#AADSAV Spotlight on Kait Ballenger

Author Note: For anyone who has had the chance to read an advanced copy of Twilight Hunter, book one of the Execution Underground series, you know that despite being fellow hunters of the supernatural, vampire hunter Damon Brock, leader of the Rochester division of the Execution Underground, and werewolf hunter Jace McCannon don’t exactly see eye to eye. In Shadow Hunter, a prequel novella to the series in the After Dark anthology, we see Damon assemble the hunters for his team based on their initial profiles, but what we don’t get to see is the follow up interviews with Damon’s potential division members. So after some discussion, the lovely Jennifer here at The Book Nympho and I thought it would be interesting to see the first time Jace and Damon meet face-to-face. Enjoy this exclusive scene!

Two hunters down, three to go. Damon Brock leaned back in his chair and read the next name on his roster. He shook his head. This was the one he’d been waiting for. It’d only taken Damon one initial look at his profile to know he’d have trouble keeping Jace McCannon in line, but if the werewolf hunter wanted his request of transfer to Rochester to stick, he’d shape up or Damon would send his sorry ass straight back to headquarters. Near perfect kill record or not.

Glancing down at the initial profile information, Damon made mental note of the basic stats.

Name: Jace McCannon 
Hometown: Honeoye Falls, New York 
Specialty: Werewolf Hunter 
Experience: Three years field training. 
Current location: Atlantic City, New Jersey

Without warning, the door to the warehouse creaked open and a man stepped inside. McCannon, no doubt. He looked exactly like his profile photo, aside from the cloud of gray smoke surrounding him.

Jace slipped inside, a Marlboro in hand. “Hey.” He nodded toward Damon before he dropped his cigarette to the ground and butted it out with the heel of his boot, just slightly more forceful than necessary. It didn’t take Damon even five minutes to analyze Jace and figure out who he was. Something the Execution Underground had taught him well. From the way Jace carried himself all the way down to the look in his eyes, Damon knew he’d be a royal pain in his ass. But he couldn’t argue with a 95% success rate on cases.

Jace walked toward Damon. Damon eyed his fellow hunter as he approached the interview table. Around 6’4 and well muscled but not bulky. Built like a linebacker. He’d be able to hold his own against a werewolf.

And a face Tiffany had whistled at...She’d called Jace his best looking prospect. He clenched his jaw. He wasn’t going to go there. Not now.

Damon stood before he stuck out his hand.

Jace grabbed Damon’s hand and gave it a strong, forceful shake. Confidence was not a problem for McCannon, that much Damon could tell. Damon cleared his throat. “Good. You’re on time.”

Jace flashed a grin that was more trouble than kindness. “I can be when I feel like it.”

Damon huffed. Definitely no problem with confidence. “Sit.” He gestured toward the chair across from him. Jace took a seat across from Damon, before leaning back and propping the edge of his massive snow covered boots on the table. Damon frowned. Better to get this little tea-time chat over with. Snatching his clipboard of the desk, he rolled his ballpoint pen between his fingers.

“We’ll get right to it. Why are you requesting a transfer to Rochester?”

Jace placed his hands behind his head and stretched himself out. “I’ve been working Atlantic City for a while and it was getting a bit dull. The cases there are pretty cut and dry. I’m up for more of a challenge and I hear the wolf packs here in Rochester create a shit ton of cases, lots of rogues passing through the area. And I’m sure you saw in my paperwork I’m from here originally. No place like home sweet home.”

Damon tapped the edge of his pen against his clipboard. “How good are you with a knife?

Jace reached inside his coat and removed a dagger. He held it up for Damon to see. The smooth surface of the blade glinted off the overhead drop-hat lights. “Pure silver.” Jace used his free hand to point to an empty wooden crate on the other side of the room. “Third crate down from the top, on the left hand side.” He throws the knife with all his strength. The dagger tumbles over in the air several times before it pierces the wooden crate. The now damaged wood holds the dagger parallel to the ground. Jace turns toward Damon again. “That good.”

Damon made a note on his clipboard for the files for Headquarters. Excellent accuracy with a blade. He’d give Jace that much. “How good of a shot are you? And don’t demonstrate for me this time.”

Jace crossed his arms over his chest and met Damon’s gaze. An angry fire burned behind the hunter’s eyes. “When I shoot, I don’t miss. My dad gave me my first gun when I was five. Should’ve used it on the bastard when I had the chance.”

Harsh, but Damon didn’t give a flying shit about whatever family issues Jace had. Not his problem. His problem was how Jace would operate as a member of his team. “Do you follow orders well?” he asked.

Jace grinned and removed his boots from the tabletop. “I have a problem with authority figures, but yeah, I can follow orders well...when I choose to.” He leaned forward in his seat. “You gonna keep asking me a million questions or let my stats speak for themselves?”

“Two more questions,” Damon said. First, one from the shrinks at H.Q.” Damon glanced at his paperwork again to make sure he was reading this correctly. He shook his head. “What kind of tree would you be?”

Jace chuckled as he leaned back in his seat again. A wide smirk crossed his face. “A lemon tree. Life doesn’t give me lemons. I’m the one who gives the fucking lemons.”

Damon clicked his pen one last time before pointing it straight at Jace. “Most important one: why should I hire you?”

Jace met Damon’s stare head on. “Because I’ll get the fucking job done.”

Kait Ballenger is a full-time paranormal romance author, wife, professional bellydancer, graduate student, and soon-to-be-professor. She is the multi-published author of the Execution Underground paranormal romance series about an international network of supernatural hunters who fight to protect humanity alongside the powerful women they seduce.

With a B.A in English from Stetson University, Kait is currently a student in Spalding University’s M.F.A in Writing for Children and Young Adults program, where she studies dual-genre in screenwriting. She writes dark paranormal romance with drool-worthy heroes and kickass heroines as Kait Ballenger, and sassy YA urban fantasy under her maiden name, Kaitlyn Schulz.

When Kait’s not preoccupied with paranormal creepy-crawlies, she can be found slaving over endless amounts of schoolwork or with her nose buried in a book. She lives in Florida with her husband, their doggie-daughter Sookie (yes, like the heroine in Charlainne Harris’ books), and two mischievous cats Elliot and Olivia (yes, like the Law and Order characters), near the love and care of her supportive family. Kait believes anything is possible with hard work and dedication. One day, she will be a bestseller and have people name their pets after her characters too.

Website

Twitter

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#AADSAV Video Interview with TJ Michaels

Niah's Pryde

by TJ Michaels

  

Niah Pryde is no shrinking violet. Not only is she one of the best hunters for S.W.A.T.—the Shifter and Were Armed Tactics agency—but Niah can also network a microwave tower to a satellite surveillance system with her eyes closed, and one well-manicured hand tied behind her back. So...why would she rather hide in the network hub closet than face her mate?

Ryland Lee Lewis is as down-home as they come, from his country drawl to his love of sweet tea. It only took one assignment with Niah Pryde to know she was the one for him. He’s sure she feels it too, but the woman is running faster than a bull out of the chute at a rodeo. What’s a guy to do when his mate won’t see reason? And what kinds of sparks will fly if she dares give him a chance?




You can read a snippet from TJ's upcoming release Seeker’s Solace, Vampire Council of Ethics Book Four by TJ Michaels HERE.

#AADSAV Author on Author Action Part Two With Kristen Painter & Amanda Carlson

This time around Amanda is interviewing Kristen.

If you missed Author on Author Action last time check it out HERE.

This is your 3rd AAD, what do you love best about going? 

I love all the reader interaction, the pace of the conference which allows for fun to be had and real connections to be made and of course, seeing old friends too!


LAST BLOOD comes out July 30th (YAY!). Can you give a teensy teaser? 

Um...lots of fun stuff happens? No? Not good enough? I can tell you this much...no more cliffhangers! And I think the ending will make readers really happy.


What does your writing day look like? Do you write best in the morning? 

I actually write best in the late afternoon and early evening, but when I'm in the zone or closing in on a deadline, I write from about 10 am to 6 pm. Sometimes later.


You've had some really fun jobs in your lifetime. If you weren't a writer right this second, what would you feel like doing? 

Wow, that's a tough one. I really love this job. It's hard to imagine doing anything else. Wait, I know! Professional shopper. That's a thing, right?


You have some exciting things in the works. What's next for you? 

A brand new series! Set in the same world as the House of Comarre series, Crescent City is set in New Orleans and focuses on the fae. There will be some crossover characters too. The first book, House of the Rising Sun, releases May 2014.

Kristen & Amanda at AADNOLA

Other than buying me drinks every night, where are we likely to find you at AAD? 

Hanging out with the cool people. ;o)


I'm wardrobe challenged, so what do you recommend I bring to AAD? 

I'm thinking maxi dresses and flip-flops. That's my new jam.

A little about Kristen: I'm a former college English teacher, but I’ve held a crazy mix of other jobs including maitre’d for Wolfgang Puck, personal trainer, and sales for Christian Dior Bijoux. On the writing side of things, I’m a two-time Golden Heart finalist and have been on the board of three different RWA chapters. What can I say? I like getting involved. I’m not adverse to bossing people around either.direct lender cash advance. 

My forays into writing have been as varied as the jobs I’ve held. I’ve written poetry, articles for magazines, short stories, paranormal romances (that include fantasy, contemporary and steampunk genres) and now I’ve found a home with urban fantasy. I love worldbuilding and few genres give you the kind of license urban fantasy does.

Find out more about Kristen and her books online at:

     

#AADSAV Andrew Grey Shares an Excerpt from In Search of a Story

Last fall I was finishing up a manuscript and needed another story idea. I was at a conference with other writers in New Jersey and attended a workshop on story telling. The leader spoke about some classic, almost clichés, for beginning a story. One of them was a classified ad, “For Sale baby shoes, never worn.” I had never heard that before although many others had. That simple phrase started the engine turning and the idea for In Search of a Story was born. But I needed more.

A fear friend who was also attending the conference is a newspaper editor and she convinced me to create a reporter as one of my main characters. From there, the rest of the story seemed to fall into place. I finished up the manuscript I was working on that weekend and thwarted In Search of a Story, staying up until the wee hours as the story began to flow. So I was to thank Hope and Mary Jo for the inspiration.

In Search of a Story

by Andrew Grey

Release Date: May 31, 2013

Pre-Order HERE 

He’s searching for a story but finds so much more.


Brad Torrence is next on the chopping block at the newspaper where he works. Hungry for any source he can find, he runs across an ad in the classifieds: For Sale: Nursery Items, Never Used. It’s the lead he’s been looking for. Thinking a piece about the loss of a child will give him the edge he needs to keep his job, Brad follows up. He doesn’t expect a single man to answer.

Rather than being offended, Cory Wolfe finds sharing the story of his grief and pain liberating. He’s even surprised by the spark that strikes, and one story leads to another.

Brad digs into his stories and Cory’s life, eager to know everything about the man who’s caught his attention. But when a lead points him to the hospital where Cory works, he unearths a mystery that might have been safer left buried. Brad’s search for a story could prove deadly….

The man on his doorstep was as young as he’d sounded on the phone, with deer-in-the-headlights eyes and a nervous smile. “Hello, I’m Brad Torrence from the Crier,” he said and extended his hand. The kid looked a bit like an excited puppy.

“Cory Wolfe,” he said, and they shook hands. Cory stepped back so Brad could enter and then closed the door. He motioned toward the living room. He waited for Brad to take a seat and then he sat in his favorite leather chair.

“This is a great room,” Brad said with a touch of awe in his voice. Then he sat and waited. Cory got the impression he was waiting for something.

“You wanted to ask me some questions? I’m a little unsure why you’d want to interview me,” Cory said. “But I’ll try to help.”

“I probably should have been more clear: I was hoping to interview both you and your wife.” Cory smiled. “Nope. It’s just me. No wife.” That simple statement sent a stab through his stomach.

“I’m so sorry,” Brad said.

“Wait, let’s back up. There’s never been a wife. I think we have a misunderstanding of some kind. I’m not married and never have been,” Cory clarified. Brad became jittery, and for a second Cory thought he might hyperventilate.

“But the ad…,” Brad said.

“Yes. Like I said, I never had a wife, but I was getting ready to have a baby,” Cory said. “I had a partner a few years ago, but he wasn’t interested in children, though I was. That and, well, other things, doomed the relationship….”

Brad smiled and opened the notebook he’d brought, appearing distinctly more relaxed. “Aren’t you supposed to ask me questions?” Cory asked.

“I can,” Brad said. “Your ad caught my attention, and I thought there was a story behind it. I’ll admit that I was expecting to do a story about mothers recovering from grief after the loss of a child. My mother lost three babies after me.”

Cory nodded thoughtfully and then stood up. “Come on,” he said, and Brad stood up. Cory led him up the stairs, and at the small landing, he opened the door and turned on the light. He hated entering this room now. Brad stepped inside, but Cory remained in the hallway, physically unable to enter. “This was to be Adam’s room. I picked out the furniture, painted the walls. I spent days picking out just the right color blue. Then I asked a friend to paint the teddy bears on the walls, and we even added stars to the ceiling.” Cory didn’t look up. Unable to take any more, Cory stepped away from the door and waited for Brad to come out of the room. Then Cory turned off the bedroom light and closed the door. Without saying anything more, Cory led the way down the stairs and back to the living room, where he once again sat in his chair.

“Mothers aren’t the only ones to feel grief,” Cory said flatly.

Brad nodded slowly. “What happened?” he whispered.

Cory wasn’t sure why he opened up, but he did. “About a year ago, I found out my best friend, Eileen, was pregnant. She wasn’t married and was barely able to take care of herself. Eileen was wonderful, but there wasn’t a maternal bone in her body. She’d decided that she wanted to put the baby up for adoption, and I asked if I could adopt the child.” Cory’s voice broke, and he yanked a tissue from the box on the lower shelf of the end table. He never thought he’d keep tissues in various rooms of his house, but for months now he’d needed them. “Eileen was thrilled. She would still get to be a part of her baby’s life, and that was all she wanted.”

“You said his name was Adam?” Brad prompted.

“After we found out she was having a boy, I came up with the name, and Eileen liked it, so we started referring to him as Adam. I bought the nursery things and fixed up the room upstairs. Everything was ready.” Cory paused and blew out his breath. He needed to get himself under control. What he wasn’t prepared for was Brad to reach over and touch his hand. Cory hadn’t been touched in quite a while, and he liked it. The gesture was probably a breach of journalistic integrity and objectivity or something like that, but it was what he desperately needed.

“Please, take your time,” Brad told him. “I’ll listen.” Cory thought he might have seen tears in Brad’s eyes, but it was hard to tell through his own.

“Eileen was about eight months pregnant, and she was at home. I hadn’t heard from her that day, so I stopped by after work. I found her on her kitchen floor, where she’d fallen.” Cory figured he might as well finish the story and get it over with. “The autopsy showed that she had a blood vessel burst in her brain. It was probably a defect she’d had since birth, and it burst. They said she died pretty quickly.”

Brad had taken notes throughout his story, and Cory waited for him to finish. “Did you get any help? With the grief, I mean.”

Cory shrugged. “Some. I actually found a group for people who lost children in Harrisburg—eleven women and me. The thing was, at the time I didn’t consider my grief as bad as theirs. I wasn’t the one who’d carried the child, but….”

“You still lost a child just the same,” Brad said.

Cory nodded. He does understand.

Andrew grew up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since then he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and works in information systems for a large corporation. Andrew's hobbies include collecting antiques, gardening, and leaving his dirty dishes anywhere but in the sink (particularly when writing) He considers himself blessed with an accepting family, fantastic friends, and the world’s most supportive and loving partner. Andrew currently lives in beautiful, historic Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

www.andrewgreybooks.com 
Twitter @andrewgreybooks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrewgreybooks
eMail andrewgrey@comcast.net

#AADSAV Hanna Martine Stops By

Introduce yourself to our readers:

Hi there! I'm Hanna and I love to write sexy books. (chorus: Hi, Hanna). I'm a travel fiend, addicted to new experiences and places and cultures. I am neither extrovert nor introvert, needing to be both at various points in my life. While I live in the suburbs of Chicago and claim to hate suburban life, I do need my private outdoor space and would probably suffocate in the city I so dearly love. I have a wonderful five year-old daughter whom I live for and a hysterically funny husband of twelve years.

Tell us a little about your books?

I write two difference series for Penguin/Berkley Sensation: the Elementals (paranormal romance) and the Highland Games (contemporary romance).

The Elementals follows the different races who command the classic elements: earth, air, water, fire, spirit. They live in secret in the modern day, carefully circling around each other while trying to co-exist with humans. The first book, LIQUID LIES, is about Gwen, the future leader of the water elementals and Reed, the human mercenary who kidnaps her. The follow-up, A TASTE OF ICE, is about Xavier, an escaped magic slave, and Cat, the sweet water elemental who doesn't know what she is. A novella, "No Surprise More Magical," was recently published in the anthology UNBOUND, and it follows David and Kelsey, two water elementals with a broken arranged marriage dealing with the aftermath of LIQUID LIES. I'm writing the third book, DROWNING IN FIRE, right now and it will come out in 2014. I love writing paranormal romances for their serious issues, sweeping conflict, and the absolutely scorching hot love scenes.



The Highland Games books are completely different. They are fun, flirty and really sexy. Set against the backdrop of the modern-day Scottish Highlands Games taking place in summertime New England, the books follow the life and loves of some outstanding characters involved in the games' production. The first book, LONG SHOT, is about Jen, a big NYC event planner who returns to the small New Hampshire town of her youth to save the local Highland Games, only to come up against Leith, the local athletic hero who's won the games three years in a row but has since hung up his kilt. I am sooooooo excited to get this book into readers' hands! It releases October 1, 2013.

The second Highland Games book will be about Shea, the country's foremost whiskey expert, and Byrne, a Wall Street money guy during the week and a rugby bruiser on the weekend. That will release in 2014.


I see you are no stranger to book conventions but is this your first AAD convention?

It is! I had heard amazing things about AAD over the years. Right after the publication of my first book, LIQUID LIES, I contacted AAD about being a Featured Author in 2013 and was so thrilled to have been chosen. I'm really looking forward to hanging out with readers in person and meeting some of my favorite authors too. Readers are wonderful, wonderful human beings and I live to make them smile.

Since you write about elementals do you plan on dressing up for the Elemental Ball? If so what elemental will you pick?

I do plan on dressing up! I am one of the hosting authors for the Elemental ball and I will be on FIRE. I have no idea what that means yet, but I'll think of something.

Have you ever been to Savannah, GA? If so any site seeing a newbie needs to see? Any favorite local restaurant?

I visited Savannah on a day trip over a decade ago. I remember the tiny, lushly green squares dotting the historical areas, and the hanging moss that is just so uniquely Southern and utterly foreign to my Midwestern eyes. We wandered through giant antiques warehouses, ogling at the gorgeous things we'd never be able to afford. I distinctly recall drooling over a Victorian style bar that was complete with shelves, stained glass windows and bar stools, and was bigger than my entire living room.

Do you have any site seeing plans while in Savannah?

I literally have had no time to plan anything yet! Since I'm headed to a bunch of different conferences and conventions this year, I've been tackling them one at a time. In July I'll start looking into places I want to see. I love historical spots. Any suggestions?

Some quickie questions:

Favorite adult beverage?

All of them? Hehe. If pressed--if I absolutely had to choose--I'd go with beer. Hoppy India Pale Ales are my favorite, porters and red ales a close second. But never, ever the watered-down lager that passes for beer in America. I own a tank top that says: "Real women don't drink light beer." Amen.

Favorite singer?

I seem to favor the Irish. For men, I adore Bono. If he showed up at my house saying, "Come on, let's go" I wouldn't even grab my toothbrush. My husband understands this. For women, Sinead O'Connor possesses the most powerful, deeply emotional voice I've ever experienced. I own everything she's ever put out, and her sound still gives me chills.

Favorite vacation spot?

A tough one because I dislike returning to the same place over and over. I have a wandering soul and I thrive on new experiences. Favorite trips ever include Scotland, the Big Island of Hawaii, Western Australia, and Las Vegas.



Hanna Martine left a decade of office work in order to show her daughter what it meant to go after one's dream. She loves bar stools, books, travel and her friends. Though she and her family live outside Chicago, her heart resides in Australia.

You can find Hanna online at:
Website - Twitter: @Hanna_Martine - Facebook

#AADSAV Author on Author Action With Amanda Carlson & Kristen Painter

Author Kristen Painter interviews author Amanda Carlson on her upcoming release, HOT BLOODED, and going to Authors After Dark in Savannah, GA is summer.

How do you feel your writing has improved since meeting me? 

Geez, that’s so hard to measure. Your prowess as a writer is legendary and just being around you has improved my writing as well as my wit. But, seriously? It has improved, because being able to chat about writing to other authors is so necessary. You’ve helped train me from the puppy I once was to the Best in Show I am today. HA!

Availale Now

Besides me being there, what are you looking forward to most at Authors After Dark in Savannah? 

I love cons where there’s enough time to interact and meet everyone. I’m doing drinks TWICE with readers (one opportunity with Amanda Bonilla & one with Julie Kenner), so if you’re signing up, look for a chance to come and have a drink with me. I’m seriously looking forward to Savannah. It’s been years since I’ve been there and it’s such a beautiful city.

These werewolf books you write, they're based on your true life personal experiences, right? 

Of course! Jessica is my twin in every way. We were both raised in MN and…um…er…that’s about as far as it goes. But do I WISH I was a kickass werewolf. Does that count?

April 23, 2013

What super power would you most like to have? 

Fly. I know everyone says that, but man, you could go anywhere at any time. I could be writing on the beach all day and fly home in time for dinner. Awesome. Or maybe I’d just fly outside Tom Hardy’s window and sit for a spell. Priceless.

How do you write on a day you don't feel inspired? 

I try and make myself accountable. Doing #wordwars on Twitter (#1k1hr) helps a lot on those days you just don’t feel inspired. It’s hard to wear your thinking cap day in and day out, so making sure you get those words in is key. Then if they’re wrong, you can go back and change them later. Usually, when I go back and edit, I know what should go there if a scene is not sitting right.

Oct 2013

Where can we find you online? 

Most of the time I’m talking to you on Twitter or Facebook. I’m all over social media in the usual haunts. Come find me and we’ll chat!


Thanks for having us stop by! Be sure to look for me interviewing Kristen this summer when LAST BLOOD comes out!

Hot Blooded 

(Jessica McClain #2)

 by Amanda Carlson 

Expected publication: April 23rd 2013 by Orbit

It hasn't been the best week for Jessica McClain.

Her mate has been kidnapped by a Goddess hell-bent on revenge --- but Jessica is playing for keeps.

Because she's the only female werewolf in town...it comes with its own set of rules...and powers.

Aided by two vamps, two loyal Pack members, and one very reluctant human, Jessica must rescue her man while coming to terms with what being a wolf really means.

All in a day's work for a girl.

The second novel in the Jessica McClain series is a full on action adventure featuring one angry Goddess and plenty of monsters, demons, and a few newly risen beasties...

    

Amanda is a Minnesota girl, born and bred. She started writing stories about teenage girls and their social missteps while in high school. She's been writing for over ten years, but began writing fiction in earnest after her second child was born.

Her book, Full Blooded, is a face-paced, action filled urban fantasy, the first in the Jessica McClain series. It will be released by Hachette Book Group by both ORBIT US & UK SEPT 2012. Full Blooded is her first novel. She lives in Minneapolis, with her husband and three kids.

You can find her on various social media sites, Facebook and Twitter. Stop by for a visit! All links and information can be found at amandacarlson.com.

Check out my review for FULL BLOODED.

Review for HOT BLOODED coming soon.

Amanda & Kristen

#AADSAV Author of the Wicked, Delilah S. Dawson Stops by

Help me welcome the lady with the twisted imagination that brought you blood sucking bunnies and the sexy vampire Gypsy, Ms. Delilah S. Dawson to The Book Nympho today.

Thanks so much for having me! I am prepared for peen this time. Not like on Twitter. :)

I’m going to just throw this out there…..Where the feck did you come up with the idea for Sang?

I know it's a horrible cliché, but... it came from a dream. I was watching a lot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer at the time and listening to the album Like Vines by The Hush Sound. And I had this dream that I woke up naked on a slab of rock in a forest, and suddenly there was this painfully hot dude standing there in a top hat and tailcoat. He opened his mouth, and it was like Spike from Buffy and Captain Jack Sparrow had merged. That was Criminy Stain, and I had to come up with a reason to write about him. The entire world of Sang revolved around him-- why he was a blood drinker but not a vampire, why he was out in the forest, what kind of magic he had used to bring a girl from another world. I built the entire world just so Criminy would keep talking.

The clockwork animals are wonderfully creepy. Why did you pick the animals that you did and not some of the other “normal” circus type animals?

Thanks! The thought process behind the clockwork animals at the caravan was that if you could build any animal you wished, wouldn't you choose the weird ones? The polanda bear was the first one I thought of, because I couldn't decide between a polar bear and a panda bear and my fingers decided for me; I just knew he juggled and rose a unicycle. Then I tried to think of animals that would be strange and exotic and figure out what they could be programmed to do to entertain city folk. Honestly, I was just trying to make it as magical and bizarre as possible!

I must admit the first thing that drawled me to reading Wicked as They Come, was the bludbunnies. Do you have issues with bunnies like Anya from Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

Nope! I love bunnies. I used to have a dwarf Himalayan who liked to play my electric keyboard, and in college, I ran the small animal room of a pet shop. But I was also a huge fan of Bunnicula and Monty Python, and Watership Down was my favorite book for years. I love the idea of something that seems sweet and innocent suddenly biting your face off. During release week last year, a fan actually hand-crocheted a beautiful bludbunny with fangs for me. Scared the crap out of me when I opened the box!

Funny you mention Bunnicula, when I was reading Wicked as They Come I told my husband about the bludbunnies and he said that they reminded him of Bunnicula. I'll have to check the book from my library one day.



Speaking of Buffy…when I mentioned on Twitter that I picture Criminy as looking like Jack Sparrow with a top hat you said that he was a mix of Jack and Spike. Can you go into more detail about that pairing?

Ha! I did that in the first question! GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE! I love the combination of swagger and whimsy and power, that a guy can be so thoroughly capable and confident that he can be foppish and beautiful and strange and just not give a crap. My favorite Spike moment is when he's in his crypt painting his nails black, and Buffy shows up unexpectedly and makes fun of him, and he's totally SHRUG/COME AT ME, BRO. The Captain Jack bit is where the swagger and fun come in. As a Bludman, Criminy is long-lived and hard to kill, so he had a sense of humor about life and yet is very dangerous and in touch with his feelings. So, basically, to me, a perfect guy.

Do you have a character/celebrity mix for Tish?

When I was writing her, I thought of her as Jennifer Garner or Ashley Judd, but age-wise, I would now go with Ginnifer Goodwin. To be honest, I was still trying to write an “everywoman” when I wrote her, someone who wasn't amazingly gorgeous, who didn't stand out. Since then, I've paid much closer attention to crafting unique heroines.

What tidbits can you give us on this month’s release, Wicked as She Wants?

Wicked as She Wants is my attempt to make Casper (from Wicked as They Come) the most attractive man in the world... and to counter Tish with a feisty, kick-ass heroine who blazes through her story. It started with the premise that Princess Anastasia Romanov was a Bludman and grew from there. It's an adventure/journey like Wicked as They Come and includes the same mix of danger and wacky hijinks. There's an airship bordello, a fight with unexpected blud animals, and a masquerade ball. And I kicked the sex scenes up a notch, too!

You also mentioned that if the Blud series ends with book 3, that you might Kickstart or Self-Pub the rest of the series. How many books do you have planned for the series? Do you have a working title for book 3?

Book 3 will be WICKED AFTER MIDNIGHT and follows a bludded contortionist from Criminy's caravan to the cabarets of Paris. If someone wanted three more books, I could keep sending my characters to different places in Sang-- Almanica, Australia, and Egypt would be tons of fun! The idea to Kickstart or self-pub a Blud book came from the fact that I purposefully left Wicked as They Come the tiniest bit open; it was a happily ever after... but not completely. It's one of the biggest complaints I get from my readers, actually. I have a story arc for Crim and Tish in my mind and would love to write it to make the series feel complete, for the readers and for myself.

How excited you are about AADSAV?! I went to AADNOLA last August and it was a blast. Do you have any site seeing planned while you’re in Savannah? I’ve never been so I’m looking for things to do.

Very excited! I've never been to Authors After Dark, but the authors I know rave about it. My husband is from Savannah, and my YA paranormal SERVANTS OF THE STORM is set there, so we go at least once a year. My brother in law is the Dread Pirate Robert, a Savannah pirate who gives tours in a horse-drawn carriage, and my favorite thing in Savannah is to go for a ride downtown. He even stops for cupcakes and Starbucks for us. I also like exploring River Street and eating fried crab claws, which are a favorite food from my childhood.

Thanks for stopping by to chat and I can’t wait to crack open Wicked as She Wants! See ya at AADSAV in August.

Thanks so much for letting me stop by!

#AADSAV Author Theresa Meyers Tells Us Why Shifters are Sexy

Why Shifters Are Sexy 

 by Theresa Meyers

Shifters are sexy for a number of reasons not the least of which is their unpredictable nature. They’re just a little wild, even in their human form. And while most people believe that shifters can take only one shape --such as the werewolf or a selkie-- I prefer my shifters to have a bit more freedom in my steampunk world.

Take China McGee, the heroine of The Chosen. She changes shape into no less than nine different creatures during the course of the book (including a hellhound, mountain lion, raven, mouse, phoenix, giant black jaguar and more). Each has a reason and a purpose. Each comes from a wellspring of emotion or need that precipitates the change in her form.

Now I’ll admit, China isn’t the most stable of beings to begin with. She’s been on her own since she was young when her father murdered her mother. She’s been stealing to survive, so being a thief is innately part of her nature. (I prefer to call it resourceful.) And then there’s her track record with men—that hasn’t been the best either. They tend to end up dead, or in the case of the one Hunter she got involved with—Colt Jackson—they tend to see the whole affair as something very short term in nature since it’s dangerous to both of them. And things don’t get any easier for her when she starts to realize she may be attracted to Colt’s older brother, Remington.

But that instability was part of why being a shifter was so natural for China as a character. She’s constantly having the rug pulled out from underneath her by life and she’s had to roll with it. She’s adaptable, fierce and smart, and she isn’t exactly like either of my other heroines in the series who grew up in far more stable circumstances.

But that complexity is something most shifters have in common. After all, they are already more than one being (sometimes three or four) in a single form. That would make anyone complex! But shifters are more than that. They have fears and vulnerabilities other characters don’t. And that’s why something dangerous (like a characters that changes into a hellhound, or dragon or even a jaguar) can be sexy at the same time. We know there’s a weakness. We sense that deep vulnerability they struggle to suppress and we are drawn to want to fix or help it despite the danger.

There’s also an excitement element with shifters. If their passions are as wild as their natures, then it logically follows they’d make the best lovers, doesn’t it?

All in all I think shifters are some of the most fun paranormal/fantasy characters out there. They have power; they have drive. They are dangerous and yet tempting. They give us readers just enough of their wildness to make them unpredictably fun to read.

So what kind of shifters are your favorite and why?

The Chosen 
by Theresa Meyers
The Legend Chronicles series, book three
Genre: Paranormal Romance / Steampunk
Publisher: Kensington, Zebra
Date of Publication: March 4, 2013
Number of pages: 352 pages (also includes the ebook about Marley, The Inventor, for the first time in print in the back of this book)
Amazon   B&N   BAM   Indiebound


The Chosen: a prophecy older than dirt and more dangerous than death. Even as they perfected steam-powered gadgetry and rounded up varmints from Hell, the Jackson brothers didn't believe in it. But when the chips are down, three brothers named for weapons aren't going out without a fight...

A Walk On The Wild Side

Attorney by day, demon-hunter by night, Remington Jackson is used to being on the sunny side of the law, even in the Wild West. But it's showdown time, and Remy and his brothers are getting desperate. They don't have the relic they need to slam the door shut on evil—so Remy is going to have to find and steal part of it.

Enter China McGee, shapeshifter, thief, beauty, and current prisoner. When Remy offers her freedom in exchange for a little light-fingered help, she's pretty sure she's going to end the association with a good old-fashioned seductive double cross. But there's something about fighting through a jungle full of Mayan ruins that makes you want to settle down together. China could change. Remy might be special. But none of that matters if the devil takes them all...

The progeny of a slightly mad (NASA) scientist and a tea-drinking bibliophile who turned the family dining room into a library, Theresa Meyers learned early the value of a questioning mind, books and a good china teapot.

A former journalist and public relations officer, she found far more enjoyment using her writing skills to pen paranormal novels in the turret office of her Victorian home.

She’s spent nearly a quarter of a century with the boy who took her to the Prom, drinks tea with milk and sugar, is an adamant fan of the television show Supernatural, and has an indecent love of hats.

You can find her dabbling online on 

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The Queen of #AADSAV Stella Price Stops By

Please help me welcome the amazing lady that makes Authors After Dark happen, Ms. Stella Price!

For those of you that do not know, Stella not only works her butt off every year to get AAD done (with the help of her awesome team) but she also is an author. Busy lady!

• Stella you write within the paranormal world. Could you please give us little taste as to what creatures you like to write about? 

Well Audra and I are not a fan of the norm. There is a reason why we write “risk taking” romance. We have written Weresnakes, Saytrs, Demons, witches, dragons, fallen and unicorns, as well as gods, Devas, Genies and jenai.

• You also have a writing partner. What’s it like writing with your sister, Audra? Speaking of Audra, well we get to see her at AAD this year? 

Writing with a partner has to be done with someone that “gets” you, and luckily Audra and I share a mind LOL. I love writing with her and I think it comes through in the works. As to her coming to AAD this year, I’m hoping yes, depending on how well the sales are this year. Since we only travel off our royalties, no royalties mean no visits and I’m praying we do well as I haven’t seen my sister since 2008.

• You just had a new release last month, Something Darker, what’s the smut level (cuz I’m all about the smut LOL). Can we expect some smoking scenes? 

Yes. LOL. Theres actually a HIGH level of smut, but it’s done in a more casual way. Syrus (the lead hero) is very sexual and the villain, hoo lord he's always screwing LOL.

• I have seen on Twitter and Facebook where you have visited the AADSAV hotel a lot in prep for this year’s convention. I’ve never been to Savannah, what sites, restaurants or shopping places would you recommend to convention goers like me that is new to the city and will be coming early to site see as well as attending AAD? 

Ooh well…. Savannah is great. Luckily the hotel is close to everything, and in walking distance of all the cool stuff. We are going to have a huge list of awesome stuff for you to do and places where the con got some special coupons and such. I don’t wanna say too much yet, lol. But let’s see.. I suggest hitting up the Pirates House (10 feet from the hotel) to eat and get some great drinks… And Savannah has no open container laws either!

• I loved AADNOLA last year and can’t wait for AADSAV. Can you tell us a few things that will be new for this year? 

A Vampire ball, Elemental Ball, Bouncy castle, a few new vendors, Self Publishing expo, a bunch of mini parties done by authors… its going to be INSANE!

• AAD helps sponsor an animal charity. Can you tell us more about the charity and how can someone go about donating ideas for the gift baskets that is raffled off? 

Jasper Animal Rescue Mission is our amazing charity. They are from South Carolina, and they are where we got our amazing dog Piggy from. Such great people, they really do all they can for animals and I love being an volunteer for them. They will have a table at the con this year as well so you will get a chance to talk to the people and see all the awesome they do first hand. The raffle is great and I take ALL baskets for it. Its very simple, you bring the basket to us at the con OR contact me personally to send one if you are not attending. We look for anything people would want, and we are hoping to raise 5k for them this year.

Thanks so much for taking time out of your super busy schedule to answer a few questions. I can’t wait to see you again at AADSAV. You and your team do an extraordinary job. Keep up the great work.

Bi-continental, Stella and Audra break all misconceptions about siblings. Writing as a team they have produced well over eighteen novels as well as several novella's and short stories. And nary an argument has come from it.

On their off time from writing, Audra is a makeup artist and Stella is a graphic artist and web designer, as well as the convention director for the Authors After Dark convention. They both love animals and have several including several snakes and a peacock.

Audra lives in Scotland with her husband and children, while Stella Lives in South Carolina with her dogs Moo and Poe and her husband.

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