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A Sexy Sea-Inspired Short from Nancy Holder

August 18, 2008

Author Nancy Holder continues to fill us in on the inspiration behind her series The Gifted. This time, Nancy tells us about her new Nocturne Bite, Son of the Sea…

by Nancy Holder, author of Son of the Sea

I love writing about my Gifted families so much that I jumped at the chance to write a Nocturne Bite, titled Son of the Sea. Erik, Guardian of the North Sea and a merman, must protect a beautiful Greek-American named Nia from death as they race to seize the magical Jar of Naxos. Erik has cut himself off from all loving contact, after his human fiancée drowned herself a hundred years before.

As the daughter of a Navy doctor, I have lived near the sea almost all of my life. While working on Son of the Sea, I remembered the hours I spent pretending to be a mermaid in my parents’ black-bottom pool here in San Diego. I still remember the lull of the waves and the cries of the seagulls during my year on a houseboat in San Diego Bay.

I created a play list of sea sounds and songs to listen to while I wrote Son of the Sea. I included two versions of Smetana’s theme from Die Moldau, When I saw the cover image for Son of the Sea at Comic-con, I immediately heard that piece, and returned to Erik’s domain beneath the cold, tumultuous North Sea. I can’t wait to go back there again.

Son of the Shadows and Son of the Sea are my first two stories for Nocturne. I hope to write many, many more…and to chat about them at Comicon next year.

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Author Nancy Holder’s Dark Magic and Mayhem

August 11, 2008

Nancy Holder’s series The Gifted delivers steamy dark fantasy, complete with an ancient feud, dark magic, sizzling sexual tension, and a tortured — literally — hero. Nancy fills us in on the world of The Gifted and what readers can expect from the third book in her series, Son of the Shadows….

by Nancy Holder, author of Son of the Shadows (Silhouette Nocturne)

I met a couple of hundred thousand of my closest friends during the San Diego Comic-Con, and a lot of them love paranormal romance! So I was able to talk in depth with fellow romance fans about my world of the Gifted—long-lived magic users who exist under the radar of us normal, Ungifted folk.

In my Nocturne novel, Son of the Shadows, three ancient magical families go to war with each other—the House of the Flames, the House of the Blood, and the House of the Shadows. The soul of the hero, sexy French-Canadian Jean-Marc de Devereaux, is mangled by Lilliane, the mad twin sister of his beloved Isabelle de Marco, known as Izzy.

All three Houses are descended from French noble families that rose to power during the Hundred Years’ War, when Joan of Arc fought against the Dauphin’s enemies, lost, and was burned at the stake for heresy. St. Joan has always favored Izzy’s House of the Flames, until one terrible day, Izzy must use dark magicks to save the lives of those she loves. In response, Joan abandons her.

Jean-Marc, Lilliane, and Isabelle are the Guardians of their Houses—fierce protectors and the first line of defense against rival Gifted factions and Supernaturals alike. Vampires and werewolves hunt in the dark shadows, and it is up to those who have sworn to protect the innocent to hold them in check.

After his torture at Lilliane’s hands, Jean-Marc’s soul is filled with dark impulses he can barely control. Izzy has been stripped of all her magical powers as well as her memory. Yet the two must travel to Haiti to stop Lilliane from unleashing unspeakable evil on the world. Their sexual tension and Izzy’s fear of Jean-Marc torment them both as they face death, and worse…and are changed forever by love.

While talking to Nocturne fans about the Gifted, I relived my trips to France and Montreal, two of the important homes of the Gifted. I’ve walked the streets of Carcassonne, the ancient French medieval walled city, and slept in a fourteenth century farmhouse near Cahors. I’ve lit candles to St. Joan at Notre Dame, and found her in a tiny village chapel, where one of the devout had laid fresh roses at her feet. I’ve ridden in a horse-drawn carriage through Old Montreal, and dined in an ancient wine cellar while the rain pounded the slate roof. France and Quebec are two magical places, surely.

Check out the first two books in the Gifted series, Daughter of the Flames and Daughter of the Blood, now available as eBooks at eHarlequin.com. Or download the entire series — including Nancy’s Nocturne Bite, Son of the Sea — in The Gifted Bundle.

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More Seductive Shifters from Karen Whiddon

August 1, 2008

Author Karen Whiddon gives us a tantalizing look at what’s to come in Dance of the Wolf, the latest book in her sexy miniseries The Pack from Silhouette Nocturne…

by Karen Whiddon, author of Dance of the Wolf

Shape-shifters being murdered. An upscale male strip club, for women clientele only (even though some of those women might be shape-shifters or vampires). A doctor on forced medical leave due to the drug addiction he’s recovering from, who also happens to be a shape-shifter looking for his best friend, who’s disappeared from this very same club, where he was working on the side.

Interested?

I sure as heck was. When the story for DANCE OF THE WOLF occurred to me, I was understandably confused. I didn’t see how any of this fit in the world I’d created for my Pack. But Elena was insistent, as was Dr. Jared Gies, and as I wrote their story, they managed to surprise even me. Fun, for both the author and the reader. I hope you enjoy reading it.

I’ve written 8 Pack stories for Silhouette now and the people in The Pack continually take the stories in new directions. My Nocturne Bites MATE OF THE WOLF had a vampire hero. DANCE OF THE WOLF features the female owner of a male strip club and a wounded shape-shifter hero who’s more animal than he realizes.

The next book, tentatively titled WILD WOLF, is written and will be out in 2009. The heroine of this books is a feral shifter, and the hero has been sent to either rehabilitate her or exterminate her.

`Til next time!

–Karen Whiddon

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Author Gena Showalter’s Passionate Paranormal Romance

July 25, 2008

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld series (HQN) takes readers into a dark, sensual world of immortal warriors and the otherworldy women they love. Here, Gena gives us a glimpse of what’s to come following the third book in the series, The Darkest Pleasure…

by Gena Showalter, author of The Darkest Pleasure

Right now there are twelve known Lords of the Underworld:

Aeron – Keeper of Wrath
Amun – Keeper of Secrets
Cameo – Keeper of Misery
Gideon – Keeper of Lies
Kane – Keeper of Disaster
Lucien – Keeper of Death
Maddox – Keeper of Violence
Paris – Keeper of Promiscuity
Reyes – Keeper of Pain
Sabin – Keeper of Doubt
Strider – Keeper of Defeat
Torin – Keeper of Disease

I’ve told story of Maddox, Lucien and Reyes. But who’s next? I’m happy to say it’s Sabin, keeper of Doubt. The Darkest Whisper will hit bookstores May 09. You see, Sabin really sat up and grabbed my attention in The Darkest Pleasure and his story began to consume me. I kept wondering: who should I pair him with? What kind of woman could consume him, body and soul? He’s utterly determined to win his war with the Hunters at any cost. He’ll lie, cheat, steal, and kill. Anything for victory. It’s the most important thing in is life.

Also, he’s had to forgo relationships because of his demon. Doubt can send even the strongest and most confident of woman to their knees, their self-esteem something of the past. In fact, several of his past lovers have even committed suicide.

So what kind of woman could deal with him and his demon? Who could tempt him from his war? When his heroine did finally introduce herself to me, I was shocked. She was nothing like I had imagined. But I realized, no other woman would do. It had to be Gwendolyn, half-harpy, half-angel. . . or is she?

Surprisingly, while writing Sabin and Gwen’s story, I was introduced to Aeron’s heroine. Two for one, I guess, but again, color me shocked. Both men are in for a hell of a ride.

I’m more excited than ever to write the Lords of the Underworld and continue their hunt for Pandora’s box and ultimately salvation. I hope you’ll join me as the stakes become higher and the passion hotter!

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Comic-Con Charity from Author Nancy Holder

July 23, 2008

Author Nancy Holder fills us in on what she’ll be doing over the weekend at the San Diego Comic-Con. Stop on by to support a great cause and a score free copy of Nancy’s August Silhouette Nocturne, Son of the Shadows!

by Nancy Holder, author of Son of the Shadows

I’m so excited to announce my affiliation with Kids Need to Read, a charity I will be supporting at San Diego Comic-Con.

I don’t know if you have heard about Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. It’s a three-part net-musical Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) created during the Hollywood writers’ strike and it’s been making the rounds all over the net. It’s now available for download for a small fee. Dr. Horrible stars Nathan Fillion, Neil Patrick Harris, and Felicia Day. A mad scientist, a love triangle, and lots of singing–what’s not to love?

Each year at Comic-Con, the California Browncoats, fans of the Joss Whedon TV show Firefly and its spin-off movie, Serenity, support the chosen charity of a Firefly cast member. They have raised over $25,000 for charity since June 2007.

This year, they are supporting Kids Need to Read, on behalf of Nathan Fillion, who starred as Captain Malcolm Reynolds. Dark Horse Comics has created a special limited edition 5000-copy Serenity comic for the Browncoats to sell at Comic-Con; and all proceeds will go to Kids Need to Read, to purchase library books for schools across the country.

The Browncoats will also hold raffles for scripts, photos, T-shirts, and other items, many of them signed. And I’ll be signing in the California Browncoats Booth on Thursday, July 24, from noon to 1 PM to show my support (Tables A7 & A8; just look for all the Chinese lanterns!) I will offer a free copy of Son of the Shadows to anyone who purchases a raffle ticket.

On Sunday, July 27, my eleven-year-old Belle and I are participating in a Browncoats-sponsored reading to celebrate Kids Need to Read. We go on right before Felicia Day, who co-starred in Dr. Horrible and played Vi the Potential on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The reading is in room 24A from 12 to 2 PM.

Come join the fun because…Kids Need to Read!

To recap:

July 24, Noon to 1 PM, Browncoats Booth Tables A7/A8, Signing
July 27, noon to 2 PM, Room 24A, Reading

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Author Karen Whiddon’s Sexy Shapeshifters

July 19, 2008

Karen Whiddon continues her popular series The Pack in not one but two stories this month: Mate of the Wolf, available now from Nocturne Bites, and Dance of the Wolf from Silhouette Nocturne (on sale early at eHarlequin.com). Here Karen talks about what readers can expect from her latest sexy paranormal short…

by Karen Whiddon, author of Mate of the Wolf

Wow – I can’t believe it’s July already. And now my Nocturne Bite MATE OF THE WOLF is out! You can expect a page-turning, sexy read in this short story. And this time, I’ve added a Vampire to the mix! My Pack characters often fall in love with humans, but never with a Vamp, so this book takes the story of the Pack in a new and completely different direction.

Writing this book was so much fun! The shorter format, combined with a hot male Vampire inspired me to sit down and write non-stop. I wrote the entire book over a three or four day period, intense writing – and I loved it! I love the story, the characters, the heat, the premise, everything! While it was challenging to show character development in a short story, I love stretching my writing wings. I started thinking of other paranormal beings and how they might mix in my Pack world.

While MATE OF THE WOLF is completely separate from DANCE OF THE WOLF (My Nocturne out in August), I am constantly seeking new ways to test my Pack people, to expand their world. My hero in DANCE, Shapeshifter Dr. Jared Gies, is a recovering drug addict. My heroine owns a male strip club. Talk about stretching their boundaries!

Since I have many more Pack stories to tell, I’d like to know what you, the readers, think? Do you like the idea of intermingling shapeshifters with other paranormal beings? Do you think Vampires have been done to death <G>? Let me know, as I need to develop a couple more Nocturne proposals.

I hope you enjoy reading Mate of the Wolf as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Karen

 

 

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Nancy Holder Book Signing at Comic-Con!

July 17, 2008

Author Nancy Holder will be signing copies of her August book SON OF THE SHADOWS (Silhouette Nocturne) at the San Diego Comic-Con next week! She will appear on Thursday, July 24 from 2 to 3 PM in the Harlequin/Silhouette booth.

Anyone out there planning on attending Comic-Con this year?

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Author Catherine Asaro’s Magical Romance

July 14, 2008

Catherine Asaro is a true Renaissance woman: she’s a scientist, former ballerina, mother, and award-winning fantasy and science fiction author! We asked Catherine a couple questions about her latest novel, The Nightbird, a romantic fantasy from Luna Books.

by Catherine Asaro, author of The Nightbird

1) How does is this book fit in with the rest of your series The Lost Continent?

This book is a stand alone, which means it isn’t necessary to read any others to follow what’s going on. The Nightbird, The Fire Opal, and The Dawn Star all take place at roughly the same time in the universe of the Lost Continent, but the main characters are different in each book.  So it isn’t a sequel.

However, some characters from other books appear in this one, too.  Readers of previous books will recognize Cobalt and Mel, Jarid and Iris.  Muller makes a appearance.  But in this book, you’ll see all those characters from a new viewpoint, that of Allegra, the heroine in Nightbird.  Since she is meeting them all for the first time, it’s as if they’re new characters.  Because, of course, they’re new to her!  And intimidating, especially Cobalt, who is now the conquering emperor of the settled lands.

I talk more about how it fits together in a television interview I did for the public tv program called Fast Forward.  It’s up at http://www.fast-forward.tv/blog/

2) How is it different from some the previous books?

This one is sexier than the others.  :-)  Also, bigger in scope.  Neither Allegra nor the hero, Markus, have appeared in any of the other books.  Markus was mentioned briefly in The Dawn Star, but he never had a scene there.  In this book, his scenes heat up the story.

The main character in the book, Allegra, doesn’t consider herself sexy, though.  She thinks she’s fat.  And boring.  She considers herself “just a dairy maid.”  The hero feels very differently.  (He uses the word voluptuous.  :-D)  Which could have been nice, except that Markus is so alpha, Allegra is ready to dump a kettle of fish on his head.  But she’s definitely a match for him.

Allegra came to me out of the way so many of us consider ourselves unattractive.  Our own culture is saturated with these impossible ideals of female “beauty.”  Super models can be so thin, it makes me uncomfortable to see them. I wanted to write a story about a character who was beautiful, sensual, and desirable, even though she didn’t see herself that way.

I hope readers enjoy her story, and the sweep of events that surrounds her.  I enjoyed writing this story.  The people and the places really came alive for me.

Thanks,
Catherine

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Author Cameron Cruise’s Sciencific Paranormal Suspense

July 8, 2008

Cameron Cruise, author of Dark Matter, combines suspense, science, and the paranormal in her “Eye” series from Mira Books. Think “science” and “paranormal” don’t belong in the same sentence? Cameron discusses how these two worlds collide — both in fiction and real life — and help inspire her novels…

by Cameron Cruise, author of Dark MatterCameron Cruise

Okay, I admit it. I am obsessed with the paranormal. The love affair started long before I started crying my way through episodes of GHOST WHISPERER or biting my nails to the quick while watching MEDIUM. The fact is, I grew up watching my parents place offerings of tobacco and coffee before their statue of the Virgen of the Caridad del Cobre. My great aunt used the Ouija; my Greek mother-in-law still reads coffee grounds. And then there’s my sister, the geneticist.

That last one might throw you. What does science have to do with the paranormal? Actually, you’d be surprised.

As far back as the 1970s, Stanford University began studying remote viewing, the ability of a psychic to use extrasensory perception and “see” an object hidden in a remote location—like a Soviet submarine built in a super secret facility (True story). I had the opportunity to interview an engineer hired by the government during the CIA-funded Stargate program. It was one of the most amazing experiences of his life to witness firsthand the abilities of these psychics. Duke, Princeton, even UCLA, have all studied psychic phenomenon at one time or another.

In researching the paranormal for my books, I’ve had my own incredible experiences. I’ve witnessed a woman channel a disembodied entity from a distant star, found my psychic “house” during hypnosis, experienced the magic of Sedona, toured one of the most haunted castles in the United Kingdom, Craig Y Nos, learned the darkest secrets of a powerful medium. As a writer, what better fodder than the paranormal for the question, “What if?”

In DARK MATTER, the second book in the “Eye” series (Hope you all gave THE COLLECTOR a try!), the characters literally sucked me into writing their story. How could I ignore beautiful, but evil, psychic twins? Or fail to bring to life the romance between a homicide detective falling for a psychic artist? And then there’s the dynamic FBI agent stealing a psychic artifact to save her autistic brother. These are the kinds of characters that light a fire in a writer’s belly to turn that computer on! I only hope I did justice to their stories. Enjoy!

Cameron

Dark Matter

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Michele Hauf’s Vampire Tale with a Twist

July 2, 2008

Author Michele Hauf has put a twist on the usual paranormal story in her latest book from Silhouette Nocturne , His Forgotten Forever: her hero has forgotten that he’s a vampire! Michele talks about just what could go wrong when a vampire has amnesia…

By Michele Hauf, author of His Forgotten Forever

An amnesiac vampire?

Wouldn’t it be a surprise — if you were the one with amnesia — and suddenly got back the memory that, in order to survive, you must drink the blood from humans. Yikes!

I had to do this to my latest hero, Truvin Stone. Torture him by taking away his memory, then giving it back to him after he’d tasted how good life could be. You see, Truvin was the villain in the previous novel in the Bewitching The Dark series, KISS ME DEADLY. I fell in love with him in that story, despite his evil ways, and knew I had to write his story. Hey, beneath every bad boy is a misunderstood man waiting for rescue. But salvation can never come without a little suffering! :-)

There are many stories about amnesia on the bookshelves. I do like a good ole ’so that’s who I used to be?’ story. But I think a lot of times, we look at the whole phenomenon of amnesia from a tainted perspective. We know our memories. So we know what we’d miss.

This is what interests me most about amnesia: If you no longer have your memories, then you don’t know what to miss. You don’t remember having a family. So why would you pine to know if you had one? Well, sure, you’d wonder, but it wouldn’t be a relentless need to know. Same with having had a lover or husband or wife. Unless you’ve a wedding band on your finger, your first thought is not going to be for who is missing from your life. It is a concept that wouldn’t even occur to you. You don’t know what your career used to be, so worrying about what work you’re missing isn’t an issue, either. You’re simply trying to navigate in a world without ties, no bank account (or no idea where that account is), perhaps no home, and certainly no friends.

You can absolutely begin anew if you are not wondering over past issues. It’s stepping forward into a new world. A very unsure and dangerous step, to be sure. You don’t know what you’ve done in the past, so who knows what nefarious creatures or bad deeds will rise again to force you to want to learn what you were once like.

So back to Truvin. He knows he’s lost all memory of his life, yet not the world about him. This is easy to accept because he doesn’t know to angst over what he cannot know is missing. He begins to move ahead. Yet, the scent of blood troubles him. Rather, it attracts him. And then there are the witches chasing him. And the priest who forcefully baptized him. Yeah, you read that one right. Truvin has no clue why anyone would want to baptize him. But when he discovers the truth? This vampire had better get his memory back – fast — before all the misdeeds of his past kill him.

~Michele

Read the first chapter of HIS FORGOTTEN FOREVER at Michele’s website!

His Forgotten Forever

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