XpressoBooks: Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Party!

Hi, there! Rebecca Hamilton here to tell you how SUPER excited we are to bring you this MEGA giveaway! First place prize is a $1,000 Amazon Gift Card, but we also have 12 runner up ebook and paperback prizes! Entering will connect you with 21 paranormal romance and urban fantasy authors for more great deals, freebies, and giveaway, so in a way, everyone wins!

Before you enter the giveaway, check out an excerpt of MANIPULATOR OF ELEMENTS: EARTH by Jae Vogel, one of the authors sponsoring the giveaway!

---

“Have you ever faced something so horrible in your life?” Dion asked Lilly. “Have you ever been in a situation where any decision you made could turn out bad? I worry I’m approaching this whole thing wrong and I need some guidance. But the only guidance I get is from my dead grandparents and they don’t seem to stick around very long.”

“At least I can smoke outside.”

They turned to see the funny little Englishman, this time in a tailored business suit, with a pipe in one hand. He inhaled the fumes one final time and placed it back in his pocket.

“No one seems to mind pipes so far. This tobacco is beastly; I need to get a better variety. They say it will be the death of me, you know. This tobacco. Can’t understand why. I thought it was invented by the natives in this country and they seemed to be a healthy people.”

“You have a way of appearing at the most charming times,” Dion said. “Did you know that that floor polisher almost had me arrested for theft?”

“But it worked, didn’t it? The ghouls couldn’t stand the noise created by it. They’re sensitive to light and noise. I almost gave you a camera with a flash to take down there, but I felt it would be better to let you have the floor polisher since the operation of it was simple. By the time you solved the method of using a flash on a camera, it would’ve been too late.”

“It did work to keep the ghouls at bay,” Lilly pointed out. “Besides, the ghouls had mirror shades.”

“So now have you shown up to give me some wisdom?” Dion asked Edward.

“I can’t dispense what I lack,” Edward laughed.

“Then what ever shall I do?” Dion asked with a fake southern accent.

“Both of you are talking in circles,” Lilly said. “Edward, why can’t you just get to the point?”

“Because it would be too easy. And the longer I drag this encounter out, the longer I get to wear this suit and smoke my pipe. It’s the little things you miss once you’ve passed over.”

“You’ve never told us why you are involved,” Dion snapped. “Why didn’t they send Isaac Newton or Julius Cesar to help out?”

“Well, Mr. Newton would spend the entire time tracing out sun patterns. And what good is Julius Cesar without an army? I’m sorry, you are stuck with me. I made many mistakes the first time around. This is their way of giving me a chance to fix what I broke.”

Dion folded his arms. “We’re going to walk through those doors and Officer Karanzen and his good squad will be waiting for us. What do I do when that happens? I need to get to the Earth Element Grandmaster and have her blessing. I can’t approach the next element grandmaster until I have done it.”

“It’s not Karanzen you have to worry about; it’s the earth elementals who don’t want you obtaining full power. The ghouls in particular. They’re furious you’ve made them look bad to the mall owners and will do everything they can to keep you from reaching the elemental grandmaster.”

Lilly took a step forward. “Are they going to pull that cleaning crew stunt again?” she asked him. “Because I don’t want to deal with it again. Our friend Emily will never come back to this mall and I think she may be scared for life.”

“They’ll try something else this time, and they may be very direct how they do it. I would watch out because you have no idea where they will strike. And, rest assured, the security guards will be nowhere to be found if you need their help.”

Dion looked at the doors and took Lilly by the hand. “Okay,” he said to them both. “I can do this. It looks like I’m the only one who can get my parents back, and prevent even worse things from happening.”

Edward raised a hand. “You can’t even conceive what you’re up against. I would tell you more, but they only let me share so much information. But I’m sure you’ll come through, dear boy. In fact, you must…”

Edward pulled out his pocket watch again and looked at it. “Oh, lovely, time is up. You two take care and I will see you again.”

Then he vanished.

---

Don't forget to also check out the complete list of books included in this promotion! Some of the authors have even put their books on sale just for you! Click any book to check it out on Amazon!

---

---

Enter the Giveaway - Click Here!

The Hybrid Blog Tour: Interview with Venus Morales

Today we're taking part in the HYBRID blog tour by chatting with author Venus Morales. Take a look at Venus's book and don't forget to enter the rafflecopter at the end of the post.

Hi, Venus! Welcome to We Do Write. Tell us about yourself.

Who is Venus Morales? I was raised in Boston, MA by my old fashion Latina grandmother. Where we lived in the projects my entire life. A life that wasn’t always peachy, but whose life is? My grandmother is the best grandmother anyone can ask for. She worked two jobs to put a roof over my head and food on the table.

My public local library is where I found my love for books. I knew at a young age I wanted to be a writer. When I introduced my work to my high school instructor I was praised for my creative writing and yet discouraged at the same time. I was told Latinos as myself would never make it in the literary industry let alone I was a female. I almost threw my writing dreams away, but something inside told me not to. A fire still burned within even though I was hurt, I continued to write discordantly.

Motherhood to three wonder boys took reign of my life leaving little to no time for myself or writing. As my boys continued to grow older demanding less of my time I started to write again, but there was never enough time in a day to do everything you want to do. I’m still a fulltime mother though they are not babies anymore, a mother’s job is never done. With the support from my family and friends I was grateful to complete my first novel ‘The Hybrid’ book 1. First of it’s series (The Hybrid Series). I am currently working on book 2 of ‘The Hybrid Blood and Darkness’ along with a new angel series ‘Trinity Angel of Wrath and Justice’. I plan to release those two in the near future but no date has been set yet.

Tell our readers about THE HYBRID.

The Hybrid is about the God of Wars daughter, Arielis (Ari). She’s half goddess and half phoenacian, a fresh new mixed breed, mixed with a little Greek mythology. Ari is born with a dark prophecy hanging over her head. Meanwhile, Ares is forced to raise is motherless daughter in secrecy until her 18th birthday when he is summoned back to Olympus.

Ari chooses not to follow after her father and ventures out into the mortal realm. There, she is approached by an archangel Julius, who bears a message from a seer. Ari’s dark essence continuously struggles to consume her. She returns to the bayou to her late mother’s coven to regain her family crown. Little does she know she is fighting for more than the crown, she is fighting for her life. She has seven days to prepare for her trials, seven days to fight for her life. Ari does the one thing she know she must do to survive; she forges herself into the weapon she was born to be.

With a war hungry father, a vampire queen fashionista best friend, a Greek Goddess grandmother and an archangel by her side. Ari quickly finds out the truth about her past, future and dark secrets that have been kept from her by those she trusted.

Note…

‘The Hybrid’ is not your typical paranormal romance. It’s a young adult paranormal romance novel with fresh new breeds and non-traditional demons. I designed this novel bringing to life new breeds in a modern city, twisting your traditional demons into my own (deamonons). Some ask is it a typo, No it’s not. I’m a fictional writer, nothing I write is true or traditional. I will twist and mix up breeds and characters, stay outside the lines, it’s what authors do. I don’t want to be someone who stays within the lines I want to write what I find interesting. If we all were to write the same thing, we all would be reading the same stuff.

How did you come up with the idea for your story?

Honestly, it started off with me toying with a thought. I love Ares, the God of war. He’s the least favored Greek God and yet I find him so interesting. I kept playing with the thought of Ares and him having a daughter. But I knew I wanted something different. Not a full goddess or half human, something outside of the normal breeds we read. I think vampire are sexy and yet I love phoenixes, they are my #1 exotic immortal creatures. As I toyed with how I wanted to mix everything together the word phoenacian I could not get out of my head. So I decided to mix my two breeds together and making her the daughter of Ares, added another making Ari into a very complex hybrid. I intentionally made her a bit arrogant and angry, she had to be in order to reflect on who her father is. Once I made Ari, It was easier adding the rest of the supporting characters. Ily was her humor balance, Julius brought out her softer side, meanwhile Hera could control them all just by a glare. She’s big momma nobody wants to cross. I chose New Orleans for a couple reasons. It’s one of the best cities in the U.S. known for it’s voodoo and paranormal activity and also it’s my gem city. The one place I am in love with. If I could love there I would.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I am a bit of both. I not only write my stuff down in my notebook prior to transferring it over into my laptop, but when I do it helps me have a foundation of what I want to write and it starts to evolve on it’s own when I am transferring over.

What's the hardest part of writing for you?

It’s when I’m trying to get my thoughts clear. I can see what I want to write but it sometimes doesn’t come out right.

What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

Junk food…LOL I’m a junk food junkie. Coffee, music and water. That’s my typical brain food.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Telekinesis 

What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

Geeze, I honestly couldn’t tell you. I google everything.

Finish this sentence: If I'm not writing, I'm probably ...

reading.

Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

Thank you to WE Do Write for doing this interview. Thank you to Xpressbooktour, my family and friends and Creativia.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Kiss of Fire by Rebecca L. Ethington

Kiss of Fire, the swift moving first book in the Imdalind series by Rebecca Ethington made me smile, a lot. From the begining, Jocyln, the 16 year old protagonist, comes off as a full fledged character full of strengths, quirks, insecurities, and an unusual combination of self assured boldness and a deeply ingrained compulsion to avoid notice. Throughout the Kiss of Fire, I enjoyed watching Jocyln overcome the walls she's built around herself and begin to learn how to let people in and even trust.

Of course, a paranormal/urban fantasy  novel wouldn't be complete without the complicated love interests, social drama, strained family relationships, and magic: Kiss of Fire more than delivers.

Estranged from the father who walked away after her mysterious childhood coma, seemingly because of the bizarre scar that was the only physical reminder of that time, and living with the hardworking mother who still loves her ten years absent husband, Jocyln spends a lot of time home alone or hanging at her mom's workplace, the kitchen of an outrageously wealthy man whose son became her only friend.
Of course, even best friends keep secrets, and Jocyln is hiding more than her fateful scar under her hoodie. She's also hiding the burden of her missing father's apparent madness, her own fears regarding her sanity, and the feelings she knows can come to nothing. Of course, those are small secrets compared to Ryland's.

Ethington's approach to the ubiquitous wealth and privilege endemic to the genre surprised me. As soon as I read that Jocyln's world lies tangent to the extremely wealthy and powerful family for whom her mom works, I worried that the story would devolve into a tag-along tale in which a regular girl from a working family background gets to spend her time with the extremely privileged. Let's face it, we all read Twilight, and as a reader, I can only take so much "I'm not worthy." That's why I was delighted that in Kiss of Fire, while there are times when they come out and say "you're not worthy," Jocyln never took that notion into her personal world view, and neither did her best friend, said wealthy, handsome, smart, funny, able bodied Ryland. I was even more delighted as the plot unfolded and the heavy cost of Ryland's privilege unfolded.

I'm a big fan of leading ladies who make their own decisions, and while just about everyone tried to boss Jocyln around, and though she did, ultimately, tend to comply, she did so with agency. I liked the way that Ethington dealt with Jocyln's emotions, particularly dealing with her transition from living in the world as we know it into one in which magic is not only a very real force, but a part of who she is. I enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to the second in the series.

Book Birthday and Interview with Carrie Butler

Today, we have Carrie Butler here to talk about her New Adult Paranormal Romance, STRENGTH, which releases today! 

Happy release day, Carrie! 

Thank you, Elizabeth and Dorothy! I'm so happy to be here. :)

We're happy to have you. Tell us a little about yourself.

Right now, I'm focusing on my writing career and doing freelance graphic design on the side. It's a little scary, but the job market has been less-than-stellar for daydreaming marketers in Appalachia. Go figure. *Grins* At least I'm doing what I love!

You're right about that! It makes things much easier when you're doing something you love! 

How long have you been writing?

STRENGTH is my debut novel, but I've been writing "seriously" for a few years now. Before that, my stories went on and on, defying all word count ranges... *shudder*

Ha! I think the ability to "kill your darlings" is one of the last things to develop, as a writer. But, it's such an important step. 

What’s STRENGTH about?

Category: New Adult

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Sapphire Star Publishing

When college student Rena Collins finds herself nose-to-chest with the campus outcast, she’s stunned. Wallace Blake is everything she’s ever wanted in a man—except he can’t touch her. His uncontrollable strength, a so-called gift from his bloodline, makes every interaction dangerous. And with a secret, supernatural war brewing among his kind, there’s no time to work it out. To keep Wallace in her life, Rena will have to risk a whole lot more than her heart.

Interesting premise, and Wallace Blake sounds absolutely swoon-worthy! How did you come up with the idea for this story?

For years, I'd been toying with the idea of a unique, supernatural race. (Okay, three races.) One night, for whatever reason, I couldn't stop thinking about the concept of balance. I started jotting down notes while listening to music, and "All I Know" (the 2005 Five for Fighting cover) came on. The lyrics sparked something, and the next thing I knew, the romance element had fallen into place.

*Sigh* I love that song...

Okay, now you have to scoop me up off the floor. I love that song, too. And I can see how it was an inspiration.

STRENGTH is considered New Adult. The genre has been getting a lot of press lately. What are your thoughts on the New Adult genre in today's market?

In September, Publishers Weekly reported that over half of young adult sales were coming from adults. Even more surprising, 78% of those adults were buying for themselves! Since new adult (NA) is a category that bridges the gap between YA and adult fiction, it's starting to tap into that lucrative market.

Dozens of publishers—from small presses to the Big 6—have opened their doors to new adult submissions. Some have even launched lines dedicated to the category. I think we're witnessing a period of tremendous growth for NA.

I think you're right! It's an exciting time for NA and NA writers. 

Tell us a bit about your writing process. Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit? 

I had seven critique partners and four beta readers for STRENGTH. Whew! It was a lot of feedback to take on, but it really helped me grow as a writer.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

These days, I'm more of a plotter. I started with Post-It notes and copier paper, moved on to Excel spreadsheets, and then finally found my stride in Scrivener. Now I can't start a book without it!

I hear Scrivener rocks, but I'm still stuck in my pantser ways. Call me stubborn. What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Waiting to get to the "good parts". I never write scenes in order.

What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

H2O. Gotta keep the ol' brain going.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

"I belieeeeve I can fly!" Seriously, I can't imagine how liberating that must feel.

(Plus, I'm terrified of airplanes.)

Flying would be pretty cool! What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

Oh my goodness. I’m probably on so many “watch lists” I remember Googling how to remove bloodstains from sidewalks. That was awkward...

Hehehe! Well, there are LOTS of reasons why you might google that, right? ... Right?

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: anniversary, jumping jacks, and hallucinating.

“Was I hallucinating, or were my parents doing jumping jacks on their anniversary?”

(Because we all know that’s what parents do behind closed doors on their anniversary—jumping jacks.)

I know that's what I'd do on my anniversary,  if I were married. 

Finish this sentence: If I'm not writing, I'm probably... 

...thinking about writing. Sad, isn't it? ;)

It doesn't matter what I'm doing—sketching, designing a book cover, doing target practice, etc. My characters refuse to shut up! Thankfully, that seems to be a good thing in this industry.

Yes, it's a very good thing. Who would you like to thank for supporting you and your writing. Let's hear your shout outs.

Oh, what a cool idea! So many people have helped me get to this point, and I would have never made it without them. Let's see...

*Takes a deep breath* Shout-outs to: God, my folks, my sister, my brother-in-law, my nephew, my niece, other family, friends, my publishers (Amy & Katie), my editors, my SSP family, my critique partners, my beta readers, the blogging community, the Twitterverse, my Facebook fans, #NALitChat regulars, book reviewers, and the ever-popular Dorothy Dreyer and Elizabeth Holloway!

And finally, where can people find you and your books online?

In March, they'll be able to find STRENGTH on Amazon, Kindle, Barnes & Noble, Nook, iBooks, Sony Reader Store, Kobo, Diesel, and Baker & Taylor.

Where to find Carrie:

WEBSITE  |  BLOG  |  SSP  |  TWITTER  |  FACEBOOK  |  GOODREADS  |  GOOGLE+ 

Where to find Strength:

BOOK PAGE  |  GOODREADS  |  SSP  |  FACEBOOK  |  PINTEREST  |  BOOK TRAILER

Thank you for joining us today, Carrie! And congratulations!

Interview with Tina Pollick

Hey, guys. Glad to see you here. Today we're chatting with author Tina Pollick. When Tina isn’t writing paranormal romance about Heavenly hunks, and smart, sassy women, this RN enjoys a quiet home life with her husband, children, two horses, two dogs, cat, chickens, guineas ... well sort of quiet. Tina's here to talk about her novel, GABRIEL.

Welcome to We Do Write, Tina. How long have you been writing? 

Since this past summer.

Tell us about GABRIEL. What’s the story about?

When demons break ancient bonds, a love-match between a valiant archangel and a selfless nurse bring humanity's last hope—but contagion from the demons threaten their newly developed bond.

Kematians escape the guard of the watchful archangels and flee into the world to feed on humanity. With powerful regeneration abilities, the demons turn the tide against the valiant archangels, taking a toll on their numbers. Will Calla Stevens, a nurse with miraculous healing abilities, be able to save Gabriel when he's on the cusp of death?

How did the idea of the story come to you?

I think it was a series of ‘what if’ questions. I didn’t have a dream about it or anything cool like that. It really was a labor of love.

Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

I belong to a critique group. And I have to say having someone who’s also a writer really helps in many ways.

Are you a planner or a pantser?

I’m a halfster. I do a real rough outline. Okay it’s not really an outline. I draw squares on a paper and write a few things in each one. I like the freedom of being able to follow my characters when they take me to unexpected places, but I also want to know where the end destination is and an idea of how they’re going to get there.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Staying on task. Working from home is challenging anyway, but when I write it’s really difficult to just sit down and write. I’m thinking about laundry, writing bids or invoices for my husbands business, what am I going to make for dinner. I’m really a better evening writer, but evenings are family time so I write during the day.

What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

You’re going to laugh, but I like these little candies called ‘baby feet’. They’re colorful candies that are used as favors for baby showers. My cousin had a baby shower this fall and they became a favorite. You know those candy necklaces? Well they taste just like that. Mmmmm.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

I would fly. I have terrible night vision, even with my glasses. If I have to go to the store and get something in the evening, I really hate it. If I could fly, then I could zip over to Walmart or Krogers anytime I needed to. That would be so cool. Are you handing out super powers? If so then this is the BEST interview ever!

Now that would be cool, wouldn't it? What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

Hmmm, this is a good question. I wish I had something really weird to tell you, but I’m afraid I’m a boring google searcher. I have had to reword things because what I was looking for is not what came up.

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: extraordinary, eggs, and euphoria.

The blue and grey speckled eggs are extraordinary, filling me with a sense of euphoria.

Finish this sentence: If I'm not writing, I'm probably ...

  taking out the trash.

LOL, okay, that's a unique answer. Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

My family is really my rock. I couldn’t write without the support and patience of my husband and kids. The words would never leave my computer without the encouragement from my girlfriends on Scrib. I have awesome beta readers who let me know what’s working and what needs to change. Overall I considered myself to be extremely blessed by all the wonderful people I’m surrounded by.

And finally, where can people find you and your books online?

Twitter and Facebook.

GABRIEL can be found at Evernight, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookstrand, All Romance e-Books, Sony, Apple, Chapters-Indigo/KOBO, Coffee Time Romance and Rainbow Ebooks.

Interview with Aneesa Price

Today we welcome author Aneesa Price in part one of a two-part interview. Today we'll be talking about her novel, COFFIN GIRLS.

Aneesa Price writes romance and lives it with her university sweetheart and husband. After having surmounted the challenges of being in a bi-racial marriage in the newly democratic South Africa, she now attributes her marital bliss to purposefully added spice and passionately resolved differences. The cosmopolitan city of Johannesburg is the playground that she enjoys with her husband and two daughters.
Aneesa completed her internship in counselling psychology and went on to work first as a therapist and then in Corporate Finance in on projects and in organizational change. She writes to give her readers the gift of experiencing the new and fascinating, something she strives for herself when she explores new places, reads, cooks with her kids or goes picking for antiques with her husband.

Welcome to We Do Write, Aneesa. How long have you been writing?

I detested high school and loved university and because of that I've blocked much of what happened during school from my memory. *grin* Apparently, I'd forgotten that I used to entertain my friends while we sat in study hall preparing for exams with conjured tales of hot romance - something which a friend recently reminded me of. I haven't put my fingers to a laptop to write since until around August last year. I was off sick from work, bored out of my skull and decided to give it a try. What ensued was 2 weeks of madness as I fell in love with the process of writing. I wrote Finding Promise in two weeks and then began writing Coffin Girls this year, which took 3 months to complete due to the intense research involved (and because I had hand surgery).

Tell us about COFFIN GIRLS. What’s the story about?

The story is about Anais, a witch-vampire and the group of misfit vampire-witches that she shares her home and business with. It is set on a beautiful historic plantation in New Orleans just shy of the city and alongside the bayou. Anais feels as though her life is running well with the only necessary evil being her subjugation for the Vampire Council headed by Yves, her maker. As event planners, Anais and her motley crew of vampire witches and paranormal assistants coordinate the annual Vampire Council ball. During this ball Yves makes the startling announcement of establishing a witch-vampire alliance and Anais is left with the witch-sitting responsibilities. Only the witch in question and his guards are intriguing, sexy men of magick and status and Anais finds that their presence threatens the closely-guarded secrets of her and her witch-vampire sisters. This leads to the series of misadventures and unexpected twists as Anais and Conall need to overcome their differences, despite their passionate interest in each other and put the fate of captured, young witches first. This book, whilst introducing many different paranormal creatures from weres to necromancers to fae, is ultimately an adult romantic read and due to erotic elements and strong language is not recommended for readers under the age of 18.

How did the idea of the story come to you?

I never know how a story comes to me to be honest. I usually dream up an idea then research. As I research the idea evolves and I then do some more research. *grin* With Coffin Girls, I utilized google, google maps, read books on voodoo and magick, I researched the history of New Orleans and even went so far as to read hordes of articles on New Orleans speech. I even read the Wiccan bible and the history of magick. All the reading I did helped spark my imagination and shape the text but the idea really came out of nowhere. I suppose that it develops once I sit and write. I write freely for about the first three chapters then sit back, think, research and begin plotting. Plotting only serves as a guide or 'sanity check' but I've found that my best work happens when I lose myself in it and forget what I've plotted.

Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

I would love to use an editor but as a new indie publisher with a day job and responsibilities, that is a future goal. For my first novel, I didn't use a beta reader and it was all mine. For the second book, Coffin Girls, because of the French in it, I obtained assistance from a French friend who provided me with invaluable guidance on the complexities of the French language. Other than that, I did all the editing myself. Fortunately, I hold a major in English for my undergraduate degree and progressed to complete my internship in psychology, which requires much reading and even more writing. So, I had many opportunities to practice. Even so, grammatical errors do creep in and I found myself editing and re-uploading both books many times even after I published them. I hope that they are now error-free but I would in future like to save myself that particular pain and utilize the services of an editor.

Are you a planner or a pantser?

A bit of both - see previous answer lol. But I do like to plan how to light fire under the pants of my readers in terms of suspense *wicked grin* and interesting love scenes of course.

What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

"How to fake your death" and "Spiritual Vampires"

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: erratic, Switzerland, and propaganda.

The propaganda I’d been subjected to had led to the most infuriating of erratic sensations, placing me in an disturbing hell that was far from the neutral, comfortable emotional state of Switzerland that I preferred.

Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

My motivation to write, my inspiration ultimately comes from my life, my loves and the journey that I'm on to becoming. An undeniable influence in this is my husband, with whom I have my own Romeo and Juliet experience and my two beautiful daughters to whom I'd like to illustrate that dreams can become a reality through passion and hard work.
Thank you to you, Dorothy Dreyer, for this wonderful opportunity and the support you show to indie authors - I wish for you much positive karma returned.
I need to thank the Facebook literary community, particularly the members of Wanda's Amazing Amazon Reviewers or WaAr and my friends at Mystic Press. My friend and inspiration to keep going is Rose Pressey whom I look up to as an author and a beautiful soul. I cannot omit Kendall of Book Crazy, Mary-Nancy of M-N's Amazing Reviews (she was my very first formal reviewer), Carmen Ramirez Sanchez, Carrie-Anne Phillips To Be, Sam Sheerin, Brittany Weidenfeller and so many others. I'd love to give a shout out to the fabulous reviewers and authors at Trudy's Reviewers and Street Team. One reviewer, Michelle, was so forthright and shared so much of herself in what she wrote on amazon that I realized the power of the written word - my written word - and when I am frustrated, I remember how I touched a life and it keeps me motivated.
I also have a wonderful following on twitter and on my Facebook fan page where I've candidly shared my thoughts, promoted other authors and reviewers and have had many interesting conversations.

And finally, where can people find you and your books online?

My books are available on many of the retailers - Barnes and Noble, Amazon, smashwords, Kobo, etc. Coffin Girls is also available via createspace.

The easiest link to Coffin Girls and Finding Promise are via amazon. I do encourage readers interested in my work to like my fan page on Facebook where I interact the most and engage openly. I also provide information on future work or work in progress. I'm currently working on a submission to Mystic Press for an erotic anthology, have just completed a emotionally poignant contemporary romance entitled Home for Love and have future plans to embark on an explicit erotic anthology with a group of indie authors. All of this information may be found on my Facebook Author / Fan page.

Here are the links:

Coffin Girls:
http://www.amazon.com/Coffin-Girls-Elegantly-Undead-ebook/dp/B008N0GWVA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350418092&sr=8-1&keywords=Coffin+Girls

Finding Promise:
http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Promise-Series-Romance-ebook/dp/B008N25Y80/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1350418092&sr=8-2&keywords=Coffin+Girls

Facebook Author Page:
https://www.facebook.com/AneesaPriceSugarandSpice

Interview with JK Hogan

Today we're chatting with author JK Hogan about her novel, FIRE ON THE ISLAND.

Welcome to We Do Write! Tell us a bit about yourself.

I'm a country girl and I provide my husband with endless amusement with what I'll call my “dialectal idiosyncrasies.” I'm an avid reader and an artist in addition to being an author, and I also enjoy dog sports such as agility and dock diving. My husband and I are also expecting our first child.

That's awesome news! Congratulations! How long have you been writing?


I've been making up stories probably since the time I learned to talk, but I only started writing them down in the last 10 years or so. (That makes me sound old, doesn't it? I'm only 30, I promise!) It was only in the last year that I actually completed something that I thought was worth publishing.

Tell us about FIRE ON THE ISLAND. What’s the story about?

It's about a young Scottish woman who finds herself mixed up in a battle with demons trying to take over the human world. Along the way she meets a parapsychologist who comes to Scotland to investigate rumors of her being a witch. Much to both of their surprise, the rumors turn out to be true! Together they must find a way to defeat Alastore, the demon king, and close the gate between the worlds before Samhain, when he is the strongest. You'll have to read to find out how they do it!

Sounds awesome! How did the idea of the story come to you?


Would you believe it just popped into my head? Memories from a recent trip to Scotland—specifically the Isle of Arran where the story takes place—gave me Isla, my heroine, and the setting. Blues concerts with my friend, especially New Orleans' own Tab Benoit, gave me Jeremiah and his love of blues guitar. The rest just happened. My husband took me out to dinner one night and I told him I planned to write a book. I then spent the next two hours blurting out the entire story. He was so sweet about it—even as his eyes glazed over.

Are you a planner or a pantser?


Definitely a panster. I'll have a concept or a general idea of a plot (see above) but I'm definitely the 'sit down and write' type. Occasionally I'll have to storyboard a bit if I write myself into a corner, but that doesn't happen often.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?


Contrary to what many may believe, a lot of it is hard, but rewarding as well. Right now, I'm finding the hardest part to be actually being able to sit down and focus when I have the opportunity to write. Scenes tend to come to me at the most inopportune times, but when I have a block of time with no interruptions, I struggle to get it out. When that happens, I generally just let it stew until it has to come out, no matter what I'm doing!

What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?


Definitely my iPod. And coffee. Lots of coffee.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?


I'd be able to fly. Kind of cliché I know, but I used to have these wonderful dreams as a kid where if I just ran fast enough and jumped high enough, I could take off!

What's the weirdest thing you've googled?


Oh boy, I have a disturbingly curious nature so I've probably googled just about everything under the sun—some not fit for polite company. To make it easier, I'll keep it in the context of my book. The funniest thing I googled while researching for FIRE ON THE ISLAND was a variety of Cajun and French Cajun slang, curses and insults. It was pretty entertaining.

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: rigorous, satin, and vacuum.

“She rigorously vacuumed the satin sheets after her lover shed all over them.” Shapeshifters, anyone?

LOL! That was great. Finish this sentence: If I'm not writing, I'm probably...


Reading! I know, *snore*. But it's true! I'm so addicted to reading, I sometimes have to force myself to put down my Kindle so I can write my own books. If not reading, than I can be found practicing or competing in dog agility. Google it, it's really fun!

Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.


My husband James, and my family have been super supportive. Also my group of friends from the place we train for agility, Dog Haven, has been amazing. They were always encouraging me in the process of writing and publishing this book. Lastly, I have to give a shout out to my favorite musicians, Jonny Lang and Tab Benoit for providing the soundtrack to the story in my head.

And finally, where can people find you and your book online?


I love talking to readers. You can find me here:
http://jkhogan.com/
http://twitter.com/JK_Hogan
http://www.facebook.com/OfficialJKHogan
http://www.goodreads.com/jkhogan
http://www.amazon.com/author/jkhogan

And my book:
Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Island-J-K-Hogan/dp/1938404173/ref=la_B008UXO15E_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345334929&sr=1-1

Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Island-Vigilati-ebook/dp/B008RO8BZM/ref=la_B008UXO15E_1_1_title_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1345334929&sr=1-1

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fire-on-the-island-jk-hogan/1112102519

Thank you so much for chatting with us today, JK! Your book sounds amazing!

Three Two One Pitch Contest

Attention writers! Have you been working hard on the next great novel? Is your manuscript ready to pitch to an agent? Well, you're in luck, because I'm holding a pitch contest right here on the blog June 7th! What exactly does this contest entail? Well, it's a Three-Two-One pitch contest.

THREE - Pitch your story in only three sentences. 


TWO - Two days to enter: June 7th and 8th.


ONE - One agent will judge and pick a winner.

Doesn't that sound great? Well then get those pitches ready!


Do not enter your pitch on this post. I will make an official contest entry post on June 7th, and entrants will post their three-sentence pitches (no run on sentences - this agent is a stickler for grammar!) in the comments section of that post. At midnight on June 8th, I will turn off comments and no other entries will be accepted. The winner will get a full manuscript request!

I will announce our spectacular judging agent sometime prior to the contest, so keep an eye out!

This contest is open to unagented, completed and polished manuscripts in the genres of:

• MG
• YA
• Contemporary, Paranormal, or Historical Romance
• Upmarket Women's Fiction
• Sci-Fi and Fantasy
• Thrillers and Darker Contemporary Fiction

To be eligible, you must:

• Follow this blog - go ahead and click "Join this Site" on the right if you haven't already
• Follow me on Twitter
• Spread the word! Tweet, Blog, or mention on Facebook about the contest linking back to this post

Not necessary, but in the spirit of paying it forward:

• Friend me on Goodreads
• Like my Facebook Author Page

So, don't forget: Three sentences, two days to enter, one agent will judge. Good luck, everyone. Can't wait to read all your pitches. See you back here on the 7th of June!

Interview with Hazel M Larsen

Today we welcome writer Hazel M Larsen to sit and have a chat with us about her most recent book, THE SMELL OF RAIN. There's a title that tickles the senses!

Welcome, Hazel. Tell us a bit about yourself.

I have been doing lots of things in my life, tried several different careers, but it never really felt right. Writing, however, felt right from the start and I have now switched to a part-time job to be able to concentrate more on writing than before. I also spend ridiculous amounts of time sleeping and updating my facebook profile. I love eating and cooking and probably do too much of both. I’m a big fan of museums and art in general. I travel whenever I can afford it, but I’d be terrified to go anywhere where they don’t speak English or German. That’s me in a nutshell...

How long have you been writing?

I started back when I still at university, in 2009. It feels much longer than it has actually been. It’s been a great time.

Tell us about ‘The Smell of Rain’. What’s the story about?

It’s about Alannah, a young guardian angel who starts a new life in a little town by the sea, without knowing what’s going on there. She befriends the local angels and soon learns that her seemingly peaceful new home is also home to a pair of brothers who are anything but peaceful. It becomes increasingly difficult for her to tell right from wrong and falling in love doesn’t make it any easier.


It’s a lovely book about young love and trust and friendship.

How did the idea of the story come to you?

Good question. I kind of like my idea of guardian angels - Not as biblical creatures, but as supernaturals with the mission to help and protect human beings. In my first book, Perfect Fudge, I told the story from a human perspective. Now I wanted to do something from the viewpoint of an angel and I also wanted a different kind of hero. I think the rough story idea must have come to me in my sleep. I get lots of ideas from dreams.

Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

Both. I do have beta-readers who will suggest changes and point out errors and flaws in the story, but I also go over each story several times until I am completely happy.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

I guess every writer knows the menace of the blank page. It’s not any different for me... Finding the first words is the hardest part, I think.

Let’s get to know you on a deeper level. What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

A window. I need to be able to look outside and see the sky while I think.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Does flying count as super power? If so, then definitely that. Flying must be great.

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: ripple, quadruped, and toffee.

A ripple went through the quadruped as it swallowed the toffee, thinking it would be happy to give an arm and a leg for another piece.

Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

I would like to thank my usual facebook gang. They all have been extremely helpful, as beta-readers, critics, and friends. I also would like to thank my friends in real life for enduring all my ramblings about my books, even encouraging them. And thank you, Dorothy, for having me ;-)

My pleasure! And finally, where can people find you and your book online?

My website is on www.hazelwriter.com and my books can be found in the amazon kindle stores.


Hazel, thanks so much for taking to time to talk with us. I look forward to reading your book!

Interview with Laurie London

Don't you love books with the word 'Blood' in them? I have to admit they get my attention. And I also have to admit I sometimes throw the word in there when I'm tossing around title ideas. So how great is it to chat with an author with multiple blood-titled books! Let's all get to know the awesome Laurie London.

Hi Laurie! Tell us a bit about yourself.

I live on a small farm in the Seattle area with my family. We have horses, a dog, a cat, a rabbit, and chickens--one of which got eaten by a coyote last night. :-(

Oh dear! How long have you been writing?

I've been writing off and on since I was a kid but only recently have I been writing with the goal of becoming published.

Tell us about your paranormal romance BONDED BY BLOOD and its sequel
EMBRACED BY BLOOD.

Bonded By Blood is the first book in the Sweetblood series. It centers around a group of Guardian enforcers, vampires who safeguard humanity from Darkbloods, rogue vampires who believe it’s their right to feed from and kill humans. The Darkblood Alliance is an organized faction that sells blood on the vampire black market. The rarest, called Sweet, is highly addictive and commands the highest price.


In the Sweetblood world, since vampires exist secretly, yet peacefully (for the most part) among humans, they don’t burst into flames in the sun, sparkle, or go into a trace-like sleep during the day. Ultraviolet light weakens them—they’re unable to convert it into energy like we do—so they avoid the sun and come out mainly at night. Which is why they need human blood and energy to survive.


Bonded By Blood is about Dominic Serrano, the leader of the Seattle field team, and Mackenzie Foster-Shaw, a human sweetblood. Her special blood will give him the strength he needs for revenge against the powerful evil who destroyed his family, but in doing so, he could destroy her.

Embraced By Blood is about Alfonso, Dom's estranged brother who worked undercover within the Darkblood Alliance for years, and Lily DeGraff, a highly trained Tracker agent with the Seattle field team. As a marked man, Alfonso has gone into hiding to protect the ones he loves. But when danger strikes close to home and the Darkblood plot intensifies, he and Lily must team up to fight the evil that threatens them all.

Sounds cool! How did the idea of the stories come to you?

The inspiration for the Sweetblood series came to me as I drove past an old cemetery near where I live. Although I’d driven by many times, there was something about this one particular time that stuck with me. Tucked beneath a stand of fir trees at the side of a busy highway, it seemed glaringly out of place.


Because I’ve always been intrigued by cemeteries, I doubled back and got out of my car. Not seeing any fresh flowers, just crooked and broken gravestones littering the forest floor, my mind started imagining all sorts of things.


I kept envisioning a man hidden under a pile of dead leaves. Although I knew he wasn’t the villain, he was going to do something bad. I needed to find out why.

That's freaky, but very cool. Tell us about Emmanuelle Morgen of the Judith Ehrlich Literary Management.

I signed with Emmanuelle as the result of a referral from another agent who liked my story enough to pass it along to her. Emmanuelle gave me great editorial advice, which helped me polish up the manuscript, and she sold the series quickly.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Writing that first draft!

Any tips you’ve learned about writing you’d like to share?

Deadlines, either self-imposed or actual ones, are very motivating. Because of them, I've learned to push myself and to write every day, even when I don't feel like it or I'm not inspired. A deadline is a slave only to time, not your muse.

Let’s get to know you on a deeper level. What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

Hard candy and green tea.

Ah, I haven't heard that one before. If you could have any super power, what would it be?

I'd love to be able to fly.

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: briefcase, opera singer, and in-line skates.

Before Betty became a professional opera singer, she worked as a courier, but instead of using a bicycle, she zipped along the city sidewalks with her briefcase and her neon green in-line skates.

What a visual! Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

Thank you to my sister who was the first person who believed in my writing.

And finally, where can people find you online?

My website is www.LaurieLondonBooks.com
My blog is www.LaurieLondon.blogspot.com
I can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LaurieLondonAuthor
and Twitter www.twitter.com/LaurieBLondon

Thanks so much, Laurie, for chatting with us. I wish you lots of success with all your writing endeavors!

Thanks so much, Dorothy, for having me on today!