Book pick: D.B. Reynold’s ‘Heart of the Wolf’ a keeper July 5, 2010
Posted by Diana McCabe in Reviews/summaries.Tags: D.B. Reynolds, Heart of the Wolf, werewolves
6 comments
Back after a long holiday weekend with a great book pick from Dot in New York. Now Dot — a regular contributor to this blog — is actually our vampire expert. But she reads A LOT and this time has a nifty write-up on D.B. Reynolds’ latest — HEART OF THE WOLF, an e-book from Siren Publishing. As always — a big thanks to Dot for the book pick!!
D.B. Reynolds is on the top of my list as favorite authors. Her Vampires in America Series is getting 4 and 5 stars on Amazon and she has No. 3 in the series ready to debut in paperback this month. (CLICK HERE to read Dot’s review of that series!) When I heard that she was writing a werewolf e-novella for the erotic publisher Siren I truly didn’t know what to expect. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am sure a writer can change fantasy heroes but could my favorite writer do it justice? I was not disappointed in HEART OF THE WOLF. (Disclaimer: I received this advance reader copy from the author with no expectations of comment or review.)
Synopsis from the publisher:
Kathryn Avinger is a werewolf, daughter of the North American Alpha. Young, beautiful and obedient to her Alpha’s will, Kathryn was married off 10 years ago to a much older and wealthy human, finding herself neatly trapped in an abusive prison of money and privilege.
Renjiro Roesner is a powerful and charismatic wolf, an enforcer for Kathryn’s father … and, once upon a time, Kathryn’s promised husband. Returning from a mission to find Kathryn married and gone, Renjiro left the country, bitter and betrayed. But when someone tries to murder Kathryn at her husband’s funeral, Renjiro comes home to protect the only woman he ever loved.
***
Reynolds gives us true werewolves and not just dressed-up humans. The human werewolf persona is always aware of the wolf inside. Even Kathryn who has been hiding her wolf in the human world. I have never read a werewolf book that had more insight into the wolf. There is a mystery (who is trying to kill Kathryn?), sexual tension (Oh yeah!), violence, action, and even sleazy characters, but the pay off is the love story. Werewolves know their mates and the pursuit is paramount. Ren (I’m happy the author calls him Ren since I can’t pronounce Renjiro) is our fantasy of a werewolf hero, strong, protective, sexy as all get out. Kathryn is an equally strong heroine, fighting for independence after being subjugated to a monster husband. Siren catagorizes the sex as “sizzling.” I’m not gonna argue that at all.
Even more than story, sex and action, with Reynolds we are also treated to wonderful prose. Here are the opening two sentences of her novella:
“The angels wept, beautiful faces ravaged with grief, tears coursing down perfect cheeks to fall unheeded on the body cradled between them. Kathryn Avenger gazed up at the huge sculpture and wondered if even the angels could find it in them to weep today.”
My only complaint: The story ended too soon. I wanted more, more, more. I wanted to know more about the Alpha father of Kathryn, I wanted more about Tommy the bodyguard. Hopefully D.B. will give us more werewolves in the future.
Q&A part 2: Lucy Monroe on how she writes (including what music inspires her!) March 7, 2010
Posted by Diana McCabe in Authors.Tags: Lucy Monroe, Moon Craving, scottish, werewolves
10 comments
How does Lucy Monroe turn out so many good reads in different genres? Her most recent — MOON CRAVING — is the second in a series on Scottish werewolves. But she’s also known for her contemporary and historical romances, such as the Regency Langley Family Trilogy Touch Me/Tempt Me/Take Me. Or the fabulously popular The Billionaire’s Pregnant Mistress In all — she’s published about 50 novels. I asked Lucy to tell us how she writes, does she always know the endings of her stories, does she prefer boxers or briefs! Leave a comment below and we’ll pick a second winner for a copy of a signed MOON CRAVING book by Lucy. We’ll pick a random winner by the end of the week for each interview. So there’s still time to post! (CLICK HERE to read part 1 of the interview:)
Lucy Monroe
Q. You write across many genres. Do you work on more than one project at the same time? And how do you switch from one genre to another? Isn’t that hard?
A. I don’t work on more than one project at once. I find that pretty much impossible. It *is* hard to jump from one type of writing to the next as the subgenres I write in are so very different. Doing this at the beginning of each new book is difficult enough, I can’t imaging adding the complication of trying to do it on a daily basis as I work on multiple projects. Besides, I feel each book deserves my full creative attention. That’s not to say I haven’t been forced to do revisions on one book while writing another, that’s the nature of the beast when writing for more than one publisher.
Q. Describe your writing workspace for us.
A. I have turned one of the bedrooms in my house into an office. (The room across the hall is my PA & Promotions Coordinator’s office.) It’s decorated in dark-cherry wood and my collection of paintings and statuary grace the walls and shelves as inspiration. 
My desk is mostly clean (I can’t abide clutter) and I work from two monitors so I can keep the Internet up while I’m editing. There’s a small bench and comfy chair under the window for my family to sit in when they visit me in my office (which is daily).
Q. You write full-time, yes? What’s a typical writing day like for you?
A. Yes, I am blessed to be able to write full-time. A typical day sees me at the computer early (not as early as Lori Foster – who I swear sleeps less than most newborns) answering email, checking my blog and Facebook, etc. About 10 a.m. I start writing. I keep it up until Hubcap comes home for lunch. We eat together. I go back to work and so does he. This is where it gets tricky. I try to put in a simple 8 hour day, but that’s rare. I’m lucky if I leave my office by dinner and don’t return to it after. This is my goal for the year – to get my writing down to *only* full-time.
Q. OK — write with music? If so — what inspires you?
A. Oh, absolutely! And pretty much everything but hard rock and techno (though I’ve been known to listen to my son’s techno a time or two when writing – just not often). I love classic rock from the 60s thru the 80s and jazz especially. I have compilations of “Feel Good” music, “Work” music and “Women Empowerment” music that I use for those times I need the songs to take me someplace specific. In fact, I love music so much, I paid the talented HipHop artists Bbk & Image to create a soundtrack for the release of WATCH OVER ME earlier this year. We negotiated two years worth of free downloads of the music for my readers. You can download it from the bottom of this page if you’d like: http://www.lucymonroe.com/FunStuff.htm
Q. Do you always know how your stories will play out before you write them or do some develop as you write? (This is for the many aspiring writers who always have the beginning of an idea but not the end …)
A. I was just discussing this with one of my editors. I very rarely know where a story will end up (except in an HEA) when I start it. Getting there is half the fun for me.
Q. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A. A preacher. A teacher. A televangelist. A senator. Oh, and I writed to write Christian romance some day. LOLOL I have done many things, but televangilizing? Not so much. And I’ve written a couple of inspirationals under the LC Monroe pseudonym, but my books are too sexy for the genre and I don’t mind that at all. I am where I am supposed to be.
Q. Who/what are you reading now?
A. Christine Feehan’s most recent Ghostwalker - had to wait until I finished my last book. So hard! She’s the most amazing writer and keeps me enthralled from page one to the very end.
Q. Fun/dopey question: Boxers or briefs?
A. Really depends … I like both. Hubcap has a rather large collection as I buy whatever I think will look good on him and he’s always willing to give them a try – for me. He even wore the boyshorts lycra swimsuit I bought him for Hawaii. He was hot! Though our kids pretended death by embarrassment – they’re adults now even! LOLOL
Q. What are you working on now? What’s up next for you?
A. Funny you should ask … I’m working on the next COTM book And I’m loving it already. My next release is THE SHY BRIDE from Harlequin Presents in July. I’m really jazzed about it as they’ve started including series romance in the USA Today bestsellers list. Here’s hoping!
Q. Anything else?
A. Just lots of hugs and many thanks! This has been FUN!!! Smooches! Lucy
OK — Now don’t forget to leave a comment, which enters you to win a free signed copy of Lucy’s MOON CRAVING!
In the meantime, you can connect with Lucy at these sites below. She’s also on Twitter at www.twitter.com/lucymonroe.
Her site: http://lucymonroe.com
Her Children of the Moon site: http://lucymonroecotm.com
Her blog: http://www.lucymonroeblog.blogspot.com
Her fan page: http://tiny.cc/0HRGW
And here is a list of other author interviews on the Paranormal Romance blog!
Alexandra Ivy – On her vampires and werewolves
Enid Wilson — What ‘Really Angelic’ author says when people don’t like her books
Gena Showalter — On her fave characters, books and Kresley Cole
Keri Arthur – On her Riley Jenson series and why it must end!
Christine Feehan — Drake Sisters and Dark Slayer
Alyson Noel — Her Immortals Series
Charlaine Harris — Her latest Sookie book and HBO’s TRUE BLOOD
Jennifer Lyon: BLOOD MAGIC
Shana Abe: THE TREASURE KEEPER
Susan Squires: TIME FOR ETERNITY
Linda O Johnston: ALPHA WOLF
Q&A: Lucy Monroe on her Medieval Scottish werewolves March 2, 2010
Posted by Diana McCabe in Authors.Tags: Children of the Moon, Lucy Monroe, scotland, werewolves
13 comments
Lucy Monroe
Most readers probably know Lucy Monroe for her sexy romances. And she sure has written a lot of those. Like the Regency Langley Family Trilogy Touch Me/Tempt Me/Take Me. Or the fabulously popular The Billionaire’s Pregnant Mistress (OK — if you’re chucking at the title, go read it and then come talk to me.) And 3 Brides for 3 Bad Boys. In all — she’s published about 50 novels. Lucky for us paranormal romance fans, she’s now got a shifter series going! The first novel in her Children of the Moon Series, MOON AWAKENING, came out in 2007, and introduced us to her Medieval werewolves of Scotland. The second book in the series – MOON CRAVING — came out last month. We asked Lucy to talk about her Scottish shifters! (Interested in her shifter books? Leave a comment below and we’ll pick a name — at random — to win a signed copy of MOON CRAVING. Here’s a bonus — I’ll post part 2 of the interview (about how Lucy writes) later in the week. Leave a comment for her there, and she’ll give away a second signed copy of MOON CRAVING.) (Update: Part 2 now posted HERE!)
Q. For newbies to your novels, tell us how you got started writing and about your first published novel? How many books do you have published to date?
A. My first published book was the 13th novel I wrote after nine plus years of chasing my dreams with lots of sweat and tears if not blood. THE GREEK TYCOON’S ULTIMATUM was a Harlequin Presents and I hit the publisher at just the right time (they’d gone a decade without buying new authors for the series and all of the sudden they were buying several of us). I still write for Presents and love the stories I can do for them. Believe it, or not, but I’ve written some of my most compelling “issues” books for Presents. If you want to read a little more about my very first sale to each of my publishers, go here: http://www.lucymonroe.com/thecall.htm My 50th release will be out in September (CLOSE QUARTERS) and I’m having a huge online party for it, btw!
Q. What inspired you to write historical paranormals?
A. Here’s the thing, I fell in love with the paranormal genre reading (Christine) Feehan and (Sherrilyn) Kenyon. I had my first intro to werewolves by Lorie O’Clare (before Kenyon or (Angela) Knight came out with theirs) and was absolutely hooked. I glommed the books, but there weren’t that many out at the time and a lot that were didn’t tell the kind of story I loved to read and write. The true romance with an HEA and lots of heart-wrenching emotion. Some did, of course, but I made up a lot of the stories in my head to keep myself entertained. LOL Eventually, I couldn’t keep the stories only inside my head and had to take the risk of putting them on paper. (A risk because starting a new series when you’ve already got others you need to keep up for readers is no easy task.) I had a partially finished historical manuscript that I realized worked super as a werewolf novel and that book became MOON AWAKENING.
Q. Your Children of the Moon series is based on the Scotland Picts. How much did you know about the Picts before you started writing your series?
A. Wow, I’d always been fascinated by the disappearing peoples in history, you know? So, when I decided the Picts lent themselves so nicely to the Chrechte’s history, I built on a basic working knowledge of them with lots of research. The thing is, most of the nonfiction books I found, websites, etc. were based almost entirely on supposition, or very limited evidence. That worked for me even better since I knew I could go the direction I wanted to without a bunch of historians crying foul. (Not that I don’t get complaints – the study of history is influenced heavily by the body of thought on a particular era you are exposed to – I choose to research and write outside the box and this can lead to cries of inaccuracy, etc.)
Q. And wow — what a combo: Scottish lairds/werewolves. How do you come up with these different alpha males? (Lachlan, Talorc, Drustan? And let me say I was with Emily on Talorc in the first book! He turned out nicely in MOON CRAVING though.)
A. Mostly my characters come dancing into my brain. It’s my job to get to know them, but they show up talking, posturing, giving me and the heroine those steely eyed glares. They’re not always cooperative, but they are always fun to write. Every one of my heroes has some bit of my husband in them. He’s the ultimate hero to me, but I’ve yet to buy him a kilt. Would be sexy though. Sigh… I’m fascinated by the hero with a heart that’s hard to reach, who puts duty and honor ahead of everything and falls right on his a$$ when it comes to love!
Q. What about your heroines? (Emily, Abigail, Cait? They certainly are not shrinking violets.)
A. I’ve got this theory: you can write a super alpha hero without him coming off as the big bad jerk, if you give him a strong enough heroine to spark against. It’s all about balance. Some of my favorite authors write weak heroines that grow in the book, but I like to write the heroines that start of with an inner core of steel and learn to bend. That’s not to say that all my heroines come off like Xena the Warrior Princess at first, some appear on the surface like they give in easily, but they always, always, always bring their heroes to their knees.
Q. In MOON CRAVING, your heroine Abigail is deaf. Talk about why you chose to write about deafness.
A. I’ve been fascinated with character s that live outside the normal box of parameters for romance heroes and heroines since the beginning with my writing. I want to write about people who face challenges only some of us ever dream of and come out strong and happy on the other side. Abigail’s deafness was something that came to me in a dream as I was beginning Emily’s book and I knew her story would be next.
Q. You have some nontraditional relationships (great side stories!) in MOON CRAVING. How difficult are those secondary story lines to develop?
A. In the terms of the writing? Not at all. In the terms of taking the risk of pulling a nontradtional element into a mainstream romance? A little rocky. I knew I was stepping outside the norm (again) and that could cause some backlash for me, but my publisher was supportive and I believe strongly in peopling my books with all sorts of romance, reflecting reality while maintaining the fantasy storyline. I’ve gotten a few negative reader letters because of this inclusion, but nothing like what Suz Brockmann faced when she first included a gay main character in one of her books. Mostly, readers have loved they guys’ story and I love them for it!
Q. What are your plans for the Children of the Moon series? (Do you know how many books you’ll write in the series? When the next book in the series will come out? What it will be about?)
A. My next COTM book will be Barr’s story and should be released February 2011 Look for the introduction of a new Chrechte race and a more complicated storyline as both my main plot and subplot are twisted with secrets, a years old murder and intrigue. I plan an indefinite number of books in the series (but several) as I have so many stories clamoring for attention.
OK — that’s Part 1!! Remember, leave a comment for Lucy and you have a chance to win a signed copy of MOON CRAVING. And look for Part 2 of the interview about how Lucy writes. She’ll also be giving away a second signed copy of MOON CRAVING.
In the meantime, you can connect with Lucy at these sites below. She’s also on Twitter at www.twitter.com/lucymonroe.
Her site: http://lucymonroe.com
Her Children of the Moon site: http://lucymonroecotm.com
Her blog: http://www.lucymonroeblog.blogspot.com
Her fan page: http://tiny.cc/0HRGW
And here is a list of other author interviews on the Paranormal Romance blog!
Alexandra Ivy – On her vampires and werewolves
Enid Wilson — What ‘Really Angelic’ author says when people don’t like her books
Gena Showalter — On her fave characters, books and Kresley Cole
Keri Arthur – On her Riley Jenson series and why it must end!
Christine Feehan — Drake Sisters and Dark Slayer
Alyson Noel — Her Immortals Series
Charlaine Harris — Her latest Sookie book and HBO’s TRUE BLOOD
Jennifer Lyon: BLOOD MAGIC
Shana Abe: THE TREASURE KEEPER
Susan Squires: TIME FOR ETERNITY
Linda O Johnston: ALPHA WOLF
Q&A: Author Alexandra Ivy on her vampires and werewolves! February 14, 2010
Posted by Diana McCabe in Authors.Tags: Alexandra Ivy, Guardians of Eternity, vampires, werewolves
86 comments
Alexandra Ivy
Vampires. Demons. Imps. Werewolves. Fairies. Vampires. She always comes back to the vampires! Alexandra Ivy writes the fun and sexy GUARDIANS OF ETERNITY series, which feature heroic vampires (who can’t remember their past lives) who are connected to extraordinary women in battles against evil doers. And boy does she like to create some nasty villians! Her heroes and heroines aren’t perfect. They whine, joke, make big relationship boo boos. But Ivy keeps her stories rolling with interesting plots and some funny situations and side characters. We talked to her about her series and how she writes. Leave a comment below and you’ll have a chance to win an ARC of the next book in the series, BEYOND THE DARKNESS.
Q. In your Guardians of Eternity series, you’ve got a slew of paranormal characters! Vampires, demons, fairies, imps, werewolves! What sparked the idea for this world? (Was it specifically the story about Abby and Dante’s story in WHEN DARKNESS COMES and you just developed the series from there?)
A. Yes, it all started with WHEN DARKNESS COMES. I wrote the book just for my own enjoyment since I was writing regency historicals at the time. Then things just kept growing and growing and growing.
Q. Where did you learn about imps, demons and fairies? (What kind of research/reading did you have to do to figure ‘em out?)
A. I love to read folklore from all ages and from all places. It’s fascinating how different cultures can create characters that were vastly different and yet at the heart of them very similar. I do try to add my own twist to all of them.
Q. We know you in the paranormal romance world as Alexandra Ivy, but I also know you write lots of historical romances under the name Deborah Raleigh. I did read one vampire short story — TO TAME THE BEAST (Beast of MacDonnell and Isobella’s story) under your historical romance pen name among a trilogy in HIGHLAND VAMPIRES (with Hannah Howell and Adrienne Basso). Was that a precursor to your Guardian series that helped you decide you wanted to write a full paranormal novel? (Do you have other paranormals under your Deborah Raleigh name?)
A. I did write a trilogy of vampire stories under the name Debbie Raleigh. They were traditional regencies (which was unheard of at the time: MY LORD VAMPIRE, MY LORD ETERNITY and MY LORD IMMORTALITY. I absolutely loved writing them and it did inspire me to try my hand at trying a contemporary paranormal.
Q. Abby & Dante. Shay & Viper. Darcy & Styx. Anna & Cezar. Regan & Jagr. If you could turn into one of your heroines, which one would it be and why? If you needed to be protected from demons or curs or another dark force, which hero would you pick and why!
A. I’m always in love with the characters that I’m currently writing. I know that’s what every writer says but it’s true. Of course, there will always be a special place in my heart for Abby and Dante … they were, after all, my first!
Q. Why did you decide your vampires wouldn’t retain their memories from their previous lives? And with the weres — what is it with shifters! It seems like they always have problems reproducing!
A. I’ve always thought that the memories of a person would be attached to their soul, and that they would leave the body together. And to be honest, it always seemed a little creepy to think of being taken over by another creature while still remembering who you once used to be. And I don’t know if it’s being a mother myself, but just the thought of transforming into a werewolf during pregnancy made me shudder. It seems natural that they would struggle to carry a child to full term.
Q. BEYOND THE DARKNESS is book No. 6 in the series. It comes out March 30 and it’s the tale of werewolf Salvatore and Harley (sibling to Darcy and Regan, right?) What else can you tell us about this story. It’s a little different because the main hero is a were!
A. Salvatore is the King of Weres and it’s his duty to save them from extinction. The females have become unable to carry their litters to full term and even their bite has stopped making new curs. They are fading into oblivion. Then 30 years ago he genetically altered four female babies so they wouldn’t shift. Unfortunately they were stolen from his nursery and he has been on a desperate chase to find them. Harley is one of the females, but there’s no way in hell she intends to become a broodmare for the arrogant, aggravating, pain-in-the-ass Salvatore. It was surprisingly different to write about Weres! He’s hot-blooded and ruthlessly dedicated to his pack, instead of a cold and aloof from others. And he will sacrifice anything to save his people from extinction. His journey teaches him about betrayal, the need to accept help from others, and most of all about the power of love.
Q. How many more books do you have planned in the series? (Will we get to hear Tane’s story? And will Levet — the adorable little gargoyle — get his own story?)
A. I’ve signed for four more stories (Tane’s will be next) as well as two anthologies! I’m not exactly sure what Levet’s fate will be. Right now it’s still up in the air.
Q. Who/what are your reading right now?!
A. I’m reading Karen Chance’s new story and next on the pile is Amanda Quick and then I’ve promised myself to take a break from writing and indulge myself with Robert Jordan’s latest! I read everything.
Q. About how your write! Every day? Is this your full-time job? With music or any other background noise? Do you outline or just start writing? Where do you do your best thinking or get your best ideas? Do you write one project at a time or juggle?
A. Right now I’m writing 10 to 12 hours a day since I’ve had my deadlines moved up … sigh. Thankfully I have a very understanding husband and patient children! It’s been my full-time job for the past five years, which has been wonderful. It’s not often a person gets to live their dreams and I appreciate my good fortune every day. I do some light outlining, but things are always changing so I tend to fly by the seat of my pants. Ideas really strike without warning, although I’ve convinced my husband I need a long hot bath without interruption to feed my muse! I do juggle several projects at once. It makes me crazy, but it also keeps me from getting bored.
Q. Any advice for aspiring authors? (How long did it take you to get your first story published? Do you think it’s harder to get noticed/published now? What’s changed — if anything?)
A. I’m the perfect story for struggling authors! It took me 10 years and countless manuscripts to at last get published. I just absolutely refused to give up, even after anyone with the least amount of sense or pride would have thrown in the towel. And that’s my advice…never, ever give up! I’m not sure if it’s harder to get published, but I think it might be harder to stay published. It seems that some publisher will give an author one or two books to hit it big and then drop them. No matter how great a writer, it takes time to develop a loyal readership.
Q. What’s up for you next in your historical romance series? Any plans to write in yet another genre — like YA or urban fantasy?
A. I do have a short story under the name of Deborah Raleigh coming out this summer in the MAMMOTH BOOK OF REGENCY ROMANCE. And I’ve always got ideas rattling around in my head. I don’t know if that’s good or bad. I’d love to try a UF series.
Q. What do you do to relax! (Or when you’re not writing!)
A. I love to read, of course, but my favorite thing is traveling. It doesn’t matter where I go as long as I’ve never been there before!!
Q. Anything else?
A. I’d love to give a huge thank you to all those readers who’ve made it possible me to continue with the Guardian series. It’s truly been a dream come true!
Thanks Alex! OK, folks. Leave a comment below and Alex will pick a winner (random) for an ARC of BEYOND THE DARKNESS! (You can follow Alexandra Ivy on Twitter — Alexandraivy — and visit her blog HERE!) You’ve got a week to post a comment! (Feb. 21.)
And here is a list of other author interviews on the Paranormal Romance blog!
Gena Showalter — On her fave characters, books and Kresley Cole
Keri Arthur – On her Riley Jenson series and why it must end!
Christine Feehan — Drake Sisters and Dark Slayer
Alyson Noel — Her Immortals Series
Charlaine Harris — Her latest Sookie book and HBO’s TRUE BLOOD
Jennifer Lyon: BLOOD MAGIC
Shana Abe: THE TREASURE KEEPER
Susan Squires: TIME FOR ETERNITY
Linda O Johnston: ALPHA WOLF
