Guest Post & Giveaway with Author Inara Scott

Is Happily Ever After Really Unrealistic?

One thing critics complain about when it comes to romance novels is how “unrealistic” they are. These complaints (which almost always come from someone who has never actually read a romance) have even gone so far as to claim that reading about couples falling madly in love, having great sex, and living happily ever after could be damaging to a woman’s psyche!

Seriously, can you believe anyone can say that with a straight face?

The bizarre thing is that you don’t hear anyone arguing that detective novels are unrealistic, or that they give men unrealistic expectations of their ability to solve crimes. You don’t hear anyone claiming that reading tragic books where the main character lives a miserable life of unrealized potential, sends anyone down the wrong path. 

It’s as though someone decreed that having an expectation that life would be sad and depressing is HEALTHIER than an expectation that life holds the promise of love and fulfillment.

Really—think about it. That is MESSED UP, don’t you agree?

I write romances in which people fall in love. Yeah, they’re prettier and richer than the average Joe and Jane. My latest book RULES OF NEGOTIATION, stars a millionaire CEO nicknamed “The Slayer,” who sports a set of six-pack abs, and has broad shoulders, jet black hair, and crystal blue eyes. I’ll give you that there aren’t a whole lot of guys like him hanging out in singles bars. But the rest of it? The fact that he meets a woman and falls madly in love with her? The fact that, having fallen in love, he’d sacrifice anything to keep her?

No way. Not unrealistic. I think people fall in love all the time. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that the vast majority of people know what it’s like to fall in love.  (Unlike solving mysteries and catching serial killers. I’m pretty sure most of us have never done that!)

What about the part where my hero and heroine have great sex? (And they do, I warn you. More than once. ;-)  ) Well, I’m not touching that one, but suffice to say I don’t think that is unrealistic either.

And the happily ever after bit? People are fond of quoting a statistic that 50% of marriages end in divorce. Doesn’t that mean 50% don’t? My husband’s grandparents were married for 70 years before Grandpa passed away. His parents are still happily married. My grandparents were happily married. I’ve been married for fourteen blissful years, and I fall more deeply in love with my husband every day.

So it is unrealistic? If you ask me, it’s not.

But what do you think? Do you think happily ever after is possible? How about falling in love? (I’m not sure I want to invite comment on the other point!) Leave a comment and be entered to win a copy of RULES OF NEGOTIATION, so you can judge The Slayer’s realism for yourself! Please leave your email address so we are able to contact you. This contest will close on 3/4/12... Good Luck!!

About Rules of Negotiation

He let her make the rules…

NYC’s most eligible bachelor, Brit Bencher, is also known as The Slayer for his reputation in the boardroom…and the bedroom. And he’ll do anything to take care of his family, even seduce high-powered corporate attorney Tori Anderson in the hopes of getting her to reveal confidential information about one of her clients. But for the first time in his life, he finds he’s falling for a woman.

…and then he started to break them.

After juggling the demands of her career and the stress of caring for her ailing mother, Tori Anderson doesn’t have time for relationships—but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t want to feel like a woman. When Brit offers a no-strings attached fling, it sounds like exactly what she needs. But what will she do when Brit decides he won’t take “one night stand” for an answer? When Tori uncovers his lies, will he lose his chance with her forever?

Get your copy at Amazon & Barnes & Noble! 

About Inara Scott

Inara Scott is a writer, lawyer, teacher, mother, and coffee-addict currently growing mold in the beautiful (but rainy) Pacific Northwest. Inara also writes for teens in her paranormal young adult series The Talents. Inara firmly believes in magic and fairy tales, and doesn’t think happily ever after is the least bit unrealistic.

Inara loves to hear from readers; you can find her on Twitter (@inarascott) or Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/inarawrites) far more than is healthy. For email contact information, event schedules, her blog, and much more, check out www.inarascott.com.

Giveaway with Forever Romance Paranormal Blog Tour

Darkness Bound 

WHEN NIGHT FALLS

After her husband's tragic death, Leigh Kelly arrives on Whidbey Island determined to start over. Yet the tiny town of Chimney Rock is not as peaceful as it seems. Women have been disappearing, and Leigh can't shake the feeling that she's being watched . . . especially at night. Soon, she's experiencing visions she can't explain and fighting her attraction to a handsome stranger who seems to know her most intimate desires.
PASSION TRANSFORMS THEM
As the leader of the Team, a pack of werehounds forced to hide their very existence, former special ops soldier Niles Latimer is desperate to prove a man's heart beats beneath his predator's body. And Leigh-the mysterious beauty possessing powers she doesn't yet understand-may be the one woman who can help him. But Niles isn't the only one who recognizes Leigh's true identity. Something evil is waiting in the woods-and the hunt has begun . . .

Kiss of the Vampire

 Warriors of the Rift

Once a generation, the rift between the paranormal world and the human world opens, allowing supernatural entities to cross. Vampire, demon, or shapeshifter, they can save the world-or send it spiraling into chaos.
Half-demon, half-human, Nix de la Fuente is accepted by neither and mistrusted by both. Determined to prove she's more human than not, she devotes herself to solving crimes between the world's mortals and its most unsavory undead. But her latest case brings her face to face with the one vampire she could never resist . . .

Called in to investigate a string of violent murders, special agent Tobias Caine isn't interested in rekindling his relationship with Nix. Yet one look and the vampire knows his need for her is as strong as ever. Once, their all-consuming passion nearly cost Nix her fragile hold on her humanity. Now, as their hunger for one another intensifies, exposing them to an unimaginable danger, it could cost them both their lives.

Giveaway!

3 lucky winners will win a copy of each book!

• Open to US/Canada only
• No PO boxes please

Just add your email in a comment if you are interested in entering the giveaway.  Giveaway is open until  03/10/12 12PM EST.  Winners will be chosen using random.org and winners will be emailed.

Good luck!

Guest Post & Giveaway with Author Jennifer Probst

Toddlers and Puppies and Families, oh My! 

A big thanks to Lush Book Reviews for hosting me today and allowing me the special opportunity to guest blog!

I must admit The Marriage Bargain has been my favorite book to write so far. A writer is always told one cardinal rule in romance fiction. Keep the focus on the characters and the romance at all times. Oh, and the second is a happy ending.

No problem.

But what I loved so much about writing this book, was the chance to incorporate some elements  I never dared to implement before. For instance, my heroine’s family is key in the story and the reason she marries the hero in the first place – to save her childhood home and keep her parents and siblings safe. Of course, my hero knows nothing about these lofty intentions, and instead believes she is only greedy for money. This gives us a good conflict, but add in a hero who hates emotional entanglements such as family, children, and animals, and you have the makings of a fun story. I adore a man who is all uptight, sexy, and likes his order to be challenged and pushed by the messiness of entanglements. Fun, fun, fun! These are some of the things he has to deal with: 

A young toddler who forces my hero to do the unthinkable.

A stray dog who pushes emotional buttons from my hero’s past.

An old fashioned Italian family who likes to hug, fuss, and frustrate my hero.

Definitely messy. Definitely uncomfortable. But these items in life are what makes love happen, and that’s the most fun about reading a romance for me. Challenging my characters and forcing them to grow.

What extra elements do you love to read about in your romance?

What type of challenges do you like to throw at your own characters?

Drop me a comment, share, and be entered to win a free copy of The Marriage Bargain! Please leave a email address so we are able to contact you. Good Luck!!

BUY LINKS:

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-marriage-bargain-jennifer-probst/1108825359?ean=2940013903296

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Marriage-Bargain-Billionaire-ebook/dp/B00790TI0W/ref=pd_ys_iyrl

And remember, stalking is highly encouraged! I love responding to all readers.

Visit my website at: http://jenniferprobst.com for more news on releases, blogs, giveaways and fun!

Facebook page:  http://on.fb.me/mDSK0Z

 Twitter: http://bit.ly/iMXHkr

Join me on my next stop on the Marriage tour on Thursday, March 1st at Reader Girls!

http://www.readergirls.blogspot.com

Thanks and I look forward to hearing from all of you!

Guest Post & Giveaway with Author Faye Robertson

“I had sex with an orc once.”

That’s the first line of my contemporary romance Kiss and Make Up, one of the first four books in Entangled Publishing’s new category romance line, Indulgence. I think that first line says an awful lot about both the book and me! Firstly, that I’m a nerd, and not afraid to admit it. I love anything sci-fi and fantasy, and it was my love of the Lord of the Rings trilogy that sparked the idea of a makeup artist and a stuntman meeting on a movie set, which eventually led to Kiss and Make Up.

Secondly, I love humorous romance authors like Jennifer Crusie, and I’m a big fan of TV dramas with humour, like Castle, The West Wing, House, Friends, and Buffy and Angel. If you like any of these shows, or authors like Crusie, Leslie Kelly and Sarah Mayberry, you’ll hopefully have fun with both Kiss and Make Up and the other authors in the Indulgence line. Why not pop over and take a look at the new imprint on the Entangled site? At $2.99 these short romances are a guaranteed great read!

Thank you to Lush Book Reviews for having me on here. If you’d like to win a copy of Kiss and Make Up, comment below and tell me your favorite movie to watch on Valentine’s Day. I could be soppy and say Bridget Jones, but I’d much rather watch Lord of the Rings and drool over Haldir (played by Craig Parker, who bears a striking resemblance to stuntman Eli Black in my book!) 


Winner will be chosen on February 29th noon. Please leave your email address so I will be able to contact you. Good Luck!!!

Bio

Faye Robertson lives in the sub-tropical Northland of New Zealand with her wonderful husband and gorgeous teenage son. She writes fun, flirty, and sexy contemporary romances for the modern woman who likes intelligent, spirited heroines, and hunky but approachable heroes. She’s won several romance writing competitions and is a member of the Romance Writers of New Zealand. She would much rather immerse herself in reading or writing romance than do the dusting and ironing, which is why it’s not a great idea to pop round if you have any allergies. You can check out all her books at www.fayerobertsonromance.com.

Links

Website: http://www.fayerobertsonromance.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/serenitywoodsromance

Twitter: @FayeRobertsonNZ

Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/fayerobertson

KISS AND MAKE UP

Blurb

The Opportunity of a Lifetime…

Makeup artist Tabby Rogers is thrilled to land a job on a New Zealand movie set with lots of perks, including getting her hands on sexy Kiwi stunt man, Eli Black.

The sexual electricity zapping between them can't be denied, but neither of them is in a position to handle happily-ever-after. Eli’s jetting off to Hollywood, Tabby’s next assignment is in the UK. But there’s nothing wrong with a short-term fling, right?

Except as the sparks burn hotter and responsibilities pull at them from opposite ends of the globe, it quickly becomes clear that something’s gotta give. Must Tabby sacrifice her hard-won career for love? Or will Eli forever be the one that got away?

 

Guest Post with Author Jennifer August

What I’d love for Valentine’s Day

Hi, there! I’m delighted to be at Lush Book Reviews today. I follow Lush on Twitter and am a total fangirl! Thank you for having me.

In the spirit of romance, love and happily ever after, I gave my boyfriend a list of my top five requests for a fantastic Valentine’s Day. (sex was not on the list because, duh, that’s a given!)

1. Office Supplies. I’m a writer and, like most of us, I am deeply enamored of all things related to paper and pens. In fact, I even gave him the name, color and size of a set of pens I was jonesing for (Papermate’s new InkJoy pens, white, 700). They write so smoothly it makes plotting on paper a joy. I also suggested pretty file folders, highlighters and Post-It brand notes in fun shapes.

2. Gift cards to Amazon or B&N. I am also a huge reader. I just received my first Kindle and I absolutely adore it. This is ironic for him, because he tried to buy me one for Valentine’s Day just a few months after we started dating, but I refused to allow it. I thought it was too expensive for only having dated three months! I love having hundreds of books from my favorite authors always with me but without the weight. I do still love going to the store, browsing the shelves and picking up traditional paper books, too.

3. Socks. Have you figured out I’m slightly loony? I adore socks. Not the usual white sports kind but the wacky, colorful and printed kind. Unicorns, puppies, pink, yellow, you name it, I’d like to have it!

4. Cookie cutters. When I’m not writing, I like to cook and I especially love to bake. I saw a super cute set of 100 cookie cutters at Bed, Bath & Beyond and knew I had to have them! Since I know he loves my cookies -- he calls them crack cookies -- I’m pretty sure this is a given.

5. Scentsy bricks. I just discovered these and can’t believe how fragrant and long-lasting they are. My current favorite is My Dear Watson. I use it when writing because it’s both sensual and masculine and delicious. Perfect for conjuring up just the right tone for romping!

What’s on your Valentine’s Day must-have list that might raise eyebrows?

Happy reading and Happy Valentine’s Day!

Jennifer

BIO:

Jennifer August writes historical and contemporary romance novels with twists of BDSM and/or paranormal activity, depending on her mood. She likes twisting her  characters into all sorts of knots whether it’s hemp or emotional torture.

She loves to hear from readers! Email her at jenniferaugust@jenniferaugust.com; follow her on Twitter @jennifer_august and friend her on Facebook.

Her current release, Keys to Submission, is available from Red Sage Publishing. Her next release, Enlightened, comes out in May 2012 from Siren Publishing.

Review: Cursed by Beth Harrison

Kate Casterbridge, professor of Victorian literature, prefers to spend her evenings alone with her cat on her lap and her nose in a book. Aidan More, the world’s preeminent scholar on witches and witch burnings, has suffered the tortures of the damned over thousands of years and hundreds of incarnations. He’s bone weary and determined at all costs to fulfill the ancient obligation that binds him.

When Kate shakes hands with her drop-dead gorgeous new colleague, she knows he’s in mortal danger. A confirmed skeptic about paranormal phenomena, she’s shocked and terrified by this sinister premonition. And that’s just the beginning of what’s in store for the shy, scholarly professor and the sexy stud with a dark, horrific secret.

Aidan bewitches Kate right into his bed, where they have the hottest sex she’s ever experienced. But is there more to this mysterious stranger than meets the eye? Kate crashes head-on into a world where witchcraft is alive and well and ancient evil still holds sway—and where she’s in grave danger of losing more than just her heart.

Review by Lynelle:

I enjoyed this story and it kept me hooked till the end, I just had to find out what happened! I had mixed feelings about our hero Aidan (or Rob or Cuinn, he has many identities). When we meet Aidan he has been living life after life being reincarnated over again for the past two thousand years due to being cursed; to search out the one woman he loves and to kill her by his own hands in order to resolve the curse. At this point he is desperate to end his suffering and existence. After being cursed this present time is only the second time he has found his beloved in her reincarnated life.

For most of the book Aidan drove me nuts how he talked about how much he loves Kate but yet he is constantly lying to her, he is deceitful, wants to win her trust and love and work on his plan to kill her. I wanted to smack him a lot throughout the book! On the other hand, Kate is very smart and intelligent and is able to pick up and see through his lies and deceit. Although she is very much attracted to him, she is very skeptical of him and his explanations (which she should be!) and is very conflicted by him. Every time she called him out on a lie I wanted to just yell “You go, Kate!”

Through glimpses of Kate’s dreams/premonitions and Aidan’s memories, we get to see interactions in their previous lives together and how things occurred at those times. We learn about what he has to endure these past two thousand years that has changed him into a hardened man. While Kate is working to discover the truth to it all, Aidan is fighting to keep his resolve
to kill Kate, even though he has begun realize his feels for her are stronger than he felt for Ena, who she was in their 1st life together. With the help from someone in their past, they are given a glimmer of hope of having a future together.

Review: The Cursed Clan: Callum by Melissa Schroeder

Will desire be the answer or the ruin of an entire clan.
The Cursed Clan, Book 1

As Laird, Callum Lennon feels he has always failed to protect his cousins. Callum's impulsiveness caused the death of his father and the experience has scarred not only his body, but his soul. From that point on, he made sure to always go with the more logical choice in every matter. When his younger cousin Angus finds clues that might help break the curse, Callum begrudgingly hires Phoebe Chilton to investigate. Callum doesn't like bringing outsiders into their family affairs. Their life would become fodder for the tabloids if anyone were to find out about the curse. It doesn't help that the instant he meets Dr. Chilton he's attracted. But, he doesn't really have a choice because she might be their last hope.

An expert in archeology, Phoebe has always been dwarfed by her parents' shadow. Their high standards had her in college by thirteen and earning a second PhD by twenty-two. But her career and her broken marriage have left her needing something more than just diplomas and degrees. She wants to prove that her interest in legends, especially Celtic legends, is as important as her parents' work. When the Lennon family contacts her, she sees the opportunity to win a massive research grant. With a long-time rival breathing down her back, she jumps at the Lennons' offer her, hoping it will ensure her the grant. But uncovering the Lennon family secrets, and her attraction to Callum, could prove more than she can handle.

Forces outside the family are determined to ensure that they fail. When an old enemy threatens both the well being of the clan and the fragile new love, Callum will have to choose between believing his mind or his heart.

Reviewed by Lynelle:

Callum is a very pretty closed off, wealthy business man. He’s the head of his clan so he is filled with responsibility, very serious, and very protective of what is his. His family was cursed in the 1700s that has caused him and his 4 cousins to be immortal and they have been spent a long time trying to figure out how to break the curse. In comes Dr. Phoebe Chilton who has been hired by the family to help translate an old diary that may disclose how to reverse the curse. Phoebe is a very intelligent archeologist who entered college at age 13 and fluent in 5 languages.They are both instantly attracted to each other but both fight it so hard until they just can’t anymore.

This is the first of Melissa’s books that I’ve read and I really liked it. By the time I got to the 2nd half of the story, oh man that’s when the sh*t hit the fan! There’s deception, gun fights, kidnapping and the passion between Callum and Phoebe blows up. Now I might have missed something and I’m not completely sure exactly what the curse on Callum’s family entails or if it will become more clear in the following books. The details that is discovered for the cousins to break their curse sets up great for a series and I will be looking forward to the 2nd book about Callum’s cousin Angus.

Guest Post & Giveaway with Author Joan Swan

Have you ever wished you had a special power?  Of course, as kids we all dreamed of fantastical things, but what about now, as adults?

I have been wishing for all sorts of powers lately…

·         the ability to add hours to the day

·         the ability to function on less sleep

·         the ability to teleport to and from work and save 8 hours a week commuting

·         the ability to produce money trees

Well… :)

Those are fun thoughts, no?

But what if you always had to keep that power a secret?  What if there were people watching you, studying you without your permission?  People you had no power to control?  What if those people decided they’d studied you enough and decided to kill you so your secret power didn’t leak and make other people start asking questions?  

Maybe it’s not such a fun thought anymore. 

In my Phoenix Rising series, my team of heroes didn’t wish for their paranormal powers, but were inflicted with them at a military warehouse fire while performing their routine firefighting duties as hazmat specialists.  But the highly radioactive chemicals housed in the building that exploded shouldn’t have been there and if the general public gets wind of the information, key areas of the Department of Defense’s black ops scientific trials will be exposed.  DARPA has dispatched a team of agents to monitor the team members, tracking both their levels of investigation into the incident and their developing abilities—a kind of impromptu, in vivo experiment.

Only one member of the team, Teague, my hero in FEVER, pushes too hard for answers.  Since the fire and healing from his extremely severe injuries, Teague has the ability to raise his body temperature far beyond the normal level.  He has learned this heat can both hurt and heal, but hasn’t been able to get the power completely under his control.  In FEVER, Teague learns, among other things, how to channel his abilities from his inner strength, how to heal others from the inside out and how to accept the strange powers and use them for good even though they had come from a situation he’d always believed was his worst nightmare.

If You could have any paranormal power, what would you choose and why?  

Author Bio:  Joan Swan is a triple RWA® Golden Heart finalist and writes sexy romantic suspense with a paranormal twist.  Her debut novel with Kensington Brava, FEVER, releases February 28, 2012.  Her second novel, BLAZE, follows in October, 2012.

 

In her day job, she works as a sonographer for one of the top ten medical facilities in the nation and lives on the California central coast in beautiful wine country with her husband and two daughters.

 

Book Blurb:  Release Date: 2/28

When Dr. Alyssa Foster is taken hostage by a prison inmate, she knows she's in deep trouble. Not just because Teague Creek is desperate for freedom, but because the moment his fingers brush against her skin, Alyssa feels a razor-sharp pang of need...

A man with a life sentence has nothing to lose. At least Teague doesn't, until his escape plan develops a fatal flaw: Alyssa. On the run from both the law and deadly undercover operatives, he can only give her lies, but every heated kiss tells him the fire between them could be just as devastating as the flames that changed him forever...

 

Giveaway: 

·         A print copy of FEVER, US/Canada shipping.

·         All comments are eligible for tour grand prize of either a COLOR NOOK or KINDLE FIRE. Enter: http://joanswan.com/giveaways/blog-tour-ereader/

 

Buy links:  Amazon| Barnes & Noble | Booksamillion

 

My links:  Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads