Tonya has been writing all of her life. At the age of 13, on Christmas break she snuck one of her mom’s romances from a box brought over by her grandma. The novel she read was ‘Montana Sky’ by Nora Roberts. Once she finished reading that book she knew someday she would to be a published romance author. She has been writing every since.

Now a single mom she balances her time between her 10 month old son, Mason, writing, work, and the Internet!

Tonya loves to help support some of her favorite authors and is very involved in several street teams and posts book reviews over at her blog!

Her first novel was published in January 2010, Night Promises, the first book in her Night Pleasures series! After a long wait her second book from MuseItUp Publishing, Claimed will be coming out Spring 2013! With hopefully, more releases this year as well.

 

 

 

My Links:

Author FB:

https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Author-Tonya-Callihan/155567004477447

 

Website:

http://www.tonyacallihan.weebly.com/

 

Blog

http://www.tonyasramblings.blogspot.com

 

 

 

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/tonyacallihan

 

Goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/11898212-tonya

 

 

Pinterest:

http://pinterest.com/masonsmomma12/

 

Google+

https://plus.google.com/u/0/104988658514193732252#104988658514193732252/posts

 

 

Book Reviews:

http://www.tonyasbookreviews.blogspot.com

 

 

 

When I was 13 I snuck my first romance novel from my mom’s secret stash of books and hid it in my backpack. I would stay up late at night reading it, while everyone in the house was sleeping. I read ‘Montana Sky’ by Nora Roberts. It took me a total of three days to finish that novel. Would have been sooner if I didn’t have to hide it.

As soon as I finished that book I remember a sense of joy and relief washing over me. I was a writer…I was going to be a romance writer. I knew from that day what I wanted to be. I just wasn’t sure how to make it happen.

I read more books and I wrote down several ideas. At 16 I penned my first novel and soon typed it on my computer. I was so proud of myself. Now I look back at that novel and shake my head. What in the world was I thinking? The story doesn’t make sense, the characters are realistic or memorable and the plot has so many holes in it it’s ridiculous.

My point is I wrote and I didn’t stop. No matter how horrible the story was I continued to write more and more stories. Nora Roberts says it best. “I can’t fix a blank page.”

I also read. I had a new love of reading, it was a great escape as a teenager and now as an adult from the real world. Reading helped improve my writing skills. I honestly believe that. I learned more about making characters realistic and planning a story from beginning to end.

I have to have a solid plan in front of me before I start a story. I’m not a punster. I’ve tried to be a punster, but half way in I realize so many mistakes and plot holes, I have to re-write the entire story. It’s a waste of my time. So I sit down and plan.

My mom knew I wrote, but she was unaware of what I wrote until I was in my twenties. Then she was somewhat surprised by my choice. I will never forget out conversation that day. She told me if I wanted to be a writer then I should be a writer. She also told me I had to think about finances and if writing would pay the bills. My mom is smart and very realistic. So, yes, I do have a day job to pay my bills and support my family. I still find time to write and interact with readers and the rest of the writing world.

In fact, I’m addicted to social media sites, below are my links be sure to connect with me because right now I am running a couple of contests!

Contest 1: When I reach 500 likes on my Facebook Page I will be giving away a gift basket which includes: 3 books, lip gloss, nail polish, makeup bag, and fun author swag from several authors.

 

https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Author-Tonya-Callihan/155567004477447

 

Contest 2: I am honored to have my blog featured during Lisa Renee Jones’ blog feature month, all of May. My feature was May 6. If you go to her blog and comment you can win a $10 Bath and Body gift card and Team Chris/Team Mark Bracelets inspired by her Inside Out Series. If you go to my blog and comment on my post about my blog feature you can win a download of any of Lisa’s books, up to $10.

Lisa’s Blog Post: http://www.lisareneejones.com/blogger-appreciation-month-day-4-tonyas-sensual-romances-w-prizes/

 

My blog post: http://tonyasramblings.blogspot.com/2013/05/blog-feature.html

Contest 3: When I reach 1,000 followers on Twitter I will be giving away another gift basket which includes: Bath and Body Works lotion and body spray, nail polish, books and author swag.

 

Twitter @tonyacallihan

 

Thanks so much for allowing me to be a guest today! I hope all of the mother’s have a Happy Mother’s Day!!

 

Please enjoy an excerpt from my book Night Promises available now

Buy Night Promises

Secret Cravings PUblishing

http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=21&products_id=2&zenid=ac9d9b16effcb31fa9370fb8e2b157da

 

 

Amazon

http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=21&products_id=2&zenid=ac9d9b16effcb31fa9370fb8e2b157da

 

Barnes and Noble

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/night-promises-tonya-renee-callihan/1029632181?ean=9781936653010

 

 

Tonya

 

 

 

Excerpt    NIGHT PROMISES

“Our new girl is looking good out there.” Mac handed Kelly a bottle of water from the small fridge in the corner of their office.

“That’s good. I wasn’t sure about hiring a human. The last one quit within the first hour, but she’s made it through two nights.”

“Our last one was more concerned with whether vampires really existed or not. With Cammie, I believe she’s got a real interest with vamps and respects us.”

“How did your date go last night?”

“There won’t be a second one. For a three-hundred year old vamp, he has no charm and absolutely nothing but blood and the sport of finding the next meal to talk about.”

“I think Micah is interested in you.”

“What makes you say that?” “When I arrived at Connor’s, Micah asked me how you were. I told him you were on a date, and he looked upset and got short with me.”

“Well, I’m not interested in him.”

“Is there such a thing as life mates?”

“Did he say we were life mates? I tell you what; he didn’t get the hint seventy years ago, but he’s going to get it now.” She tossed her water bottle in the trash.

“I’ll take that as a yes and a no. He didn’t mention you two were life mates.”

She stood in front of Kelly’s desk. “There are rumors that life mates really exist. But I’ve never felt that pull, I guess you could call it.”

“Can humans feel it with vampires?”

“I don’t think so. I’ve never heard of it. As much as I hate to admit this, Micah would be the man you need to talk to about this type of stuff. He’s been around longer than I have, and he knows how it works.”

“Do you not want to know?” “I’m not interested in settling down. Honestly, I don’t believe vamps are capable of settling down.”

“Why not?”

“Because we are creatures of habit. Sex and blood. We need both and very often. We can’t stay with the same human for a long period of time, or we will kill them or be forced to turn them against their will. Vamps can feed from one another during sex, but the vamp will still have a strong hunger for human blood.”

“That answers my questions then.”

“Do you think you and Connor are life mates?”

“No, I don’t. I’ve never felt a pull, as you said. I was more curious about a lasting relationship between a human and vampire.”

“I hate to let you down but it’s almost impossible. If you and Connor are life mates, you would have to let him turn you.”

“But as you said, we would still need human blood.”

 

 

Create wonderful memories with a grand prize trip for two to sunny Sonoma, California! Find out more about this awesome grand prize, as well as secondary prizes too at Susan Wiggs’ site! HURRY – CONTEST ENDING SOON!

Curious about Susan Wiggs’  book, The Apple Orchard, that takes place in Sonoma, California? Read RJ’s Review!

 

 

 

 

***CONTEST*** Run to Elizabeth’s website and come back here to tell us what you found of interest there, or what you liked best about Elizabeth’s answers below. Include your email address to be entered to win all 5 books in the Maiden Lane series, provided by the publisher (US residents only please and no PO Boxes for delivery of the prize).

 

I am so glad you could join us here at RomanceJunkies. To start, will you please tell us a little bit about your current projects?

Lord of Darkness is my latest book, in stores right now. Lady Margaret St. John travels to London determined to do two things: 1. Kill the Ghost of St. Giles, the accused murderer of her lover, and 2. Seduce the husband she hasn’t seen since their wedding day so she can have a much longed for baby. Her plans immediately go array, however, when she finds out that the Ghost of St. Giles is in fact…her husband.

When was the moment that you knew you had to be a writer?

I guess I’ve never felt I had to be a writer—there are so many other interesting careers out there, and I didn’t actually start writing until I was thirty-five. But when I got my first advance check I knew I could make money as a writer and at that point there was no looking back.

Who gave you the one piece of writing advice that sticks with you to this day?

Someone famous has said to cut out all the boring bits in your book, but I can’t remember who.

Describe the “perfect” hero.

LOL! All my heroes have imperfections, so they don’t exactly fit the mould of a perfect hero. I’m interested in a man who is smart, has a high regard for family and his responsibilities, and who is willing to fight for what he believes in.

What are some of your favorite pastimes? Do you have any hobbies or collections?

Reading, walking my dogs, and gardening. I have several dozen orchids in my office, but I don’t know if they count as a collection.

If your fairy godmother waved her wand and whisked you away to the location of your choice, which place would you choose, and why?

I’d like to visit India because I’ve never been.

What is the one modern convenience that you cannot do without?

My iPhone.

What is your favorite season? What do you love about it?

Fall because of the chill air and apples.

What project are you working on next?

I’m in revisions for my October book, Duke of Midnight, which features Maximus Batten, the Duke of Wakefield as the hero and Artemis Greaves as his heroine.

Any place we can find you in person or on the net this month or next?

I’m doing a multi-author signing at Anderson’s Book Shop in Napierville, Illinois on April 27^th.

Thanks again for blogging with us!

 

Thank you for having me on Romance Junkies! Readers can learn more about my Maiden Lane series and Lord of Darkness at my website: www.elizabethhoyt.com. You can also chat with me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/ElizabethHoyt), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/ElizabethHoytBooks?ref=search&sid=1033016156.428653851), Goodreads (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16202.Elizabeth_Hoyt), and Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/elizabethhoyt/)

Welcome to Day 2 of the To Trust a Thief treasure hunt!

Guest author Michelle McLean is here to share her new Entangled Scandalous release with us! TO TRUST A THIEF just came out, and it’s like a Victorian Romancing the stone–which means treasure! Michelle is here spreading the treasure hunt far and wide. You can buy TO TRUST A THIEF here for your Nook or here for your Kindle for only $2.99.

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First of all, I want to thank the Romance Junkies for hosting me today. I am thrilled to be here!

To Trust a Thief is a tale in which a young woman in Victorian England must trust a master thief she intends to betray in order to find a legendary necklace that could save her fiancé and family. But in searching for the necklace, she may lose her heart.

Since the story centers on the hunt for a treasure, I thought it would be fun to celebrate its release with a treasure hunt of my own

The clue for Day 2 of the hunt focuses on the villain of the story, Lord Rellik, and his motive for finding the priceless Courtland necklace. Our heroine Min wants the necklace so she can bribe her parents out of trouble and pay off her fiancé’s gambling debts while Bryant, the master thief she is falling in love with, wants the necklace to buy his freedom from his boss, the aforementioned villain Rellik.

Rellik, on the other hand, wants the necklace for a much more simple reason; he’s a greedy old sod who just wants the fortune.

Here’s the rundown – from Jan 21^st to Feb 1^st, you can join me in a treasure hunt for five fabulous prizes. I’ll be making the rounds on five wonderful blogs and will leave a clue at each one. The clue will give you a hint both as to what the prize is, and where you need to go on our To Trust a Thief treasure map to enter the giveaway for that day. You’ll also get a few snippets of the book and a chance for extra entries if you solve a special riddle.

 

Follow these instructions and see if you can find the treasure!

Step 1 – Here is your clue for Day 2:  Lord Rellik would kill to keep Min from the cash; while they’re duking it out, you can spend your own stash.

Step 2 – CLICK HERE to go to the treasure map.

Step 3 – Once there, click on the location on the map that matches the clue.

Step 4 – Fill in the form to enter to win the prize and read a little snippet of the book just for fun!

Step 5 – Be sure to visit the other blogs on our Treasure Hunt Tour for more chances to win other awesome prizes, especially the huge grand prize on day 5!! Each giveaway will run for a week, so you can go back and enter any that you missed.

 

Here are the Treasure Hunt blog stops:

Day 1 – Monday Jan 21st – My Blog

Day 2 – Tuesday, January 22 – Romance Junkies 

Day 3 – Wednesday, January 23 – Cocktails and Books

Day 4 – Thursday, January 24 – Romance Book Junkies

Day 5 – Friday, January 25 – Romance Reviews Today 

 

Extra Entries Clue = There will be an opportunity for extra entries if you can figure out the riddle of the villainous Lord Rellik’s name. The clue will be listed on the entry form, but I’ll list it here as well to give you a little more thinking time.

There is something sinister about Rellik’s name; figure it out, get extra points for the game. Here is a hint, if you are in doubt; try reading it backwards, it might help you out.

Have fun hunting!! And good luck finding your treasures

 

About Michelle: Michelle McLean is the author of historical and paranormal novels, including TO TRUST A THIEF (Entangled Scandalous Jan 2013), a historical trilogy, BLOOD BLADE SISTERS (Entangled Scandalous 2013), and a zombie fairy tale retelling WISH UPON A STAR (Entangled Ever After Oct 2013). She is also the author of the educational non-fiction book HOMEWORK HELPERS: ESSAYS AND TERM PAPERS.

Michelle has a B.S. in History, a M.A. in English, and tends to be a bit of an overly organized mess with an insatiable love of books and more weird quirks than you can shake a stick at. She is also a contributor on The Naked Hero, and the Operation Awesome, Scene 13, and Scandalous book blogs as well as maintaining her personal blog.

If she’s not editing, reading or chasing her kids around, she can usually be found in a quiet corner working on her next book. Michelle resides in PA with her husband and two young children, an insanely hyper dog, and two very spoiled cats.

:::We have a copy of the book to giveaway. How do you enter? Just join in and add a comment for a chance to win. Don’t forget to include your email addy or check back later this month to see if you have won:::

THAT NIGHT ON THISTLE LANE

February 2013 - A Swift River Valley Novel                                                                                                       

Pre-Order your copy today!

Two strangers who meet at a costume ball work out the other’s identity only to be faced with an even greater mystery, in THAT NIGHT ON THISTLE LANE (Harlequin MIRA, February 2013, $7.99 U.S./$9.99 CAN.), the second book in New York Times bestselling author Carla Neggers’ Swift River Valley contemporary romance series.

When Knights Bridge, Massachusetts, librarian Phoebe O’Dunn uncovers a tiny room hidden in the attic of the town’s library, it is as if she is stepping into a time capsule. Not only is the mysterious space filled with perfect reproductions of dresses from famous films up through the 1960s, but it’s also overflowing with elaborate gowns from myriads of different historical eras.

So even though sensible, uneventful Phoebe had initially declined to attend a gala masquerade in Boston with her sister and friends, she thinks better of it at the last moment and decides to secretly attend dressed as a princess. Surely no one—not even her sister—will recognize Phoebe in an intricate Edwardian gown with a wig and mask? It’ll be Phoebe’s secret.

As soon as she enters the ball, Phoebe attracts the attention of a charming masked swashbuckler. The two strangers make an instant connection and all eyes are on the striking couple as they glide across the dance floor.  However, while her gallant swashbuckler is distracted, Phoebe is forced to flee the ball before she is recognized. Once home, she scolds herself for being so reckless, hides the gowns and vows to keep her escapade a secret.

However, that proves difficult when Phoebe’s charismatic dance partner follows her back to Knights Bridge. It turns out the masked swashbuckler is Noah Kendrick, billionaire founder of high tech company NAK, Inc.  Noah’s wealth has made him wary, especially of women.  But the spark he felt with his princess was genuine and—even better—she has no ulterior motives. The only problem is now he has to find her.

After Phoebe meets Noah, she begins to suspect that he is her swashbuckler. However, she is too afraid to reveal herself to him.  What will the reaction of this billionaire jet-setter be when he realizes that his feisty, exciting princess is actually a boring small-town librarian?

But events may force the dance partners to drop their masks and reveal their true identities.  Noah is being followed by a mysterious stranger.  This elusive man has been on Noah’s tail since San Diego, and when he appears in Knights Bridge, Phoebe is suddenly drawn into a situation that has her worrying for her family’s safety.

THAT NIGHT ON THISTLE LANE is available wherever books are sold and at Harlequin.com.

New York Times bestselling author Carla Neggers is always plotting her next adventure, whether in life or for one of her books.  Her fertile imagination and curious nature make her ready for anything.  These qualities sparked her love of reading as a child and continue to drive her passion for storytelling today.

With her trademark blend of action, adventure and down-to-earth, realistic characters caught up in extraordinary circumstances, her novels never fail to take her readers on an exciting journey.

Growing up in rural western Massachusetts, the third of seven children, Carla would grab a pad and pen and climb a tree to spin her stories. Just before she was born, her Dutch immigrant father and Southern-born mother had packed up the car with two kids and all their belongings and headed north to start a new life. They’d settled in an eighteenth-century carriage house on 90 acres and begun a long process of renovation.

After graduating as valedictorian of her high school class, Carla studied music at Boston University and graduated magna cum laude with a degree in journalism. She enjoyed a brief stint as a freelance journalist, then turned to writing fiction full-time and now has more than 60 novels of romantic suspense and contemporary romance to her credit. Her books have been translated into 24 languages and sold in more than 30 countries.

Travel and research play a large part in Carla’s writing. “It’s part of the fun of being a writer— you never know what will spark an idea. For example, I wasn’t thinking about writing on my first trip to Ireland. Then I stepped into the ruin of the cottage where my son-in-law’s

great-grandfather was born…and I knew a story had started percolating. I just didn’t know

what it was!”

Once a plot is hatched, the real research begins. Carla’s novels have taken her atop New England’s highest peaks, onto a shooting range with a police academy instructor and across the world as she scouts out locations and seeks the authenticity that imbues her novels.

The author’s greatest pleasure comes in those moments when she feels she’s gotten the story just right—when it all comes together on the pages of her book, exactly the way she’s envisioned the tale in her mind. Then, when readers connect with the story, her satisfaction is complete.  “I love to hear from readers,” says the author. “When they tell me that a story resonated and they had a great time with it, I know I’ve done my job and done it well.”

A distinguished member of the writing community, Carla is a founder of the New England chapter of Romance Writers of America and has served on the boards of Novelists, Inc., and International Thriller Writers.

When she’s not working on her next book, Carla enjoys traveling, hiking and kayaking. She’s always planning the next trip and the next adventure—either of which just might inspire a new story.

Carla and her husband, Joe, are the parents of two grown children. They live in Vermont, not far from picturesque Quechee Gorge.

I am so glad you could join us here at RomanceJunkies. To start, will you please tell us a little bit about your current projects?

Thanks! Can fairy tales come true? Phoebe O’Dunn in That Night on Thistle Lane loves a happy ending but doubts she’ll have one herself, at least romantically. Then she discovers a secret room in the small New England library where she works. The room’s filled with vintage gowns, and she impulsively wears one to a charity masquerade in Boston, only to dance with a swashbuckler…who he is and how the secret room came to be intrigue Phoebe and change her life! This is the second book in my Swift River Valley series. It launched last year with Secrets of the Lost Summer.

1. When was the moment that you knew you had to be a writer?

I don’t think it was a matter of knowing so much as doing. Writers write, and I’ve been writing since I was a kid climbing a tree with a pad and pen!

2. Every writer dreams of getting “the call”. What were you doing when yours came? Who got to hear the good news first?

One of the “good news” calls I most remember is when an agent offered to represent me and was so positive and encouraging about my writing. I was a young mother living in a tiny town (22 miles from the nearest dry cleaners!), cooking Cornish hens…which I ended up burning, I was so excited!

3. Who gave you the one piece of writing advice that sticks with you to this day?
When I was in college, a journalism professor taught me to note what I liked about a rough draft and in that to find my strengths as a writer and the strengths of the piece. I fall back on that advice to this day.

4. Describe the “perfect” hero. What about the “perfect” hero for you?

The “perfect” hero for me is one who isn’t so perfect, and in that lies endless possibilities!

5. Tell us About your Library Contest, what a great idea!
Thanks! The “My Favorite Library Contest” gives people a chance to win $1000 for their favorite library as well as a collection of my books. All the details are on my website: http://www.carlaneggers.com/. If we select your entry (100 words or less telling me about your favorite library), you also receive books and a gift basket of some of my favorite New England goodies. Libraries have meant so much to me and I’ve heard from countless readers over the years who feel the same. The contest runs until April 1 but please enter today!

6. What are some of your favorite pastimes? Do you have any hobbies or collections?
I love to travel. My father was Dutch, so I have first cousins in Holland I enjoy visiting. I also have first cousins in Australia I want to visit! We go to Ireland as often as we can. In fact, we’ll be there again soon. Hiking, and I hope kayaking. Also have to continue my research into whiskey! It’s a passion of Finian Bracken, the Irish priest in my Sharpe & Donovan suspense series.

7. What has been your biggest adventure to date?

Marriage! Joe and I met at Boston University and we’ve been on an adventure ever since. This has included many moves, two children (now grown) and two (so far) grandchildren, Leo, three, and Oona, born in September.

8. If your fairy godmother waved her wand and whisked you away to the location of your choice, which place would you choose, and why?

I’d be off to Ireland again! We love it there. Of course, we also love Maine…and Holland…and California…and the Pacific Northwest…and…wait! I’d pick Australia. It’s a long, long flight and I think I’d like to be whisked there. Yes. Definitely.

9. When it comes to food, are you the adventurous type who will try anything once, or do you prefer to stick to tried and true foods and recipes?
I’ll try almost anything once. I really don’t like raw fish and meat. Rare is bad enough, but raw? Otherwise I’ll try anything, especially fruits and vegetables.

10. What is your favorite season? What do you love about it?

New England’s a great place to live because it has four distinct seasons, and I love them all…although I admit I get tired of winter if it bleeds into June!

11. What is the one modern convenience that you cannot do without?

It depends on the day. Right now I don’t see how I could manage without my MacBook Air, but tomorrow it could be the television. I love Netflix!

12. What is this romance writer’s idea of the “ideal romantic evening”?

Dinner out with Joe at our favorite hotel in Ireland with a long walk by the bay afterward. Perfection.

13. How do you describe Carla Neggers? How do Carla Naggers’ family and friends describe her?

Hm…I’m not sure how to answer this one! Rain check?

14. And lastly, no interview of a writer would be complete without this question: what is your favorite comfort food?
I always have a chicken pot pie in the freezer, and I’ve even made them from scratch. Great comfort food. But I can also be comforted by Irish rhubarb crumble, shepherd’s pie, onion rings…my doctor’s not reading this, right? Ha. All things in moderation!

***CONTEST*** Comment below and include your email address to be entered to win one of three copies of THE LADY MOST WILLING, provided by the publisher (US residents only please).  Not sure what to say?  Tell us what you enjoyed most about their answers below, or the books you’ve enjoyed of theirs in the past.

 

Introduction: I’m thrilled to interview Julia Quinn, Eloisa James and Connie Brockway collectively about their latest collaboration, THE LADY MOST WILLING. Welcome ladies—it’s wonderful to have you with us at Romance Junkies.

1) I found your collaboration such an interesting concept. I bet it was exciting working together again after the success of THE LADY MOST LIKELY. How did THE LADY MOST LIKELY influence THE LADY MOST WILLING for each of you?

Connie: Probably the most important thing is that we learned we work really well together so there was no doubt about whether future books following a similar template would be “doable.”

Julia: And fun! Writing is normally such a solitary pursuit. Writing with Connie and Eloisa provides such a great change of pace.

2) How did you choose your characters and where your story would take place within the novel? Did you outline how events would happen or use some other method to create the storyline?

Connie: We knew we wanted to do another LADY MOST… I came up with the idea of doing a riff on SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS set in the regency era Scotland. I played around with who would stand-in for the older, married brother but then Taran appeared. I love a comic foil and when I suggested we use him as the chief instigator for the plot, Julie just jumped in with this fabulous introduction.

After we had the bare bones  worked out, we divvied up the characters. From the start, Julia wanted to use a reoccurring character from earlier stories, the Duke of Bretton, so –lucky wench– she knew her man. She also wanted to do a heroine unlike her shy Gwendolyn from LADY MOST LIKELY.

She ended up with the first story by virtue of her great introductory chapter.

Eloisa and I had to play around a bit looking for characters distinct from those we created for THE LADY MOST LIKELY. She had a wonderful idea for a “ruined” heroine with a very naughty reputation. Pairing her with a man who, ostensibly, cares *mostly* about his reputation was genius.

I took the final story because I had volunteered to write the last group scene and it would be easier to do so chronologically. Like my co-authors, I wanted a distinctly different sort of heroine– generally my heroines tend to be very articulate and forceful types. Cecily seems a perfect, dutiful and demure young lady but she’s hiding a spine of pure steel. So, I matched her with a rake and a rogue– the last man your dad, or her dad, would want you to marry.

3) Did each of you discover something about each other during the collaboration of THE LADY MOST LIKELY that you did, or did not, want to repeat in the making of THE LADY MOST WILLING? Come on, you know you want to tattle on each other for something, don’t you?

Connie: Julie’s WHAM! playlist. Nuff said.

Julia: It’s the lie that won’t die. You can all blame Connie if you can’t get “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go” out of your head for the rest of the day.

Eloisa:  Connie is much calmer after a glass of wine in the evening.  Come to think of it, we all are!  We had such a great time writing this book — we wrote all day in a wonderful hotel in Seattle, and then drifted downstairs to talk over our characters in the evening.

Julia: Seriously, though, I think we all learned not to change characters’ names. Ever. It doesn’t matter how early in the process you let the other writers know that Caroline is now Carolyn. You’ll still have a few Carolyns running around.

4) How is the LADY MOST WILLING similar or different from other books you’ve written?

Connie: By virtue of its structure, it’s completely unique. THE LAY MOST LIKELY was the protoype for a novel in three parts (Eloisa coined the phrase!) but in THE LADY MOST WILLING I believe we even more successfully and fully incorporated our narrative threads into the book as a whole. I’m really proud of how organic and natural the whole thing feels and flows.

Julia: I think the nicest compliments were when readers said they couldn’t tell who had written which part. Although this where I must gently point out that our names are on the tops of the pages in the stories we wrote.

5) If you could throw a dinner party filled with guests from history (even if you have to bring them back as ghosts), who would be on your guest list? Would it be an intimate affair, or something wild and history making? What would be the topic of conversation?

Connie: I’d want Mary Shelley, Ambrose Bierce, Dorothy Parker, Truman Capote, Maxwell Perkins. We’d talk about writing <g> or we’d drink <G>

Eloisa:  I want Shakespeare!  I know that would be expected, but it’s true.  Once I dreamed I time-travelled, found him, and managed to seduce him, so I feel as if I already know him!

Julia: I’d actually go for my own ancestors. I’ve recently gotten into genealogy, and I’d love to ask them a few questions.

6) If you could vacation inside a book, which book would you choose, which character would you be, and why? Would you take anyone with you or book travel by yourself?

Connie: Blueberries for Sal. I don’t care which character. Why? Because of how it very simply describes an elegant co-existence between man and the natural world as a parallel but separate and mutually respectful experience. And because I love making blueberry jam from wild blueberries.

Eloisa:  Well, since Connie chose a children’s book,  will too.  I want to go to the fair and meet Wilbur and Charlotte, from Charlotte’s Web.  Oh, and then I would also like to be Hermione’s best girlfriend (she needed one!) at Hogwarts.

Julia: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. I’d take my towel.

7) Tell us about the most memorable moment of your career.

Connie: When my daughter came with me to an RWA conference and saw me win a Rita award. I gained some serious cred in her teenage eye’s that year– something any mother of a teenage girl will tell you is as rare as hen’s teeth.

Eloisa: Being on a very small plane tossed about in a windstorm during a book tour this last fall.  The plane set down and I whipped out my cell phone and discovered that my book had tied for #5 on the New York Times bestseller list.  I think I was more grateful to have survived, but it was a close call!

Julia: When I won my first RITA Award.  I had reached the finals so many times before (and always been shot down), and then I won for a book that had recently been voted (in an online poll) “Worst” AND “Most Disappointing Romance of the Year.” I couldn’t stop laughing when I reached the stage to accept the statue.

8) What’s your “wish” location choice for the three of you to meet for a writers’ retreat in the future to generate ideas for your next collaboration?

Connie: I’m thinking island. Small, drowsy, with great food and a massage therapist on call 24-7.

Eloisa:  Yes!  I agree!

Julia: Well, apparently it’s my turn to come up with the plot, so I think we may have to go with pirates. Which works well with the island theme.

9) What most redeeming quality or annoying habit of your own seems to show up as a character trait in your books most frequently?

Connie: the good? Pragmatism. I’m very practical. I don’t let my less desirable qualities show up in my characters. They’re annoying enough in real life.

Eloisa: Mine tend to be wittier than I could ever be.  My heroines are distilled versions of my friends (yes, Connie & Julie — that’s a compliment!)

Julia: My characters talk a LOT. I’ll let you decide if that’s a good or bad quality.

10) Which color best describes your personality and why?

Connie: Oh, that changes day to day. No one color can pin me down!

Julia: I have been known to say, “You can never go wrong with black,” but I don’t think it would describe me very well.

11) What’s your favorite way to celebrate after you’ve typed “the end” of your novel?

Connie: I clean my office. It’s a ritual. I clean my office, then clean up my computer’s hard drive. I know. How much fun can one woman have?

Eloisa: I go shopping!

Julia: I take a nap. Every day for a month.

12) Please list your website address, plus your favorite social networking places so readers can find out more about you.

www.conniebrockway.com

www.facebook.com/ConnieBrockwayFans

www.eloisajames.com

www.facebook.com/eloisajamesfans

www.juliaquinn.com

www.facebook.com/authorjuliaquinn

***

Thanks so much for joining us at Romance Junkies, ladies!

Interview questions by Dorine for Romance Junkies, posted on the RJ Blog, December 27, 2012.

 

 

Dear Santa,

I’ve met the most beautiful woman. She has long auburn hair and gorgeous green eyes. And those curves …

As the owner of La Bella Vita, she spent an hour taking me on a tour of her elegant day spa and treated me to a sample temple massage. She has the most amazing fingers. I was so mesmerized that I almost forgot about the present I was there to purchase.

Grandfather tells me that our mothers were friends growing up. If not for the accident, I would have met her a long time ago. Oh, how my life might have been different, if I had. I’ve spent years dating beautiful women who only cared about being seen with me. Wanting the things I could buy them. Assuming I had my grandfather’s money.

But the laugh is on them. Grandfather paid for my college education, giving me a foundation in life. But Brandon and I have sacrificed and built our business without a dime of help from either one of our families.

This woman is different. I can feel it all the way to my soul.

Next Friday’s Christmas party is the first event Grandfather has held at the family estate in over twenty years. He’s going to make a phone call to ensure she joins her parents. I can’t get her out of my head. She makes me think about things … want things … that I’ve barely allowed myself to ever dream of.

I know now what I want in life. A wife and a house full of children. The white picket fence and a dog named Buddy. I want it all.

So, Santa, I’ve been a really good boy this year and I promise I will be for the rest of my life, if you’ll grant this one request.

Give me Beth Sergeant for Christmas.

I’m a believer,

Nick Chester

You’ll have to read Winter’s Magic to find out if Santa granted Nick his wish.

BOOK BLURB

Owner of La Bella Vita, a five-star day spa nestled in the affluent suburbs of Nashville, Tennessee, Beth Sergeant knows her elite clientele first hand. She attended their private schools. She was even engaged, although briefly, to one of their most recognized bachelors. But she never fit in to their social-elite world.

After losing his parents to a car accident at a young age, Nick Chester was raised by his grandfather, the wealthiest man in Nashville. When he chooses to socialize, he has a never-ending list of exclusive events and beautiful women vying for his attention. Yet he never lets himself forget that everyone has an agenda.

Beth can’t resist Nick’s charm and accepts an invitation to dinner, despite her deep-seated insecurities. She proves she’s nothing like other women Nick’s dated and learns to trust him in return. But just as the last of their resistance crumbles and true love is within reach, challenges from Nick’s past threaten to destroy everything and force Beth to reveal her most guarded secret.

Where to find Winter’s Magic:  Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Soul Mate Publishing

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Home is where you hang your hat. A native Missourian, my family relocated twice during my teenage years, taking me from a high school freshman class of over 1,200 students to living in a small town in Kentucky with a total population of less than 1,000.

Home is where your heart is. Despite the culture shock and challenges of those shy, teenage years, I met my true love in that tiny town and I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to experience a community where everyone waves, calls you by name, and treats you like family.

My husband and I live in the suburbs of Nashville, Tennessee with our eighteen-year-old son and three dogs. When I’m not working or writing, I can be found with family and friends. I love to bake in the winter, grill in the summer, and on occasion, I sneak away from everyone and curl up with a good book.

I hope you enjoy my stories. Each one touches on modern day issues, fears, and challenges that women face every day. And each one illustrates that love is within reach if you let down those walls and allow your heart to open. Our lives and experiences are so much more meaningful when we have someone to share them with.

Connect with Cynthia Gail:  Twitter     Goodreads     Facebook     Author Website     Read an Excerpt & Reviews

BONUS & CONTEST:

Now through 12/31/12, buy Winter’s Magic from Soul Mate Publishing and get a second book for FREE.  Use promotional code   DECEMBER BUY 1 GET 1  at checkout.  Sign up for their newsletter and get a coupon for a special deal every month.

Everyone who leaves a comment today will be entered in a drawing. Two lucky commenters will receive a $5 Starbucks gift card.  Get an extra entry if you Facebook or Tweet the post or add Winter’s Magic to your TBR shelf on Goodreads.  Also get an extra entry if you buy Winter’s Magic today.

Good luck!

RJ Interview Q and A with author Susan Carroll and giveaway!

We’re very excited to have a Q and A today with Susan Carroll, author of the DAUGHTERS OF THE EARTH series, featuring her sixth book in the series, THE LADY OF SECRETS.

***For a chance to win one of three copies of THE LADY OF SECRETS, let us know what you’ve enjoyed learning about Susan Carroll, either through her interview below, or by visiting her FaceBook page —comment below and include your email address to be entered to win.***

~*~*~*~*~

Thank you for spending time with us at Romance Junkies, Susan.

Tell us a bit about how THE LADY OF SECRETS began for you as a writer. What was your inspiration?

Lady of Secrets is the sixth book in my Daughters of the Earth series.  The original idea came from an article I read about ancient matriarchal societies and how at one time wise women were held in great esteem.   But eventually these wise women ran the risk of being called something quite different – witches.  The first book in series, the Dark Queen began in France in the year 1572 and was inspired by many of the legends about Catherine de Medici and her reputed interest in necromancy.

Lady of Secrets concludes the series in England, in the year 1605.   The fantasy elements of the book are set against the historical backdrop of the reign of James I.  The idea for this particular novel came from my readings about the infamous witch trials in Scotland in 1591, long before James had ascended to the English throne.  James believed that his political enemies were trying to destroy him through the use of witchcraft.  Hundreds of women and men were caught up in the witch hunt and executed before the hysteria subsided.  This provided the initial spark for my imagination and the premise of Lady of Secrets.

The first line in the prologue of THE LADY OF SECRETS sets the stage for what follows. When you write, do those significant first lines come before the story is written? Or, is the story written first before that first line can be formulated?

When I first begin a novel, usually the opening and the ending of my book are completely clear to me.  It is what comes in between that gets a bit murky and I have often had to let my characters guide me through the fog.  For some reason, Lady of Secrets defied that rule.  I had to experiment with several openings before I found the right one – the prologue where young Maidred Brody is burned as a witch and the old crone, Ag, puts her curse on King James, thus setting into motion the events that take place years later.   I always strive to make my opening as dramatic and compelling as possible.  I want to hook my readers in from the very first page and not let them go until the last sentence.

Tell us about a typical writing day with Susan Carroll.  How do you schedule your day so that your writing time works well with your personal life?

A typical writing day for me begins late.  I have never been a morning person and my friends and family, bless them, all understand this.  I often don’t even get up until ten, then have my breakfast and coffee before I ever hit the computer keys.  Some of my best writing I do very late at night long after the rest of the world has gone to bed.   I find it very strange that I have become a writer of stories that have a paranormal element.  Though I have always loved fairy tales, stories of vampires, witches  and magic, I am essentially a practical person.  Often I have to work hard to turn off the rational voice in my head when I am writing what my one friend calls “the woo-woo  stuff.”  I have found it helps to turn off all the lights and write by candlelight.  One time I lit so many candles, I set off the fire alarm which alas, completely shattered the mood.

Where is your favorite historical place that recharges your muse?  Do you get to visit it often, or is it relived in your memory from past visits?

I am not much of a traveler except in my imagination.  If I were a character in a book, I would be a hobbit, preferring the comforts of my own hearthside.  Most of my research is done at my local library which is my home away from home.  I would happily live there if they would let me, tucked up reading in one of the alcoves, surrounded by shelves and shelves of books, like thousands of magic doors beckoning me to more worlds than I can ever explore in one lifetime.

What type of books do you read for your own enjoyment?

When reading for pleasure, I love a good mystery, especially historical based ones.   I am a huge fan of Anne Perry and Ariana Franklin.   I also like to revisit some of the friends of my childhood.  I usually re-read Little Women, Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice once every year.   I enjoy historical novels as well such as those written by Phillipa Gregory, Alison Weir and Ella March Chase.   And I love many of the new YA novels.  Like so many others, I was insane over the Harry Potter books and the Hunger Games series.  I also like the work of Rick Riordan and Cassandra Clare.

What favorite pastime do you enjoy most when you relax away from writing?

My favorite hobby and big stress reducer is knitting.  I can’t relax and just watch tv, even my favorite shows like Once Upon a Time, Grimm and Masterpiece theatre.   I always have to have a pair of needles and yarn handy.  My poor relatives who have been the recipient of so many scarves, hats, mittens and socks probably send up prayers every night.  Dear God, someone please stop her before she knits again!

What personality trait of yours do you think creeps into every book?

What trait of my creeps into every book?  Well, I have been told I possess a quirky sense of humor so I think hints of that appear.  And for someone who claims to be so practical, at heart I am romantic, a dreamer and an optimist.  I like good to triumph over evil and I love the promise of happily ever after.

What is your one indulgence that you can’t live without?

The indulgence I can’t live without is chocolate.  If I was ever told I had become allergic and couldn’t have anymore, I am afraid you would just have to pass me the Hershey’s and let me die with a blissful smile on my face.

What do you hope every reader finds when they read one of your novels?

What I hope that I can offer my readers is pleasure, a little bit of magical escape from the stresses and demands of the everyday world.  Come with me to a place and time far away.  Bad things will happen there, but I promise you evil will be defeated, true love will triumph and everything will all come out right in the end.

Interview questions by Dorine for Romance Junkies and appeared at RJ’s blog December 15, 2012.

Visit Susan Carroll at her Facebook page.

From the Publisher About Susan Carroll:

She’s an award-winning romance author whose books include The Bride Finder and its two sequels The Night Drifter and Midnight Bride as well as The Painted Veil, Winterbourne, and most recently, The Dark Queen, The Courtesan, The Silver Rose, and The Huntress. She lives in Rock Island, Illinois.

From the Publisher About THE LADY OF SECRETS:

Known as the “The Lady of Faire Isle,” spiritualist Meg Wolfe can breathe a little easier knowing her wicked heretic mother is dead. But trying to lead an ordinary life proves to be anything but simple when King James summons her to his palace with the following order: save him from the curse that plagues his life using her extraordinary gifts. It doesn’t take her long to discover that there are more sinister motivations at play in the king’s world. History and a kingdom hang in the balance, and Meg realizes she can no longer trust anyone or anything—not even her own heart.

 

 

Thank you Kim and Romance Junkies for hosting me today.  Dear lovely readers, are you interested in fortune telling? I think most people will be interested in seeing into the future.

In my latest sexy historical romance, Clairvoyeur, my heroine Claire Hastings is given a crystal ball and she can see into the future.  Life is going on quite well as she uses the crystal ball to earn a few pences as pin money. However, one day a handsome and wealthy man, Jonathan Davies, comes into her life and appears in her crystal ball. That creates havoc in Claire’s life. Let me show you an excerpt here.

Excerpt (adapted)

Mr. Davies is the man! That was the only coherent thought that raced through Claire’s mind as she ran back to her guest chamber. She had seen a heart-shaped birthmark on the back of his waist, near the spine. She lay down on the bed and thought about the images in the crystal ball. She was certain he was the libertine who had taken pleasure with a woman, or two women, in the bath and on the ladder, right here in Madley Lodge, in the future. Who could it be? Miss Blackwood? Hannah? Do not tell me it was Julia or me? That cannot be true! She sat up and decided to act immediately. They had originally agreed to leave the next day after church. She persuaded Julia to talk to Mr. Blackwood again and got his carriage to convey them back to her father’s estate, Northfleet, that very same day. She was happy that Mr. Davies did not choose to see them off.

When she arrived back home, she was tired and escaped having dinner with the family. For the first time since she had gained possession of the crystal ball, she was tempted to dispose of it; smash it into pieces. What good would it be if she saw who the libertine was corrupting? She locked the crystal ball away in her closet and fell into a disturbed sleep.

The next morning, Claire awoke with a throbbing headache and a demanding call from the crystal ball. She forgot all about her resolution not to touch the crystal ball again. She took it out of the locked closet and, as the sun rose over the eastern horizon, she put her hand on the crystal ball and let it bring her to the future.

It was a sizzling hot day. The heat was visible from the air rising from the ground. The sun was blinding, and not a wisp of wind could be seen or felt. The trees and flowers were in full bloom, creating a colourful natural mosaic. Once the bush was parted, a pond was in sight.

Lying on the ground by the pond was a woman. Her simple elegant day dress was in disarray. The hem of the dress was hitched up, exposing her body.

As the vision moved further upwards revealing the face of the woman she was watching, Claire cried out loud. The abandoned woman in the crystal ball was herself! She, a gentleman’s daughter from Hampshire, was lying on the ground, with her long hair loosened, her eyes half closed, her mouth swollen and half open. She, Claire Hastings of Northfleet, had her body exposed in broad daylight in a wood. How could that happen? What on earth had caused her moral downfall?

Book blurb

Improvished country gentlewoman Claire Hastings can see into the future with a crystal ball. It is a blessing, or is it not?

After she meets rich and handsome Jonathan Davies, she starts to see infamous visions of him coupling with some women. When the “women” turn out to be Claire herself, she has the shock of her life. Has she become his mistress or is Davies a rake imposing on her?

Davies doesn’t want to be attracted to this country mouse but Claire is tempting him every moment of their time together. When he is blackmailed with scandalous sketches of him with a woman who looks look Claire, he is furious. Is Claire working with another man to milk money from him?

Contest

I’m pleased to give out an ebook to one of the lucky readers. Please comment below for a chance to win, what you want to see in future, if you are given a crystal ball. The contest is open to worldwide readers and closes on 21 December 2012. You can check out my books at SteamyDarcy. Happy reading and commenting!

 

It took me years, really. I just wasn’t going to do it. No way, no how.

I had edited before when I made documentaries, and no one could convince me to spend hours upon hours editing sound. What a nightmare.

Or so I thought.

I didn’t podcast for years because I was already so busy between writing and marketing, there just wasn’t time to do yet another thing, especially if it meant hours of sound editing and special effects.

But after speaking with podcast guru Tee Morris and listening to several podcasts, I realized that it didn’t have to be a full-blown production. In fact, it could be bare-bones and simple and people would listen. It was part of my new marketing philosophy KISS – Keep It Simple, Seriously. So I dove in, starting with the Polyamory Podcast in the summer of 2011 on my blog Caught in the Cogs, which was an immediate hit. I saw an upswing in hit almost immediately. From there, I started podcasting fiction earlier this year. Now, I publish more podcasts than I do written posts, and my listening (and reading) audience just keeps growing.

Multimedia. That’s what it’s about.

So, for your listening pleasure, here is Chapter 1 of the bare-bones serialized podcast of my steamy Steampunk Paranormal Romance novel Avalon Revisited. My agent refers to this book as 50 Shades of Grey in Steampunk London. Once through Chapter 1, you can listen to the rest of the book for free from my blog, feedburner, or via iTunes. And after that, continue on with my short fiction and my second novel, The Zombies of Mesmer. All for free. Tell your friends.

Listen to Chapter 1 of AVALON REVISITED Now!

Can’t wait? Prefer to read your books rather than listen? (by the by, authors can’t survive on free podcasts alone) Pplease feel free to buy one of my titles from Amazon or directly from the publisher, author-signed. Most titles are also available wherever books are sold.

Be sure to enter to win an author-signed copy Avalon Revisited just by leaving a comment and a question for me to answer below. I’ll be stopping by all week long to talk with readers and answer questions. This contest runs until Friday, November 30th. I’ll announce the winner on my blog on Saturday as well as in the comments here.

About Avalon Revisited:

Arthur Tudor has made his existence as a vampire bearable for over three hundred years by immersing himself in blood and debauchery. Aboard an airship gala, he meets Avalon, an aspiring vampire slayer who sparks fire into Arthur’s shriveled heart. Together they try to solve the mystery of several horrendous murders on the dark streets of London. Cultures clash and pressures rise in this sexy Steampunk Romance. Contains Adult Content.

ABOUT O. M. GREY

Nestled in the mountains of Northern California, Olivia M. Grey lives in the cobwebbed corners of her mind writing paranormal romance with a Steampunk twist. She dreams of the dark streets of London and the decadent deeds that occur after sunset. As an author of Steamy Steampunk, as well as a poet, blogger, podcaster, and speaker, Olivia focuses both her poetry and prose on alternative relationship lifestyles and deliciously dark matters of the heart and soul. Her work has been published in various anthologies and magazines like Stories in the Ether, Steampunk Adventures, SNM Horror Magazine and How The West Was Wicked.

Her premiere Steampunk BDSM erotica novel, Avalon Revisited, is an Amazon.com Gothic Romance bestseller. She also currently has two other titles available:  The Zombies of Mesmer, a YA Steampunk Romance, Caught in the Cogs: An Eclectic Collection of short stories, love poetry, and relationship essays.