Character Interview with Elissa from Bewitch

Interview with the sassy wicked witch Elissa from Bewitch by Felicity Heaton

Thank you for having me here today at The Book Nympho as part of my Vampirerotique Winter Tour celebrating the series and my latest release, Bewitch.

Today, I’ll be talking to the heroine of the fifth book in the Vampire Erotic Theatre romance series, the wicked witch Elissa.

Elissa is a witch who spends her life in a large underground fae town beneath a mansion in the English countryside. Skilled in the art of potion making, she sells her products to fae and demon alike, and has taken over her deceased sister's business while she searches for something dear to her.

Elissa is stubborn, sassy, and has learned to hold her own against strong fae and demons, and isn't afraid to use her magic to put a troublemaker into their place or defend herself, and will unleash hell on anyone who dares to hurt someone she loves. She's dedicated to learning more about her abilities, constantly striving to grasp new spells, create new potions, and fulfil her potential. The last thing she wants to do in life is emulate her sister, but when Payne walks into her life, she finds herself drawn to the dark forbidden male.

Read on to find out more about Elissa.

FH: I’m lucky enough to have managed to get Elissa away from Payne for a few minutes, even though we’ve had to hole ourselves up in one of the small rooms at the back of Vampirerotique and are essentially hiding from him. Elissa, it’s great to have you here to talk about your romance in Bewitch. Be a dear and introduce yourselves to our audience.

Elissa: Well, you already know my name, so let’s see... I’m a witch, although I’m not that good yet. I’ve studied hard but I don’t have the natural ability that some witches possess, so it takes me a while to master new techniques and spells.

FH: I think you’re very talented, and I think Payne would say the same. You certainly have him under your spell. You like to focus on helping others, and that’s sort of how you met Payne in the fae town.

Elissa: He was helping me really. It annoyed me when Payne came blazing in like a knight on a white horse coming to save the damsel in distress. I mean, I can handle myself, thank you very much... but it was nice too. It had been a very long time since anyone had taken my side and I’m glad those Rozengard jerks got what they deserved in the end.

FH: They were being rather rude about you, and your sister. It would have annoyed me too if someone had been picking on me like that. I’m glad Payne showed up when he did.

Elissa: Me too... and not only because he helped me out of a bind, but because I had been looking for a solution to a problem for a long time and then it was suddenly right in front of me!

FH: But that problem wasn’t the only reason you decided to convince Payne to stick around. Right?

Elissa: *blushes* Well, yeah. I mean, have you seen him? He’s a sex god made flesh. The man is six feet plus of gorgeous, and even the darkness he wore as a shroud around him wasn’t enough to deter me. I wanted a slice of that sexy part-incubus vampire, even when I knew I shouldn’t.

FH: You’re not supposed to interact physically with species that witches consider demons. That must have made everything very difficult for you.

Elissa: Extremely. I never understood what my sister had gone through until I met Payne and found myself considering risking committing the same ultimate taboo as she had. I wanted Payne like crazy... and I wasn’t about to listen to his refusals. I was intent on cracking him and making him give in to me so I could get a taste of him... and then everything changed.

FH: You mean, because you did crack him and you discovered the man beneath the armour?

Elissa: *nods* Yeah. I was doomed from the moment I realised that underneath that cold, beautiful exterior was a broken heart that was barely beating. I think I started falling for him the second he looked at me and confessed why he chose his current name.

FH: I know many readers are glad that you came into his life and that you didn’t give up on him. You’re a strong, compassionate woman and Payne needed that. How has life been since the events that happened in your book?

Elissa: So much has happened. I’ve been accepted at the theatre. It took a lot to convince Payne to stay there and make him believe that everyone had been speaking the truth. He’s still jittery about being at Vampirerotique, but he’s intent on us staying there because he knows we’ll be safe there, and he feels he owes everyone at the theatre. He’s doing his best to make things up to people and help out. I try to help out too. The women have been wonderful and I really feel that they’ve taken me into their fold and I’m safe with them.

FH: They can be fiercely protective, and if you ask me, they’re secretly running the theatre. Behind every great man, and all that.

Elissa: *nods and smiles* Yes, you’re right about that. I think if their mates speak then the men listen, even if it’s done in private and in public it comes out as being the man’s idea. *her smile widens* Payne is just like that, and I have it on good authority that other males at the theatre are like it too.

FH: It’s great that you’re settling in though and have a place you can call home. I swear I can almost feel Payne closing in on us, so I’m going to wrap this up before he finds us and we get into trouble for hiding from him. Describe yourself in one word?

Elissa: Um... adventurer. Gambler... one of those crazy people who know the risks and have to do it anyway!

FH: That does sound like you. Thank you for meeting with me today and chatting. It’s been great catching up with you and I hope you continue to settle in at Vampirerotique. Oh, and I meant to say that when I interviewed Payne, and told him he had one wish and what did he wish for, he told me nothing, because he has everything he wants.

Elissa: Oh... he’s so sweet sometimes. He pretends not to be, but he’s a die-hard romantic underneath his cool, unaffected yet sexy exterior. I need to go find him and give him a big kiss now.

FH: *laughs* You know where that will lead. The guy is part incubus. You’ll get his engine revving. I’ll let you get off now. It’s been great talking and take care!

I hope you have all enjoyed this insight into Bewitch and life at Vampirerotique through the eyes of Elissa.

Be sure to follow this fantastic tour to learn more about the passionate heroes, wicked heroines, and life at London’s premier vampire erotic theatre! You can also find yourself in with a chance to win a $100 or $50 Amazon Gift Certificate if you follow the tour. More details, including how to enter and a full list of stops, are available at the Vampirerotique Winter Book Tour PAGE

All of the books so far in the series are available in paperback, and in ebook from Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks and Kobo. Covet, Crave, Seduce and Enslave are available from Barnes and Noble, and Sony Reader too. Bewitch is also available at Barnes and Noble, and will be at Sony soon. Excerpts are available for all of the current releases in the series, so you can get a taste of these wicked erotic romances.

Read more about Bewitch below, and visit my site for links to all the retailers and a hot excerpt:

Bewitch 
by Felicity Heaton
(Vampire Erotic Theatre Romance Series Book 5)
BUY HERE

A vampire with a past stained with blood and a soul tainted with darkness, he is perfect in his self-control, never surrendering to his darkest desires. Now a beautiful witch in the shadowy fae underworld threatens to reawaken long denied hungers and tempts him with carnal pleasure.

Payne despises the incubus side of his mixed genes and refuses to give it free rein, but when the wickedly sexy Elissa offers him a possible way to help a friend, he finds it difficult to resist paying the price, even if it will be his undoing—one night of passion at her command.

Elissa is a witch down on her luck until Payne comes crashing into her life. The dangerously handsome male is the key to fulfilling a promise she made, but he is also forbidden, and surrendering to the wildfire passion he stirs within her means risking ruin and death.

When one incredible night of fulfilling their deepest fantasies leads to more than just a pathway to keeping a promise and saving a friend, will they be able to overcome the barriers that stand between them and forever?

Books in the Vampire Erotic Theatre romance series: 
Covet (Book 1) 
Crave (Book 2) 
Seduce (Book 3) 
Enslave (Book 4)
Bewitch (Book 5)
Unleash (Book 6) – Coming in 2013!

Felicity Heaton writes passionate paranormal romance books as Felicity Heaton and F E Heaton. In her books she creates detailed worlds, twisting plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shape-shifters and wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons!

If you're a fan of paranormal romance authors Lara Adrian, J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter and Christine Feehan then you will enjoy her books too.

If you love your angels a little dark and wicked, Felicity Heaton’s best selling Her Angel series is for you. If you like strong, powerful, and dark vampires then try the Vampires Realm series she writes as F E Heaton or any of her stand alone vampire romance books she writes as Felicity Heaton. Or if you’re looking for vampire romances that are sinful, passionate and erotic then try Felicity Heaton’s new Vampire Erotic Theatre series.

In 2011, five of her six paranormal romance books received Top Pick awards from Night Owl Reviews, Forbidden Blood was nominated as Best PNR Vampire Romance 2011 at The Romance Reviews, and many of her releases received five star reviews from numerous websites. In 2012, she received the GraveTells Author of the Year Award and her vampire romance novel, Heart of Darkness, was selected as a 2013 Epic Ebook Awards finalist in the paranormal romance category.

If you want to know more about me, or want to get in touch, you can find me at the following places:

Website

Blog

Facebook 

Twitter

Goodreads

INTERNATIONAL SWAG PACK GIVEAWAY 

FROM FELICITY

Tell us which VET books is your favorite. 

Or leave a question for Felicity.

Make sure you leave your email address in the comment.

Olivia

ROMP with Felicity Heaton

THE ROMP-A-LICIOUS 

MEN OF THE VET SERIES

It’s wonderful to be back at The Book Nympho for not only the fantastic Stomp Vs Romp event but for my Vampirerotique Summer Book Tour.

Today, I have wrangled the heroes of my Vampire Erotic Theatre series together and have sat them down in Antoine’s very lovely (read gloomy) office at the Vampirerotique Theatre. It’s a little cramped in here with six strapping vampire heroes surrounding me, and several of them have work to do before this evening’s performance, so I’ll have to make this quick.

FH: Hello, boys. It’s fantastic to see you all together and moderately behaving yourselves. This interview is going to be quite freeform. I want you to tell me and the audience why you think Romp is better than Stomp. Romp being romances with passion and Stomp being books crammed with action. Maybe you should all introduce yourselves so everyone knows a little more about you and then we can get down to the debate.

Antoine: I am the general manager of Vampirerotique, London’s premier vampire erotic theatre. We put on erotic performances featuring humans and vampires for the elite and aristocrats. I myself am an aristocrat, meaning I have pure vampire blood without any humans in my lineage. I was approached by Javier and Callum close to a century ago about opening the theatre and I have been here ever since with my brother, Snow.

Javier: As Antoine mentioned, I was partly responsible for the business idea behind Vampirerotique. Because I am an elite, and so is Callum, we needed aristocrat blood at the theatre so we could cater to both sides of society.
Callum: What he said, but with our names reversed. We had a vision for the theatre and I think we managed to make it shine.

Snow: Do I have to speak?

FH: I’m afraid so, big guy. You’re probably the one people want to hear from the most.

MY REVIEW

Snow: *huffs* Fine. I am Antoine’s older brother by one thousand years and have no particular business role at the theatre, unless you count keeping trouble to a minimum?

FH: *smiles* You are trouble, but I know what you mean. You’re sort of like security in that nothing slips past you and you could probably crush another vampire with one hand.


Snow: *smiles* You flatter me.

FH: I try. Now, the two new vampires at the theatre probably can’t say much about the actual business, but can you introduce yourself?

Andreu: I am Andreu and I am Javier’s younger brother. I was always enamoured with the idea of Vampirerotique and I am glad to finally see it with my own eyes. It’s fascinating.

Payne: You only say that because you want to open your own theatre. Personally, I would rather be away from this place. It’s too tempting.

FH: I understand, but that’s the point, isn’t it? Now that we’ve sort of introduced everyone to the audience, perhaps we could move onto the debate. Why is passion better than action?

Andreu: I have nothing against action and I am sure my fellow vampires share that opinion. We have all been warriors at one time or another, fighting for our lives, but what is life without love? And what is love without passion?


Snow: You make a good point. Passion makes us feel alive. Sharing a beautiful and physically intimate moment with someone you love makes you feel whole. You can fight with your female at your side, travel the world in search of adventure, but without sharing a tender caress, a loving kiss, or a sweet moment of ecstasy, it would be a hollow journey.

Payne: I can’t imagine just where your mind went when you said “sweet moment of ecstasy” but damn, never knew you were a poet, man. *grins* Females love that sort of shit. You should be swimming in them. Why aren’t you?

Snow: *growls*

Payne: *grin widens* Just answered my question right there.

MY REVIEW

Antoine: Do not rile my brother... unless you would like your organs removed, Payne? I agree with my brother. Intimacy is beautiful and something we all crave. Letting your guard down, exploring one another’s bodies, it all establishes a connection. A deep unbreakable bond. Making love is the ultimate act of beauty. It is nature and everything we hunger for. We were born to seek out the one made solely for us so we can share everything with them, but most of all so we have someone on earth to connect to intimately, to explore new passions with and new desires. To mate with and give our all to them.

Payne: Poetry runs in the family, huh? Little like bloodlust.

Snow: *cuffs him around the head* Quiet. You are not so heartless and emotionless yourself. I have seen you watching the females.

Payne: Purely instinct. I can’t help that I have a sexual appetite that requires constant nourishment. I’m making this vulgar, aren’t I? Let’s be honest. Romp isn’t exactly a very expressive word for what we’re supposed to be discussing. I mean... is it just sex we’re talking about, encounters driven by pure lust and that are about fulfilling a need... or are we talking about passion and moments of pure love and desire, ones that are about connection and intimacy?

FH: I prefer to think of the stories I write as stories of passion and true love, and everything that entails, but I know some have a narrow view of romance and think it’s just pointless sex on the pages. Nothing I have written about you boys has been that way. All of the love scenes in your romances are full of emotion, deep connection, and driven by the heart more than a carnal thirst.

Javier: We face the same problem with some people and their opinion of the theatre and the performances. Many feel it is just a soulless act rather than a natural exploration of deeper desires. I agree with what my brother Andreu, said... while there is a time and place for action, there is always a need for connection in our lives. Action may get us what we want but love gives us everything we need. We are two halves of one soul and that soul comes together when we make love, joining us in the most beautiful way.

Callum: True. I too do not like this labelling of any intimate act as something debauched. A soul can live without action, without fighting, and their lives would not be worse off for it. A soul cannot live without love and physical intimacy. It is as vital to us as air and gives us happiness, hope and warms our hearts. I have fought battles and only come out of them glad to have survived. The pleasure they offer is short-lived and nothing compared to the joy of being with my love. Love is everything.

FH: I think you’re all romantics at heart. I agree with you all though. Life without passion isn’t living. Human, vampire or werewolf, or any other species... we all crave physical connection to others and we all want to fall in love and find someone who completes us. We share ourselves with our other half through intimacy, whether it’s something as simple as holding hands or a soft kiss that leaves us light inside, or something as complex and deep as making love. I enjoy writing action and my readers can vouch that when I write action, I really write it so you can envisage it, but I don’t think I would ever write a story without passion and desire, love and devotion. I prefer to write a fight for love.

MY REVIEW

Snow: I have thought about it. In my experience, action is often driven by the harder emotions like anger, hatred, thirst for vengeance, with only periods where it is driven by a desire to protect. Action is often destruction. Love and passion, tenderness and devotion, are softer emotions and ones we all need to feel otherwise we risk losing ourselves to darkness. Love is creation. It gives us so much. It makes us happy... it is my most heartfelt desire to experience such love and passion, such tenderness.

Antoine: It is alright, brother. *squeezes his shoulder*

FH: You will know love again one day, Snow, and I’m sure whoever the lucky girl is, she will be glad to have you and the passion you hold in your heart will make her the happiest girl in the world.

Payne: What about me? Don’t I get the “You’ll find a lady to love” speech?

FH: Fine, you’ll find someone too and I’m hoping she does something to iron out that attitude of yours.

Payne: *grins* You love me really.

FH: *sighs* I can see this is going to degenerate. Does anyone have any parting comments to back up our view that romp is better than stomp?

Antoine: I have lived for over a thousand years. I have fought countless battles... none of them have given me even a fragment of the happiness, peace, and joy I have experienced by falling for someone and making love, connecting our bodies, hearts and souls in one moment of pure emotion and mutual satisfaction. I have read countless books too... and have gained more satisfaction from reading tales where love grows between two characters during whatever hardships they face than reading tales purely focused on action. Action can only ever gain you something—revenge, freedom, land, money. Love can gain you everything and it can give you everything too.

FH: Well said. Thank you for all agreeing to talk about this with me. I think we did a good job of making it clear that while there is room in life for action, there is need in life for love and passion.



If you missed the STOMP post from yesterday check it out HERE. And don't forget to VOTE for ROMP on the side bar!!

Keep reading to find out about the author and giveaway.

Author Guest Post: Tish Thawer

Rose

What is your full name?
Rose Elise Reynolds

Where did you grow up?
Seela, South Carolina

Have you ever lived anywhere else?
Nope! I've lived in the same house since I was born. I know...boring, right? I never thought so though. I love my little town and my house, so I never had that "I want to see the world feeling." I've been content to stay right here with my family and all of my friends. I'm just a small town girl I guess. :)

What do your parents do for a living?
My dad is the Vice President of D&L Marketing Corp. My mom used to be a swim instructor.

What's your happiest childhood memory?
I have so many that it's hard to chose just one. I guess it would have to be the one Christmas that all of our family stayed with us, and I got shoved out of the way all night and day. So Christmas night, after everyone went sleep, my mom and I snuck downstairs and she let me play with all of my cousin's new toys. It made me feel so special but naughty at the same time. My mom was amazing.

What's your most frightening childhood memory?

Well, I think you probably all know the answer to that. Even though I wasn't a child, it was when my mom was killed.

What's your biggest fear?

Losing someone else that I love.

What's your greatest accomplishment?
I'm really proud that I will be graduating college two years early since I took AP classes in high school. I've always tried really hard in school, and it wasn't to make my parents proud, even though they were; it was because I wanted to be a success. I have a driving passion to be successful in everything I do, and it has proven very useful to me over the years. I'll do whatever it takes to get what I want. I'm a determined girl!

Christian

What's your favorite color?
Gold. Like the swirls in Christian's eyes.

What's your favorite food?
Tacos.

What's your favorite animal?
Snow leopards.

Do you have a special talent?
Not sure you'd call it a talent, but like I mentioned I'm good at focusing my attention and getting what I want. Also, I'm good at keeping secrets. Other than that, I'm not a bad cook, and I've been told that I'm a really good dancer.

What annoys you?
People who don't have goals in life. I may be from a small town and life is pretty laid back here, but I still don't think that should equal being lazy. I think everyone should have a goal, and then do all they can to achieve it. Even if that goal is a simple one. Oh yeah, and my dad's over-protectiveness is completely annoying!

Are you in a relationship?
Yes! Finally. I thought you'd never get to the good stuff! I'm completely in love with Christian. We've been together for a while, and I can't imagine my life without him. He's gorgeous, he's sweet, and he treats me like I'm the greatest thing that has ever happened to him. I can't wait for us to spend eternity together.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
There is some things I've learned about myself that I never knew until recently, and I wish with all my heart that I could change it. Can I tell you? No. I can't tell anyone.

From the Author: "Now don't forget to click on the smoking rose image below and leave a comment telling me how many smoking roses you've found and where you found. (i.e.; Today I found 3 smoking roses at The Book Nympho.) This is how you will get qualified for the BIG giveaway at the end of the tour. Thanks for playing along! ~ Tish"

CLICK HERE

SCENT OF A WHITE ROSE
(The Rose Trilogy ~ Book 1)
My REVIEW
A paranormal romance that entices with a heroine that isn't quite what she seems, a vampire whose love story is filled with dark surprises, and a vampire clan whose Sire has lost the ability to inflict "the change".

A vampire's love...
An innocent's guilt...
A secret no one could've imagined.

~ ROSE ~

I'm Rose Reynolds. I have recently lost my Mom in a "freak accident".

Now everyone sees me as an innocent girl.... a “white Rose”.
But I have a secret that no one can imagine.
I'm not as innocent as everyone thinks....

~ CHRISTIAN ~

I'm Christian and I'm in love with Rose. I also have a secret as old as time.

I'm a vampire. No, she doesn't know...yet.
But when our new Sire is revealed, I'll be petitioning them to change her.
Because truly, I can't live without her....

I'm Tish Thawer and am currently working on The Rose Trilogy, a YA paranormal romance that features a young woman named Rose, and Christian, the vampire who loves her.

Before becoming a writer I worked as a computer consultant, a photographer, and a graphic designer. I also operate Amber Leaf Glassworks, a custom glass etching business, in addition to being a wife and mother of 3 wonderful children.


I've been a fan of the paranormal for as long as I can remember. Anything to do with superpowers, myth and magic has always held a special place in my heart. From my first paranormal cartoon, Isis, to the phenomenon that is Twilight, this genre has always been a part of my life. Thanks for joining me on this magical journey.

Find Tish:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook