Please welcome Lucy King to the virtual offices! Lucy is here to chat about her latest, One More Sleepless Night!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Lucy King] Voracious reader, erratic writer, ace procrastinator. Mother of two, sun-loving Hispanophile. Avid list-maker yet perplexingly inefficient.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about One More Sleepless Night?

[Lucy King] One More Sleepless Night is the story of Nicky Sinclair, a photojournalist who, following a nasty incident in the Middle East, is suffering from PTSD and burnout. On the recommendation of a friend she heads to Spain for some lovely peaceful R&R, only to discover that she has to share her retreat with Rafael Montero, a man who, being after solitude, peace and quiet and a break from women, does not feel inclined to babysit a house guest. Throw in a nightmare or two, scorching summer heat and a ferocious one-sided attraction, and things become far from restful!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Lucy King] By the time the story’s finished, it’s generally undergone so many twists and turns that its origins fade into the mists of time and thousands of deleted words. That’s certainly the case for this story, although what I can remember is that I’d always wanted to set a story in south west Spain, where I live, and write about a dark brooding Spaniard (which had nothing to do with the desire to endlessly Google Antonio Banderas, absolutely nothing at all). A heroine with PTSD was just someone I think I thought sounded interesting.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Nicky?

[Lucy King] Ex-thrill-seeker. Burnt-out basket-case.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If Rafael had a theme song, what would it be?

[Lucy King] That’s a tricky one as I’m hopeless with songs and who sang them. I did rack my brains, but couldn’t come up with anything. However if there’s a song out there about being a loner, believing you’re emotionally unreliable, and having a tendency to stick your head in the sand, then that would be it.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name one thing Nicky is never without.

[Lucy King] Her hi-spec digital camera.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things will you never find in Rafael’s bathroom?

[Lucy King] Moisturiser. Hair gel. Waxing strips.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is Nicky’s greatest regret?

[Lucy King] As she’s always lived life to the max Nicky doesn’t believe in regrets – or at least she didn’t before she became such a mess. Now, though, she regrets pretty much everything.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Lucy King] The voices in my head…

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?

[Lucy King] A computer and a clear head. Coffee’s a bonus, as is my iPod which I find helps to block out the distracting sounds of every day life. In order to write like the wind though, all I need is a looming deadline.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[Lucy King] Recently I’ve read Rules of Civility by Amor Towles and The Hopeless Life of Charlie Summers by Paul Torday and loved both, but the one that springs to mind and kept me up til dawn is Before I Go to Sleep by SJ Watson. Original and spine-tingling.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[Lucy King] I spent most of my childhood with my head in a book, devouring anything I could get my hands on. Enid Blyton was a favourite (The Enchanted Wood, Malory Towers, the Famous Five…) so it was probably one by her.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Lucy King] In my dreams I lie on the sofa reading and catching up on TV shows, or go out with friends and dance til dawn. In reality, however, toddlers don’t think much of people lying on the sofa relaxing and they don’t have much sympathy for the tiredness that staying up all night results in, so I generally find myself entertaining the children, cooking for the children and clearing up after the children, while studiously ignoring the piles of paperwork building up.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[Lucy King] I’m such a remiss blogger that I’ve kind of given up on that. However, I do Tweet from time to time (@lucy_king) and can be found wittering away on Facebook (www.facebook.com/lucykingbooks). Then there’s my website www.lucykingbooks.com and lastly, email info@lucykingbooks.com. I love hearing from readers, so please do get in touch.

Thank you for having me here!

[Manga Maniac Cafe]  Thank you!

Purchase links:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-more-sleepless-night-lucy-king/1113824118?ean=9781460312377

About the book:

About the author:

Lucy King spent her formative years lost in the world of romance novels when she really ought to have been paying attention to her teachers. Up against sparkling heroines, gorgeous heroes and the magic of falling in love, trigonometry and ablative absolutes didn’t stand a chance.

But as she couldn’t live in a dream world forever, she eventually acquired a degree in languages and an eclectic collection of jobs. A stroll to the River Thames one Saturday morning led her to her very own hero. The minute she laid eyes on the hunky rower getting out of a boat, clad only in Lycra and carrying a three metre oar as if it was a toothpick, she knew she’d met the man she was going to marry. Luckily the rower thought the same.

She’ll always be grateful to whatever it was that made her stop dithering and actually sit down to type Chapter One, because dreaming up her own sparkling heroines and gorgeous heroes is pretty much her idea of the perfect job.

Originally a Londoner, Lucy now lives in Spain, where she spends much of the time reading, failing to finish cryptic crosswords and trying to convince herself that lying on the beach really is the best way to work.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Angela McCallister] Sometimes geeky, sometimes funny, sometimes serious. Loves family, good friends, good food, books, romance, and dark humor.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about Bad Mouth?

[Angela McCallister] A human with a vampire grudge is forced to work with a human-hating vampire prince to solve a chain of vampire-on-human murders. Their attraction is shocking, but they won’t let that get in the way of their prejudice—until close proximity reveals what lies beneath their racial allegiances. The trouble is some of the murders were committed with Kade’s blessing, and if Val learns of it, there’d be more hell to pay than with just his life. She could tip the delicate balance between the vampire castes and bring on a war like none before. If race weren’t enough, his dark secrets ensure the growing connection between them is doomed.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Angela McCallister] I listened to Bad Mouth by indie band Fugazi, a song I’d heard many times over, but one day it struck me the title would be great for a vampire story. I found out there were no books by that name so I had to write one, lol. As I always do, I began with the characters. What was the worst pairing possible? A human-hating vampire and a vampire-loathing human, of course. To complicate their relationship, he had to be involved in some bad stuff that validated her opinion of vampires. Kade had to have proof humans deserved his antipathy, thus he gets to deal with some bad humans. I compounded that with a very touchy situation within Kade’s two-caste vampire society, a quite insane pair of vampires (his parents) as the head of the society, an opportunistic gang of Slavers, and societal protocols that bind their decisions tighter than a gnat’s behind. Heh, the relationship may be the easy part in all of this.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Valerie?

[Angela McCallister] Determined. Courageous. Virtuous.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If Kade had a theme song, what would it be?

[Angela McCallister] Unequivocally, it is Demons by Imagine Dragons. Every. Darn. Word. I can’t even pick a key phrase from the lyrics without posting most of the song. Google the lyrics, but I warn you, you’ll want to hear the song and then you’ll want to download it. It’s beautiful and tortured and very Kade.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name one thing Valerie is never without.

[Angela McCallister] Her pepper spray, lol. Her assistant, Alice, talks her into carrying a gun with her later for safety, but she’d adopted the pepper spray well before the book begins. Also a habit picked up from Alice

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things will you never find in Kade’s bedroom?

[Angela McCallister] A suit he’s actually worn. He’s a vampire prince, but you’d never know his riches because he’s eternally in a T-shirt and worn jeans. A condom because the only disease vampires succumb to is vesania (a kind of madness) and because pregnancy would have to be intentional in his particular case. Finally, food of any sort. Vampires may eat if they so choose, but not this prince of vampires.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is Valerie’s greatest regret?

[Angela McCallister] Not being able to save her ex-husband from himself.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Angela McCallister] When I first started as a pre-teen, I read a lot of McCaffrey, Asimov, Heinlein, etc., but I got into a horror phase and devoured Clive Barker, Brian Lumley, Stephen King and the like and then a fantasy phase with Piers Anthony, Robert Jordan, Weis & Hickman. Now, I can’t get enough happy endings so when I re-caught the reading bug on deployment, my favs were Gena Showalter, Kresley Cole, Nalini Singh, Karen Moning, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Christine Feehan. So I’m pretty sure this is why I went the paranormal route first, though that doesn’t mean I don’t have plans for some contemporaries. Guess I was destined to be as eclectic as my reading tastes, lol. Believe it or not, I even had a Louis L’Amour phase, and I’d still love to find a romance version of the Sacketts. Feel free to send suggestions PS—I’ve already devoured every American historical by Pamela Clare, lol.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?

[Angela McCallister] Me, myself, and I. I once “wrote” two-thirds of a novel while driving cross-country from Pensacola to Point Mugu. I jotted it all down on my laptop each night once I got to my hotel.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[Angela McCallister] Tiffany Reisz! I’m dying because she cliffhangered right off the end of The Prince and I neeeed that next book.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[Angela McCallister] Why, Dr. Seuss, of course I got obsessed with reading from the time I could actually do it, and it never ended. I honestly couldn’t say which of the books it was since it was so long ago, but it was definitely one of those vibrant, creative treasures.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Angela McCallister] Outside of writing, reading, and critting? Hmm. If I were to pick something outside of the literary world, I’d say gorging on my addiction to cheesy scifi/horror movies. Surely that must come from my taste in books in high school, lol.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[Angela McCallister] Very easily and in many ways. Check out my website (http://www.angelamccallister.com), my Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/AngMcCallister), my Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/AngelaMcCallisterAuthor), my Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/AngMcCallister), or my Goodreads (http://www.goodreads.com/AngelaMcCallister). I’m also on Linkdin and Google+, but forgive me. I barely know what to do with those *g* Come and visit the Chick Swagger Blog (http://chickswagger.com) where I blog with a very fun, feisty, and talented group of Chicks. I’m on Manic Readers, The Romance Studio, World Lit Café, and I have my author page on Amazon.

It’s been a great pleasure, Julie! Thanks so much for inviting me.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!

Giveaways!!

We have two giveaways today!  First up, Angela is giving away one author-signed paranormal book bundle and one $50 Amazon/Barnes and Noble gift card.

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And next, just fill out the widget below to enter for a chance to win a copy of Bad Mouth. Open Internationally!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Purchase links:

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bad-mouth-angela-mccallister/1115161563?ean=9781622668052

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/bad-mouth/id639380665?mt=11&uo=4

About the book:

About the author:

Angela McCallister is a US Navy Sailor and author of Paranormal Romance repped by the fabulous Nalini Akolekar. Spoiled by the gorgeous weather of Southern California, she spends her days reading and writing whenever she’s lucky enough to be away from work. In fact, she’s never to be found without a book hidden somewhere on her person. Over the past two years, her writing has finaled in multiple RWA writing competitions, and her debut Paranormal Romance, BAD MOUTH, won MERWA’s 2012 Everything But The Kitchen Sink Competition.

Find her on Twitter (https://twitter.com/AngMcCallister), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AngelaMcCallisterAuthor), or on her website (http://angelamccallister.com/).

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

@merriehaskell: author, library paraprofessional; obsessed with herbs, blacksmithing, office supplies, alternate universes, anthropology

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about Handbook for Dragon Slayers?

[Merrie Haskell] It’s a 12th century adventure story that takes place along the Rhine, in which a runaway princess with a clubfoot who joins forces with two dragon slayers-in-training; she runs into the Wild Hunt, an evil knight, and several dragons along the way.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Merrie Haskell] The broadest part of the concept, a girl who writes a handbook for dragon slayers, actually came to me in drips and drabs over the years.  In college, for a history class, I had to read a wonderful book called A Handbook for William, which was a 9th century German woman’s advice for living at court for her son.  The concept of medieval handbooks actually became a bit of an obsession for me at that point.  How on earth do you make something like that exciting in a fiction book, though? Many years later, I ran across the concept of book curses–notices put at the beginning of books that promised dire consequences for book thieves (explored in an interesting book called Anathema: Medieval scribes and the history of book curses).  I’m not entirely sure when dragons wormed their way in there, other than dragons are so much fun.  When I learned Old English in college, the Anglo-Saxons were sort of obsessed with dragons–it was a big insult to call someone a dragon, because you were a hoarder of gold and treasure, the opposite of what a noble and valiant Anglo-Saxon should be.  Being a giver was important–a ring giver, a bread giver.  It’s so the opposite of how we look at dragons now.  So, these three concepts sort of came together, and I found myself scratching out a book curse:

Whosoever steals this book

shall burn in the

fiery conflagration of a DRAGON’S BREATH

and will ALSO LOSE THEIR NOSE

TO PUTREFACTION.

It is advised, therefore,

that you take your nose home intact,

and leave this handbook

for the study of proper DRAGON SLAYERS

It suddenly seemed very clear to me, that a handbook could be very interesting if it were for dragon slayers.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Tilda?

[Merrie Haskell] This is actually something I do while I write: have the main characters and their key character traits written on post-its along my monitor.  Tilda’s said: RESILIENT. 

I would also add either "Dutiful/Rebellious" — this is her main conflict in the book, as she is duty-driven but rebelling against that.

And finally–"Intelligent."

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If Parz had a theme song, what would it be?

[Merrie Haskell] Great question!  I would say it’s probably "Good Life" by OneRepublic.  That song just reeks of Parz–a sort of easy happiness and optimism, combined with the joy of adventure and travel.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name one thing Judith is never without.

[Merrie Haskell] A personal knife to use for eating.  You always had to bring your own knife to dinner in the Middle Ages.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things will you never find in Tilda’s pockets?

[Merrie Haskell] Well, since she lived in an era in which pockets didn’t exist, this list is sort of endless!  But she has a few pouches and purses and things like that, so I’ll say she’d never carry embroidery needles, thread, or any sort of thimble.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is Judith’s greatest regret?

[Merrie Haskell] Judith loves animals, especially baby animals; she comes to regret being a dragon slayer pretty quickly when she realizes that baby dragons are affected!  Otherwise, though, she is not a girl who holds herself back except when prudence demands, so she doesn’t have too terribly many regrets.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Merrie Haskell] I would say learning has the biggest influence on my creativity.  When I’m learning new things, I almost can’t stop the flow of story and character ideas–it just rains down.  The most perfect example of this was recently when I started to learn blacksmithing–knowing that I wanted to write about a blacksmith, of course.  I started seeing the world in the colors of heated metal. I would drive over bridges and think about the wealth of rebar embedded in the concrete beneath me.  I was on a long plane flight with a copy of The Art of Blacksmithing and started to read–in 30 seconds, I had a notebook open next to me as I scribbled scene idea after scene idea, just from reading about the details of the things I had learned in a more hands-on setting.  I think that’s my most perfect learning experience, doing followed up by theory. I am similarly stimulated when I travel or learn languages. I love going to a place and then reading about it in detail.  It feels backward–wouldn’t it be better to learn before you go somewhere?–but I think that gives me preconceptions that aren’t helpful for the stimulation of creativity.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?

[Merrie Haskell] A reasonable night of sleep behind me, a writing tool (pen & paper or computer), and ideally, a notebook or a stack of notecards so I can document the things I don’t want to include in the manuscript.  I have been a creature of ritual and habit from time to time, but so often these things get in my way.  Deadlines which are attached to money have a way of clearing a lot of mental fluff from your process, I’ve found.  I occasionally worry that my process is still too dependent on peripheries (really, a computer AND a notebook?), but whenever I forget the notebook, the process suffers, so I think I really do need it. Jotting notes to myself on the computer helps me very little; the notes just get lost in the shuffle. Having that other thing to look at on the desk beside me while my book is still up on the screen is great. And if I need the physical act of writing with a pen to get me out of my typing-mode brain, it’s right there.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[Merrie Haskell] I couldn’t put down WHEN WE WAKE by Karen Healey, which is about a girl that wakes up from a cryogenic sleep a hundred years after she died and has to deal with all the grief and loss of her old world.  I read most of it during my time on the elliptical trainer at the gym, and it’s incredibly awkward to be brought to tears on an elliptical machine. Other people tend to think you’re having an asthma attack or… who knows.  "Sorry, I’m just reading a very affecting book, go back to your treadmill!"

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[Merrie Haskell] Without a question, it was Little House on the Prairie.  I was starting to read a lot already, but when I got that for Christmas in first grade, and it seemed like such a *large* and important book and then I read it all, all by myself, I not only realized how much I enjoyed reading, but I felt smart and capable (no one else was reading books that big in my first grade class).  The escape of reading and the increase to my self-worth? A combination impossible to escape.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Merrie Haskell] I like to read, of course.  I was a huge YA reader when I was a young adult, and never stopped reading YA along the way. I like TV–my Tumblr is pretty much reblogged gif sets from sitcoms and Avatar: The Last Airbender, and not much else.  Oh, and Revenge.  I dabble in a variety of hobbies, like the aforementioned blacksmithing, gardening, calligraphy, drawing…  

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[Merrie Haskell] I have a Facebook page, but most of the action is on Twitter (@merriehaskell) and my blog (blog.merriehaskell.com).  

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!

You can purchase Handbook for Dragon Slayers and The Princess Curse from your favorite bookseller or buy clicking the links below:

About the book:

About the author

Merrie Haskell grew up half in North Carolina, half in Michigan. She wrote her first story at age seven, and she walked dogs after school to save for her first typewriter. She attended the University of Michigan, where she graduated from the Residential College with a degree in biological anthropology. She works in a library with over 7.5 million volumes.

Her first book, the Middle Grade historical fantasy The Princess Curse, was a Junior Library Guild selection. Her second book is Handbook for Dragon Slayers.  Her short fiction appears in Nature, Asimov’s, and various anthologies. Merrie lives in Saline, Michigan.

Title: Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong

Author: Faith Erin Hicks and Prudence Shen

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

I have to admit that I wasn’t too eager to dive into Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong, and I don’t know why.  I think that the synopsis just didn’t grab my imagination.  A surprise day off due to power issues at work prompted me to pick this up, and I’m glad I did.  This is such a fun read, with plenty of humor to keep the conflict between Charlie and Nate from getting too intense. 

At the beginning of the book, when the cheerleaders were forcing Charlie to run for Student Body President, I just wanted him to tell them to go jump off a cliff.  He gets caught up in an election campaign that he wants nothing to do with, and it is destroying his friendship with Nate.   Nate only wants to win because he’s discovered that the Student Body gets to decide whether funding will be available for the cheerleaders’ new uniforms or his beloved robotics club.  Charlie doesn’t care one way or the other, except that the cheerleaders freak him out.  They are like ninja cheerleaders – they are scary and they get what they want, and what they want are those new uniforms!  As Nate’s war on the cheerleaders, and Charlie, by association, heats up, Nate doesn’t hesitate to pull out all of the stops, and many of the stops are embarrassing to Charlie.  The pony incident when he was little certainly didn’t need to be plastered all over the high school walls for everyone to see!  I enjoyed Nate and Charlie’s friendship, and how they interacted with each other.  Even when they were so pissed that they were driven to pummel each other, it was evident that they didn’t really want to ruin their friendship.  They are so different that they complimented each other, and I thought they made a great team.

When it’s apparent that the election isn’t going to have the desired results, Nate figures out another way for both sides to get what they want.  It requires working together, and the cheerleaders need mucho convincing.  Through all of the negotiations, it’s obvious that Charlie has a lot more on his mind than robots or uniforms.  He’s been having a hard time forgiving his mom for leaving him and his dad and moving to California.  He’s resentful of his dad, too, for never being home.  Charlie has a lot going on, and his way of dealing with his problems is to ignore them.  He is passive aggressive to both parents, and even though he wants to give them a piece of his mind and make them understand where he’s coming from, he just can’t find the words.  Instead, he hangs up on his mom a lot, and then avoids her calls.  I found him a very likable and sympathetic character, and kept hoping he would find the strength and courage to let both of his parents know how badly they had let him down. 

Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong is a fun, humorous read about robots, scary cheerleads, and all of the important relationships in the lives of two unconventional friends.   Friendship is work, especially when you don’t always have the same goals, and this book captured the ins and outs of working through adversity through the magic of spot on prose and expressive illustrations.  Highly recommended.

Grade:  B+ / A-

Review copy provided by publisher

[Manga Maniac Café] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Jessica Day George] Redheaded chocoholic bookworm.

[Manga Maniac Café] What three words best describe Rolf?

[Jessica Day George] Devil-may-care, loyal, tough. (Hyphens make that one word, right?)

[Manga Maniac Café] Name one thing Celie is never without.

[Jessica Day George] Sketching pencils.

[Manga Maniac Café] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[Jessica Day George] River of Stars by Guy Gavriel Kay. I’ve been a huge fan for many years. He just keeps getting better!

[Manga Maniac Café] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[Jessica Day George] It was definitely The Hero and the Crown, by Robin McKinley. I’d never read anything like it, and I swore I would be an author too, when I read it.

[Manga Maniac Café] Thank you!

GIVEAWAY TIME!!

Ready for your chance to win a copy of Wednesdays in the Tower? Just fill out the widget below to enter! US addresses only, please.

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Didn’t win?  Click the links below to purchase Wednesdays in the Tower:

B&N:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wednesdays-in-the-tower-jessica-day-george/1112951651?ean=9781599906454

About the book:

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Amanda Forester]  I am a writer of my two favorite heroes: rugged medieval Highlanders and witty Regency gentlemen. A Wedding in Springtime is my new release!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about A Wedding in Springtime?

[Amanda Forester]  Five minutes into Miss Eugenia Talbot’s presentation at court, notorious rogue Mr. William Grant makes her laugh before the queen, ruining her debut. To hush up the scandal, Genie needs to make a brilliant marriage, and fast.  Genie’s aunt hires a matchmaker to find a suitor—anyone except the infamous William Grant—but amiable Genie shows a disturbing tendency to follow her heart.  When a traitor creeps closer, threatening to ruin more than just her reputation, Genie and Grant are drawn into a dangerous world of deceit and intrigue, where losing their hearts could mean their ultimate undoing.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Amanda Forester]  This series is a little different because I first came up with the secondary characters and then the main heroes came into focus. We meet strong secondary characters through the first two books in the series, who finally have their own story in the third book in the Marriage Mart trilogy. Each book is stand alone though, and Wedding in Springtime has my absolute favorite hero – I adore Grant. He was so much fun to write and would whisper things in my ear that had me laughing out loud!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Eugenia?

[Amanda Forester]  Humorous, Clever, Compassionate

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If William had a theme song, what would it be?

[Amanda Forester]  Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding – at least until he met Eugenia Talbot, then it was I’m a Believer by Smash Mouth.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name one thing Eugenia is never without.

[Amanda Forester]  Her good humor, and a guidebook of London

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things will you never find in William’s bedroom?

[Amanda Forester]  Flowers, Books, Anything resembling a hard day’s work

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is Eugenia’s greatest regret?

[Amanda Forester]  Eugenia is content to live in the present moment without a lot of regrets. However, she does regret laughing before the queen at her presentation.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Amanda Forester]  My two greatest influences for writing Regencies are the two greats, Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. Their captivating plots and insightful wit have kept me entertained and inspired me to write something of the genre myself, only with Napoleonic spies. Not sure where the spies came from…

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?

[Amanda Forester]  Time, quiet, ability to stay awake at the keyboard

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[Amanda Forester]  The Art of Raising a Puppy by the Monks of New Skete. I’m in the process of trying to domesticate a crazy puppy.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[Amanda Forester]  I’m not sure exactly which book, but I’m sure it was written by Dr. Seuss. I think it may have been the classic, HOP ON POP, or possibly my favorite GREEN EGGS AND HAM.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Amanda Forester]  Sleep. No, really, sleeping sounds heavenly right now. When I’m not grabbing a nap I enjoy doing family activities, walking (running after my puppy while hollering her name) the dog, hiking, camping, scrapbooking, and working in the garden. Mostly if I have a free moment I write!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[Amanda Forester]  I love to hear from readers so come visit me at my website, facebook, or twitter.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!

GIVEAWAY TIME!!

Ready for your chance to win a copy of A Wedding in Springtime? Just fill out the widget below.  US addresses only please

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Purchase links:

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wedding-in-springtime-amanda-forester/1112815200?ean=9781402271786

About the book:

About the book:

Excerpt

I ease my hand into Kera’s and lace our fingers together, bringing her deep violet eyes onto me. They sweep over my face, and the edges of her full lips curve upward as if she’s fighting a smile. She sets aside the book and leans close bringing the scent of summer with her. “You scared me to death.”

I love it when she worries about me. When it comes to my life, someone caring enough to worry is sort of a new thing. “You do that all the time to me.” I tug her hand and bring her closer so I can snag a quick kiss.

Kera pushes away, but I don’t let go. The look she throws me is serious. “I’m not kidding, Dylan. You have to be more wary, especially when it comes to creatures like the millispits.”

“I didn’t die.” It’s a reminder that’s kind of obvious.

“Because I saved you.”

“What’s that make? Two for me and one for you?”

She leans back, testing the limits of our reach. “Are you keeping score?”

“No…” I hate getting caught like that, and slowly pull her back toward me, “…it just sounds like I am, but I’m not.”

I pull her right off her chair and onto the bed and on top of me. I bury my face in her hair and breathe deeply. No one smells as good as Kera. “Was anyone else hurt?” I ask even as I place little kisses along her jaw.

She stretches her neck back for me. “Leo received a splinter.”

“Ummm,” I say, enjoying the feel of her skin against my lips. “Will he live?”

“To see Lucinda hover over him after we got back, you would not think so. She very clearly said we were not allowed to take him anywhere without her.”

I twist and flip her onto her back until I’m hovering over her. As seriously as I can, I say, “Lucinda’s crazy. You know that, right?”

“I am aware of a few odd peculiarities that make up her personality.” She brushes my hair back and twirls a piece over my ear. “With that said, she does seem to honestly care for Leo.”

“Like an owner does a pet. But for how long?” I ask, more to myself than to her.

“As long as it pleases her to do so, I imagine.”

I’m not in the mood to dwell on Lucinda and what her agenda might be. All I want is to hold Kera. I nibble just below her ear and she giggles. I love the sound of her laughter. I stop and place my forehead to hers. “And how long will you care for me?”

“My heart would be crushed if I were to never see you again. I would die a thousand deaths every day.”

Are those actual tears in her eyes? “My heart is crushed every time I see you and I can’t kiss you.” I’ve never said a sappier statement, or a truer one.

She places a sweet kiss on my lips. “That rarely happens.”

I kiss her back, and say against her lips, “Because you crave my kisses.”

She laughs and pushes free. Rolling to her feet, she says with a smile, “Because I like to kiss.”

“Me,” I say, popping up on my elbows. “You like to kiss me.”

Her smile widens.

I snatch her hand. She’s adopted wearing a wide, tight leather bracelet on her right wrist. It’s etched and embossed with a swirling pattern that is so Kera, I can’t remember when she didn’t wear it. We do a quick, playful game of tug of war before I yank her back. “Tell me you love me.”

She winds her arms around my neck and smothers my face with tiny kisses. “I love you madly.”

Find Shea Berkley

Website: http://www.sheaberkley.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5009433.Shea_Berkley

The Marked Son (Keepers of Life #1)

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11984884-the-marked-son

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1937044017/

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-marked-son-shea-berkley/1104174158

The Book Depository: http://www.bookdepository.com/Marked-Son-Shea-Berkley/9781620612293

The Fallen Prince (Keepers of Life #2)

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12726078-the-fallen-prince

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Fallen-Prince-Keepers-Life/dp/1620612267/

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-fallen-prince-shea-berkley/1112131026

The Book Depository: http://www.bookdepository.com/Fallen-Prince-Shea-Berkley/9781620612262

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Shoma Narayanan] Love writing, hate deadlines.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about Secrets & Saris?

[Shoma Narayanan] "Secrets and Saris" is about a rather unlikely couple – Shefali, who’s beautiful, charming, and has been recently jilted; and Neil, who’s a young, gorgeous, single father. Shefali moves to a small town to escape the gossip after her fiancé doesn’t turn up for their wedding. Neil runs an award-winning TV show, and chooses the same town to shoot one of the episodes for the show. Sparks fly when they meet each other, and in spite of her vow to steer clear of men, Shefali finds herself more and more drawn to Neil….

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Shoma Narayanan] The idea for the story came up during a visit to Jabalpur, the town where most of the story is set. I thought it would be interesting to explore the reactions of a rather conventionally brought-up, slightly spoilt big-city girl when she’s forced to adapt to small town life. And what happens when she meets a man who seems to have adapted perfectly to his surroundings, but is actually carrying a huge amount of baggage.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Shefali?

[Shoma Narayanan] Beautiful, determined, and just a little spoilt

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If Neil had a theme song, what would it be?

[Shoma Narayanan] Difficult to say

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name one thing Shefali is never without.

[Shoma Narayanan] Her handbag – she carries half her life around in it

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things will you never find in Neil’s bedroom?

[Shoma Narayanan] Cigarettes; a clock; flowers

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is Shefali’s greatest regret?

[Shoma Narayanan] Having blindly followed the plan her parents had chalked out for her without trying to figure out what she wanted for herself

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Shoma Narayanan] The books I’ve read over the last 30+ years, right from the classics to detective fiction, to romance and chick-lit. Even non-fiction is an influence in a way.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?

[Shoma Narayanan] My laptop, my bean bag, and a good night’s sleep. Silence would be good as well, but with two kids I’ve forgotten what its like to have a quiet house.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[Shoma Narayanan] Romance: "The One That Got Away", by Kelly Hunter

Non-romance: "The Rational Optimist"

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[Shoma Narayanan] The first book I ever read – it was called "The Enormous Turnip", and I read it over and over and over again! And "To Kill a Mockingbird", which I read when I was considerably older.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Shoma Narayanan] Reading; various vaguely ‘artistic’ hobbies like painting cartoon character murals on my kids’ walls; sewing, knitting and crochet (the most fun part is bullying the kids into wearing what I’ve made). I work full-time in a bank in addition to writing, so I don’t really get all that much free time

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[Shoma Narayanan] Through Goodreads, or through my Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shoma-Narayanan

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!

Purchase links:

Print version available now, eBook releases June 1

About the book:

Read an excerpt here

Please welcome Robyn Grady to the virtual offices this morning! Robyn is here to chat about The Goddess, and after, she has a digital copy of her new book up for grabs!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Robyn Grady] A little obsessive. Lover of great stories that make me laugh or truly think or cry. Gerard Butler fan. Writer, wife, mother. Going to Greek Isles one day. Please God, soon!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about The Goddess?

[Robyn Grady] The Goddess is true fantasy mixed with “this could happen to you.” Helene is a woman who delayed getting her college degree and is now enjoying a few months free from family expectations to explore the world and find herself. The Aegean twin islands of Teirenias are Helen’s ultimate destination—so much history and incomparable beauty. She feels strangely at home there, perhaps because an ancestor came from around those parts.

When she meets the prince (she almost drops a bucket of paint on his head), tradition is set aside in favor of curiosity, sexual attraction and, ultimately, fate.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Robyn Grady] I’m drawn to a touch of the magical—the unexplained. I also wanted to write a slightly bigger story than my Harlequin reads allow. So I worked on the idea to create a series that focused on couples who should never, ever fall in love, but who are drawn together and then won over by a wider web that incorporates another time and, sometimes, place.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Helene?

[Robyn Grady] Adventurous! Every-day. Committed.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If Darius had a theme song, what would it be?

[Robyn Grady] Private Emotion by Ricky Martin. If you haven’t heard it (or seen the clip), do yourself a favor ? http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xi6ax_ricky-martin-private-emotion_music#.UZP4JdB-9Ms

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name one thing Helene is never without.

[Robyn Grady] Curiosity. If she were an animal, she’d be a tabby cat.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things will you never find in Darius’ bedroom?

[Robyn Grady] A TV remote control.

Bubblegum.

An alarm clock that sounds like a gnarly rooster clearing its lungs.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is Helene’s greatest regret?

[Robyn Grady] That her father passed away so early in her life. He was the person who inspired her adventurous spirit!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Robyn Grady] Authors I love! They make it feel so easy to create vivid images and deep emotions and connections. I read a great book and feel jazzed about diving back into my own WIP.

I also get a heap out of workshops conducted by experts like Michael Hauge, Donald Maass and the Television Writer’s Studio. In February I attended a TWS three day workshop in Melbourne with a friend. Best part was working in a group to create an episode of a smash TV series. Later, some episodes were performed by a group of talented actors. Coming home, I was so charged to write!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?

[Robyn Grady] Well, my trusty laptop. To write lots and fast, I need quiet. (I know some writers need music, but then I just want to sing along.) Most importantly, to write I need characters who are coming to life as I tap away on the keyboard! It’s great when they begin to write their own story.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[Robyn Grady] The other night I downloaded a romance by Claire Baxter – More Than Just One Night. It’s a romance with a younger hero and I enjoyed every single word!

Here’s the link http://www.amazon.com/Night-Selwood-Sisters-Novellas-ebook/dp/B00BKQRDL2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1368521601&sr=1-1&keywords=claire+baxter

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[Robyn Grady]Well, we’d have to go waaaaay back to when I was around eight years old. I can’t remember the story but I remember the title and how I was drawn in, perhaps because of my own position within the sibling dynamic. The Middle Moppet. It opened up a whole other world for me and I ran toward it, arms open wide! I had older sisters so I was reading books like The Exorcist and Carrie (Stephen King) when I was probably too young. But those kinds of books nurtured a fascination for the spooky that I still enjoy. Romance came later ?

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Robyn Grady] We live near the beach on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast (Australia) so I like to walk by the water, lunch at some fabulous cafes on the beach (here’s a great one if you’re ever down this way (http://www.saltwateratkings.com/Home.html), and I bob around in the surf when the water’s warm enough. We also have three daughters ranging from 23 to 11, so a lot of my spare time is taken up with fielding college assignment questions or sixth grade math (not that I can always answer them!) and enjoying family.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[Robyn Grady] I have a website www.robyngrady.com Twitter @robyngrady and Facebook @AuthorRobynGrady.

I also show up on the Entangled authors The Naked Hero blog around the 10th of every month. http://thenakedhero.com/

Thanks so much for the great questions, Julie!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

Ready for a chance to win a copy of The Goddess? Just fill out the widget below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

LINKS

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-goddess-robyn-grady/1115161570

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-goddess/id639380810?mt=11&uo=4

First Chapter Excerpt: http://www.entangledpublishing.com/the-goddess/

ABOUT THE GODDESS

ABOUT ROBYN GRADY

Robyn Grady was first published with Harlequin (Silhouette, New York in 2007 and Mills and Boon, London in 2008). Her books feature regularly on bestsellers lists and at award ceremonies, including The National Readers Choice, The Booksellers Best, Cataromance Reviewers Choice and Australia’s prestigious Romantic Book of the Year.

Recently, she signed a three book deal with Entangled Publishing for her IDOL contemporary romance series.

Robyn lives on Queensland’s beautiful Sunshine Coast with her real life hero husband and three daughters. When she can be dragged away from tapping out her next story, Robyn visits the beach or the theatre. These days she’d rather keep fit reliving her youth and shaking it to Just Dance than pretending to jog

Robyn believes writing romance is the best job on the planet and she loves to hear from her readers.

Find her on Twitter (https://twitter.com/robyngrady), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRobynGrady), or on her website (http://robyngrady.com/).