Author Interview: Destiny Forgiven by Leia Shaw

Destiny Forgiven
Shadows of Destiny Book 5
by Leia Shaw


An Interview with Leia Shaw:
Leia, welcome and thanks for taking the time to talk with us at Paranormal Romance Fans for life. We look forward to knowing a little something about you, so our first question is: Where are you from and from where/who did your love for writing come from?

L.S. I’m from Connecticut. I’m not sure where my love of writing came from. I do credit my grandmother a lot because, though she wasn’t a writer, she encouraged me. Every time I wrote a poem or showed her a story, she’d say “you have such a way with words.” And she wasn’t the type to BS people either so I knew it was genuine and it kept me writing.

Can you say that your journey to publication was difficult? If so, what were the hardest moments to get through?

L.S. I self-published my paranormal series and it was very difficult. The hardest parts were dealing with the formatting requirements. Very frustrating. Just when you think it finally looks the way you want it to, and you spend hours poring over every last detail to make it right for the distributer, then you view it on your kindle and there’s no indents! Grr! I’ve almost launched my laptop across the room several times. Lol.

How do you overcome i-suck-at-this, that little voice in your head that tells you your writing isn’t good enough?

L.S. I punch it in the face! No, really. We all have doubts and insecurities. There have been moments 
when writing my new release, Destiny Forgiven, I’ve whined to my close writer friends, “This books sucks! I suck as a writer and a person and I should just give up now and stick to writing a diary!” But ultimately, I know that if I didn’t write, I wouldn’t feel whole. So I tell myself to shut up and quit having a pity party and just keep going. By the way, the book doesn’t really suck. Lol.

What is your dream vacation?

L.S. Okay, I’m going to admit how much of a geek I am right now but you won’t laugh at me too much, right? I’d probably do the Lord of the Rings tour in New Zealand.

Describe your writing style in five words.

L.S. Fast-moving, funny, adventurous, poignant, and… sexy?

What movies are you currently excited to see?

L.S. Movies? You mean there are things I could be doing other than writing and chasing my wild kids 
around?

What are you currently reading?

L.S. Reading? You mean there are things I could be doing other than writing and chasing my wild kids around?

If you weren’t a writer, what other careers would you pursue?

L.S. Stand-up comedian. I’m not saying I’d be good at it, but I love making people laugh. I can say my day was successful if I made just one person have a good hearty laugh.

If you could create a holiday of your own, what would it be called?

L.S. Uhh. Leia is Awesome Day of course.

For people who haven’t read your novel, how would you summarize the plot?

L.S. Maddox, a sorcerer, used to be a sweet, charming sorcerer in love with his childhood sweetheart, 
Felicity, a shifter. They were separated just into adulthood and Maddox disappeared. Felicity, thinking he was dead, moved on to become a rebel leader against the sorcerers who are trying to oppress her people. She ends up getting captured and brought for interrogation in their prison. That’s where she meets Inkman. 
Inkman is her bald, covered in tattooed torturer who has the same eyes as her Maddox. But he doesn’t remember her. This Maddox is cold and cruel and probably going to kill her. Now she has to race against the clock to make him remember who he was. 

What are two of your pet-peeves?

L.S. Bad breath and people who are fake.

To you, what makes a good story?

L.S. Dynamic characters. I have to connect with the characters. I have to feel something for them, 
even if it’s hate. A blah hero or heroine will make me close the book.

What usually turns you off about a story?

L.S. An enormous amount of detail. Long paragraphs of narration will make me skip ahead or maybe 
put the book down.

If you could collaborate with any author, who would you choose, and why?

L.S. Kresley Cole. She’s my writing idol. I mention her in almost every single interview I do. I’m probably at stalker level now. Lol.

What is on your night stand? 

L.S. Junk. Too much junk to list.

What is your favorite book?

L.S. Gah! So hard to choose yet everybody asks! Probably The Lord of the Rings trilogy. It’s inspiring.

About the Book:
When shifter rebel, Felicity, is thrown into the sorcerer's prison, she meets the legendary torturer known as Inkman. The menacing guard with the gruesome tattoos is almost unrecognizable, but she could never forget her childhood sweetheart, Maddox Blackwell.
But he has no memory of her. Brainwashed and broken, his human emotions have been destroyed, 
leaving him bereft, without an identity. Now only darkness remains. As she fights to make him remember their past, forgotten feelings reignite. Love was once a breath away. Can she save him before he must take that final step and execute her?

Amazon | BN

About the Author:
Leia Shaw is the bestselling author of the paranormal romance series, Shadows of Destiny. Thinking up fae politics, plotting dragon power games, and calculating how fast werewolves can change forms has given her a way to express those dark places in her mind. More recently, she's branched out into the erotic world and has co-written several humorous but heartwarming contemporary BDSM romances, 31 Flavors of Kink and the Badass Brats series.
Leia lives in New England with her husband and two kids. Though she will go to her grave denying it, her husband insists she would be thrilled if he suddenly sprouted fangs.

Author Contacts:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Book Spotlight: Love, Eternally by Morgan O'Neill

Love, Eternally
by Morgan O'Neill
Book 1 of the Roman Time Travel Series

Genre: Paranormal/Time Travel Romance
Publisher: Crimson Romance

$0.99 Today Only!

Kindle Daily Deal, October 31!

About the Book:

A witch's ancient curse propels talented flutist Gigi Perrin back to A.D. 408, to the court of the depraved Roman Emperor Honorius and his admirable sister, Princess Galla Placidia. There, Gigi grapples with her disbelief about what has happened, and with the strange, new world of violent politics, social upheaval, and Visigoth barbarians straining at the very gates of an empire. Through it all, she must struggle with her powerful attraction to a pagan senator and military commander, Quintus Magnus, a man exotically different from anyone she has ever known. On the brink of a dark and war-torn age, Gigi joins forces with Magnus, battling to save a princess and her people, and ultimately finding love amid the chaos, before the fall of Rome.

**LOVE, ETERNALLY received a double finalist win in the 2013 Booksellers' Best Awards Contest in the Paranormal category and the Best First Book category. 

Morgan O'Neill had a Semifinalist win in the 2011 William Faulkner-William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition for After the Fall (later published as two novels - Love, Eternally and After the Fall)!




About the Authors:

A chance meeting at a writers' conference brought Cary Morgan Frates and Deborah O'Neill Cordes together, two award-winning authors who connected because of a mutual love of time travel fiction. Collaboration ensued, the search for a pen name the first step in their working relationship. Their maiden names provided the solution - and "Morgan O'Neill" was born.

Cary and Deborah's backgrounds are uniquely suited to writing stories steeped in atmosphere and history: Deborah has a Master's Degree in history and is a dedicated genealogist; Cary is a talented linguist in French and is currently a student of Latin. They've traveled to Europe's ancient and medieval sites many times, with Cary living on the Continent for five years.

The Morgan O'Neill time travel novels have received a number of literary awards, including two finalist wins in the Booksellers' Best Awards, two semifinalist wins in the William Faulkner-William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition, first, second, and third place wins for the Mainstream Novel with Strong Romantic Elements category of the Golden Rose Contest, a top ten finalist award in the Pacific Northwest Writers' Conference Zola Awards Literary Contest, and a top ten finalist win in the Orange Rose Contest.

Author Contacts:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

Book Review: Fall of Darkness by Elle Bright

Fall of Darkness
Book 1, The Darkness Chronicles
by Elle Bright

Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Create Space
Release Date: July 5, 2013

About the Book:
One woman, the fate of the world in her unknowing hands. One man, sworn to destroy her. A love so strong it defies nature. In a world of obsession, deception & betrayal, the line between good and evil fades, but one truth remains absolute. Darkness must fall.

For centuries, werewolf, Dominic Ridolfi, has battled the demons of the night, upholding the sacred pact to protect man from vampires. Yet when sent to destroy the long-lost Cacciatori heiress, a vampire prophesied to free her kind from the curse of darkness, he finds himself reluctant to complete his task. The innocent beauty awakens his humanity and Dominic finds himself not in the role of assassin, but savior. 

Swept away in a whirlwind romance, Kate loses herself in Dominic’s mysterious world of opulence and seduction. But Dominic has a secret. He knows the truth about Kate’s past, and her future, truths with the power to destroy them both. Only in her dreams does Kate sense the growing darkness within. Dominic saved her once, but can she save herself from the darkness within?

Discretion advised, contains some adult content.

Our Review:

Fall of Darkness is a great read. The writing is clear, descriptive, and pulls the reader in from the first moments. Full of light, hope and humor in the beginning, this story quickly turns dark and (perhaps) hopeless. The heroine, Kate Murdock, is compelled to live in a world not only not of her choosing, but anathema to the very basis upon which she has built her life. Despite the horror Kate’s life has become, she finds a way to hold onto the precious, although battered remnants of her human nature. 

Throughout, this reviewer remained hopeful and cheered Kate on, but my fists were bunched and my anxiety level was off the charts.

The only downside of this story is that I will have to wait for the sequel to find out what happens, but there is no doubt I will be waiting, anxiously if not patiently. Very well done.

-Cary Morgan Frates

Amazon | BN 

About the Author:
Elle Bright grew up in Layton, Utah. Elle currently resides in San Diego, California, with her husband, their three children, and their border collie. Elle graduated from Grand Canyon University with her Bachelor's of Science in Nursing. As a practicing Registered Nurse, Elle specializes in Pediatrics, Neonatal Intensive Care, and Emergency Medicine. Fall of Darkness is Elle's first published novel. She is currently working on Dark Redemption, the second installment in The Darkness Chronicles. Elle is a proud member of the Romance Writers of America.


Author Contacts:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Blog

Book Spotlight and Giveaway: Bad Cop by Angela McCallister

Bad Cop

by Angela McCallister

Release Date: 10/28/13
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Vampires
Publisher: Entangled Covet


Giveaway Info: New Kindle Fire HD or $139 GC
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Description:
A cop who tosses the rulebooks to get his way…
Vampire Ian McCready doesn’t care for Alice Capshaw’s opinions about his version of justice. Her humanity makes her off-limits, but that does nothing to lessen his overwhelming desire for her. To Alice, Ian is just another bad cop as detestable as the one who destroyed her family. She’s attracted to him, yes, but he threatened his way into her agency’s murder case and has too many secrets.When a new case resurrects ghosts Ian believed long dead and buried, his law-bending ways might result in his execution. The second Alice becomes a target, his cold heart flares into blinding existence. But following the law for her sake may end with devastating results.


Excerpt:
“Hey.”
Whipping around, she aimed a canister squarely at his…chest. The canister lifted to eye level before she recognized him and startled, her lips parting on a gasp.
“Are you haunting me already?” she asked. He fought back a laugh at the exasperation in her tone. “I said we’d work together on it. No need for creepy stalking.”
He couldn’t hold back. The laugh escaped as he raised his hands in the universal sign of surrender. “Don’t shoot.”
She eyed the canister as if she’d forgotten it was in her hand. “Oh.” Tucking it away in her purse, she turned the way she’d been heading and started walking. He kept pace beside her. “I wasn’t stalking. Yet.”
He glanced at her in time to catch a flash of her pretty smile. “I live in Belltown. Sort of.”
“Meaning?” Her eyes flickered over to him, punching into him midchest every time they did.
“Temporary housing when I’m working in town. I actually live in Graham.”
She stopped walking to stare outright. “I never would have guessed."
Catching her hand, he tugged her forward again with a wary glance at the lightening sky. “Why so? Is it that hard to see me in cowboy boots?”
“No. Uhm…yes.” She studied their joined hands for several beats before carefully extricating hers.
“I’m a rural kind of guy.” He shook his head. “But I draw the line at the Stetson. It’s a baseball cap for me.”
“Now that, I can see.” Her laugh was sweetly melodic and appeared to take her by surprise. A giddy sensation skated along his nerves. “I’m right up here.” She gestured toward a fairly dilapidated apartment building, and her lingering smile took a wry turn. “I know. It’s not much, but it’s affordable. It even has a doorman.”
He followed her gaze. A fat, blue-haired cat with a sour expression, ears back and all, lounged at the top step leading into the building. “He seems intimidating enough.”
“She is quite the guardian angel.”
He grinned again, his cheeks protesting the unaccustomed happy shit going on since he’d met her. “Speaking of guardian angel, you handled yourself pretty damn well back there.”
“No, I handled them. A girl has to defend herself.”
“That she does,” he said. An uncomfortable burning sensation spread over his skin, and his eyes again went to the sky. “Damn. I have to go.”
“Oh. Wait!” She stepped closer, and that kicked feeling struck his chest again. He rubbed at it absently through his T-shirt. “Can I meet you tonight?” She did her lip-biting thing again, making his mouth water. “I mean…about the case?”
“Of course. I’ll come to the VLO as soon as I’m able.”
“You’ll come to the VLO?” Her disbelief caught him off guard.
“Why not?” His brow furrowed. “I’ve been there plenty to work on rogue cases.”
A shake of her head sent a stray lock of hair over her eye. She tucked it behind her ear and then ignored it when it slid right back where it had been. His fingers tingled with the urge to run through the silk of it.
“I’ve just never seen you there.”
“So I would have caught your eye?” He couldn’t help teasing. The hazy, rising light revealed a deepening blush on her cheeks, which sent a ripple of pleasure through him.
She scoffed, but couldn’t meet his gaze. “Hardly.”
“I’m usually on the second floor with the investigators.” He had let her off the hook. What was 
wrong with him? Sun-addled. He had to be. And he’d best get the hell out of Dodge before he couldn’t drag himself home. As it was, he’d have to flash to make it to safety. “Tonight then.”

About the Author:

Angela McCallister has always wanted to grow up to be someone who would never grow up, and lucky her, that’s exactly what she’s done. Nothing says adventurous more than being a career US Navy Sailor with an imagination wild enough to create stories and characters with a paranormal bite. A mother of five, she’s gained plenty of story ideas from her family as well as her military experience.

Angela is very laid-back and happy to try just about anything once, from skydiving, sailing, slacklining, Aikido, and even hang-gliding--as long as she doesn't have to subject anyone to her "singing" or make an appearance in a bikini. Like all authors, she's crazy for books, especially Romance, and will talk about them for days. She's currently stationed at Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu in California where she can be spoiled with some of the best weather in the country. With such platforms as an aircraft carrier, an amphibious ship, and an Aegis destroyer, and duty stations in Illinois, Washington, Hawaii, and California, her experiences vary widely. She's visited Thailand (a favorite), Bahrain, Dubai, Jebel Ali, Hong Kong, Guam, Canada, Mexico, and Singapore. She's a member of RWA San Diego, From the Heart Romance Writers, and Rose City Romance Writers and especially loves to hear from and meet readers and fellow authors.

Author Contacts: 
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Book Spotlight: Chasing Victory

Chasing Victory is my debut novel which was recently released at the end of March. It is a paranormal, romantic suspense and the first book in The Winters Sisters Series. There is a thread that runs through this series, and that is to portray my love of the Doberman. I have owned and loved this amazing breed for thirty years and truly believe they are a breed unto themselves. Their intelligence, commitment, dedication, tenacity, and unconditional love can only be experienced by living with this great animal.

As I began writing my first draft of Chasing Victory, Dax weighed heavily on my mind. It was that moment I decided dobermans would be part of the Winters sisters family and each sister would have their own dog.  

The Doberman on the cover of Chasing Victory is Dax. The picture was taken over ten years ago by my friend Denise. Dax and my husband, Ralph were a team unto themselves --   

 

Am/Int'l Ch. Starlaine's Virtual Reality, CD, NA, NAJ, ROM

‘DAX’

1995 – 2002

In the year of acquiring his Companion Dog title (CD), Dax was the Doberman Pinscher Club of America’s (DPCA), Highest Scoring Dog earning a CD and placed first in his class at the DPCA National. He also placed first in his class in agility at the DPCA National. He was the first in his litter to achieve an AKC breed championship, and the first to be awarded a DPCA Register of Merit. In 2001 Dax was tied for the number 3 Novice Doberman in the US for Agility in Front and Finish Magazine. Two months after we lost him, we learned that he was rated number 6 doberman in AKC Novice Agility.

 

About JoAnne Jaytanie:

Joanne was born and raised in Sherburne, New York, a quaint village surrounded by dairy farms and rolling hills. From the moment she could read she wanted to explore the world. During her college years she slowly crept across the country, stopping along the way in Oklahoma, California, and finally Washington State, which she now proudly calls home. She lives with her husband and Dobermans, in their home located on the Kitsap Peninsula with a panoramic view of the Olympic Mountains.

Joanne writes paranormal, romantic suspense. She loves writing about the twists and turns of her character’s lives and the trouble they find themselves involved in, coupled with building an everlasting relationship. She enjoys a wide variety of books including paranormal, suspense, thriller, and most of all romance.

Joanne is a member of Romance Writers of America, and an active member of Debbie Macomber’s home chapter, Peninsula Romance Writers, where she currently serves as the President.

 

Find JoAnne Jaytanie:

Website | Facebook | Blog | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

Links to Purchase Chasing Victory:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Chasing Victory, Published by Books To Go Now, March 2013

 

Chasing Victory Blurb:

Doctor Doolittle in female form creates X-Men on steroids. Murder, kidnapping, and blackmail follow as world-renowned geneticist Victory Winters is forced to pursue her research on canine DNA. Victory is kidnapped and taken to a satellite facility of Biotec, owned by a shadow conglomerate known as The Kaleidoscope Group. To her horror she is presented with human test subjects, two military men who have been injected with this foreign DNA.

 Tristan Farraday is a naval officer assigned to a clandestine division of the armed forces, known as SOCOM; Special Operations Command. His primary goal is to expose the players behind a plot to create indestructible soldiers and to secure this research at all costs.

Victory is suspicious and untrusting of Tristan because their initial friendship was built on lies. However, she realizes that in order to save herself and her family she will need his help, and Tristan goes undercover as her research assistant. Working together they fight to save the men injected with the foreign DNA. While inside the Biotec compound Tristan attempts to contact Wyatt telepathically, but is unable to reach him due to a hi-tech security grid. Tristan stumbles upon the fact that Victory has her own telepathic abilities, along with a rare gift of being an amplifier–someone who enhances others’ abilities. Victory is not aware nor does she believe that she possess these abilities. They rebuild their friendship, and as the danger surrounding them escalates, the passion between the two ignites.

Excerpt from Chasing Victory:

“Yeah, well there goes our only real lead.” Tristan hissed while taking in his surroundings, trying to get a read on what had taken place. “There it is again.”

“What?” Wyatt answered.

“Shhh,” Tristan responded. “I’m not talking to you.”

 Flaring his nostrils widely to fill his lungs with the odors surrounding him, Tristan took in several deep breaths, each time filling his lungs more deeply. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. The scent from a person will travel in the wind forming a scent cone; these scents are picked up by bloodhounds, and Tristan. He had caught that same scent while tracking Jeffery through the forest. He knew Jeffery’s scent and that wasn’t the only scent cone he was detecting.

Old Spice and sweat, accompanied with the distinct odor of cigarette smoke still lingered, along with scents that were uniquely human, stress and testosterone. These stenches littered the area, and underneath them all, the strong scent of cordite given off by the gun and the blood soaked ground. It was highly possible that those were the scents of Jeffery’s killers. He turned slightly to his right and picked up another scent cone. It was weak, but it was there. Without thinking he moved with his eyes still closed, off towards the right. Lavender and chamomile. Someone else was here, a woman. By the weakness of her fragrance, Tristan surmised that she could not have been as close to the action. He stood motionless, letting the odors of the ghastly scene penetrate his every pore. He opened his eyes and continued walking, the lavender and chamomile growing stronger with each step. He walked about sixty feet, when he found a patch of bent and broken ferns. It was a small depression, but the lavender-and-chamomile woman had definitely been lying among the ferns. Crouching down into the depression, Tristan looked back to where Jeffery laid. He could barely see Jeffery and he was sure whoever was laying here could not have heard or seen anything, except the gunshot that had ended Jeffery’s life.

Guest Blog: This Ring by Jacqueline Paige

This Ring
by Jacqueline Paige

Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy Romance

Today we have a guest blog by author Jacqueline Paige.

Writing a shorter story is harder than writing a 200 page one.  I didn’t think this was true until I was asked to write a novella.  My first thought was “this will be so easy”.   I was wrong. 

With a longer full length story you have all the time in the world to unravel the plot, get to know the characters…with the shorter ones it’s hard to put it all together so the reader gets the whole picture in a much shorter time frame.

Maybe I’m a bit backwards (maybe???) but trying to write This Ring and keeping it “novella” length was a grueling process for me.  I wanted to explore the characters more and find all the little things about them that you didn’t see.  Bryce’s internal monologues were much, much longer in the pre-edited version. His thoughts alone could have filled endless pages. Then again if I had nothing to do but think for forty years I could fill volumes of notebooks with my thoughts too.

Anytime I want to challenge myself after this I’m going to write a shorter story.

About the Book:

Attempting to pick up the pieces of her life and heart, Emma flees to an isolated cottage on a lake. Not knowing what to do or where to start, she needs time to decide on her new life.
An invisibility curse has given Bryce forty years to reflect on past mistakes. The arrival of an intriguing woman brings him someone to watch, who just might be the first to see him in decades.
Together they may find their chance to live again…

This Ring was previously published in 2011 as one of the stories in the Curses book

Excerpt:

The most fascinating thing began to happen as the sun started to light the world.  It looked as if fog, or mist she supposed, was coming off the ground and shore, moving out over the water.  She sat there in awe, never having seen such a thing in her life.  It was both eerie and breathtaking all at the same time.  For a second she pondered on whether she should run back inside and get her phone to record it—but not knowing how long it would last she sat right where she was.
In no time the lake was covered in a blanket of mist that hovered and swirled just over the water’s surface.  Emma couldn’t take her eyes off the bright white layer over the water.  Birds were oblivious to it being there as some flew from the trees to land among the haze—only to vanish from her sight.  There was something else among the white vapor; she stood to get a better look in the low light, trying to decide what it could be. 
As her eyes focused through the misty dawn glow she dropped the cup to the sand beside her shoes.  It looked like a man; only he wasn’t quite solid looking.  Which, she knew was crazy.  Men didn’t walk out of the water.  She thought maybe he was on a boat that the fog hid, until it swirled clear around him and there was nothing but water beneath his feet. Snapping her mouth shut, she squinted and watched as he came towards the shore.  Having hallucinated more than enough, she turned abruptly and walked back towards the little cottage.  Clearly she still needed a lot more sleep.

Amazon | BN

About the Author:

Jacqueline Paige lives in Ontario in a small town that’s part of the popular Georgian Triangle area.  No one has ever heard of Stayner, so she usually tells people she lives “near Collingwood” and no, she doesn’t ski at Blue Mountain or at all, in fact she’s not even fond of snow.

She began her writing career in 2006 and since her first published works in 2009 she hasn’t stopped. Jacqueline describes her writing as “all things paranormal”, which she has proven is her niche with stories of witches, ghosts, physics and shifters now on the shelves.

When Jacqueline isn’t working at her ‘reality job’ or lost in her writing she spends time with her five children, most of whom are finally able to look after her instead of the other way around.  Together they do random road trips, that usually end up with them lost,  shopping trips where they push every button in the toy aisle, hiking when there’s enough time to escape and bizarre things like creating new daring recipes in the kitchen. She’s a grandmother to four (so far) and looks forward to corrupting many more in the years to come.

Author Contacts:

Website | Blog |  Blog 

Author Interview & Giveaway: Loup-Garou for You by Katalina Leon

Loup-Garou For You
Voodoo Bayou
Book 2
by Katalina Leon
 
Genre: Paranormal erotic romance, shifters, time-travel, historical.
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave Publishing
Date of Publication: September 27^th 2013.

Ellora’s Cave | Amazon

Tourwide Giveaway - $30 Amazon Gift Card! 
Rafflecopter giveaway

Our Interview with Katalina Leon:

Welcome to Paranormal Romance Fans for Life, Katalina. First of all, can you tell us where you are from and where/who did your love for writing come from?

Katalina Leon: I was born in Los Angeles. I got my love of reading from my mother, who was a voracious reader and loved a little of everything. Her book stack looked like it belonged to four very different people. When I was a kid she would randomly read aloud a passage from a book that she thought was interesting. Around the age of five, I have a vivid memory of her reading aloud from Jacqueline Susann’s Valley of the Dolls. There was no adult content, it was a melodramatic scene with Neely, and I just loved it. A few years later when I was about twelve I stole that same battered paperback and read the book in secret.

PRFL: Can you say that your journey to publication was difficult? If so, what were the hardest moments to get through?

Katalina Leon: My journey to publication was a pleasant surprise. I submitted a short story to Ellora’s Cave and it got contracted. I was a lucky beginner and I didn’t know what the hell I was doing. The hard part came afterward when I realized how much I didn’t know.

PRFL: How do you overcome i-suck-at this, that little voice in your head that tells you your writing isn’t good enough?

Katalina Leon: Cross my heart this is true, the little voice in my head is never cruel or critical. Self-criticism isn’t helpful—it’s paralyzing. When I know I need to face a steep learning curve, revisions or a harsh edit, I put my muse in charge. He’s a strong personality and takes nothing personally.

PRFL: What is your dream vacation?

Katalina Leon: This is a “dream vacation ” right? Because I haven’t had a real vacation in a long while. I love to be active and make new friends. Hiking sacred sites or bicycling between vineyards or inns sounds pretty good.

PRFL: Describe your writing style in five words.

Katalina Leon: Colorful, visual, slow burn seduction.

PRFL: What movies are you currently excited to see?

Katalina Leon: I’m a Formula 1 and a Chris Hemsworth fan so I want to see “Rush” and “Thor: The Dark World”.  

PRFL: What are you currently reading?

Katalina Leon: I’m reading the Gaslight anthology: Queen Victoria’s Book Of Spells from Tor Press. A great Halloween season read.

PRFL: If you weren’t a writer, what other careers would you pursue?

Katalina Leon: I’d be a painter or a teacher.

PRFL: If you could create a holiday of your own, what would it be called?

Katalina Leon: How about Happy Hallo New Year? Grown women get to trick or treat door to door collecting gift cards for places and things they love, or get handed a bag of chocolate truffles. Does that sound fun?

PRFL: For people who haven’t read your novel, how would you summarize the plot?

Katalina Leon: I would summarize “Loup-Garou For You” as a self-discovery adventure. Aubert Marston wakes up one morning and discovers he’s so much more than he ever suspected. Not only is he a wolf-shifter he’s also capable of opening his heart and giving into love at first sight without reservation.

PRFL: What are your pet-peeves?

Katalina Leon: I just got rear ended at a red light by a guy who was texting, so I’d say people who text and drive need to cool it.

PRFL: To you, what makes a good story?

Katalina Leon: A story that gets me emotionally involved and teaches me something about life is a great story.

PRFL: What usually turns you off about a story?

Katalina Leon: Throwaway dialog is a turn off. 

PRFL: If you could collaborate with any author, who would you choose, and why?

Katalina Leon: She passed away in 1999 but Fantasy-Sci-fi author Marion Zimmer Bradley would be someone I’d be honored to collaborate with and learn from. Reading her masterpiece The Mists Of Avalon was one of the pivotal experiences of my youth.

PRFL: What is on your night stand?

Katalina Leon: I have a round leather hatbox filled with naughty stuff on my nightstand. I don’t read in bed.  

PRFL: What is your favorite book?

Katalina Leon: I change my mind everyday. Lately, I’m mighty impressed with George Orwell’s 1984. It’s so powerfully written. I recently reread it and thought wow there’s a lot to learn.

Thank you so much for stopping by, Katalina. We enjoyed our time with you, and much good luck with Loup-Garou for You.

Book Description:
Bayou Country, 1834. Aubert Marston awakens on the eve of his twenty-seventh birthday to discover he’s undergone some disturbing physical changes. His body is bigger, stronger and hairier than it’s ever been, and burns with the lust of a beast. To make matters worse, a hundred guests are about to arrive for the plantation’s annual ball.
A mysterious young woman named Corrine appears in his home, temping Aubert to unleash the inner lycan, and family secrets from a medieval past surface. Corrine lures Aubert to a bayou camp of Cajun Loup-Garous—werewolves, But Aubert’s wealth and good looks are no advantage here. He must surrender to his feral nature and fight tooth and claw against another male pack member to claim Corrine as his own.
 
Inside Scoop:  This story contains mild bondage, southern hospitality, consensual sexual torment, f/f, m/m, anal play, cage fighting and unfettered animal lust. Enjoy!A Romantica® historical paranormal erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave



About the Author Katalina Leon:
I’m an artist, an author, mother and wife. I write for Ellora’s Cave, Loose Id Publishing and a couple new publishers to be announced soon. I try to bring a touch of the mystical and a big sense of adventure to everything I write because I believe there’s a bold, kick-ass heroine inside all of us who wants to take a wild ride with a strong worthy hero.


Author Contacts:
Website | Pinterest | Facebook | Ellora’s Cave | Loose Id | Amazon | Night Owl Reviews Author Page  a 

Trick or Treat Hop & Spotlight:Black and Blue by Gena Showalter

BLACK AND BLUE

Otherworld Assassins, #2

by Gena Showalter

HALLOWEEN HOP INSTRUCTIONS AND RULES:

Thank you for joining in Gena Showalter's BLACK AND BLUE Trick or Treat Halloween Hop! The instructions and rules are easy!

1)  Every day there will be 3 - 6 participating blogs.  In order to enter the giveaway you must "Trick or Treat" at the participating blogs, see which candy the blog has posted and then enter the name of that candy into the Rafflecopter widget. 

2)  There is ONE MANDATORY blog PER DAY.  In order to enter the giveaway, you must visit the mandatory blog of the day.  You will receive 10 points for each mandatory blog entry.

3)  Once you visit the mandatory blog of the day, you then have the choice of gaining extra points by visiting the "Optional" blogs for that day.  You will get an extra 5 points for each optional blog you visit.  Once you visit each blog, write down the candy you found at each blog and be sure to enter it into the Rafflecopter widget to get your points.

TOUR GIVEAWAY PRIZES:

At the end of the tour Gena will pick THREE (3) winners to receive:

GRAND PRIZE:  $100.00 gift card to Amazon

RUNNERS-UP:  TWO (2) winners will each get an autographed copy of BLACK AND BLUE and some SWAG from Gena.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FOR THE COMPLETE HOP SCHEDULE OF ALL PARTICIPATING BLOGS CLICK HERE:

About the Book:

HE IS EVERY WOMAN’S FANTASY . . . 

Corbin Blue is a man of many talents. One of the most powerful otherworlders ever born, he is wealthy, a professional football star, and a legend in the bedroom. But only a select few know he is also a black ops agent . . . and there is no better killer. When he and his crew are attacked and separated, he’s forced to turn to his boss’s daughter for help—a woman with even more secrets than Blue. 

SHE BECOMES HIS ONLY OBSESSION . . . 

Evangeline Black has always been wary, guarded. No man has ever breached her walls. Until Blue. He has never been denied something he wants, and now he’s decided he wants her. As he sweeps her into his double life of seduction, intrigue, and danger, he helps her see beyond the darkness of her past. But as an enemy closes in, Blue will have to let Evie go to keep her safe—even though he’d rather die than live without her. . . .

Pre-order:

Amazon | Kindle | Barnes | Nook | BAM | S&S | Indie Bound | iBookstore

About the Author:

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of the White Rabbit Chronicles, Otherworld Assassins, Angels of the Dark, Lords of the Underworld, and several of other series.  She has written over thirty novels and novellas.  Her books have appeared in Cosmopolitan and Seventeen magazine, and have been translated in multiple languages.  

Author Contacts:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads