Book Blast & Interview: Son of Dragons by @AndreaRCooper

 

 

Son of Dragons

Book 2

Legends of Oblivion Series

Andrea Cooper

Book Description:

In a time of false peace, the dead rise as soldiers for the Warloc’s scheme. For thousands of years he has stood ready for the final battle. Though the witch and her cursed Elvin have destroyed his physical body, now with his protégé, he has honed a new way to wage war.

Shunned by her own people and weary-hearted from centuries of lost loves, Elvin warrior Mirhana scours the land to silence the undead. Her heart has turned as cold as the sword she wields, until a prince seeks her aid.

Never has Prince Landon met a woman like Mirhana. Both beautiful and deadly, she haunts his dreams. The battle at hand becomes more enchanting than fighting to remain true to his unseen betrothed.

When a traitor emerges, new alliances are tested and the only remaining hope is to follow the prophecy and find the ... Son of Dragons.

Son of Dragons Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/MF-W60brqL8

Crimson Romance Amazon BN iTunes

Books in the Legends of Oblivion Series

The Garnet Dagger – Book 1

Cursed in Shadow – Book 1.5

Son of Dragons – Book 2

Clean from the bath, Landon let the air from the open window dry his hair. Dressed only in trousers, he leaned against the windowsill.

He thought he smelled the hint of roses and heat on the breeze. Movement from the street below caught his eye. He leaned out, squinting into the night.

Torches lined the cobbled street corners. A cloaked figure waited. Then the innkeeper rushed outside. His hands flew in gestures as the figure nodded.

Then he pointed to the window where Landon watched. At the same instant, the cloaked figure followed his finger’s path to Landon. Green eyes that seemed to glow met his.

Landon jumped up and cursed when his head hit the bottom of the window. When he looked back, both figures were gone.

Thinking the innkeeper would send guards, he waited with his sword in hand and his stare riveted on the door. No one came. He must be getting paranoid, thinking there was a ghost or enemy around every corner. His eyelids grew heavy as he waited for a fight that failed to materialize. Finally, he rolled his shoulders back to ease out the tension.

Still, he couldn’t stop thinking about those piercing emerald eyes. They’d belonged to a woman; he could tell. There was intelligence and cunning in them. Her stare felt as though she saw through the façade he often wore as prince and to please others, and into his kajh.

A woman who was not afraid, but used to being feared. It unnerved him, yet excited him. His pulse quickened and his loins tightened at the thought of those eyes filled with passion for him.

Better get some sleep before the night was gone. Tomorrow, he’d tell Gillespie about what he saw. He doubted he could explain those captivating green eyes that continued to haunt him even now.

Review:

“We are introduced to new and wonderful creatures, and meet up with those we know and love from the first book, as each character's unique role and journey begins to intersect... and each will have a pivotal role in the outcome of an epic battle that is about to take place. Deception, self discovery, and sacrifices will be made, as each character's true role is uncovered... and in these magical lands, nothing is at it seems…Still, the book builds on the last with new and enchanting worlds, exciting creatures, and breathtaking originality. ..A really fun read, and a complimentary addition to the Legends of Oblivion series!”

-4 1/2 stars Moonrise Book Blog

Did you always wanted to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?

I was always a storyteller. Characters and plots filled my imagination and playtime, but as a child, I did not realize that writing was an occupation. I knew nurses, doctors, stay-at-home moms, waitstaff, etc., but not authors.

When I was in kindergarten, I wanted to be a teacher but soon realized the reality of teaching is a lot different than I thought.

When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?

I started writing poetry when I was fourteen (around the same age as half the population does I imagine). Then I wrote my first novel when I was in my late twenties, still I did not consider myself a writer until I wrote several more stories and began seeking publishing.

How long did it take to get your first book published?

From writing it to publication? May I plead the fifth? I did one of the worst sins as a writer, I would only send out a query to a publisher once a year or two. In the meantime, I would write and edit and repeat. So in answer to your question, it was more than a decade.

Do you do another job except for writing and can you tell us more about it?

I have been a stay-at-home mom since the summer of 2010. My son at the time was in daycare and because of his health (it seems he was allergic to daycare), I quit my job as a Sr. Buyer for a Petroleum company to stay at home with him. Now I am home with him (he’s 4 now) and his sister (18months).

Funny thing is, I have less time to write now than I did when I was writing fulltime. Why? Because I don’t get regular lunch and breaks. If I do eat lunch, it’s usually while getting them to eat theirs’ too.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 20 words what would you say?

Son of Dragons Book 2 Legends of Oblivion series: After centuries of lost loves, Elvin warrior Mirhana expects is used to being shunned, until a prince seeks her aid.

Who is your publisher? Or do you self-publish?

For Son of Dragons, my publisher is Crimson Romance. I did self-publish Cursed in Shadow Book 1.5 in the Legends of Oblivion series.

How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?

It depends on the book. For Son of Dragons, which is the quickest book I have written so far, it was less than three months.

What can we expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?

I have several projects that I’m working on:

• War of Darkness Book 3 Legends of Oblivion – re-writing
• Untitled Viking Fire sequel - writing
• YA Fantasy – writing
• Stolen Hearts a contemporary romance – editing and rewriting the first two chapters
• Cheyenne Storm and Cheyenne Gold two historical and paranormal romances – editing and rewriting the first chapter of Cheyenne Storm.
• Short story romances – I plan to write 2-3 more short stories along with several other authors for an anthology. Our first one is Six Shades of Romance.

What genre would you place your books into?

Son of Dragons is a fantasy/ paranormal romance. Another novel of mine, Viking Fire, is a historical romance. I primarily write fantasy, paranormal and historical romance.

What made you decide to write that genre of book?

I have always loved fantasy—probably because it was taboo in my house growing up. Seriously, I couldn’t even watch Disney movies because of the ‘magic’—I craved fantasy stories as a child and still do.

Do you have a favorite character from your books? And why are they your favorite?

Tough question … probably Celeste from The Garnet Dagger Book 1 Legends of Oblivion. She’s my favorite because she was so easy to write and I loved that she did not allow her circumstances define who she is (plus it was my first published novel so it will always be special to me.)

How long have you been writing?, and who or what inspired you to write?

I wrote poetry when I was fourteen, but it was until I was in my late twenties that I wrote novels. Ironically, it was reading a historical romance without logic (a Viking just ‘gets saved’ because the heroine is Christian) that I thought I could write a better book—or at least write a book I would like to read.

Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?

Since I’m a stay-at-home mom for the last four years, I write whenever and wherever I can. My husband has recently build me a writer’s desk in the corner of our room which I don’t use nearly as much as I should. Usually, I write on my laptop at the kitchen counter (because my 18month old loves to smash the keys).

Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?

Yes. And I get upset and eat chocolate on the bad ones – then I try to see if there is anything I can use to be a better writer for the next story.

Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?

I am terrible at titles. So far, I have only written one story where the title came before I wrote the it –a short story called The Proxy part of an anthology with five other writers called Six Shades of Romance.

How do you come up with characters names and place names in your books?

They all come from my imagination and a baby book of names.

Are character names and place names decided after their creation? Or do you pick a character/place name and then invent them?

Character and place names come after their creation in my imagination. However, sometimes I have to change a character’s name. I read the names until one jumps out at me as looking and sounding like the character. Once, though, I had to change the hero’s name. In Viking Fire Bram was Ragnar originally, but by the time of publication (even though I wrote the book years ago) the History Channel’s Vikings was out and their lead character was named Ragnar (and it didn’t help that my hero looked like a young Travis Flemmel).

Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?

I have a general idea of the hero and heroine, the develop more as I write the book. However, secondary characters like Nivel in the Legends of Oblivion series surprised me with his personality as I wrote the series.

Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story is..")

Yes, Son of Dragons has two morals: Don’t judge a book by its cover and Love will find a way.

Which format of book do you prefer, eBook, hardback, or paperback?

A tough question. I still love paperback. I love holding a book in my hand and seeing how many pages are left. However, I equally love eBooks because they are a lot less expensive, you can have multiple books in one place, and no one can see what you are reading.

What is your favorite book and Why? Have you read it more than once?

I have tons of favorites, but if I only said one it would be The Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind. Why? Because it was the first fantasy book I read as an adult that made me want to write my own fantasy romance, which became The Garnet Dagger Book 1 Legends of Oblivion and the first book I got published. I have read it twice—which for me is a huge deal. I do not read books more than once because there are too many wonderful books out there that I have not read.

Do you think books transfer to movies well? Which is you favorite/worst book to movie transfer?

Normally I would say no, books do not transfer into movies well. However, I think the Harry Potter series was the exception. The reason, in my opinion, that they transferred well was that they incorporated the author in everything and stayed as close to the books as possible.

Your favorite food is?

Anything with cheese or chocolate – but not together

Your favorite singer/group is?

Imagine Dragons

Your favorite color is?

Red. Not maroon, not orange-red, but blood-red. Always.

Your favorite Author is?

Many, but I’ll name just a few: Terry Goodkind, Anne Bishop, PC Cast, and Kim Harrison.

 

 

Growing up in Houston, Texas, Andrea has always created characters and stories. But it wasn't until she was in her late twenties that she started writing novels.

What happened that ignited the writing flame in her fingers? Divorced, and disillusioned by love songs and stories. They exaggerate. She thought. Love and Romance are not like that in the real world. Then she met her husband and realized, yes love and romance are exactly like the songs and stories say. She is now a happy wife, and a mom to three kids (two boys and a girl).

Andrea writes paranormal and historical romance. When not writing or reading, one may find Andrea dancing in Zumba.

She believes in the power of change and counting each moment as a blessing. But most importantly, she believes in love.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndreaRCooper.author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndreaRCooper

Author Website: www.AndreaRCooper.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6934877.Andrea_R_Cooper

Blog: http://andrearcooperauthorblog.wordpress.com/

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/andrearcooper/

New Release & Giveaway: Darknight by @christinejpope

 

 

Darknight

The Witches of Cleopatra Hill

Book 2

Christine Pope

Genre: Paranormal romance

Publisher: Dark Valentine Press

Date of Publication: 6/5/2014

ISBN: 978-0692217504

ASIN:

Number of pages:

Word Count: 90,000

Cover Artist: Indie Author Services

Book Description:

Kidnapped by a rival witch clan, Angela McAllister envisions a dark future for herself until she discovers her captor’s brother is the unknown man who has haunted her dreams since she was a child.

Forced to re-evaluate everything she’s ever known about the Wilcox witches, Angela begins to explore the powerful connection that binds her to Connor Wilcox, despite the generations of hostility between their families and the disapproval of those closest to her.

And when a dark, malignant force arises, Angela knows she must draw on her growing powers as prima to protect enemies and allies alike…even if her choice threatens to tear her new and fragile love apart.

Darknight is the second book in the Witches of Cleopatra Hill, a paranormal romance trilogy set in the haunted town of Jerome, Arizona.

“So you talk to dead people?” he asked.

“Yes, I communicate with earthbound spirits, if that’s what you mean by ghosts,” I said primly.

Once again, he didn’t rise to the bait. “That’s interesting. And no, to answer your previous question, I’ve never seen her. No cold spots, no personal items moved around, no nothing. Not that my talent is conversing with the spirit world.”

“And what is your talent, Connor?”

A cloud seemed to pass over his face, but then he replied, his tone casual, “Nothing so spectacular, I assure you.”

“Well, it has to be pretty good, to be able to hide the fact that you’re a warlock.” That was something which had been troubling me ever since I realized he’d managed to hide his true identity so well. Normally, I should have sensed that he was a member of a witch clan from the very moment I met him, even if I couldn’t have known he was a Wilcox. But I’d felt nothing. He’d seemed like a civilian to me…up until the moment he bent down to give me the consort’s kiss.

Voice even, he replied, “That wasn’t me. That was Damon’s spell.”

“Damon’s quite the multi-tasker, isn’t he? Any other little tricks I should know about?”

He gave a humorless laugh. “A few. But I don’t think we need to talk about that now.”

“Fine,” I said. I could tell from his expression, the tight look to his mouth, that he wouldn’t appreciate any prodding on that subject from me. “But we do need to talk, don’t you think? I mean, last night you said we would ‘hash this over in the morning.’ Well, it’s almost noon, and you haven’t said much of anything except to tell me where the bagels are.”

Surprisingly, he said, “You’re right. Take these” —and he handed the white paper bag holding the sandwiches to me— “and I’ll get some plates and water and stuff.”

The first floor of the apartment was pretty much open-plan in style, except a few closed doors that might be a guest bath and a coat closet. The dining area sat just on the other side of the bar of granite that acted as a sort of separator from the kitchen, so I went there and settled myself in one of the heavy wooden chairs. Like the table, they were simple, almost rustic in appearance, but that didn’t fool me. I’d spent too much time shopping for furniture recently not to know that they, like almost everything else in the apartment, had not been cheap.

Connor came out of the kitchen carrying a couple of glasses and a bottle of Evian water, along with some brown earthenware plates. He set everything down at the table, then seated himself across from me. Probably just as well that he didn’t sit directly beside me; one brush of his knee against mine under the table, and I would’ve been in serious trouble.

After he sat he busied himself with pulling the paper napkins and the sandwiches out of the bag, not really looking at me as he set a sandwich wrapped in white paper down on my plate. “I didn’t know what you’d eat, so I got you smoked turkey with provolone. Hope that’s okay.”

“It’s fine,” I said. The bagel notwithstanding, I was ravenous. Probably my body trying to make up for all the energy it had lost last night through stress and sleep deprivation.

He poured some water into my glass, then did the same with his. After that there wasn’t much left for him to do except eat. He began to unwrap his sandwich.

“Eat first, then talk?” I asked. It was pretty obvious that he really didn’t want to have this conversation.

Something that was almost but not quite a sigh escaped his lips before he set the sandwich back down on his plate. “I just want you to know that none of this was my idea.”

“I had a feeling,” I said wryly, “considering you can barely even make yourself look at me.”

This time he did glance up, and I had to hold myself steady as the eyes I had dreamed of so often met mine, and held. The muscles in his jaw visibly tightened. “I want to look at you,” he said. “It’s just…dangerous.”

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

A native of Southern California, Christine Pope has been writing stories ever since she commandeered her family’s Smith-Corona typewriter back in the sixth grade. Her short fiction has appeared in Astonishing Adventures, Luna Station Quarterly, and the journal of dark fiction, Dark Valentine. Two of her short stories have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize.

Christine writes as the mood takes her, and her work includes paranormal romance, and fantasy and science fiction/space opera romance. She blames this on being easily distracted by bright, shiny objects, which could also account for the size of her shoe collection. After spending many years in the magazine publishing industry, she now works as a freelance editor and graphic designer in addition to writing fiction. She fell in love with Sedona, Arizona, while researching the Sedona Trilogy and now makes her home there, surrounded by the red rocks. No alien sightings, though...not yet, anyway!

www.christinepope.com

https://twitter.com/christinejpope

https://www.facebook.com/ChristinePopeAuthor

Book Blast & Interview: A Tale of Witchwood Park by S.W. Develin

 

 

 

A Tale of Witchwood Park

Witchwood Park

Book 1

S.W. Develin

Genre: Young reader/Fantasy

ISBN: 978-0-9886294-1-7

ASIN: B00J44ZO54

Number of pages: 61

Word Count: 15465

Cover Artist: Damonza

Book Description:

“I am older than you can comprehend. I am eight.” – Emily Spellmaker.

Emily Spellmaker is missing. She didn’t return to Witchwood Park Elementary this year and Kendra, the shy little girl she befriended, is heartbroken. Kendra waits alone on the park bench after school each day until the Tuesday a troll walks out of the woods. He chooses Kendra, Jimmy (the school bully), and Daniel (an outcast) to come on a magical journey where they must overcome an evil queen and her Army of the Faceless to free an enslaved land. In the process they learn who they really are and what friendship means, while getting closer to solving the mystery of Emily Spellmaker.

Available at Amazon

 

They were falling.

“What’s happening?!” Jimmy shouted. “Where’s Daniel?”

Jimmy and Kendra had jumped through a hole in the top of the sky. There was no water to swim in and no ground beneath it. They were simply falling, from hundreds of feet above the kingdom.

Kendra looked around. Daniel was nowhere to be found.

“I don’t know!” she shouted.

Jimmy and Kendra reached desperately for each other. They clasped hands and watched as they fell toward certain doom.

They could see the whole of the kingdom below. There was the central mountain Tree Stump had told them about, with the False Queen’s giant castle atop. A river ran from the north of the kingdom, around the mountain on both sides like it was an island, and into an endless, shining sea in the south. To the northwest were rock-strewn plains with volcanoes and rivers of lava. To the southwest was a welcoming and vast, lush forest. And to the east…was nothing but an impenetrable wall of grey clouds.

They were falling straight for the castle.

As they fell the ground became clearer and clearer. The False Queen’s soldiers were coming out of the castle barracks. Two red shapes began to rise into the sky beneath them.

“Dragons!” Jimmy screamed.

Jimmy was right. There were two, giant red dragons flying toward them.

“Maybe they are good dragons?” Kendra asked.

In response, the closest dragon shot a burst of yellow flame past Jimmy. The next shot wasn’t going to miss. Kendra and Jimmy held each other and waited to be fried. Then a terrifying roar like nothing they had ever heard shattered the air. It must have filled the entire kingdom below. The red dragons heard it, but the sudden fear on their evil, snarling faces was coming from something they could see…

Jimmy and Kendra looked up.

A massive, black dragon, larger than the two red dragons combined, was flying directly above them. It opened its jaws and launched green dragon fire down at them. The stream of blazing hot flame rushed past them and hit its true targets, the red dragons. When the flame cleared, the red dragons were plummeting back to the ground.

The black dragon grabbed Jimmy and Kendra, one in each of its back claws, then turned and flew away from the army below. Kendra wanted to see if they had faces, but that was the least of her worries right then. In a matter of minutes they were low above the trees of the giant forest. The dragon dropped them both into the treetops.

Jimmy and Kendra crashed through the branches and onto wooden platforms built high in the trees. They were shaken, but alive and together. Through the trees they watched the shadow of the great dragon disappear over the mountains in the north.

 

 

Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?

I remember the day I dropped my major in Poli-Sci at Villanova to pursue Philosophy instead. People wanted to know what was wrong with me. I told them I wanted to write and teach. That’s when the writing thing really started for me. It didn’t hurt that my cousin Jim (“James”) Morrow was winning Nebula awards and sending me his manuscripts to advance review, either. I’ve been writing all sorts of stuff since, and have been all through multiple industries including the Life Sciences and Law Enforcement with allegedly unmarketable degrees in Philosophy. Turns out if you can write and speak – things the liberal arts value for some reason – you can do all sorts of stuff. I will always be a writer. But when I grow up I want to be a manager in the WWE. Strictly of bad guys.

When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?

I went through a weird period in the 1990’s when I was freelancing and most of my stuff was hitting slush piles without kill fees. I couldn’t afford to eat – but a local restaurateur in West Chester found out I was doing assignments for Philadelphia Magazine, and he used to hook me up with free high end meals and drinks, even though I told him I couldn’t promise him any coverage.

That’s when I first called myself a writer. Note that I seem to associate the term with a lifestyle more than with the act of writing….

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 20 words what would you say?

A Knight of Witchwood Park is book two in the Witchwood Park series.  Boy meets girl, girl insults boy, girl gets kidnapped, boy saves girl and whole world, girl still insults boy.

How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?

I don’t have a good answer to that. The actual writing of A Tale of Witchwood Park probably took a total of 16 weeks for something that is deliberately shorter in length. But I came up with the idea and first drafted it back in 2010. I decided to finish it in late 2013 and actually did so early this year.

Dinner, Sex and a Movie – a stage play – took about the same. That was based on a novel I wrote years ago called Strategies for Dating in Hell. I got it in my head to dust off the underlying premise of the book and make a little spin-off. So it had the advantage of being partially fleshed out when I started it.

I’ve only learned to actually finish things now that I’m in my forties. I wrote an immense volume in my twenties – and never finished any of it. I just kept writing and expanding and redrafting and moving on to the next idea. So I’ve been revisiting this stockpile and cherry picking it. May God help us all when I get around to resurrecting The Thirty-Day Hangover.

What can we expect from you in the future? 

I’m committed to the Witchwood Park series for a five-book initial run. After that, we’ll see. If Witchwood Park is well-received and there is reader interest, I could easily do more. A Knight of Witchwood Park releases on Kindle in June 2014.

 At some point I’ll move back into writing for an adult audience. I have some darker, Urban fantasies planned and there’s always room for romance. There is nothing more fun than examining romantic relationships – especially when there are conflicts in the way.

Do you have a favorite character from your books? And why are they your favorite?

I’ve written a lot of as yet unreleased stuff about Thomas Blacklake. He’s a deeply flawed anti-hero, and that’s why I love the character. He’s real (mostly), right in the middle of a bunch of unreal scenarios. He’ll show up in Tales from Lapidum and Of Brass Tigers and Drunken Mermaids.

I also have a fondness for Kendra, the heroine on the cover of A Tale of Witchwood Park. I’ve enjoyed watching her come into her own. I hope readers do, as well. She’s a genuinely good person with a lot to offer. And she’s learning to offer it without worrying whether others will reject it…

Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?

No, I have to write to where and when I can. That has involved trains, planes, and hotels. That means some stuff is getting written on paper then transferred later. But there have always been places I’ve haunted as well. Give me the end chair at a dining room table and some background noise to keep me company.

Do you read all the reviews of your books?

For the most part. I’d love to get to the point where I am so well known that the reviews are everywhere. Then I’d care a lot less. Right now I’m grateful for the exposure. I’m also interested in people’s reactions. I’m willing to consider negative feedback if it’s genuine and not the post of an internet troll. I don’t like negative feedback, but I’m open-minded and if there’s something to be learned from it, I’ll take it. Of course the positive reviews I always want to read…

Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?

I usually try to come up with a working title first. That title can always change up to the last minute, however.

How do you come up with place names in your books?

For Dinner, Sex and Movie it was all real places I’ve lived: Andover, West Chester, Bryn Mawr. Witchwood Park is somewhere in the U.S. Beyond that, it’s deliberately vague. Witchwood Park sounded like a scary place to me. So I went with it. As it turns out, there is park named that somewhere in Australia.

Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?

Both. I go into the story with an idea of who the characters are. Then I learn things about them as they go through their different experiences along the way. It’s very rewarding to get to the point where the characters start telling you things about themselves. Its then that you understand them and some of your early ideas about who they were begin to show as forced, necessary evils that simply fall away.

Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books?

There are messages, but they aren’t hidden. In fact, my biggest fear is that they are too heavy handed. I don’t want to be preachy. I normally love hidden dimensions, but for a grade school and middle school audience in the Witchwood Park books, I wanted to be straight upfront:

Be you. You are worthy of being loved, whoever you are, and if life isn’t going your way, it will get better. Try and you’ll find you are not alone.

What is your favorite book and Why?  Have you read it more than once?

Great Expectations. It has meant different things to me over the years. When I was younger, I loved the open-ended, unfulfilled original ending where Pip and Estella pass on the street. It rang of authenticity and real life’s refusal to do happy endings, especially where love is involved. But Dickens was urged to reconsider it, and the unhappy ending didn’t make the final cut. Instead we got the “I saw no shadow of another parting” bit that I thought was infinitely inferior. Then I got older and somewhere along the way things changed. Now I desperately need Pip and Estella to be together at the end.

Do you think books transfer to movies well?

That’s a loaded question. When we read, we have our images of the events and characters in our heads – but how fully defined are they? The images in a movie are necessarily fully defined. We see them with our eyes, not our minds. All the details and attributes, the director, costumers, make-up and every other cast and crew member has to fill in. These details aren’t in the story and they can’t and shouldn’t be. That means when we watch the movie, it is necessarily something different than whatever we had in our heads. And sometimes we hate the end result.

I remember NPR doing a piece in the mid-nineties about how upset many people were that Harry Potter was coming to the big screen. They didn’t want the Harry in their heads taken away by some director’s version. But for the most part, it all worked out fine in the end, didn’t it? Although maybe the version of Harry and company you had in your head got replaced by Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, whether you liked it or not? All I know is Alan Rickman is the penultimate Snape.

Then there’s the whole issue as to how faithful the movie’s story has to be to the book. Peter Jackson has been assaulted from many quarters for creating “Tauriel,” who isn’t in the book The Hobbit. OK, I get that – but the original story, as great as it is, is all about a bunch of guys. Is inserting one girl too much to ask in a two and a half hour stretch in 2014? I think Peter Jackson got it right.

Your favorite food is?

Two (maybe three) eggs over easy, hash browns, rye toast. Feel free to pour creamed chipped beef on the toast and add bacon, sausage and scrapple. Add ketchup and Frank’s Red Hot. And maybe a pint of Fuller’s London Pride.

Your favorite singer/group is?

Blue Öyster Cult. Or the Stones.

 

Your favorite color is?

Purple.

Your favorite Author is?

Pynchon. I’m still in awe of V.

 

 

S.W. Develin lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania with his wife, Julie, and their three children: Brigid, Jack and Garrett. He has a dog named Pink, a cat named Floyd, and a small kitten disguised as a cow.

www.facebook.com/SWDevelin

Series Blast & Giveaway: The WindKeepers by @AnnaHackett

 

 

 

Wind Kissed, Fire Bound

The WindKeepers, #1

For centuries, she has felt nothing…

As Keeper of the Winds, Livia Cavalli needed to focus her power on keeping the evil Tempest Winds trapped in their island prison. What she doesn’t need is to be distracted by sexy horse trainer Rafe Donovan. Three hundred years ago, Livia became an immortal Keeper to numb her emotions, but Rafe arouses her in a way she hasn’t felt for centuries.

For Rafe, Livia is a challenge he longs to solve—and take to bed. Once she’s in his arms, their desire is overwhelming. But when his own powers reveal Livia’s secret pain, he realizes taking her body isn’t enough—he wants to heal her soul, too…

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Wind-Kissed-Fire-Bound-ebook/dp/B002LZNB1M

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wind-kissed-fire-bound-anna-hackett/1017533930?ean=9781426839870

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/wind-kissed-fire-bound-1

ARe: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-windkissedfirebound-361428-143.html

The sight that greeted Livia had her limbs turning liquid and warmth rising to burn away the coolness inside her.

The horse was stunning. And the man riding him even more eye-catching.

Man and beast moved like one through the cobbled street. The big chocolate-colored stallion tossed his head, willful and wanting his own way. Full of fire.

But the man controlled the horse with ease, and despite her best efforts to fight it, Livia’s eyes were drawn to him. To the powerful, jean-clad thighs gripping the horse, the muscular shoulders filling out the white T-shirt. The thin tattoo of flames banding one strong bicep, the fascinating face—all angles with a jagged scar on the jaw. The dark hair, not long, not short, teased by the morning breeze.

The smoke-gray eyes locked on her. Heat tore through her, washing away her composure. Her fingers curled into her palms. No, she wanted the numbness. She forced herself to stay still, her face blank.

How? she despaired. How did he make her feel like this?

 

 

 

Taken by the South Wind

The WindKeepers, # 2

The deadly Tempest Winds have escaped…

Now, four brothers gifted with the power of the winds must recapture the Venti Tempesta before they can unleash their evil on the world…

WindKeeper Dante Venti, Keeper of the South Wind, is in Rome on a mission to entrap the Southwest wind and its holder before it can infect humanity with the vice of pride. Dante already feels pride seducing him…but the real temptation is alluring assassin Samia Hassan.

Samia has been sent to kill Dante, but her body is irresistibly drawn to him, his power and presence enveloping her. And if she’s not careful, she will be entrapped by Dante, body and soul…

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Taken-South-Wind-ebook/dp/B002PKBKRA

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taken-by-the-south-wind-anna-hackett/1017839071?ean=9781426841798

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/taken-by-the-south-wind-1

ARe: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-takenbythesouthwind-555567-143.html

 

 

The hunt had begun.

Dante Venti stood at the top of the Spanish Steps, Rome spread out before him. The wind swirled around his body, carrying the noises and scents of the Eternal City.

He lifted one hand and waved toward the night-shrouded buildings. The wind hurried to obey his order, searching for any sign of the prey he hunted.

The wind was his to command. Like his father and grandfather before him, he was a WindKeeper, one of four brothers gifted with the power of the wind. Since the day he’d reached manhood and inherited his power, he’d been the Keeper of the South Wind.

His warm breeze brought back the blaring horns of the frantic Rome traffic, the laughter of late night diners, the exclamations of wandering tourists and the whispers of lovers.

It also brought him the taint of his foe.

 

 

Tempting the West Wind

The WindKeepers, # 3

The deadly Tempest Winds have escaped…

Now, four brothers gifted with the power of the winds must recapture the Venti Tempesta before they can unleash their evil on the world...

Antonio Venti, Keeper of the West Wind, wakes naked and chained, captured by the nemesis he hunts. The evil Northwest Wind is spreading the vice of lust across the city of Florence and Antonio feels his skin heating, his blood firing and his body wanting. He refuses to succumb, but then his cunning prey offers him his ultimate temptation—the woman he craves above all else.

Sophia Crane has given up on rich, cheating men. She’s come to Italy to focus on her art restoration and discover the truth about the legend of the WindKeepers, but then she wakes naked and locked in a room with her sexy boss. As Sophia and Antonio fight their scorching desire, Sophia learns the terrible truth about the power of the wind, and that she may either be Antonio’s salvation or his downfall.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Tempting-West-Wind-The-WindKeepers-ebook/dp/B00JVUFASC

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-temptingthewestwind-1487058-153.html

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/431648

 

 

Antonio was at the very edge of his control.

The door opened again and he tensed.

A large man backed in carrying something in his arms. He didn’t look at Antonio, just dumped his cargo on the blood red bedcover and left.

Antonio stared. Every muscle in his body tightened, so hard it was painful. His gaze traced the naked curve of the unconscious woman’s body. Slim limbs, curvy hips, beautiful full breasts topped with cherry pink nipples. Her dark hair fell over her face, hiding her features.

Oh, no. He didn’t need to see her face. Her scent teased him. Like a spring meadow in full bloom.

 

 

Defying the North Wind

The WindKeepers, # 4

The deadly Tempest Winds have escaped…

Now, four brothers gifted with the power of the winds must recapture the Venti Tempesta before they can unleash their evil on the world...

Billionaire Luca Venti is head of Venti Enterprises and the Keeper of the volatile North Wind. He prides himself on his control and as he battles the deadly Northeast Wind in the heart of Venice, he refuses all help. But the vice of rage beats within him and when he discovers his new personal assistant is hiding more than just dangerous curves under her suit, his fury wants to be unleashed.

Rayne Santini was sent to spy on Luca, not to get involved with him and his explosive temper. She knows all about angry men who like to hurt others, but as she watches Luca struggle against his vice, she refuses to stand by and do nothing. But when their enemy entraps them, Luca’s control begins to crumble and the only thing standing between him and his rage is Rayne.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Defying-North-Wind-The-WindKeepers-ebook/dp/B00K1FQF1C

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-defyingthenorthwind-1491104-153.html

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/433959

 

“Out.” Luca watched as looks of shock were quickly smothered. Folders were closers, papers shuffled, then they filed out.

All except one.

Steady, cool green eyes watched him. Her stylus was poised over her tablet. “Is there anything else you require today, Signor Venti?”

Even his new personal assistant’s voice was cool with the faintest tinge of an English accent. His fingers curled. Damn, Pietro for falling ill. Luca didn’t want to break in a new personal assistant. Especially one who inflamed his already stretched temper. He had enough problems without also wanting to mess up her sleek swing of chin-length red hair. Or to get some sort of reaction out of her. Any reaction.

He’d yelled at her plenty this week and she’d barely blinked.

Si, something about Rayne Santini rubbed him the wrong way. Although during the last six weeks everything had rubbed him the wrong way.

Rayne crossed her long legs, the movement catching Luca’s attention. Her gray suit was stylish but hardly provocative. Still, it fired something in his blood. Something he knew he didn’t have time for right now.

 

 

Claiming the East Wind

The WindKeepers, #5

The deadly Tempest Winds have escaped…

Now, four brothers gifted with the power of the winds must recapture the Venti Tempesta before they can unleash their evil on the world...

Skye Santini has lived her life in the shadows, hiding from the horrors of her past. Tired of always being afraid, she vows that now is her chance to make a difference. She will be the virgin sacrifice to appease Soren Venti, the Keeper of the East Wind, who has succumbed to his vice of greed.

Locked away in his villa on Lake Como, Soren has no memory of his identity. He is driven only by the whispers of greed to take, own and possess, but then one fragile woman enters his domain. Soren wants Skye above all else…but he wants her willing, not as a duty-bound lover. As they are drawn together, their dangerous enemy, the Southeast Wind bears down on them. He wants Soren to join him and rule the world…and he knows that Skye is the only thing stopping him.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Claiming-East-Wind-The-WindKeepers-ebook/dp/B00K6FEF9G

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-claimingtheeastwind-1501254-153.html

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/436074

 

She was the virgin sacrifice for a greedy wind god.

Skye Santini clasped her hands together and tried to wrestle her nerves into some sort of submission.

She was failing. Big time.

Swallowing hard, she stared up at the beautiful villa. A cool, brisk wind blew in from Lake Como and tossed her hair around her face. She scraped it back. She could do this. She wanted to do this. Besides, she wasn’t exactly a virgin and the male locked inside wasn’t exactly a god. He was a man. A man who usually ran the finances for the successful company he and his brothers had built, Venti Enterprises.

Oh, and he was a WindKeeper on the verge destroying the entire world.

“This is insane. Skye, you can’t do this!”

Skye turned and watched her sister storm up to her. Rayne never held back from saying what was on her mind. She was also a trained Aurae warrior and the best big sister in the world.

“Rayne, I’ll be fine—”

“Fine?” Rayne gestured wildly. “The man has succumbed to his vice. He has no memory of who he is, no idea of his power, and no clue about the danger lurking close by.”

Skye looked again at the building. Vines climbed up the side of the cream-colored villa. Windows overlooked the manicured gardens that reached down to the lake. It was beautiful and she imagined, on most days, peaceful.

Today it was nothing of the sort.

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

I’m Anna Hackett and I write action romance stories to thrill you, excite you and leave you inspired. I write about people overcoming unbeatable odds and achieving seemingly impossible goals to inspire you with the truth that the possibility exists for all of us to do the same. I love car chases, explosions and spaceships…and of course when the boy wins the girl. Oh, and I’m a sucker for that moment when the team is walking in slow motion, shoulder-to-shoulder heading off into battle. After reading or writing an awesome action romance story, I’m left energized and feeling like anything is possible. I aim to give the same to my readers.

Website: http://annahackettbooks.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnnaHackett

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2983829.Anna_Hackett

Newsletter: http://annahackettbooks.com/newsletter/

New Release!! SEAL My Destiny by @sharonlhamilton

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE –  SEAL My Destiny

SERIES – SEAL Brotherhood #6

AUTHOR –  Sharon Hamilton

GENRE –  Romantic Suspense

PUBLICATION DATE –  June, 1, 2014

LENTH (Pages/# Words) – Full Length Novel

PUBLISHER – Al Publishing

 

Navy SEAL Luke Paulsen, on the verge of PTSD stemming from the death of his fiancée and a brutal tour overseas, knows he is damaged goods and unsuitable for relationships. While paying respects to a fallen comrade, he is unprepared for the chemical attraction he feels for the carefree dark-haired beauty playing in the surf one evening.

Julie Christensen befriends the troubled SEAL, motivated by her yearning to soothe the young man’s troubled soul. Fueled by intense mutual desire, they succumb to one night of mind-numbing passion. Afterwards, he is unable to shed the memory of his lost love and disappears. When they meet again at a wedding that will forever bring their two families together, their passion and longing for one another forces them to confront their pasts in order to find a future together. But soon the trauma of his service separates them. Julie goes back to teaching and Luke deploys for North Africa with SEAL Team 3. Upon his return, he receives a frantic call that Julie's life is in danger. Will he make it in time to save the woman he now knows he wants to marry and spend the rest of his life with?

Pre-orders available now

AMAZON KINDLE US  /  AMAZON KINDLE CA  /  AMAZON KINDLE UK 

He wanted to say something but suddenly became hesitant. Everything had gone so fast, he didn’t want to spook her. He was unafraid to show her how much he loved being with her, especially since she’d promised to visit him in Coronado and they’d see where things went from there. It would have been like the cart before the horse, but he wanted to ask her to marry him at that impulsive moment, but he held himself back. Being the wife of a SEAL was a special assignment and there was no training for that, except the school of hard knocks. There was a community of wives that looked out for each other. And not all the stories from overseas made it home to them. The smart wives knew this. He knew it was a lot to ask of someone. He didn’t want to fall for a lady who didn’t really understand what she’d be getting herself into. But that was a completely crazy thought, because he’d already fallen for her. He decided he’d just put it out of his mind, and not discuss anything future-related, to keep the pressure off them both. Nothing wrong with having a little bit of—well, a lot of—fun in the next few days before his deployment. He held her under the starlight. Feeling eyes on him, he saw Julie’s parents eyeing him from their kitchen window, smiling. He couldn’t keep up the eye contact because odds weren’t in his favor. He wasn’t prince charming, or Sir Galahad riding in on his white horse. He was just a guy other guys sent in to blow stuff up, grab people and hopefully get out before getting shot or caught. And his intentions, although he liked to think of them as honorable, were merely to do everything in his power to be as irresistible as possible to her so that when he left, he’d be the one hard to miss. And then maybe she’d wait for him. Maybe she’d wait until he got fully well. It was a lot of ifs. The music stopped while he was kissing her ear through her hair, while he was holding her tighter as she melted into him. He liked that they were dancing because their thighs made soft caresses and the dress, that yummy dress, made all that noise. He just knew every time he heard the sound of layers of chiffon, he’d get hard. It was going to be something he’d have for the rest of his life.

Sharon’s award-winning almost-erotic Navy SEAL stories of the SEAL Brotherhood, have consistently made best sellers lists and review sites. Her characters follow a spicy road to redemption through passion and true love.  She has been an Amazon top 100 author in Romantic Suspense since last fall.

Her Golden Vampires of Tuscany are not like any vamps you’ve read before, since they don’t have to go to ground and can walk around in the full light of the sun. Honeymoon Bite, Book 1 of the Golden Vampires of Tuscany Series was recently named the #1 Gothic Romance by Amazon. It is now available on Audible.

Her Guardian Angels struggle with the human charges they are sent to save, often escaping their vanilla world of Heaven for the brief human one. You won’t find any of these beings in any Sunday school class.

Sharon lives in Sonoma County, California with her husband, and two Dobermans. A lifelong organic gardener, when she’s not writing, she’s getting vera vera dirty in the mud, or wandering Farmer’s Markets looking for new Heirloom varieties of vegetables and flowers.

Amazon Author Page  /  Website  /  Blog  /  Facebook  /  Twitter  /  Google+  /  Goodreads  /  Shelfari

Tour Organized By:

Cover Reveal: 2B Or Not 2B? by @StephanieR76

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Info

• Title: 2B Or Not 2B?

• Series: Roomies #1

• Author: Stephanie Witter

• Category: New Adult

• Genre: Contemporary Romance

• Publisher: AG Publishing

• Cover Artist: Cover it Designs

• Full length novel.

 

 

 

 

BLURB:

London Reed is on the hunt for a place to live before the start of her second year in college. Either she is successful and can enjoy her student life without the pressure of her parents breathing down her neck, or she goes back home and clashes with her parents.

Because London doesn’t have a filter.

''You’re a weird one, aren’t you?''

She basically tells it as she sees it. So when she meets the hunky and scarred guy who lives in apartment 2B, the last apartment on her exhausting list, she’s sure to bring some crazy in his life.

But he’s determined to not take a girl for a roommate.

"I have nothing against you, but I don't see this working for me."

London doesn’t give up that easily and makes a deal with him. If she makes it for two months, she’s in for the whole year. If not, then she leaves to never contact him again.

Easy, right? Not so much.

"You should have told me that you wanted me to be all over you."

When a guy and a girl live under the same roof, it’s bound to complicate things. Between banters, heady games of seduction, innuendos and insecurities revealed, the life in apartment 2B isn’t simple, and a few slips in their relationship doesn’t help the matter.

"You're driving me completely nuts. That's my fucking problem."

• Add it to goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22107209-2b-or-not-2b

Ebooks and paperbacks will be available on Amazon, Nook, iTunes and Smashwords late June 2014. Stay tuned!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephanie Witter is a French dreamer. She started learning English at three, and fell in love with the language. Always with a book, or two close by, she started reading in English when she couldn’t wait any longer for Harry Potter to be translated in French. After a while, reading wasn’t enough. She soon started writing Young Adult and New Adult Contemporary novels filled with angst, love, hope, drama and a touch of fun. PATCH UP is her first New Adult Contemporary novel.

Goodreads / Twitter/ Facebook / Blog / Amazon Page

Website / Newsletter

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway