The third book in the Cutter Cay series, Vortex (holy Amazing cover!!!), releases May 22nd.

Cherry, Welcome to The Book Pushers

Cherry: Hi Nicole. Thanks for having me. Is it OK if I sit here near the cookies and ice tea? Perfect. Yes, please, more ice. Great chocolate chip cookies, btw.

The Book Pushers: What can you tell us about your newest release, Vortex?

 Cherry: Here’s a quick sound-bite summary of ALL my books to start- Danger-shooting-explosions-running-chasing-sex-shooting-sex-running-chasing-fallingdown-wild monkey sex-happy ending . . .rinse and repeat. Lol For the Cutter Cay series, add SCUBA diving for treasure.

Logan Cutter is the oldest of three brother’s. He’s not a guy who asks a lot of questions, so he isn’t fazed when he pulls a mystery woman out of the ocean at midnight, and miles from the coast. He figures she’ll tell him everything when she regains her memory and/or when she’s ready. Ha! Her memory is just fine thank you very much, Daniela lies to Logan from the second he hauls her on board is luxury mega-yacht (my heroes are never poor lol). She’s just full of secrets, and although she spoon feeds him what he absolutely has to know, when he absolutely has to know it, she doesn’t tell me everything. Danger-shooting-explosions-running-chasing-sex-secrets- shooting-sex-running-chasing-fallingdown-wild monkey sex. J Oh, a little Scuba diving, too.

The Book Pushers: Will there be more books in the Cutter Cay series?

Cherry: Yes, I love this series, and so, apparently, do my readers. Yay. A win-win. Anyone who know me, knows I have superior math skills (not!) So this trilogy will be at least six books. Lol The next will be Stormchaser -Spring 2013.

The Book Pushers: What was the inspiration behind the Cutter Cay books? (MinnChica – I absolutely LOVE the pirate/treasure hunter storylines!!)

Cherry: I live in Seattle – think cold/drizzle/rain/grey skies when everyone else is having Spring then Summer! I wanted ‘warm’!!  I thought of clear, aquamarine-colored water, hot sand, tropical, fruity drinks. . .I come up with a small Caribbean island called Cutter Cay. But once I’d ‘built ‘the small island  I knew I’d be bored into a coma after they’d walked around their island a couple of times! I wanted swash and buckle – I wanted danger, I wanted hot, wild money sex, I wanted dive boats, and guys in tight wetsuits,  I wanted treasure, gold and emeralds. . . Ta Da – the Cutter brothers. Rich, sexy, not afraid to get their hands dirty, honorable, sexy (oh, yeah I mentioned that wetsuit thing ), and they all have those Cutter blue eyes. . . It was love at first sight word.

The Book Pushers: What kind of research did you do for the Cutter Cay books?

Cherry:  I always do a LOT of research for all my books. I want them to have verisimilitude. I first do a lot of research on line, then find people who have been there, done that. I have someone who is an expert on all things Spanish treasure ships (she’s absolutely fascinating, and even though I have only a grain of information she’s shared with me, it’s the real deal.I also know real treasure hunters who happily share their experiences with me. What it’s like to dive, what they’ve seen, what it’s like to bring millions of dollars’ worth of treasure to the surface for the first time.. Exciting stuff. Then there’s all the other stuff that needs research – the ship, the weapons people use, the workings of a mega-yacht, how many people on board and what they do. . . As  said – there is a great deal of research involved

The Book Pushers: When will the third book in the Lodestone series be released? Can you tell us who the hero and heroine will be?

Cherry: Stormchaser will be out next Spring. I could tell you more, but then I’d have to kill you. lol

The Book Pushers: How many more books do you have planned out for the T-FLAC series?

Cherry: I’d be so freaking happy if I could write T-FLAC books from some senior center between diaper changes lol  (hopefully that’s a long way off! Lol) I just finished a new T-FLAC book – ICE COLD (out this Fall)  – it’s been a while since I did a straight T-FLAC story, and it was SO much fun to write it and get back into my counterterrorist world.

The Book Pushers: Do you have any new books/series that you are planning or thinking about?

Cherry: Oh, yes! I have the next 5  books plotted, and know the who, the where and the why.

The Book Pushers: What are you currently working on right now?

Cherry: I’m writing the next Lodestone book – set in Egypt. We’re. . .debating lol. . .the title now. (No this is NOT Gideon Starks book – just saying.) There will be at least 4 books in this trilogy (I told you math is my Super Power!! Lol)

The Book Pushers: What is the most interesting or scary fact you’ve come across in your research?

Cherry: Oh, there’s always so weird factoid that I come across that I can’t resist using. Lol In Black Magic it was the fact that snakes have two penises (or is that pini?) You bet I used that one. lol

The Book Pushers: For our fun question – you are captured by an evil mastermind who is keeping you in a hidden hideaway. You have a choice to call an Arnold Schwarzenegger, a James Bond or a Jason Bourne type hero – which one would you like to rescue you and how would they do it?

Cherry: Pfft!  James/Jason- unless the evil mastermind was a younger vision of Alan Rickman, in which case Bond could take his time coming to get me. Lol I would hope by the time help arrived I could meet him outside the dungeon where I was being held. I’d figure out how to get out on my own. lol

The Book Pushers: And finally who is your ultimate warrior hero? They could be a combination of fictional characters or a real one.

Cherry: Hard to boil down to just one.  My favorite changes with every new book I write, or new action movie I see. I love smart, resourceful, sexy, take action kinds of men, which is why I love to write what I write.

Thanks for inviting me over, Nicole, I enjoyed chatting with you, and appreciate the tea and cookies. In fact – hang on a sec- let me look in my tote- yes. I have a little prezzie for your readers if they e-mail me (adairadmin@msn.com) their snail mail address I’ll send them a little something. <g> AND, if you’d like to draw a (!!) name – I’ll give away 3 copies of  VORTEX.

Cheers,

Cherry

You heard it folks! Cherry is giving away 3 copies of VORTEX!! So leave Cherry a question or comment, and you’ll be entered to win! The giveaway is open to US folks only and ends May 29th. Good Luck!

Interview & Giveaway with Cherry Adair is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

The Midnight Justice Anthology will feature three novellas: Blade of Moonlight, Breaking Bad, and Superlovin’ by authors Jodi Redford, Vivi Andrews, and Kimberly Dean.Today we are lucky to have ALL FOUR of these incredible ladies here today to help push these books onto you!

The Book Pushers: Sasha – Where did the idea for the superhero anthology come from?

Sasha: As much as I’d love to, I can’t take credit for it. Several years ago, two separate Samhain editors requested to put together a superhero anthology. Fast forward to 2011. One of the editors had left the company, and the other had to keep postponing announcing the anthology call because she was so busy. Since that editor had known my love of superheroes and running anthologies, she asked if I would like to do it. I jumped at the chance.

The Book Pushers: Sasha – What was the response like to your submission call? What about these three stories really stood out to you?

Sasha: I received more submissions for this anthology call than I have for any of the previous ones I’ve done. It was amazing. What excited me was that it made it very clear just how many people love superheroes. I hope the reader response is as enthusiastic as the author response was.

Vivi Andrews’s story, Superlovin’, was the first superhero anthology submission I read that I knew I was going to contract. I love her voice, and Superlovin’ was no exception. And I’m a big fan of the good girl falling for the bad boy trope. Making them both supers—hero versus villain—makes that trope even more addictive to me.

I’ve worked with Jodi Redford for several years now, and I adore her and her stories. Breaking Bad is classic Jodi. The heroine embraces her superhero heritage; the hero wants to ignore his heritage, except the heroine won’t let him because she needs his help. Instant and fantastic conflict. The dialogue is snappy. The characters have phenomenal chemistry. And the sex is hot and fun.

Kimberly Dean was my “find” of the anthology. While she’s new to Samhain, Kim has been a published author for quite a while. Her story, Blade of Moonlight, also features the favorite trope of the good girl falling for the bad boy. Although I knew of Kim’s work, I hadn’t read her before, and this was a helluva introduction. Dark, gritty, very sexy. Once I started her story, I couldn’t put it down. Her hero and heroine are naughty and oh-so-good together.

The Book Pushers: Sasha – What was your conversation like with cover artist Kanaxa like when creating the concept for these stories?

Sasha: Kanaxa is so amazing to work with. I give her a basic idea and she comes back to me with all these suggestions that bring my simple, completely-clueless-about-graphics idea to life. I told her I wanted covers that looked like a superhero romance movie poster. I got what I wanted and then some. Big bold font, sexy superheroes/villains. She came up with a cohesive theme that worked for the anthology as a whole and for each individual story. I can’t compliment her enough. Kanaxa rocks my world. She is so enthusiastic about what she does, and it shows in her work. I adore her.

The Book Pushers: Jodi, Vivi & Kimberly – Can you tell us a little about each of your stories?

Vivi:  My story, Superlovin’, is the classic tale of a good girl falling for a bad boy.  But in this case, the good girl is a second generation always-does-the-right-thing superheroine who finds herself whammied by her feelings for the very villain she’s been sent to thwart – and finding out that life isn’t quite as black and white as she thought it was in the process.

Kimberly: Blade of Moonlight is a dark, sexy story about low level superheroine, Luminescence, coming up against the worst of evil villains, Scythe.  It’s about good versus bad, darkness versus light.  Opposites attract and the results are cataclysmic.  But can each hold true to their beliefs? Though Scythe warns her away, Luna’s passion for justice draws her back into the dark, to her masked lover’s side. For good or evil? Only the dawn will tell…

Jodi: Breaking Bad is a quirky, action-packed story about a superhero(ine) who hails from a family of super villains. Ruby has been attempting to bring down her dad’s evil, mind-controlling soda empire for years, and when she discovers the superhero DNA lurking in her gene pool, she leaps at the chance to save humanity, only to land herself on the alien Shadow queen’s most wanted list. In order to survive, she’s forced into a shaky alliance with Teague—a hardened, cynical superhero who has no interest in saving the world.

The Book Pushers: Jodi, Vivi & Kimberly – Have you always wanted to write a superhero story, or was it the submission call that got you excited about writing your stories?

Vivi:  I’ve always been a sucker for superheroes (the X-Men are a personal weakness) and this submission call was just the push I needed to finally write one of my own.  And I’m so glad I did!

Kimberly: I’d never thought about writing a superhero romance, but the moment I read the submission call the story sparked in my head.  I’ve been to nearly every superhero movie that has come out in recent years:  Iron Man, Spiderman, X-Men, Daredevil, etc. so I’m very familiar with the genre.  It’s dark and gritty, and adding an erotic romance element seemed natural.

Jodi: I’ve always wanted to write a superhero book. I love good vs. evil plotlines, and superheroes and villains are such a natural fit for those kinds of stories. Plus I think the potential for interesting and unique characters is huge, which is something that always excites me when I sit down and build book ideas.

The Book Pushers: Jodi, Vivi & Kimberly – Do any of you plan to continue to write within a superhero world, or was this a one-time thing?

Vivi:  I am actually writing more superhero novellas in the same world, which I hope to release over the next year.  I couldn’t stop with just one.  :)

Kimberly: It all depends.  I don’t have any plans right now, but this story came very easily to me.  Usually, I’m a methodical writer.  In this case, my fingers were flying fast and furious across the keyboard.  I couldn’t type fast enough, and the story came out moodier and sexier than anything I’ve written in a long time.  The vibe was definitely what pulled me in.  If I had the opportunity to do more, I’d definitely consider it.

Jodi: Breaking Bad is the first in a planned series, so you’ll definitely be seeing more of Ruby and Teague. I also have some future ideas for more superhero books that aren’t linked with this series.

The Book Pushers: Jodi, Vivi & Kimberly – What projects are you currently working on that we can expect to see up next?

Vivi:  In addition to the new super stories, I have a reworked fairy tale Spinning Gold (Rumpelstiltskin gets a sexy new look) coming out this summer and then in November my next Karmic Consultants novel, Finder’s Keeper, will hit the digital shelves.

Kimberly: I have a story simply called “Lexie” that Samhain will be publishing in the fall.  Lexie was adopted at a young age but she was always treated as an outsider.  When a scandalous billboard leads her to an identical sister, she’s thrilled to find blood relation.  Yet Cameron Rowe, her intimidating coworker, doesn’t trust this newfound twin.  He’s determined to protect Lexie from being hurt or used, and if her life is changing, he wants to make sure he’s still a part of it.

Jodi: Towards the end of the year, Checking It Twice, the sequel to The Naughty List will be releasing. I’m currently working on a new hot contemporary series, and for my paranormal readers, I have my next dragon book and the next in the That Old Black Magic series in the works.

Some quick questions, for everyone! Who is your all time favorite superhero?

Sasha: Ohhh, this is an impossible question to answer. I’d probably have to choose Superman, simply because he’s been my hero since I was just a little kid who fell in love with Christopher Reeve’s Superman. Although I haven’t been as much of a fan of the recent attempts to reboot the franchise, I’ll always love Superman’s story.

Vivi: I think my answer to this would be different every time you ask me – so many amazing options! – but today I have to say I kind of love the Hulk.  Nobody throws a temper tantrum quite like the Hulk.

Kimberly: I loved Wonder Woman as a kid. I remember cutting apart cardboard toilet paper rolls, covering them with aluminum foil, and making her awesome bracelets.  As far as superheroes go, I’m partial to Iron Man.  His super power is his intelligence.  I like that.

Jodi: Batman

Who is your all time favorite villain?

Sasha: Lex Luthor. I particularly adored him when he was played by John Shea in the nineties TV show Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. I love when villains are rich, suave and actively pursuing the heroines.

Vivi: Catwoman. Vampy, sexy villainy.  Oh yeah.

Kimberly: It would have to be Catwoman.  She’s bad, but she’s not evil.  She’s strong, clever, and sexy.  I can’t think of another villain I like.  We’re not supposed to like the villains.

Jodi: The Joker

What superpower would you want to have?

Sasha: Teleportation. I’d love to be able to think my way anywhere in the world, or beyond, in just a blink of time.

Vivi:  I would love to be able to levitate things (myself included) with my mind.  Flying!  Does it get cooler than that?

Kimberly: Right now, I’d love to have The Flash’s super speed.  If I could type fast and write fast, that would be fantastic.  Even if I could just zip around from errand to chore to event, that would save so much time in my day.  Time is a sparse commodity for me these days.

Jodi: Ability to fly

If you could design your own superhero costume, what would it look like?

Sasha: I’d have the brightest superhero costume known to mankind. Neon purples, teals and pinks. I would definitely not blend into the night. I’d probably look more like a Power Ranger, but without the helmet. I wouldn’t want to have helmet head.

Vivi: Do I get a superhero body to go with it?  If not, I want superhero pajamas.  If I’m saving the world, I get to be comfortable.

Kimberly: I could tell you what it wouldn’t look like – no spandex, no cape, and no seven-inch heels.  But it would be purple.

Jodi:  It’d be a black leather cat suit that possesses the magical ability to make me look trim and svelte without cutting off all blood circulation or giving that oh-so-delightful and attractive muffin top appearance.

Thanks so much to Sasha, Vivi, Kimberly and Jodi for being here today. Be sure to check out the links to purchase below.

Superlovin’: Samhain | Kindle | All Romance eBooks

Blade of Moonlight: Samhain | Kindle | All Romance eBooks

Breaking Bad: Samhain | Kindle | All Romance eBooks

Interview with Sasha Knight and the Midnight Justice authors is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Credit: Hadnagy Photography, Butte Montana

We’re so happy to welcome the lovely and most kind Patty Briggs to The Book Pushers. Not only is Patty one of the most awesome authors EVA (and we really do mean that), but she’s one of the most talented authors in the Urban Fantasy genre of this day. With over nine high fantasy titles published, Patty has gained world wide readers and fans for her Urban Fantasy works starting with the Mercy Thompson series. Mercy Thompson is a mechanic who has a knack for getting into trouble. With a side series of the Alpha and Omega series, Patty has also managed to capture readers of the romance crowd with the relationship of Anna and Charles, which is tied into the Mercy universe. Patty’s third book in her Alpha and Omega series Fair Gamewas released this Tuesday. In honor of that release enjoy this interview with her and keep reading for a Book Pushers giveaway!

BookPushers: Welcome Patty. Thank you for joining us today. With the Mercy world developing at such a fast pace after each book, are you able to tell us when we will see a return to the vampires and Marsilia? (and hopefully Stefan gets to kick her arse *G*)

Patty: I’m currently working on the next Mercy book, Frost Burned (Ace, March 2013), and Mercy has to go to the vampires for help. Yes, Stefan, Marsilia and all will be back on stage. You know things are pretty bleak if Mercy has to go to Marsilia for help.

BookPushers: We know you are currently working on Mercy 7 right now, so could you give us a hint of what to expect with this installment?

Patty: (Laughs) See the answer above. Beyond that, I have to be a little careful, since I’m not quite halfway in and a lot of things may change. Frost Burned takes place directly after the events in Fair Game (Yay! My time lines are, at long last, straightened out!) and will tie up some story threads left in Moon Called and Bone Crossed.

BookPushers: Will we continue to find out about Warren and Kyle only in snapshots as secondary characters or will they have their own novel or novella?

Patty: Warren has his own short story in the Martin/Dozois anthology Down These Strange Streets (Ace, 2011) called “In Red with Pearls”. Kyle, as you might imagine, features prominently. I enjoyed writing it, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a few more short stories or novellas popped up eventually.

BookPushers: What do you think of Mercy’s development with Adam from the first book to the person that she is right now? They’ve gone on such a long journey that it’s so wonderful to see them so loving, and not frightened to show each other their feelings.

Patty: Adam understands Mercy better than she understands herself—and so he is able to avoid (mostly) sending her off screaming for her independence. Once upon a time, she needed a family that she knew would never be taken from her or abandon her. She still needs that, but she also needs to keep her hard-won independence. Adam gives her himself and his pack to fulfill the first need—and because he loves her that much, he does it without taking away her independence. In return, Mercy accepts Adam as he is, and loves those parts that he has never felt were loveable. Adam, too, has trust issues. He is used to taking care of people, of being careful not to frighten them—but Mercy takes care of him and nothing about Adam scares her.

BookPushers: A few of us have discussed how Ben in your Mercy Thompson series went from being someone we all loved to hate to someone we wanted more of. Have there been any of your other characters that you have noticed drew such a polarized opinion?

Patty: (Grins) Well, there is Leah, Bran’s mate. I get hate-Leah emails all the time and my Native Guide in Paris (Patty waves at Xaviere) comes up with the neatest ways to get rid of her… There is also Marsilia, the Mistress of the vampire seethe in the Tri-Cities.

BookPushers: After Adam and Charles, Sam and Bran seem to be the most popular with readers. Are you able to tell us if their stories will continue and expand or will they be finished along with the Mercy, and the Omega books?

Patty: First, I have no real plans to end either the Mercy or the A&O books at this time. (BP: *happy dance*) After Fair Game, I have contracts for three more Mercy books and an undetermined book set in the same universe. That might be another A&O book, or it might be something starring other characters (ie Tom and Moira from “Seeing Eye” and Hunting Ground).
That said, I plan on writing Samuel and Arianna’s love story – probably in a novella or short story format. Samuel would also work as the lead in a novel, though I don’t have any plans for that at this time. Bran will almost certainly be lead in a short story or two. I am leery about using him in a novel because part of what makes Bran interesting is how much people don’t know about him.

BookPushers: It was revealed that Bran’s guilty pleasure is Japanese boybands. Do any of your other characters have guilty pleasures that they wouldn’t dare reveal — even under examination by Mercy’s mom?!

Patty: Of course they do . Some of the secrets will come out, probably some of them will never come out. As a writer, I use their secrets to keep their actions consistent and it is part of what rounds a character out in my head. Bran has more secrets than most (grin).

BookPushers: Do you have any plans to continue the Alpha and Omega series after Fair Game?

Patty: Nothing under contract right now, I wanted to give myself a chance to expand the world a bit more. However Charles is very nearly my favorite character to write, so I’m pretty confident Fair Game won’t be the last A&O.

BookPushers: What does fantasy romance mean to you — would you like to revisit any old characters from your past fantasy series or have any ideas for a new series?

Patty: I chose to write fantasy because I knew I would never get bored. Of all the genres (I think), fantasy is most open to adding elements of other genres: mystery, spy, thriller, adventure – and, of course, romance. All of my books have romantic elements, partly because, I suspect, I have been very happily married for over a quarter of a century, and partly because romance – love—is a very powerful tool in a writer’s character motivation craftbox. Love and the need for love drives people to do extraordinary things – for good and for evil.

I am not finished with traditional fantasies. Unless some other idea bites me hard, the next traditional fantasy I want to write is a third book in the Dragon series. I have plans for stories in the Raven world and also a follow up to The Hob’s Bargain. Right now my muse is happy with Mercy and the urban fantasy stories, but some time I’ll start getting stale and do a few straight fantasies to recharge the creative batteries.

BookPushers: And for our fun question! We can totally see Bran imposing this as a form of torture, so what kind of corporate type team-building exercises would the werewolves have to do if they misbehave?

Patty: I am so blaming you for giving Bran ideas – you are truly evil.

I remember a play I was in for high school in which I was supposed to faint, fall backwards and another actor was supposed to catch me so I didn’t fall. We practiced that play for three months every day after school. I think she managed to catch me one time. You know that “trust” exercise that corporate masters like to pull out? Where you fall back and trust the person behind you to catch them? Yep, I can’t do it. The one where you blindfold someone and another person has to tell them how to negotiate a maze of chairs and stuff all over for them to trip on or run into is awesome, too. My niece had to have stitches and a front tooth repaired when her high school thought that was a good idea.

I’ll make sure that Bran’s pack knows who to blame for this one.

Bookpushers: Thank you again Patty for joining us today. We look forward to reading what comes next!

And because we want to bookpush our love for Patty’s books, we have a AWESOME giveaway that will rock your socks off. One lucky person will be in for a chance to win all three Alpha and Omega books (from wherever the Book Depository ships to), and also a T-shirt and Mug from the official Hurog store — big thanks to the lovely Elle who runs the store. So this is what you can win:

• Cry Wolf
• Hunting Ground
• Fair Game (which was just released this week)
• T-shirt
• Mug

To enter, all you have to do is tell us below in the comments: If you could be the leader of any supernatural pack, what would it be and why? The giveaway is open until next Monday, 19th March.

Interview & Giveaway with Patricia Briggs is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

The first book in the series – DIRE NEEDS – released yesterday.

Welcome back to The Book Pushers Stephanie!

Thanks so much for having me here again!

The Book Pushers: Where did the idea for sexy, immortal, Dire Wolf bikers come from? (we’re all melting here with that bad-boy badassness)

Stephanie: Rifter made me melt too the first time he walked on the scene

The Book Pushers: How many books do you have planned for this series?

Stephanie: Currently, I’m contracted for three but I’ve got ideas (and wolves) well past that, so I’m so hoping I get to tell all the stories in this world!  Rifter’s is first, and then Dire Wants is Stray’s book (November 2012) and then Dire Desires is Jinx’s story (I think that’s Summer 2013, but it’s still tentative)

The Book Pushers: Paranormal and Suspense are two of MY favorite genres. How hard or easy was it for you to take the two and mash them together in this new series?

Stephanie: It was actually wonderfully easy!  I didn’t think I’d have that much suspense in the paranormals and I was surprised at how the story turned out in the end.  I really wanted a lot of romance and a lot of the wolves hanging out together, because those are some of my favorite kind of scenes to read in other author’s books, so I was so happy the way it all came together.  And that’s what’s so great about suspense – it makes the stakes higher and makes everything, especially the romance, more intense.

The Book Pushers: This will be your first major series without military heroes — did you find that your Dire Wolves still have a lot of the same tendencies, ethics, morals and values as your military heroes?

Stephanie: Hey, all these Dires served in the military at one point or another! What? They’re warriors – they know battle so that was a perfect job for them throughout the centuries they’ve been around!  But really, a warrior is a warrior, so they do have a lot of the same codes – they might walk the thin line between right and wrong and it may get crossed at time, but always for the greater good.

The Book Pushers: Will your Dire Wolves find someone to partner up with or will they continue to fight the bad guys alone and unafraid?

Stephanie: Well, Dires can only mate with other Dires, and since there were no female Dires wolves that survived the Extinction, it’s been challenging for these wolves.  But I write love stories, so …

The Book Pushers: What makes your Dire Wolves different from the “run-of-the-mill” werewolves?

Stephanie: They’re bigger and badder – they have extra abilities that are sometimes a gift, sometimes a curse and they’ve got the burden of not only immortality, but immortality without mates, so they’ve got a really heavy burden to bear.  Also, they live in harmony with their Brother Wolf – they actually co-exist, unlike my Weres, who, when the wolf comes out, the wolf is in total control.  So the Dires are a bit more evolved, more powerful, which was actually their downfall in the first place, the reason they were made Extinct.  Weres in my book are still very strong and powerful, btw – and for both Dires and Weres, they’re born, not made, so a bite from a wolf can’t turn you into one.

The Book Pushers:  Do you plan on bringing in other supernaturals to your world?

Stephanie: Sure!  I mean, they definitely don’t exist in a vacuum.  Witches play a big role in the series, and along the way you’ll meet a vampire or two, but the main focus is on the Dires and their relationship with the Weres.

The Book Pushers: Are you able to give us a sneak peak of what to expect?

Stephanie: Sure!  Chapter One is up on my website now – so here’s a sneak peek of a later chapter with Rifter, when he lets Brother Wolf take over:

Gwen was awake and Rifter’s connection to her was efficiently broken. As it should be.

There was a danger inherent in dreamwalking— not wanting to come out of the dream at all, because it was easier to live someone else’s dreams than his own life.

But this felt different, like she’d walked into his fantasy. Which wasn’t possible.

A growl from inside his head reminded him that he owed his wolf. Brother hadn’t gotten what he needed the night before, although he’d had fun. And so he gave the word to Brother to take over, let the shift begin.

It felt no different than it had every other time except the first three, which were by far the worst and most dangerous. Only half the Dires survived the intensity of those early changes, and Rifter had gone to a lot of funerals as a young boy.

Letting your Brother Wolf out was something to be revered and feared.Those who made it through the transition were stronger than they could have ever hoped to be.

The shift was a nearly indescribable combination of bones crunching and skin stretching, and an uncontrollable howl left his throat as an invisible weight pushed him hard to all fours. Brother Wolf whispered the ancient language in his ear to calm him as his breath caught and stopped for a moment during the worst of the change.

And then it was done. Less than thirty seconds from start to finish, and it felt at times like an eternity.

Rifter let his wolf travel into the deep darkness of the morning in the woods. He rushed past the life stirring, off the main paths, jumping and running and stretching muscles.These woods were not his natural hunting grounds, but reality— and his brothers— would interrupt him too soon if he ran closer to home.

Brother Wolf ran until Rifter stopped thinking, until they’d merged as one beautiful, primal beast, predatory and sleek, built for extremes— and for battle.The smell of pine and snow, the pull of the moon readying to give up her throne to daylight, all mixed in his nose as he sped along the slick forest floor, hunting for something he could never find.

But Brother Wolf would never give up.

It was nearly time to turn back. Brother Wolf sensed the incoming daylight, his signal, but instead of doing so, he suddenly stopped short and froze.

Danger.

The Book Pushers: Is it hard to try and create unique werewolves that stand out from the other paranormal books?

Stephanie: You know, I don’t really read a lot of paranormals, so I didn’t go into writing this series thinking about that.  I mean, I know there’s a lot out there, but I write what comes to me, what I see.  The heroes tell me their stories and so that’s how they’re unique – because they’re mine and no one else can tell my stories.  That’s why I always tell beginning writers not to worry – everything’s already been done, so just tell your story your way and that’s what’s going to make it different.

The Book Pushers: Who is the biggest and baddest werewolf of the Clan and why?

Stephanie: You know, I think it’s whichever Dire is the hero at the time – each one of them will get their time to break out and shine, to kick major ass and prove themselves.

Thanks so much Stephanie for being here today!  Also, thanks to the wonderful folks at Penguin, we have a copy of DIRE NEEDS to giveaway to one lucky winner. Just leave Stephanie a question or comment below to be entered. The contest will be open internationally and ends March 14th. Good Luck!

Interview & Giveaway with Stephanie Tyler is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

We want to give a warm welcome to the wonderful Nalini Singh to the blog. Nalini has two very popular series, and her newest series, Guild Hunter, has a collection out this month which compiles previously published novellas, and an all new story in one volume.

Welcome back to The Book Pushers, Nalini!

It’s nice to be back!

Book Pushers: In this collection you not only flesh out some reoccurring secondary characters, but you also give us the story of another of Raphael’s Seven.  You provide what we view as Happily Ever Afters (HEAs) for three, while one is more of a “lets see where this goes.”  If you are planning on moving that particular couple towards their HEA will it be in a separate novel , novella or interwoven amongst the other characters?  (The interaction between Janvier and Ashwini is something E looks forward to in each new release.)

Nalini:  I love Ashwini and Janvier – talk about sexual tension! They’re both such intriguing characters and I’d love to explore them more deeply, but as yet, I haven’t made any definite decisions about how and when that’ll happen, though you will continue to see them in the books. It all depends on what feels right for the characters. One thing I will say – their story will never be predicable.

Book Pushers: The next full book in the Guild Hunter series is going to feature Jason; can you give us any hints on what to expect? Will we get another book with Raphael and Elena as the main couple?

Nalini: I can’t reveal too much about Jason’s book as I’m currently working on it, but I can tell you that his heroine is not a guild hunter. She isn’t, in fact, in New York at all – she’s part of the court of another one of the archangels.

Jason has been an enigma throughout the series, and while he’ll never be an open book in any sense, you will get to see deep into his heart, find out what shaped him into the man he is today.

And yes, there will be at least one more Elena and Raphael book. I say “at least” because there is flexibility in the series, so you may get more than one depending on how the storylines develop.

Book Pushers: If you had to play the angel and the devil conscious for any of your characters, which ones would you choose and what virtues or vices would you try to persuade them with?

Nalini: Lol! You know, I think immortals have a handle on pretty much all of the vices! It might be fun to try and tempt Dmitri with the virtues. Do you think he’d bite?

Book Pushers: In your Psy/Changeling series you had two or maybe three characters that it seems have been the most wondered about.  Which of your characters in the Guild Hunters series do you think will have that same effect?

Nalini: This is impossible to predict for a writer – it’s very much reliant on which characters impact and speak to readers the most. In the GH series, pretty Bluebell definitely has a fan club though!

Book Pushers: Can you see the Guild Hunter series adapting and progressing into a series such as your Psy-Changeling?

Nalini: My feeling is that the GH series will be shorter than the Psy/Changeling series. It has a much smaller core cast (and I’m including characters like Ransom, Ashwini, Janvier and Sorrow), and I really want to stick with that core group throughout the series, even as we expand out to see more of the world.

The final decision will be made by how many stories the characters still have to tell. I’m definitely nowhere ready to say goodbye to them yet. There are so many unanswered questions – about Caliane, about what Lijuan is up to, and then there’s Aodhan, Venom, Naasir, Sorrow…

Book Pushers: Are you able to tell us roughly how many books there will be in the Guild Hunter series, or will there be any spin off series?

Nalini: I’ve answered this partially above, but re spinoffs – I tend to prefer that books in a series/world remain on the same continuum. So even though ARCHANGEL’S BLADE for example, shifted into Dmitri’s point of view, we still saw Elena and Raphael, and got a sense of their lives. It’d feel strange for me to do a total spinoff, because each story is connected to, and impacts the world and the characters around the main ones.

Book Pushers: In Archangel’s Blade, Dmitri’s heroine had what could be called a very old soul.  What made you decide to use that particular tactic?  It certainly caused some interesting discussions amongst us.

Nalini: That was how it was always going to be, from the first time I got a hint of Dmitri’s story. It just felt so right that no other option was feasible.

I knew as I wrote that some readers would love that element, while others wouldn’t, but for me as a writer, it was what the story demanded. After everything that happened, Dmitri couldn’t have ever loved a totally “new” heroine, not like he is capable of loving, not as he loves Honor.

I do think there is more to explore in their relationship as well, because while Honor might not be “new” in one sense,  she is definitely not the same woman, so we’ll see their relationship continue to develop in the books to come.

Thanks to Penguin, we have one copy of Angel’s Flight to giveaway. Open to US/Canada only, ends March 5th. Good Luck! 

Interview & Giveaway with Nalini Singh is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

The 5th book in The Hellions of Halstead Hall Series – A Lady Never Surrenders – releases on January 24th .

Sabrina, welcome to The Book Pushers!

Sabrian: Thanks for having me!

The Book Pushers: What can you tell us about A Lady Never Surrenders, and what can readers expect from Celia and Jackson?

Sabrina: The story is about Celia trying to gain a good offer of marriage so that her grandmother will see that she’s capable of securing a proposal and will rescind the ultimatum that all the siblings must marry if they’re to gain their inheritance. If Celia’s plan doesn’t work, at least she’ll get a potential husband out of the deal. So she hires Bow Street Runner Jackson Pinter to check out her suitors. He doesn’t like any of them and is determined to keep Celia safe from them, especially since he wants her for himself! The ongoing mystery of the series is also resolved, and the reader will find out what really happened to the Sharpes’ parents.

Celia and Jackson have this burning attraction that they’ve both been sublimating, so when it finally erupts, they’re pretty hot together, I think!

The Book Pushers:  Out of your Hellions, which character gave you the most difficulty trying to keep them straight on paper?

Sabrina: Jarret from A Hellion in Her Bed. I just wasn’t sure who he was, and it took me a long time to figure it out. Once I “got” him, though, he practically wrote his own book.

The Book Pushers:  Now that the Hellions series has come to an end are you sad to leave these characters, or are you more excited to jump into a new project/series?

Sabrina: I’m always sad to leave characters I love, but I’m also always excited about a new project. Both of those feelings coexist for me at the end of a series.

The Book Pushers: Looking at your backlist, you seem to favor series.  What is it about having those interconnections that sparks your creativity?

Sabrina: I like returning to the same world time and again. And I like feeling that there’s a larger construct than the romance—a larger purpose, if you will. That’s what I can gain from doing a series—a bigger canvas.

The Book Pushers:  Which favourite book of yours would you pick to recommend for a new reader?

Sabrina: Hmm, that’s a hard choice. If it’s someone new to romance, I’d suggest Never Seduce a Scoundrel, since it has a lot of other stuff in it (adventure, mystery, secrets). If it’s a romance reader who’s new to my books, I’d probably suggest The Truth about Lord Stoneville, so they could start my latest series at the beginning.

The Book Pushers: Would you consider writing about heroines and heroes that are not part of  higher society?

Sabrina: Well, since Jackson isn’t part of high society (he’s a Bow Street Runner), I guess you could say I already have. I’ve also written about a man of affairs who’s a former smuggler and who is now in trade (Danny Brennan in A Notorious Love) and an American marine (Lucas in Never Seduce a Scoundrel). I like to mix it up.

The Book Pushers: You’ve had such a fantastic career writing in the regency genre. Have you ever considered, or would like to try your hands at another genre?

Sabrina: When I wrote under the name Deborah Nicholas, I did three books that were contemporary paranormal romantic suspense. I wouldn’t mind trying that again, but the genre has changed SO much since the 90’s (when I was writing those books) that I don’t know if I could do it successfully. I’ve also considered time travel and a bigger thriller-type series, but I’m just not “hooked” by any idea yet, so I guess I’ll keep writing historicals until other inspiration strikes.

The Book Pushers: Can you tell us what you have planned for any future projects?

Sabrina: My next book is a Christmas hardcover (‘Twas the Night After Christmas, on sale October 30, 2012) with Pierce Waverly as the hero (he appears in the last two Hellions books). It’s something of a stand-alone, but it will introduce the main character for my new series, which begins next year. Since that’s still in the formative stages, I’m not ready to talk about it yet, but I’m very excited about it. The first book of THAT series will probably have the Duke of Lyons as a hero.

The Book Pushers: Which hero or heroine of yours, or other fictional character, would you love to have drinks with?

Sabrina: Probably Gavin Byrne, from One Night with a Prince. He’s seen so much of society from the inside, I’d like to pick his brain! Plus, he’s sexy.

The Book Pushers: What is the most romantic book, show or movie that you love? And why?

Sabrina: There are so many, but right now I’m in love with North and South (the mini-series of the Elizabeth Gaskell novel, not the Civil War mini-series). Richard Armitage is the hottest hero ever, and the romance is so wonderful. I also adore Castle and Bones. How could you not love those two couples together? They’re so sweet.

Thanks so much Sabrina for being here today!! Sabrina has also graciously offered to giveaway one of the first four books in the Hellions of Halstead Hall Series to one lucky winner. This giveaway is open to US and Canada residents and will end on January 27th. Good Luck!

Interview & Giveaway with Sabrina Jeffries is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

With Samhain, Anya has a new series starting that features shifters, vampires an a post-apocalyptic world that will melt your socks off. The first book in the Doomsyear series – The Twisted Kiss – is out January 24th.

Welcome to The Book Pushers Anya!

The Book Pushers: Can tell us a little about The Twisted Kiss, and the Doomsyear series?

Anya: Sure! The Twisted Kiss is first in a new post-apocalyptic series I’ll be writing for Samhain. In this world, most of the earth’s population has mutated into vampires and werewolves, thanks to the blundering of the military when they attempt to bio-engineer the perfect soldier. Here’s the blurb for the book….

Sometimes it takes just one kiss…

Kylie Mitchell lives in a world of monsters. Thanks to a military experiment gone viral, over half the population is gone and most of what remains has mutated into storybook werewolves and vampires. In this new Earth, only the tough survive, and Kylie has more than enough reason to want to be left alone.

When the Council of the Wise decrees that she must mate with a potent vampire and a powerful werewolf, Kylie resents their intrusion into her self-imposed exile. As one of the last humans on Earth, she always assumed she’d be safe from the super-psychics’ machinations, and she’s not ready to trust her heart to anyone.

Michael and Christian share no great love for each other, but they have one thing in common—their long-time desire for Kylie. Determined to ensure she doesn’t spend the rest of her lonely life wallowing in needless guilt, they choose to put aside their differences and work together, never allowing her time to think as they seduce her body and mind, hoping their love will tempt her heart to open to them.

Yet just as she begins to bloom under their fiercely protective attention, a twisted and monstrous figure from the past rises up, threatening to destroy everything…

The Book Pushers:  What made you decide to move to a post-apocalyptic world?

Anya: I LOVE post-apocalyptic fiction because a.) it’s dark as hell and, b.) it has so much possibility for worldbuilding. It’s a great setting for romance, in my opinion. You have that often bleak landscape, where hope is a precious thing, then the tiny light of love sparks and catches…. What a great contrast!

The Book Pushers: How many books with be in the Doomsyear series, and will it follow a series of interconnected characters?

Anya: I’m not sure how many books will be in the series. It really depends on how the series does and what kind of feedback I get from readers. It also, of course, depends on my level of inspiration with the world. If I feel like a series has run its course, I end it. I don’t believe in forcing a series past its natural life. It will follow interconnecting characters, yes.

The Book Pushers: How challenging is it for you to have more then one series running at a time?

Anya: I usually only work on one project at a time, so it’s not that hard for me to switch back and forth. The worlds the different series are set in are pretty distinctive. Luckily, I don’t confuse them.

The Book Pushers:  Looking at your backlist you have moved between genres more than once.  Is there one in particular you enjoy writing more then the others?

Anya: Well, I do move between sub-genres of paranormal fiction, but I very, very rarely move out of paranormal altogether. So, whether the story is historical, post-apocalyptic, has a modern, urban setting, they all have one thing in common, they’re fantastical in one way or another. I love all of them, but may prefer one sub-genre over the rest at any particular time. The ability to switch sub-genres keeps me from becoming bored creatively.

The Book Pushers: Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy are ever changing their boundaries. What do you think makes them so appealing to readers and what does these genres say to you?

Anya: I think people want an interesting story with compelling characters. That’s true across all genres. If other readers are like me, they turn to paranormal romance and urban fantasy to be transported into a different world and leave the mundane behind. There are very few limits in speculative fiction. A writer’s imagination is allowed to run wild and take the reader along for the ride.

The Book Pushers: Do you have any future projects planned that you can share with us?

Anya: Right now I’m working on an urban fantasy book (currently) titled Smoke and Bone. I’m also working on the sequel to Embrace of the Damned, the first book in a new paranormal romance series that features immortal Viking warriors, shamans and witches. And, of course, yet another project is the sequel to The Twisted Kiss. I have no shortage of things to work on.

The Book Pushers: Out of all your heroes, who would you be tempted to marry, kiss, or chuck off a cliff?

Anya: Hmmm…I would have to go with Broder Calderson from Embrace of the Damned. I’d be tempted to do all three of those things to him. He’s a pretty strong guy from an age when men protected their women…even when those women didn’t want (or need) protection. His heart is in the right place, but he has trouble dealing with the modern day female. Despite this, his passion and protectiveness are attractive qualities, and all of it is seated in a very attractive package.

The Book Pushers: Out of your heroines, who do you think is the most kick-ass and could hold her own against other kick ass heroines?

Anya: I might have to pick Isabelle from Witch Blood for that one. In the beginning of the book she’s literally attempting to freeze the bad guy’s…well, let’s just say “family jewels”…off with her bare hands. I would never want to cross her.

The Book Pushers: And finally, if you had to write a scene where there was a night out at a pub or fancy dinner, which characters of yours would:

Anya: Get drunk the most? Adam Tyrell (from Witch Heart)  Brawl? Niall Quinn (from Midnight Enchantment) Have wild dirty sex in the kitchen cupboard? Gabriel Mac Braire (from Wicked Enchantment)

Thanks so much for the interview! I would like to offer a giveaway. I’ll pick one winner from the replies to this post for an ebook of The Twisted Kiss.

Thanks so much Anya for being here today!! The giveaway will end on January 23rd and is open internationally.

Interview & Giveaway with Anya Bast is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

We would like to give a warm welcome to Nadia Lee, author of Carnal Secrets, Destiny Entwined and Happily Ever After of Her Own. Nadia’s new book, The Last Slayer, is the start of a brand new Urban Fantasy trilogy which is being released today by Carina. Welcome Nadia!

 Nadia: Thank you!

BookPushers: What can you tell us about about The Last Slayer, the first book in the The Heartstone Trilogy?

 Nadia: It’s a full length urban fantasy novel with romantic elements. The blurb is

below:

Ashera del Cid is a talented demon hunter, but when she kills a demigod’s

pet dragon, the hunter becomes the hunted. Her only potential ally is

Ramiel, a sexy-as-hell demon. Now the two must work together to battle

dragons and demigods…and the chemistry crackling between them.

 

Ramiel has his own reasons for offering Ashera his protection. He knows her

true identity and the real reason the demigods want her dead. What he can’t

predict is how she’ll react when she discovers he knew who she was all

along…

 

Ashera is shocked to discover that she is the only daughter of the last

slayer. To claim her destiny, she and Ramiel must join forces to face down

danger and outwit their enemies. Only then will she be able to truly accept

her legacy…

The story’s told from Ashera’s point of view (1st person), and she has to deal with new threats in her life with somebody who she can’t trust a.k.a. Ramiel.

 Bookpushers: Are you able to give us a little run-down on Ashera del Cid, and Ramiel?

 Nadia: Ashera’s an excellent demon hunter who’s managed to carve out a nice life for herself.  She’s good at her job, financially comfortable and has a good friend / foster sister Valerie, who she cares for very much.  She has an innate distrust of all supernatural beings, given her profession.  People don’t hire her when they’re dealing with “good” demons.  (Not that such a thing could exist as far as Ashera’s concerned.)  Ashera’s appalled she has to get Ramiel’s help when he did all sorts of horrible things to her, like blowing up her home.

 Ramiel is a very old supernatural being, and he’s stuck helping Ashera because of a vow he made long ago.  It drives him insane that Ashera doesn’t ask, “How high” whenever he tells her to jump.  He’s basically like an emperor within his own domain, and hates having to explain himself. He’s also afraid of what Ashera might do if she knows the full truth about herself and everyone around her.

Bookpushers: What made you decide to base your story around demons — will they be the only supernaturals featured, or will there be other scary beings ready to make a surprise?

 Nadia: I’ve always found demons fascinating. Vampires, too, of course, but so many authors have done vampires already. I wanted to do something different. Demons such as incubi aren’t the only ones in the story.  There are various types of dragons and supernatural diviners, etc. And maybe a few of them will make an appearance in the sequel.

 Bookpushers: Can you give us any sneak peaks in what to expect in the The Heartstone Trilogy?  Will it follow the same leading protagonists or new narrators in each book?

 Nadia: The trilogy follows the same protagonist — Ashera del Cid — and her coming into her new power and position by pitting herself against those who’d rather see her dead. There are definitely elements of romance as well between Ashera and Ramiel, and they’re probably going to get some kind of happy ending by the time the trilogy winds up.

 Bookpushers: The Last Slayer is the first UF you have written. Did you find any difficulties writing in a new genre compared to your previous contemporary books?

 Nadia: World-building!  I totally didn’t make any notes or create a world bible or anything. And since I always change things as I write, I couldn’t remember what I was going to do with supernatural XYZ when I was going through the story for revision.  The hardest thing I had to keep track of when I was writing contemporary was what kind of car my hero drove to work!

Bookpushers: What other genres do you want to explore in the future?

Nadia: Futuristic/SF romance featuring assassins and mob bosses and fantasy romance loosely based on an old Asian historical text, though I’m not sure if I’ll ever get to work the latter in.  I’ve been hearing from so many industry people how unpopular Asian settings are. :sigh:

 Bookpushers: Can you tell us about any upcoming works you have planned?

 Nadia: Currently I’m working on the sequel to The Last Slayer.  I also need to take another look at the above-mentioned futuristic romance novel and send it off to my agent.

 Bookpushers: You have released self-published books as well as traditional pubbed via e-pubs. What do you think of the ever-changing landscape of publishing and the impact it has on authors?

Nadia: I think it’s fantastic for authors.  Authors are no longer limited by the whims of publishing companies.  Before ebooks became as popular and dominant as they are now, publishing companies controlled distribution.  Print distribution is enormously expensive and difficult for most authors, and many booksellers weren’t interested in carrying self-published titles. Furthermore, print distribution is extremely inefficient and costly with returns.  Most authors couldn’t afford to have more than half of their books returned to them.

Ebooks made it possible for authors to reach out to their readers more directly, and it’s much faster to turn your edited manuscript into an ebook than a print book.  In addition, authors get to experiment with small niche genres that their publishers aren’t too interested in.  (Of course, some authors go through smaller digital presses, but given some of the things we’ve seen, such as Triskelion and other e-presses that either went bankrupt, didn’t edit or pay royalties, etc., authors have to be very careful and choose one that’s professional and honest and can do things that authors can’t do on their own or outsource easily.) This has also benefited readers as well.  Speaking as a reader, I love buying self-pubbed novellas or shorts from my favorite authors to tide me over while I’m waiting for their big novel release. The big challenge for authors who are interested in self-pubbing is ensuring that they put out a good story that is well-edited and converted.  (And put a good-looking cover too!)  Readers demand a professional production, not something that looks like authors put it together while making a sandwich for lunch.

Bookpushers: What is your all-time favourite Happy Ever After scene in a Romance? And why do you think HEA has a strong resonance for so many readers of Romance?

 Nadia: Oh this is so tough!  I’m extremely fond of old Linda Howard category romance novels and the resolution in which the hero must win the heroine over.  I still remember the scene from Cutting Edge in which the hero holds the heroine and says he’d want to take it all back.  I haven’t read that book in at least half a decade, and that scene still lingers in my mind with such force. HEA has a strong resonance because we want to believe that good peopledeserve good things, especially after such a difficult struggle.  HEA isn’t unique to romance either.  Mystery  has a HEA-equivalent in that the crime is solved and the bad guys get caught.  In general, I don’t want to read romance in which the heroine dies of some horrible disease at the end and the hero is left behind and cries his eyes out.  (BTW — the terminal-disease-killing-the-heroine was — or maybe still is? — a very popular trope in Japan…)  I want to feel good when I read for entertainment.

 Bookpushers: And now for a little fun:

 If there was a BATTLE ROYAL of kick-ass heroines, who would you choose as the winner?

 Nadia: Oooh, tough!  Provided that mine sits out (it wouldn’t be fair since I’m biased), I’d choose Kate Daniels.

 Bookpushers: Which fictional hero would you like to kiss, marry or chuck over a cliff?

 Nadia: I’d like to kiss Heathcliffe from Wuthering Heights AND chuck him over a cliff.

 Bookpushers: And what is your most guilty pleasure in reading a romance?

 Nadia: Right now it’s forced seduction.  I have no idea why, but I’m just in the mood for it right now.  And I’m not talking about the modern twist or whatever.  I’m talking about the old-style bodice ripper-type stuff.

 Nadia has kindly giving away an ebook copy of The Last Slayer. To Enter just comment below and state what is favourite myth or books that feature dragons. The giveaway will end on the 3rd of January and is open to everyone!

Interview and Giveaway with Nadia Lee is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Marjorie, welcome to The Book Pushers!

The Book Pushers: Tell us a little about Within the Flames.

Marjorie: Within the Flames is the 11^th novel in the Dirk & Steele series (which features a host of magical creatures saving the world, falling in love, battling evil).  The hero is a young man named Eddie, who has been an important and much-loved secondary character since the first novel, Tiger Eye.  For years, readers have been begging for his story, and finally – finally – I found the inspiration to write it.

As long-time readers know, Eddie has had a difficult time of it for the last few books.  He lost control over his ability to manipulate fire, making him extremely dangerous to be around.  Only now, in this latest novel, is he finally feeling comfortable with his abilities – but that comfort won’t last when he’s sent to find a young woman with a similarly destructive power over fire.  Only, she’s a dragon shape-shifter – who is being hunted by witches.

The Book Pushers: What was the inspiration for the Dirk & Steele series?

Marjorie: Life, I suppose!  When I travel, I’m always reminded that there’s so little I know, and have experienced. There are endless mysteries in this world!  Who’s to say that magic doesn’t exist, all around us?

The Book Pushers: How many more books do you have planned for Dirk & Steele?

Marjorie:  That’s hard to say.  I’m launching a new paranormal romance series for HarperCollins, so for now the Dirk & Steele series is on a temporary hiatus.

The Book Pushers: When I read Tiger Eye for the first time, I got the feeling that it was intended as a stand-alone.  What caused you to decide to use it as the starting point of your longest series?

Marjorie:  You’re right. Tiger Eye was intended as a standalone.  Or rather, it was my first book!  I had no intentions whatsoever, other than trying to sell it to a publisher!  Fortunately, that happened, at which point I had to revise my expectations.  My new editor wanted a series, and I had no objections to giving him one.

The Book Pushers: How do you balance comics and two continuing series?

Marjorie: It’s something that I just do.  I don’t put a huge amount of thought into how I stay organized, but somehow the work always gets done.

The Book Pushers: Do you have any other series/books perculating away?

Marjorie: I do, actually.  I’m launching two new series next year.  The first is about a young woman who discovers that her quiet, conservative Great Aunt was a legendary dominatrix during World War Two – and now runs a weekly club for all her friends in the nursing home, who are also retired dommes.  Of course, someone is trying to kill these old women – and our young heroine, who has some pretty nifty powers of her own, must keep them safe and find the murderer.

The second series is a paranormal romance about three siblings from our world who are transported to an alternate dystopian reality where humans have used a vast zombie army to commit genocide against the “monsters” of the world — werewolves, vampires, elves, and so on.  In fact, it’s the humans who are the real monsters, and these three siblings are forced to navigate this strange world where the good guys see them as the enemy – and the bad guys want to control them for the odd magical powers they begin to manifest. 

The Book Pushers: What gave you the inspiration to have tattoos that become helpful demons in your Kiss series?  Or should we say helpful demons that become tattoos?

Marjorie: I saw a documentary on the full-body tattoos of the Yakuza.

The Book Pushers: Which character has made an impact or impression?

Marjorie: Probably Maxine Kiss.  Her next book, The Mortal Bone, hits shelves at the end of December.  To celebrate, my publisher is releasing one of the Hunter Kiss novellas, as an e-special, bundled with a never-before-published Hunter Kiss short story.

The Book Pushers: Do you find that writing romantic/UF heroes different to writing comic book heroes? And what comic hero would love to write about and what fictional hero would you like to spend time with?

Marjorie: Well, it’s the difference between writing my own characters – born from my heart and mind – and writing characters who are owned by another, and who have a long history and established personality within a set universe.  One isn’t necessarily more difficult than the other, but the process and approach is different.

As for what comic book hero I’d love to write…I’ve been fortunate enough to dabble with my favourites, already.  But maybe…Catwoman?

I’d love to spend time with Elvis Cole and Joe Pike (from the mystery series written by Robert Crais).

The Book Pushers: Do you find that your trips back to China give you inspiration for your writing?

Marjorie:  Oh, always.  I think any kind of travel you can do shakes up all those loose brain cells.

The Book Pushers: If you were chosen to create a romance themed superhero what kind of power would they have and what kind of arch villain would they have to battle?

Marjorie: A romance themed superhero?  That’s a hard question, because I think there’s something already inherently romantic (in the classical sense) about any hero – super powered, or otherwise.  For example, the X-Men books are very romantic.  In theClaremontyears, there was the love triangle between Wolverine, Jean Grey, and Cyclops. Not to mention Rogue and Gambit!  Also, it seems to me that Batman and Wonder Woman have always had a certain, definite, attraction for one another.

Power matters less than character — and chemistry between characters.

Thank you so much to Marjorie for being here today! Marjorie is giving away one copy of In The Dark of Dreams. Open to US only and ends December 7th. Good luck!!

Interview & Giveaway with Marjorie Liu is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

The Hellraisers is being published by Zebra books, with the first book Devil’s Kiss releasing December 6th.

Zoe – Welcome to The Book Pushers!

Thanks for having me!

The Book Pushers: Can you tell us about The Hellraisers Series — and what we can expect in Devil’s Kiss?

Zoe:  The Hellraisers are a group of five London rakes who inadvertently free the Devil from his prison and wind up literally raising hell.  So we have a group of very bad boys given the power to grant their darkest desires—but at a very high price.

Devil’s Kiss is the first book in the series, and its hero is James Sherbourne, Earl of Whitney.  At the beginning of the story, Whit’s sole pleasure in life is in gambling.  He lives for the danger and excitement that can only be found at the gaming tables.  If given the choice between dallying with a woman and playing at hazard, he’d choose hazard.  But all that changes when Whit meets Zora Grey, a Romani woman who expertly cheats him at cards.  Though Whit and Zora come from completely different worlds, the attraction between them is immediate.  Neither is quite what the other expects, yet when they part company, they don’t believe they will ever meet again.

Everything changes when Whit and his Hellraiser friends wind up freeing the Devil from his prison.  All of the Hellraisers are given specific magical gifts, unique to each man, little knowing that the cost is their souls.  Now Zora must fight to save Whit’s soul—yet Whit’s seductive kisses prove far more dangerous to her heart.

The Book Pushers: How many books are planned for The Hellraisers series?

Zoe: Three total.  Demon’s Bride is scheduled to come out May 1, 2012, and Sinner’s Heart will be out sometime early in 2013.

The Book Pushers: When can we expect to see more 8th Wing books? (MinnChica – ZOMG LOVED LOVED LOVED LOVED LOVED LOVED!!!)

Zoe: Hee!  As a matter of fact, the next book will be released on January 9.  Chain Reaction follows hotshot fighter pilot Lt. Celene Jur as she tracks down the man responsible for her capture (which forms the background to Collision Course, the first 8^th Wing book).  Celene’s partner on this mission is Lt. Nils Calder, from engineering (or, as they’re called behind their backs, NerdWorks).  Nils is my favorite kind of hero: the kick-ass nerd.

The Book Pushers: What other projects are you working on right now?

Zoe: In addition to finishing the third Hellraisers book, I’m working on a steampunk romance series for Avon Impulse, the first book of which should be out in April 2012.  And I’m also writing a new historical romance series for St. Martin’s Press called Nemesis, Unlimited, which I’m describing basically as Burn Notice in Victorian England.  The first book in that series should be out in 2013.  I guess I’m a little busy!  But in a good way!

The Book Pushers: In your Blades of the Rose series your characters managed to build an impressive amount of frequent flyer miles. What made you decide to send them and us to such a wide range of locations?

Zoe: I always loved adventure stories, and one of the key elements in adventure is faraway locations.  It’s not half as exciting if you’re someplace you’ve been a million times before.  So when I began to plot out the series, I thought about locations that would lend themselves to great action, have rich and fascinating cultures, and were wonderful backdrops for romance.  I set the books in Mongolia (Warrior), Greece (Scoundrel), the Canadian Rockies (Rebel), and England (Stranger).  Many people in the don’t think of Mongolia when they think romance, but if you Google some images of the country, you’ll see how incredibly beautiful the steppes are.  Plus, when the long winter sets in, think of the fun ways to keep warm.

The Book Pushers: You and your husband (Nico Rosso) are both authors; are you able to write in the same room at the same time or do each of you have your own specific writing environments?

Zoe:  Nico and I do share an office.  In fact, our desks are eight feet apart (we measured).  Both of us like to listen to music when we write, so Nico puts on headphones to listen to his classic rock and I have my ‘80s music playing through my computer.  But, other than this, we’re appallingly compatible when we’re working.  We both know not to disturb the other when we’re in the thick of things.  Just give a little kiss on the head and tiptoe away.

The Book Pushers: What is it about history that intrigues you to write historical themed romances ?

Zoe: I’ve always been fascinated by the past, especially in historical romance.  I love the depth of experience, and how varied yet similar past eras are with this one.  Plus, I find it just sparks my imagination more than thinking about contemporary life.  I find more stories to be told that are set in the 18^th and 19^th centuries.  Mind, I have no desire to live during those time periods.  At most, I’d visit, then come back to contact lenses, reliable water supplies and women’s suffrage.

The Book Pushers: You’ve written in such a wide range of genres, can you see yourself ever writing Contemporary Romance or even YA?

Zoe: I’ll never say never to anything.  I’ve had an idea for a contemporary romance series, and that may one day make it out into the reading public, since it would be hot and fun.  As for YA, that’s a bit more of a stretch for me.  I didn’t like being a teenager, so it’s challenging for me to think of stories set during that age range.  Plus—I like writing love scenes!  I don’t think I’d get away with half the stuff I write about if my protagonists were teens.

The Book Pushers: Which series has been the most fun to write about, and which series has been the most difficult?

Zoe: I’ve enjoyed writing all my series!  The Blades of the Rose was written at a pretty breakneck pace (5 months per 100,000 word book), and since they’re adventure stories, I had a blast writing them.  The Hellraisers is a much darker series, so in that respect, these books have been more challenging as I explore a new direction and tone.  Yet I really do love the dark world I created, so they’ve been fun, too!

I’m also excited to build the world of my new steampunk series.  Basically, I make sure to write books that I’ll enjoy—which isn’t to say that every writing day is awesome, and some books are more challenging than others.  But if I don’t love the series, then readers won’t either, and that’s why I pick projects I’ll want to stick with.

The Book Pushers: If you had a chance to interview a reviewer, what is the one question you would like to ask?

Zoe: What’s your favorite dessert?  Because I’ll make it for you if you like my book!

(Pssst Zoe: We love ice cream and brownies, and you really can’t go wrong with chocolate. Should I send you our mailing address now? *wink wink*)

And!  I’m giving away one signed copy of Devil’s Kiss, plus a book from my backlist, to a random commenter.  (US and Canada only)

Thanks so much Zoe for being here today! E will be back later with her review of Devil’s Kiss. Leave a question or comment for Zoe to be entered for her contest, it ends December 5th.  Good Luck!

Devil’s Kiss

Hellraisers Book 1

A handsome devil

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

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

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

Excerpt  |  Trailer

Zoë Archer: website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr

Interview & Giveaway with Zoe Archer is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter