask regarding taste, since I am a vegetarian but I’ve been to Scotland and I smelled it. Steaming dog turd is so apt. Even the locals say it’s an acquired taste!

Then there was also a time Jake and I went to a Star Trek convention in Reno, NV with his friend Greg, whom we called Poly because he had a homemade Star Trek uniform (the old jumpsuit kind) that his mom made for him out of polyester. It was also made way too small for him, and Greg wasn’t exactly a trim and fit guy, if you know what I mean. Plus the legs were too short, but he loved it and he wore it, despite the fact that if you looked at the crotch area, it was the most obscene Star Trek costume on the face of the planet. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t discriminate on body type, but some people do not look good in skin-tight polyester Star Trek costumes. Nor should they wear them with white sneakers.
But, I digress…

AJ says: Des, you are hysterical!!!

Jake, Poly and I were in Reno for this Star Trek convention and we got there early. We decided to get breakfast. We went to the restaurant in the hotel where the convention was and they said there was a 45+ minute wait for a table, and asked for our name. Poly spouted off, without a moment’s hesitation, “Griswold.” As in Clark W. Griswold from the National Lampoons Vacation movies… Somehow Jake and I managed to keep straight faces. The hostess gave him an incredulous look, but wrote it down. We left and went across the street to another casino to see what the wait time was there. We ended up in this Hof-Brau at 7-something in the morning, ordering 99 cent breakfast specials. It was one of the most horrible things I have ever dared to put in my mouth. I think it’s still lodged somewhere in my intestines.

Word to the wise: A 99 cent breakfast in a Hof-Brau is a bad, BAD idea. Don’t walk away, run.

3. I’ll keep it in mind! Do you still have the actual story and where did the idea for this come from?

No, I do not have the story, unfortunately. I wrote it for a class project and it earned me a ticket to a Young Writer’s Conference where we got to do writing workshops and listed to a keynote speech by a children’s author. That year the keynote speaker was Eve Bunting. Fascinating lady and I loved her books as a child. I even read one of her books to my class when I was working at the elementary school a few months ago. But, I’m off on a different subject again.

Anyway, all of the entries of the students who attended the conference were put into an anthology and given to us. (Spiral bound with construction paper type covers, but hey, it was a book!) Unfortunately a flood in 1986 ruined a lot of my possessions, that book being one of them.

The idea came from a dream of mine. I actually dreamt the scene. At the end of the story, when I woke up, soda and food were all over the floor of my room. That didn’t happen after the real dream. *LOL*

4. You are a night owl from what I have read and you describe yourself as a vampire. One of you early pen names in fact was Desmodus Rotundus. How does Desmodus differ from Desiree as an author and as a person?

It’s almost like an evolutionary chain for me. Desmodus Rotundus the character is one that is nearest and dearest to my heart. That was my role-play character for years. In the course of being a vampire though, Des the character changes her name occasionally to account for passage of time. Mortals might notice, you know. One other name that I considered was Desoline, which was the name of my great-great grandmother. When I started getting serious about writing, I didn’t think Desmodus Rotundus (which is the genus and species of the vampire bat, btw) would be taken seriously. I felt I needed something more of a “real sounding” name. My RL surname is Japanese and gets botched in pronunciation a lot. *LOL* Plus, with my RL first name, it has a sing-songy type effect. Author Andrea Dean Van Scoyoc told me my name sounded “like an anime character.” I thought that was pretty funny.

I’ve been “Des” in some form or another since 1995. I sat and made a list of many potential pen names, but none of them felt like “me” except something “Des” related. Lee is my dad’s middle name, and also the middle name of my older brother, who is no longer with us. It’s also the surname of the vampire family my friend and I had for a vampire themed RPG we created. It was already pretty firmly entrenched into my persona, it seemed like the perfect fit.

When I got divorced last year, the judge offered me one free chance to change my name while we were there doing the divorce proceedings. I passed on the opportunity, mostly because it was such a pain to change everything over from my maiden name to my married name after the wedding, I didn’t want all the hassle in reverse. Plus, I still had book submissions floating out there with publishers that I didn’t want to have to go back and correct the name on. “Oh by the way, I submitted this book under this name, but now it’s changed to this name…” did not appeal to me. The thought of changing it to Desirée Lee crossed my mind though! I thought if I did that, my parents would be upset that I got rid of my given name. My ex didn’t care if I kept his last name so it was easiest to just keep my name as it was. Funny thing is my mom asked me later on why I didn’t change my name to Desirée Lee when I had the chance. I was floored. Missed opportunity there, I suppose. If I knew it wouldn’t have upset them, I would have legally changed it. Now if I want to legally change it, I have to go through all the paperwork, fees, yada yada. Phooey on that.

5. Wow, Des! Your real name sounds like an anime character? I love it! Okay, you and I have both had severe computer woes and lost almost entire books due to computer crashes. We both wept. I still ache. Did you ever replace the lost manuscript and do you think it is better for the rewrite?

I found a floppy disk in a box that I think MIGHT have that book on it, but it is Mac formatted. I need to find someplace here that I can get it converted over to PC format. My own computer doesn’t even have a floppy drive.

I never rewrote that story. It’s just gone now. I know however, if it is on that floppy and I do eventually recover it, then it will need a total rewrite. I knew nothing about writing when I started that. I’m sure it’s chock-full of head-hopping, passive voice, grammar errors, etc.

6. You have a lot of books published and some tied up with closed/defunct publishers. This must be devastating as an author to have your book come out, only to have the company fold. Have you had trouble getting the rights back to your books?

It was devastating. Aphrodite’s Apples closed less than a year after my first professionally published work, Top This, was released. It also closed down the day before my second book was to come out – Virginal Concupiscence, the sequel to Top This. I got my ARC, but it never hit the virtual-stands.

My other book Inking Violet got contracted by a new publisher that never even opened their cyber-doors. I tried contacting them through email and snail mail both and never heard a word from the owner. My certified letter came back returned as undeliverable as addressed. I sent it to the address on my contract.

7. On a brighter note your book Money Laundering has just been released by Wild Child Publishing. Please tell me a little about it and how the book came about – and how is your experience this far with Wild Child?

Wild Child and sister company Freya’s Bower, have been great. M.E. Ellis is a great editor, though she recently resigned her position with the companies. She really helped me polish up Last Chance upon a Murder (with FB) and Money Laundering.

Marci Baun, the company owner, is really nice. She’s communicative with the authors and very approachable. I’m pleased so far with them.

8. You’ve taken on a day job! What are you doing? And do you love it?

I work for a local telephone company. I do love it. The office is nice, pretty laid back. The people are nice. The benefits are really great. The pay is pretty decent too. For the rural area I live in, this is one of the best employers around. I’m really lucky they picked me and not another applicant. My cousin has worked there for years. My sister-in law works there too. There is also a mother-daughter team who work there. It’s very family-friendly. It’s a good blend between small-town friendliness and professional conduct. I like it. If course, I wish my sole job could be writing, but I’m pragmatic. Most writers don’t make a living off of writing, I think. We do it because we love it. If I didn’t have an outlet for the ideas, I think my brain would implode.

9. When you are writing, what is your routine like? I notice you have several books in the works…is this how you like to work, juggling?

I wish I could write start to finish, but my Muse is flighty. She’s opinionated, bitchy and stubborn. She and I butt heads a lot, but when she does work, she’s brilliant, if I do say so myself. *LOL* I write until the inspiration runs out. Maybe it’s just a snippet, or a scene, or a sub-plot line. Maybe it’s an entire chapter. When I get to a point where the idea is gone, I put the WIP aside and move on to something else until the inspiration comes back around. I figure that they’ll all get finished eventually.

10. What was the role-playing game you were addicted to and how did you cure yourself of it?

I played in numerous FFRP (Free Form Role Play) games on the Internet for years. They’re run in chat rooms and your posts are in character. It’s like improvisational acting, only instead of being on a stage or something, you’re on the computer. My other RP addiction came to EverQuest, then EverQuest2. I tried Final Fantasy Online for a bit, but went back to EQ. I haven’t tried World of Warcraft, only because I didn’t want to pay for yet another subscription to a game. I invested many years and a lot of money into my EQ/2 characters. I didn’t want to have to start all over from scratch again, though WoW does sound like a really fun game from what I’ve heard. Now that I’m working again, I’m almost considering starting up my EQ2 account again… almost. Still debating on that.

Honestly, I used the games as creative tools too. I would create characters to help me “flesh out” some of the characters I was writing about. If I could get into the game and play them, I could put myself into the characters’ mindset. I could play out the scenes then write them down.

My shifter story, Scorpio Risen, was somewhat influenced by game characters. The scorpion-men and spider-men were physically based loosely on some of the monsters in the games. A few months after Scorpio Risen was released, the movie The Scorpion King starring The Rock was on TV. The scene at the end, where he is morphed into the half-scorpion, half-man, that’s the look I was going for with my shifters. I saw the movie and was like “DOH! Why didn’t I mention that somewhere?” *LOL*

11. I know you love evil bad guys. Who are your favorites of all time?

Dracula, hands down. I love that book. He’s so much darker in the book than in the movies. I feel like bad guys are misunderstood. I don’t think Dracula intended to be the reviled creature he was, it was just in his nature.

Dee Snider played a real twisted character in Strangeland. The mindset of that character blew me away.

Many romance readers like the tortured anti-heroes who are redeemed in the end by the heroine. Where would historicals be without the dashing rake? I like a bad guy who has his own appeal. He may be bad, but he’s bad for a reason. It makes all the difference between an appealing bad guy and a sick, twisted sucker who should be locked up for good.

On behalf of Dark Diva reviews, I’d like to thank my lovely friend Desiree Lee for stopping by today. For more information on this amazing and talented author, please check out her links below:

http://www.desireelee.com
http://www.myspace.com/authordesireelee
I have some other social networks listed on my website under the Contact section, but I am on the website and MySpace most often.
I have a non-chatty newsletter-only Yahoo group too. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_open_coffin/
I’m always accessible at des@desireelee.com . I adore feedback!

Author Interview: KISSA STARLING

2009-03-11T08:05:00.001-07:00

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Kissa and welcome to the Divas’ Down n dirty den! Well not so dirty, there’s a clean spot right there. Okay, get comfy girlfriend ‘cos I have some questions for you. How in the world did you got come up with such a hawt pen name as Kissa Starling? It’s both sexy and ethereal.

I've always been Kissa online. I used it as an AOL name, along with Dali, way back when I first used the internet. Starling was a name I came up with for a long-haired calico I once had. The combination seemed great at the time. And I thought someone named Kissa should so write about kissing!

2. I do too! I think your story Search for the Brown Boobies is one of my favorite titles. I know it’s a lesbian piece (which is by the by) but please tell me how this title came about.

I get so sucked in by submissions calls and when I read the one for Island Girls I wondered what I could come up with that was 'different'. I did a bit of research, 'cause that is what I love to do, and found a tropical bird called a Brown Booby. That inspired me to write a story about a photographer trying to get to an island to photograph these birds.

3. You talk often in blogs and chats about being a southern girl living in Georgia. Is this the real you or Kissa you who is a southern belle?

Oh, we both carry ourselves as true southern belles. The whole ladylike during the day and improper at night- it's ingrained in us from birth. Excerpt I have to say my mother is a ....dare I say it? YANKEE! hahaha I was raised here in Georgia but she threw a few northern traditions into my mix.

4. A-ha! So you’re both naughty girls! I love it. You have some interesting…habits. You write at night. You meditate AND box…what else do you do that we don’t and SHOULD know about you?
I love bendy straws and Cherry Lime-Aids. I have a soft spot for animals and children and anyone else in need.

5. What’s a Cherry Lime-Aid?

Only the best drink ever! It is a mixture of lime juice, cherry juice, and seltzer. They put real limes and cherries in there too. I usually get mine at Sonic, a drive-in type place.

6. Now I want to try one! You’ve written straight and lesbian fiction…any M/M coming soon? Or ménages, since that’s the new hot trend? What do you think of the constant shifts in tide when it comes to trends in erotic romance fiction?

I don't see myself writing m/m, I have no experience or background to bring to the story. Funny thing- I told someone a few months ago that I'd never written a menage scene. In the middle of edits for Robert's Story I realized it HAD a menage scene. WOW. I surprise myself sometimes. There is definitely a trend to jump on the bandwagon and write what's selling. I write what my muse allows me to write- no more, no less.

7. May I ask what your muse looks like? I sometimes ask this since Stephen King once said his muse is a fat, hairy guy with a cigar!

Hahaha, I can see that. Hmm, mine is a slave-driver for sure. It’s a woman, I do know that, and she gets into my head when I least expect it. Picture a sweet librarian with a bun and glasses. (who keeps a whip and flogger under the desk to use when she deems necessary. If I ever go away from my characters true being she slaps me and makes me stay up all night to fix it. She really is relentless.

8. I was shocked to see a nice girl like my Kissa writes Kustom Erotica. How is this working out for you and in what genre do your readers usually request their stories?

A lot of readers like short stories where I use the names of people they know. Fetishes are often inserted as well. I have one girl wanting to buy a novella for her friend who is graduating from college. This is a popular thing with bridesmaids too. I love doing this every once in a while. It's fun to read what people want to include in their stories...

9. What kind of…fetishes?

Toe-sucking, high heels during sex, and a lot of them want a ménage scene in their story. Group sex seems to be popular as well as whipped cream!

10. You know what's weird? I just got through reading a newspaper article that said we all harbor millions of harmful bacteria on our feet. Yum! LOL...let me ask you, is there a genre you would never write in?

I've learned to never say never so NO.

11. So tell me about Robert’s Story…what kind of research did you do to pen this little BDSM tale?

I didn't have a lot of research for this one but I did go over the safety aspects of needle-play in the bedroom. Oh, I did a little research on tattoos and heart-o-grams as well.

12. I am intrigued by your upcoming book Celtic Destiny…a paranormal historical tale…sounds so awesome..what kind of research did this involve? And have YOU ever had an encounter with a ghost?

I so wish I could meet a ghost! I love all things unusual, spooky, or scary. The only research I did for this one was the setting. It takes place in Scotland so I did a little research on the topography and castle ruins. I also looked up king and queen names from the era the ghosts came from. This is my first sweet romance novella so I'm really excited about its release from Lyrical Press, Inc..

13. I read on your blog you got a free sippy cup for your grandson…GRANDSON? You have a grandson? How many children do you have and do they know about your naughty books?

I have one son who now has one son. Everyone in my immediate family knows about my writing. I'd tell the whole world if I didn't live in a small, bible-belt town in rural Georgia!

14. I bet they are all secretly the ones emailing you for Kustom Erotica! Okay, let me ask you this. What is your writing routine like? Do you plan your stories – or as in the case of Robert’s Story are you more of a panster?

I am so a pantser. I get an idea for something and wing it. Now that isn’t to say I go ahead haphazardly. I research a lot; love that part of writing.

15. What are the three things I would ALWAYS find on your desk?

Music, a glass of water, and book covers to inspire me and remind me of all I’ve accomplished.

16. Do you play music when you are working and if so, who inspires Kissa Starling?

I love all types of music. I’m the only one in my family who likes country music. I listen to a lot of new pop music but love the oldies and if I had to chose- southern rock is my fave!

17. Do you read much and who are your favorite authors?

I used to read a lot but that almost came to a complete stop when I first began writing. That is what first led me to reviewing. Now I’ve come to a better balance. I read about 2-3 books a month. I read tons of shorter books and critique for several people.

18. If your house was on fire and you could grab three things, what would they be?

My pets, my purse, and a doll that belonged to my grandmother.

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I’d like to thank the gorgeous and talented Kissa Starling for stopping by today.

Why thank you, A.J.

And might I say that you are even more gorgeous in person!

To learn more about Kissa's wicked, wicked works, please check out her links below:
http://www.kissastarling.com/
www.myspace.com/kissastarling
www.glee.com/kissastarling

Author Interview: LORI L. LAKE

2009-03-04T13:11:00.000-08:00

Author Interview by A. J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Lori, welcome to the Dark Divas den! First of all I have to day how jealous I am that you got to do a book tour with Victor J. Banis…you even got to touch him. You…you hugged him! Was it as wonderful as it looked?

~Victor is a delightful man – full of love and light and humor. We had so much fun that night in Madison. I just wish we’d had more time. I’m hoping to meet up with him again at another event in the near future. From the moment we first “met” online, we hit it off. I’m not even sure why we clicked so readily, but perhaps it’s because he’s a kind soul who is open to anyone trying to flex creative muscles. I’ve had the honor of editing two of his projects, Come This Way and Angel Land, and he was a joy to work with.. That latter novel is brilliant. He *so* deserves awards for that. I hope he gets shortlisted for a Lammy.

2. I read and reviewed Angel Land and loved it. He is really amazing. Now back to you…your sixth book Snow Moon Rising is a consistent seller for you and has also won some significant awards: 2007 Ann Bannon Popular Choice Award Winner, the 2007 Golden Crown Literary Award Winner - Best General/Dramatic Fiction, the 2007 Alice B. Readers Award Winner, and the 2007 Lesbian Fiction Readers Choice Award Winner. How do you top this?

~Good question. I’m not sure that I’ll ever be able to top the experience of walking up to the podium in a giant banquet hall to receive the Ann Bannon Award from Ann Bannon herself! I am so very content about the accolades I’ve received. I feel very blessed.

3. Content? Man, I’d be delirious. Did you find support from other authors…or a lot of jealousy?

~I’ve found only support. I’ve always spent quite a bit of time serving as a resource for other writers and doing whatever I can to help writers network. Other authors seem to recognize that, and no one has ever begrudged me anything. People have seemed quite happy for me and celebrated with me like crazy.

4. That is heartening to hear! Lori, I really like your “Gun” books. Dez and Jaylynn are a dazzling duo and very believable characters. How much research did you in the area of police enforcement for this series?

~Thanks! I did a lot of research and continue to expand my knowledge base about all things related to police, firearms, and crime. For the “Gun” books, I had cop beta-readers. I spent a lot of time with women officers and went on several ride-alongs with both male and female cops. I’ve participated in a Citizen’s Police Academy and also worked hard to understand firearms and become a decent marksman. I even wrote an extensive, 3-part series for writers about guns at retired police officer Lee Lofland’s website:
Part I - Guns, Guns, Guns
Part II - Outfitting Your Sleuth(s)
Part III - Outfitting Your Crooks - and Yourself

5. What surprised you most about the ride-alongs? I ask this because I did one in San Matteo County, CA and was surprised this tiny force has five cops who are a bit like the blokes out of Mayberry. However these guys deal with consistent cases of robbery, shootings…stuff I wouldn’t associate with small town life. I was also surprised in one day we dealt with three different guys recently released from prison who were out doing stupid stuff again.
What about you? How was your experience?

~I’ve ridden along with cops from the big city (Saint Paul, MN and Ann Arbor, MI) and also with a woman officer in a Minnesota town of 20,000 which had only about two dozen officers. For a couple of years I also updated the website for the Minnesota Association of Women Police, so I was able to tap a lot of information there. I think what surprised me the most about every ride-along was the level of professionalism and knowledge that the officers possessed.
Each had his or her own personality, but they really knew their jobs, the area, and a lot of the people we ran into. Cops practice a lot more restraint than anyone ever gives them credit for. After my experiences with them on traffic stops and in highly charged confrontations, I really respect the fact that there are, statistically, not very many shootings by police after all. They get into some highly stressful circumstances with tense and fearful people, many of whom lack brains, and they defuse those situations with real skill. I don’t think people realize how hard a police officer’s job can be.

6. Absolutely! Can we look forward to more books coming out in the "Gun" series?

~Yes, I hope so. I have an entire contemporary mystery series in mind for Dez to investigate. I’ve got about 9,000 words written on a 4th as-yet-unnamed "Gun" book. I just have to get back to it and focus.

7. I know you have some stories in two upcoming anthologies…can you tell us a little about these and what else are you cooking up there in Minneapolis?

~The amazing Earl Kemp, who first published all those pulp novels in the early days of gay fiction, posted a memoir piece I wrote (http://efanzines.com/EK/eI42/#reason) at his e-zine. And I also have a short story called Den of Iniquity coming out in a print publication from Nodin Press. I just got word about that recently, so I’m not sure about the details yet or the name of the anthology. But a bunch of Minnesota crime fiction writers will be featured.

Also, I’m teaching some classes here pretty quick:
Novel Writing from Start to Finish
True Colors Bookstore (formerly Amazon Feminist Books)
Thursdays - 8 Meetings: 6-8:00PM
April 9 - May 28

Novel Writing from Start to Finish
The Loft Literary Center
Wednesdays - 8 Meetings: 6-8:00PM
June 17 - Aug 12 (no class July 1)

Writing "Queer" Fiction
The Loft Literary Center
Saturdays - 6 Meetings: 1PM-4PM
July 11 - Aug 15

I love to teach! And I welcome anyone who can get to the Twin Cities area.

7. You have some famous kin. You are fifth cousins of Orville and Wilbur Wright, but is it true you hate to fly?

~Oh, yeah. It’s so incredibly uncomfortable and claustrophobic. I hate those lousy tin cans. The train is more comfortable. When I flew in January, the man ahead of me put his seat back, and I’m not kidding when I say I could have licked the bald spot on the top of his head. Flying is just awful.

8. That has happened to me…it’s icky…although I kinda get a kick out of you licking the guy’s head…ahem…I read a beautiful quote on your website: "That's what makes [writing] so painful. Eventually at some point you're cornered and you have to deal with all of those monsters you've awakened. So I always feel like with every book, I come out different on the other side. Of course, that's also how you make sausage, so you can draw your own conclusions." ~Libba Bray, American Young Adult author of Rebel Angels, The Sweet Far Thing, and A Great and Terrible Beauty.
It is so strange – well maybe not that strange – that I read this quote on a day when I had two books being released the same day and I felt as if pieces of my soul left me.
Do you ever feel this way about your work?

~Yes, I have. Not only do many writers deal with the monsters they awaken, but also we eventually must let go of the work and allow the rest of the world see it – even if we aren’t as ready as we’d like. I remember when I was working on edits and revisions for Snow Moon Rising, and my mom was dying. I’d flown out to Oregon twice in early 2006 to care for her, and then when I was working madly on the final revisions, she fell ill again. She died in September ’06, and the night before I flew off to her funeral, I stayed up until 4AM proofing the final version of the novel before it went to the printer. To this day, I still think I could have created a tighter, better book, but I didn’t have the time or the energy.

9. I am so sorry for your loss. I am really awed that you managed to turn your book out. Don’t you think though, seriously, we could go back and do ‘fixes’ on every book we write?

Every book poses problems, whether it’s with the actual story or with the living of our personal lives. They never turn out perfect. I’ve been lucky and have had the opportunity to do second editions on Ricochet in Time, Gun Shy, and Under The Gub, and while I wasn’t able to do full-scale edits, I did clean up typos and some awkward phrasing. Congratulations on your two books on one day – I hope you’ve recovered! By the way, you have a terrific website. I was so impressed with all the color and photos. You get around, too!

10. Lori, thank you. No wonder Victor loves you. May I ask a personal question? You recently ended a long relationship after 27 years, according to your website. First of all, may I say how sorry I am and secondly can I ask if this huge change in your life has impacted your writing?

~Thank you for your kind comment, AJ. I was in a committed, secure relationship for so long that this change really threw me for a loop in every way. I haven’t been able to write since before Thanksgiving. I haven’t been able to read either. Until just recently I’ve been so busy dealing with relocating and settling in and trying to get accustomed to a new home, a new town, a new everything that I’ve had no energy for anything else but grief. But I managed to get my office organized last weekend so that I can find things, and after four months I’m feeling like I’m bouncing back. So I’m finally managing to focus on reading and writing again.

11. Good for you, Lori. It is an achievement…believe me, I know. So, can you tell me a little about your writing routine – when you are in the groove?

~I’ve never had a very reliable routine. I’ve always had a lot of activities to squeeze in, including those that bring in revenue. Unfortunately, writing royalties are never enough to live on, so I have many other ways to earn my coin of the realm. When I’m immersed in a first draft, I tend to get up in the morning, work as long as I can, and try to plow through the whole book in three to four months. But once that draft is written, the subsequent revisions and edits I always have to squeeze in between a lot of other things: teaching, editing, working various part-time jobs and projects, taking care of my partner and the house, etc. Now that I’m single, I’m hoping to do a much better job with a regular routine.

12. Every writer I know hates edits. Are you one of them? (laughing)

~No, I don’t really *hate* editing . . . it just takes so long! And at that point, all the joy of discovery is gone from the process because the first draft is plotted and the story is pretty much told so it’s not as much fun. I’ve gotten a lot better about both editing and revising. I’ve learned quite a bit, and that has helped me be able to accept suggestions and edit advice. It’s an uncomfortable and hard process, but so very necessary. I always tell my students that if you aren’t prepared to grow a thick skin and take in diverse opinions on your work, you shouldn’t publish. It’s a long, hard process to go through, and you have to be able to assimilate quite a bit of information and parse out what’s useful and what isn’t.

13. Quick, I just made you Ruler of the World for 10 minutes. What do you do with your time?

~Only ten minutes? Hmm… I’m afraid that anything I’d do in those 600 seconds would be very quickly reversed after my ruling time ran out. I can’t lie though – maybe what I’d do is make sure my next several books would sell!

What a fantastic answer, Lori. On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I’d like to thank Lori L. Lake for stopping by today. I could ask Lori questions all day. To learn more about this talented author, please visit her links:

Author Website: http://www.lorillake.com/

Teaching Website: http://www.lorillake.com/loft/

Conference Where Lori Will Lead Workshops this Summer: http://www.goldencrown.org/site/index.php/conference-conference/schedule

Articles Lori has Written: http://www.lorillake.com/articles.html

Publishing Leads for Aspiring Writers: http://www.lorillake.com/glbt_pub.html