Contest with Wendy Ely

Blurb for "Confession":
Can Chelsea and Jordan find their child, and rediscover each other?

When Chelsea Montgomery vanished eleven years ago, her hometown thought she'd been abducted. In truth, she'd given up the daughter she'd secretly had with Jordan Case.

Now he confronts her to help find the child. With a little girl's fate hanging in the balance, will the uneasy partnership -- stained by the past -- transform into something else?

Excerpt:
Jordan sat down on the couch and patted the floor in front of him. "Sit down. Let me get those knots out."

She took a few steps in his direction, stopping out of his reach, afraid to let him touch her. If he touched her, then she'd fall madly in love with him all over again. That couldn't happen.

She watched as he leaned forward far enough to grab her by the hand. He pulled her to him.

"Are you sure you want to?"

"Yes," he said. He guided her down to the floor between his legs. Before leaning back, she slipped her t-shirt off, revealing the navy tank top. His strong hands slid over her skin and she sunk back against him. She'd forgotten how strong he was, how needy she felt when he touched her. As if by magic, her body slowly began to relax underneath his touch. He kneaded her skin with the palms of his hands. The more he touched her, the more she felt at ease. She leaned forward a bit, making his legs embrace the rest of her body. His hands trailed down the length of her back toward the top of her jeans. A small moan escaped her lips. If only he would go lower.

"Feel good?" The words floated through the air like music from a past dream.

"Mm hm."

He rubbed the small of her back, his hands working every muscle imaginable. "Remember when I would rub your feet each night after work?"

"The best part of the whole day." His hands. His voice. He had cast a spell over her.

"I loved those times with you, Chels."

Butterflies swarmed in her stomach, breaking up her intoxicated sensation. Chels? He used to call her that when they were teenagers. He was the only person who'd ever had a pet name for her.

"Me, too," she mumbled.

"That's what has gotten me through until now. Those memories of us from before you disappeared." His hands stilled, but she could feel their heat against her.

Damn it! Tears welled in her eyes. He couldn't see them, she wouldn't allow him to. She scooted away him his touch, far enough away so she could stand up on her own without using his assistance.

"I'm sorry, Jordan. We shouldn't be doing this."

"What are you talking about, Chelsea?" He tried to grab her by the hand again but this time she walked away from him. She went over to the windows, dried her eyes and then turned around.

"I told you everything, so now I should go." She walked past him toward the stairs.

"No, you won't." The words were ice cold. It seemed like his massage had been some sort of dream.

She froze. "What do you mean, I won't?"

"Let's get something clear. Okay?"

She slowly turned around. She had never heard this tone from Jordan in the whole time she had known him. It scared her.

"What?"

He stood up from the couch and walked over to her. His hands jammed into his jean pockets. "There's a choice to be made here," he said. "You either stay here to help me locate my daughter or I contact the authorities."

******

Wendy Ely has always been fascinated by romance. She began her first romance novel when she was just thirteen-years-old. It certainly wasn't anything great but sparked the passion for writing romance novels.

When she's not writing, she's usually busy taking care of her two children in Phoenix, Arizona. Wendy keeps busy with her small business and going to college. During her free time, Wendy enjoys traveling and being outdoors.

And here's the blurb for "Jesse's Brother":
One woman, two men: a single summer to choose between them.

Sacrificing a summer to fix her relationship with her mother and find out what’s troubling her father isn’t so bad...right? Wrong. Or so Samantha learns upon her return to Portland.

As if family drama wasn’t bad enough, first comes Noah. Then comes Jesse. Samantha is torn between the way her heart skips a beat each time Noah looks at her, and the way Jesse’s touch make her yearn for more.

Readers, Wendy is giving away ecopies of "Jesse's Brother" and "Confession" to two lucky commenters. To enter the drawing, leave a comment or question for Wendy. You also must leave your email address in your comment or send a message to contests.bookblog@gmail.com. The contest winner will be chosen on Wednesday, November 25.

Interview with Kathleen Duble

Jen: This week we are happy to have Kathleen Duble as our guest. Kathleen, will you please share a short bio with us?
Kathleen: I grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and consequently am a rabid Steelers fan (don’t even think about talking to me when they are playing!). I went to Miami University and majored in creative writing and international business. Since writing doesn’t pay all that much – at least at first - I took a job in insurance. The job was boring but had some positive sides in the fact that a) I met my husband there and b) since I had sixteen car accidents before I was twenty-one, no one would insure me, but as I was working for an insurance company, they had to take me on! But at last, I made the big step and quit my job and began writing full time. Then I had a baby! Before she was born, I dreamt of her lying beside me as I wrote! Ha! I don’t know about everyone’s baby but mine was a bit of work. So it wasn’t until both my babies took off for school that I found the time I needed to hone my craft.

In 2002, my first book, Bridging Beyond, was published by Philomel Books and was an IRA honor book. But it was when my father discovered the story of my great (x9) grandmother, Abigail Faulkner that I got turned on to historical fiction. Through my father’s research, we discovered that my great-grandmother had been accused of witchcraft at age 10 in 1692 and was put in the Salem Town Prison. To make the story stranger, it turned out that the house I was living in was on land that her family had owned! I had to write this story and Margaret K. McElderrry published The Sacrifice.

Since then, I have published six other books, most of them historical fiction, with number eight due out in 2011 from Scholastic.

Jen: Tell us about Quest and where it's available.
Kathleen: Quest is the story of the last fateful voyage of Henry Hudson. It is told from four points of view: Johnny Hudson – Henry’s handsome seventeen-year-old son who is known for the pranks he pulls onboard ship; Isabella Digges – Johnny’s girlfriend, a real beauty and a nobleman’s daughter who is sent by the King of England to spy on their biggest competitor, the Dutch East Indies Company. While she’s there, she gets into just a bit of trouble; Richard Hudson, Johnny’s eight-year-old brother who is left behind to deal with the uncertainty involved when any explorer takes to the seas and finally Seth Syms, a ne'er-do-well who is in trouble with the law and tries to escape by trading places with his cousin to be a sailor on the Henry Hudson’s boat. Seth will change the lives of all of the other characters with the choices he will be forced to make.

Quest is available in bookstores, at Indiebound.org, or Amazon.com

Jen: At what age did you discover writing and when were you first published? Tell us your call story.
Kathleen: I had a fabulous teacher in the third grade who told me that I should be a writer. That was it – from that day forward that’s all I wanted to do. Then at Miami, I had an amazing Creative Writing teacher whose name was Milton White. He taught me to be open to all kinds of writing and so when the opportunity to write children’s books presented itself, I was excited to try the genre. And I have been thrilled to be a children’s writer and a rabid supporter of teachers ever since.

Jen: Describe your writing in three words.
Kathleen: Bold, Captivating, Polished

Jen: Do you have a writing routine?
Kathleen: I am at my best in the morning, (but not too early in the morning). I get to my office around 8:30, check my facebook page for something to make me laugh, and once I’ve finished getting myself in a witty mood, I write until about 1:00. Then I’m off doing errands, having lunch with friends or working on marketing etc. But if you want to see me at my most fun, check me around midnight. (I am a total night owl)

Jen: What kind of research did you do for this book?
Kathleen: I read books on Henry Hudson, the life of the times, and the clothes. I checked the Internet for further sources and read the journals of Abacuk Pritckett who was on the voyage.

Jen: Do you feel as if the characters live with you as you write? Do they haunt your dreams?
Kathleen: They don’t haunt my dreams – they play in them. And yes, they are always with me, even after a book is finished.

Jen: Is there a genre that you’d like to write? Is there a genre you’ll probably stay away from and why?
Kathleen: I’d love to do a YA mystery, and I am trying it now. Science fiction would be hard for me. It’s not a genre I read so I would be very uncomfortable writing it.

Jen: Do you do anything special to celebrate a sale, new contract, or release?
Kathleen: Well, I try to convince my husband to buy me a bottle of Dom Perignon, but we usually settle for a great dinner out. A lot of times my girls will join us – that makes it all the more special!

Jen: What has been your highlight of your career to this point?
Kathleen: I’ve had a lot of them – walking into Barnes and Noble and seeing The Sacrifice on the required reading table, receiving my honor award from the Boston Author’s Club for Quest and the honor award from MBA for Bravo Zulu, Samantha!, visiting the Air and Space Museum in DC and seeing Pilot Mom on sale in the gift shop, having librarians stop by at MSLA and say to me “Oh, you’re the author of . . .” with enthusiasm, every time a student writes me to tell me that they loved my book!

Jen: Most people only dream of becoming a published writer. Now that you’ve accomplished that goal, is there anything else you dream of doing?
Kathleen: I still dream of winning a BIG (hello Newbery judges!) award for my work. That would be great. And even though I stink, I would love to play the violin well enough to enjoy listening to myself!

Jen: What's next for you?
Kathleen: In 2011, Scholastic will be publishing my new book, PHANTOMS IN THE SNOW, a story about the Tenth Mountain Division, a group of skiers who turned the tide of the war in Italy by pushing the Germans off the Alps. If you like to ski, you’ll want to read this book. The Phantoms, as these skiers were called because they dressed all in white and were hard to see in the snow, came back from the war and started most of the ski areas in the United States today – Aspen, Vail and Stowe just to name a few.

And I have just finished a book on Madame Tussaud, told from the point of view of her twelve-year-old apprentice. For those of you who are unaware of this great lady, she lived in 1792 in France and was appointed to Madame Elizabeth (the King’s sister) to teach her the art of wax-making. When the revolution came, Madame Tussuad was forced to make wax models of her beheaded friends. Pretty gruesome!

Jen: Where can you be found on the web?
Kathleen: Lots of places:
My website: http://www.kathleenduble.com
My blog: http://www.kathleenbennerduble.blogspot.com
My space: http://www.myspace.com/kathleenbennerduble
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kathleenduble
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/KathleenBennerDuble?ref=profile
Skype: http://skypeanauthor.wetpaint.com/page/Kathleen+B+Duble

Jen: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Kathleen: Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. But there are those who say that it is on its way out. I guess I’d love to know how your readers feel about reading that type of book and if they see any benefit in using it in today’s school environment as a supplement to history texts.

Jen: We have a special contest prize this week. Kathleen is giving away a signed copy of Quest as well as a copy of her new picture book, The Story of the Samson to one random commenter. To enter the contest, leave a comment or question for Kathleen. Then be sure to either leave your email address in your comment or send a message to contests.bookblog@gmail.com. The winner will be chosen on Sunday, November 22.

Excerpt from "Quest" by Kathleen Duble

At last, we are off! Lord, it is good to have the feel of a ship beneath my feet again. It has been too long!

I have climbed the mast, swinging myself into the air. Twenty feet below, things wheeled and rolled beneath me. I felt my stomach heave. What a glorious feeling!

Father yelled for me to come down before I killed myself. But as usual, I have ignored him. I love these heights. I love the feeling of the boat, rolling side to side with the wind. I love the feeling that I may fall to my death. For how can one ever really enjoy life if you are not always living constantly at its edge? That's the place I most want to be.

Already I am thinking on what we may see this trip. How my heart goes out to all those poor boys left behind in London: farmers who must rise each day to milk the same infernal beast, butchers who spend their days bloody with dead carcasses, blacksmiths who must pound over and over the same shape into their iron. Other than being a prince, there is nothing I would rather be than an explorer. It is a grand life. One never knows what to expect -- white bears with huge fangs, fish as big as my own vessel, savages that cannot speak my tongue. These are the wonders I have seen on my last voyages, and God willing, there will be more this time around.

Before we left today, I was forced to attend church with the rest of the crew and their families at St. Ethelburga's. (Father feels God should be on our side before we leave the harbor, but I would say the crew below me is more godless than God-fearing.) My mother sat near me, expecting as always for me to provide a good long snore in the midst of that blasted priest's long-winded prayers. Truly, the man must take lessons on how to bore a person to death. But today, I did not sink into a stupor. No, today, I spent the hour recalling each and every minute of last night.

This is the first time I can ever remember that I have actually been a little sad on leaving London. I know it is all due to Isabella. I have wooed many a girl before, but never one quite like her. Mostly, I find girls mere distractions, but there is something wonderfully wild about Isabella. And so today, I am praying that she will be waiting for me at the end of this voyage. Who could have ever guessed that I may be longing more for the kiss of a girl than the good company of my mates after those many long months at sea?

Lord, I hope it is a cheerful crew this time around, for a serious lot can make a voyage dreadful dull. Already I have been aboard ship, making mischief. I have hidden a cask or two of ale from the cook. He will roar when he thinks we are short, and give it good to Henry King, who is responsible for loading provisions. Oh, how it will delight me to watch them argue -- with Henry insisting he brought the required number of casks aboard and Cook insisting that he did not. I hope the others will join in the fun when I let them in on the secret.

Below me, I can see Nicholas Syms trying to go about his work. His face seems a bit green -- not used to the seas, from the looks of it. I wonder who he truly is. I have sailed with the crafty Nicholas before, and the man below me is not he. It will be good sport spending this journey on a mission of discovery. His story must be interesting to have to pretend to be another. Of course, Father will never notice. He hardly pays the crew any mind, so intent is he on the voyage itself.

Aha, I can see the spires of Westminster Abbey far in the distance. The shore is rolling away from us quickly, and the smell of salt is strong in the air. The seagulls circle our boat, sending out their insistent cries. The wind is in my face. And I am satisfied by my kiss from Isabella last night. A drink of ale tonight, a good night's sleep in my hammock rocked by the waves, and the look on impostor Nicholas's face when he finds I have sewn all his shirtsleeves and necks together. Lord, what more could a seventeen-year-old boy like me want?

Interview with Jennifer Rardin

Jen: Readers, help we resume our interviews with our weekend guest, Jennifer Rardin. Jennifer, please tell us about your newest release, Bite Marks, and where it’s available.
Jennifer: Bite Marks is the sixth adventure in the Jaz Parks series, during which CIA assassins Jaz and the vampire, Vayl, have been assigned to stop a sect of fanatical gnomes from destroying one of NASA’s three eyes to the universe. This particular space station is located in Australia, about half an hour south of the capital. I had a terrific time researching and writing about the area and came away from the novel more sure than ever that I must find a way to visit. Do they still throw stowaways overboard?

All the Jaz Parks novels are available at major chains, online, and with reputable digital distributors. The first three novels have been translated into French, German, and Hungarian, with Spanish, Russian, and Italian translations to come.

Jen: At what age did you discover writing and when were you first published: Tell us your call story.
Jennifer: I began writing at about 12, which would be sixth grade. Just silly poems that my friends liked. I was amazed. Not about what I’d come up with. But that other people might enjoy something that had come straight from my head. It still blows me away. I mean, you wouldn’t imagine what useless stuff gets stored up there. I actually know how many kids Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have! And to think the same gray matter conjures up stories that people make an effort to get in touch with me about, just so they can say how they embarrassed themselves by laughing out loud on the bus while they were reading. Spectacular!

As for my call story, I already knew at least three different publishing houses had been looking at my manuscript. So I can’t say I was surprised when my agent called. But when she said, “Jennifer, you need to sit down,” I felt genuinely chilled. We had a very reasonable conversation that I remember very little of, because my whole world had just tilted sideways. And the thing is? It’s still changing. Because I’m still learning this business, figuring out my role, trying to carve my place in an uber-competitive world. And at the same time understanding how blessed I am to be able to say that I’m married to the love of my life. My children are amazing. And my dream of becoming a published writer has come true. (And, believe it or not, that’s only the first half of the story! The second half is only now being written!)

Jen: Describe your writing in three words.
Jennifer: Intense…Unpredictable…Sassy

Jen: How do you approach your writing? Do you plot or go with the flow?
Jennifer: I’ve tried it both ways, and discovered I work best when I have an outline. I write faster and experience fewer days where I wander around with my hair clutched in my hands yelling to random pieces of furniture, “I don’t know what happens next!”

Jen: How do you pick the character’s names?
Jennifer: Since Jaz and Vayl travel all over the globe, most of the characters they meet get names that are appropriate to the regions where they live. Regarding my major characters, some just popped into my head. Some required a little thought. For instance, I knew Vayl’s given name was Vasil, but I wanted to shorten it, make it both easy to remember and meaningful. So, after working out the best nicknames that would stick in my head, I decided on the final product and to pronounce it like the word “veil” as in “the truth is veiled.” Which made it work on a couple of levels. Hopefully that’s true for everybody in the crew.

Jen: Do you feel as if the characters live with you as your write? Do they haunt your dreams?
Jennifer: They’re usually pretty good about keeping their distance, although occasionally I’ll make some crack that is so quintessentially Jaz or Cole that I have to shake a mental finger at myself and remind myself to leave work in the office where it belongs.

I’ve never dreamed about them specifically, but I have had nightmares after writing particularly violent or gory scenes. Weird perk of the job, isn’t it?

Jen: Is there a genre that you’d like to write? Is there a genre you’ll probably stay away from and why?
Jennifer: I know you’re talking about books here, but what I’m seriously considering writing next is a musical comedy that I’ve been jotting notes on for the past couple of years. I’ve also begun thinking about a play, but the idea for it is fairly new, and the main theme is so heart-rending that I’d have to insert a ton of humor to help the audience get through it. So that will have to stew in my mind a while longer before I’m ready to tackle it.

As for what genre I’d avoid, I think all of them have their up-sides. Just the other day I was thinking that nobody had written a good western in some time, so maybe I should give it a whirl. Long story short—pretty much the only kind of writing you should be surprised to see from me is non-fiction. Because reality’s no fun.

Jen: What five authors or people, from the past or present, have been important to you as an author? What question or comment have you always wanted to say to them?
Jennifer: My freshman English teacher, Mr. Ron Powell, was the first person to recognize that I had real potential. And the first person to encourage me to try to publish my work. I’ve thanked him privately and all he said was, “You always had what it took—I just gave you some tools.” Typical teacher, yeah? So, I guess, what I’d say to him now is, that I’m still grateful. Ron, maybe you don’t know what it is to have so few people believe in you, I mean really get excited about something you can do, that when one person does it feels like a miracle. But I do. And I’ll never forget that you believed in me.

To Stephen King I would say, Your characters and plots have always fascinated me. Your worlds are amazing. Because of that , I once fulfilled a College Creative Writing homework assignment by bringing one of your books to class—and the other students did everything but sneer. Now instructors are teaching your books in College English classes. Ahh, sweet vindication!

Geoffrey Chaucer and William Shakespeare always appealed to and inspired me. Not because they wrote works that eventually became required reading in my classes. But because they either wrote about or for regular people. That was the way I could, and still can, connect with them. So to them I would ask at what point they stopped worrying about what everybody else thought of their work.

The single most important person to my work has been my husband. I would not be a published writer without his unfailing encouragement and support. He was the second person who believed in me (and only because he met me after Ron Powell did)! And he never stopped believing. He still continues to predict things for my career that make my jaw drop and my stomach ache. But then he promises to be around for all of it, so I should be fine. What do you say to a man like that? A million thanks, even an infinite number, are still not enough. But you have to try. So, Kirk, thank you. I love you. Thank you . . .

Jen: If Bite Marks was made into a movie, which actors would you choose to play the hero and heroine?
Jennifer: Lately I’ve given up on picking because my fans are never satisfied with my casting. It’s because we all have our own ideas of who these characters are, you know? But today I’m full of positive energy and glazed donuts, so I’ll give it a shot!

Vayl: Hugh Jackman
Jaz: Keira Knightley (with an American accent and bitchin’ red curls!)

Jen: Do you do anything special to celebrate a sale, new contract or release?
Jennifer: Usually we’ll at least go out to dinner. For the release of One More Bite my husband bought me a beautiful heart-shaped pendant. And I’ll be doing a book-signing tour for the release of Bite Marks, so that’ll feel like a month-long celebration!

Jen: Most people only dream of becoming a published writer. Now that you’ve accomplished that goal, is there anything else you dream of doing?
Jennifer: Absolutely. I still think I have one or two timeless stories in me. The kind you read, put down, pick up, and read again. Tell all your friends about. Feel your life has shifted slightly because of. And then twenty years later still think is one of the best books you’ve ever seen. As I said, I’d like to write a Broadway musical. A play. Maybe a couple of movies. And a whole line of YA novels. My professional writing life has only just begun, and I’m ecstatic to consider all the possibilities ahead!

Jen: Who are some of your favorite authors and books? What are you reading now?
Jennifer: Stephen King and his Gunslinger series. I also think The Stand is one of the classics of our time.

I used to look forward to every one of Michael Crichton’s new titles. I especially enjoyed Timeline and State of Fear.

Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman are a force to be reckoned with in Fantasy. Three series’ of theirs I particularly love are War of Souls, Deathgate Cycle, and Legends.

Right now I’m reading two books. Watchmen by Alan Moore. Dave Gibbons is the Illustrator (My son and I have made a deal to buy the movie—I haven’t seen it yet—but he says I have to read the graphic novel first) and The Innocent Mage by Karen Miller.

Jen: What’s next for you?
Jennifer: Tying up loose ends. I need to finish Bitten in Two, the seventh book in the Jaz Parks series, and also Shadowstruck my first YA novel. Once those have moved on and I’m waiting to hear where each of them takes me next, it’ll be decision time. Musical comedy or urban fantasy? Hmm….

Jen: Where can you be found on the web?
Jennifer: I haunt several sites daily, and invite everyone to drop me a line since I’m pretty good about responding to posts. And I think Jazfans will agree we tend to have a lot of fun at my digital homes.

http://www.jenniferrardin.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennifer-Rardin/19356585468?ref=ts
http://www.myspace.com/jenniferrardin
http://reluctantadults.blogspot.com/
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/477469.Jennifer_Rardin

Jen: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Jennifer: Yeah there is. You read about it all the time, but now I have to ask you straight out—do you believe in true love?

Jen: Readers, we have an autographed copy of Bite Marks up for grabs. To enter the contest, leave a comment or question for Jennifer. Then you must either leave your email address in your comment or send a message to contests.bookblog@gmail.com. The winner will be chosen on Thursday, November 19.

Excerpt from "Bite Marks" by Jennifer Rardin

Bite Marks
Book Six in the Jaz Parks Series
by Jennifer Rardin

Chapter One

My ass felt like a slab of dead flesh, too nerveless to even quiver as the butcher slaps it onto his cutting table. Twelve hours of flying from Manila to Sydney with another sixty minute’s hop after that is hell on the hindquarters, even when they’ve been cushioned by the most expensive seats available.

I stifled the urge to massage my butt cheeks as I descended the stairs of Vayl’s chartered jet onto the tarmac of Canberra International Airport, its serviceable hangars and practical block terminal hardly preparing visitors for Australia’s capital, which from the air had reminded me of a set from Shrek III. Tall white buildings sprouting from masses of evergreens set in a precise plan; fairy tale perfection from a distance but up close slanting just left of happily ever after.

Shrek was always having issues with his butt, I recalled, wondering if anyone would notice if I paused to rub mine against the stair railing. Nope, bad plan. I hadn’t seen Bergman and Cassandra in over two months, and I didn’t want my crew’s first look at me to remind them we’d begun a shithole of an assignment that, if botched, could severely cripple the US space program, not to mention vital parts of our anatomies. Plus, with Cole as my third greeter, I figured our hey-how-are-yous probably shouldn’t start with a lot of ass-grabbing.

I didn’t sense that Cole itched to get his hands on me as he stood at the bottom of the stairs. But his ear-to-ear grin, framed by the usual mop of sun-bleached hair, warned me that flexibility might be required. Because Something was Cooking. I eyed my former recruit, trying to get a sense of how bad it might be by the size of the gum wad rolling around his tongue. Then the music began.

“What have you done now?” I asked as my foot hit the fourth step and I realized he’d rented himself a black tuxedo, though he’d traded the bridal shop’s shoes for his red hightops. “And should I be better dressed?”

I frowned at my Jaded Unicorns T-Shirt, which showed my fave new band galloping across a meadow wearing fake horns on their foreheads. At least I’d worn black jeans.

Cole’s answer drowned in a sudden wail of funereal blues. Which made me doublecheck the landscape. Nope, not even close to New Orleans. In fact the airport, surrounded by the brownish green grasses of Australia’s autumn, reminded me a lot of the farmlands of Illinois. Except today was May 22, so back in the Midwest everything would be shooting out of the ground, green as a tree frog and bursting into bloom. Here, winter had crept to the country’s edge, and I could feel it sinking its claws into my neck along with the chill breeze that swept down the hills into Canberra’s valley.

I flipped up the collar of my new leather jacket, the mournful tone of the music reminding me of the bullet wound that had killed my last one. Below me, keeping time to my slow descent, two trumpeters, a trombonist and a sax-man wearing black suits and matching shades slow-marched from behind a baggage van, belting out a song fit for a head-of-state. If he’d just been assassinated.

I turned back and whistled. Jack had been cooped up so long I couldn’t believe he still stood at the cabin door, sniffing, as if he didn’t approve of this sudden change of season. He stared at me, his white face setting off deep brown eyes that looked somewhat mournful as his gray ears twitched as if to ask, Where did the tropics go?

Excerpt from "A Time for Shadows" by T.J. Banks

The influenza stole in upon like a sneak thief in the night. It prowled the white-washed halls of the [hospital], snatching up lives where it pleased. Iris had, of course, seen the grippe before. But this was a far stronger, more malevolent version of what she’d heard Mrs. Banning call “the old person’s friend.’ It fed indiscriminately upon the inhabitants of the hospital. One of the men it took was Abraham Wagner: Abraham had fought for all he was worth, but his already damaged lungs had made it a losing battle almost from the start. Tim, who’d befriended the gentle black man, wandered the corridors, totally bereft….”He’s the one who’d died, and it’s me what’s feeling like a ghost,” he said wearily to Iris one afternoon….

She worked over Fritz[, the German prisoner of war,] like a sinner trying to expiate her sin. She didn’t neglect her other duties or Archie – who, of course, had ceased to be a duty to her long ago. But every spare moment she had, she gave over to Fritz’s care. She bolted down her rations and barely slept. There were days when her vision was so blurred, she could barely distinguish one person’s face from another. Other times, usually at night, she saw with an eerie clarity the shadow behind the shadow, the soul within the most commonplace of things.

She was, Iris sometimes thought, between worlds, neither of the living nor of the dead. Early one morning, just before dawn, she felt a cold, gentle touch on her shoulder while she sat, half-dozing, at Fritz’s bedside. She jerked her head up and found herself staring up into Abraham Wagner’s deep-set brown eyes. He smiled at her, then at the boy, who was still after having been thrashing about most of the night in a fevered sleep. Iris looked up at the dead man fearfully, but he only smiled and, taking her hand in his, placed it on Fritz’s forehead. Iris gasped: he was still hot but no longer burning up.

Suddenly, Fritz sat up. His eyes looked beyond Iris. She turned and saw Abraham, still smiling, move toward the open doorway, where a woman stood waiting for him. The woman’s features were blurred, but she felt familiar somehow, just as the man outside the gates had. And there were other presences, more shadowy still, out in the hallway behind her. Like Abraham and the woman, they were silent; but Iris felt their pain and fear give way to wonderment, and her heart broke open inside as she felt some of that wonderment wash over her.

Fritz slumped back down onto the cot, but Iris knew from his breathing that he was going to be all right now. She sat there, exhausted but humbled and thankful for what she’d seen.

“Miss Amory.” The hand on her arm this time was warm and living. Iris jerked her head up from the counterpane. Dr. Blaine was gazing down at her, his green eyes kinder and wearier than usual, his clothes a tad more rumpled. “So you’ve been here all night.” He gestured toward Fritz. “How’s this fellow doing?”

“Better – I think,” Iris said, her brain still blurred and confused. Her eyes felt dry and gritty and her mouth even worse, as though she’d been licking out a dustbin. She started to get up, but there was a feeble tug on her hand. It was Fritz, his blue eyes battered and washed out like cornflowers after a heavy rain. “Danke schon,” he whispered. “You saved me. The black man, he would’ve taken me with him, but you stayed, and he took the woman instead.”


T. J. Banks is the author of Catsong, Souleiado, and Houdini, a novel for young adults which the late writer and activist Cleveland Amory enthusiastically branded “a winner.” Catsong, a collection of her best cat stories, was the winner of the 2007 Merial Human-Animal Bond Award. A Contributing Editor to laJoie, she has received writing awards from the Cat Writers' Association (CWA), ByLine, and The Writing Self. She has worked as a stringer for the Associated Press and as an instructor for the Writer's Digest School.

A Time for Shadows can be purchased at Amazon by clicking on the cover at the start of the post or here. We also have a print copy of A Time for Shadows up for grabs for a random commenter. Just leave a comment and your email address (or after commenting, send an email to contests.bookblog@gmail.com). A winner will be chosen on Thursday, November 19.

Review: "Tenacity" by Bob Stidham

Review by Melissa Cornwell

Here's the blurb from Amazon:
Jeff Prince is in Dallas and becomes embroiled in a fight that ends with a death. He quickly becomes the prime suspect and is jailed. Prince unwittingly uses an attorney with a conflict of interest and draws a two-year sentence for manslaughter. His injustice grows within his mind like a festering sore. Known as stubborn and unyielding, he returns to the scene of his downfall when released. With help from a club waitress, he locates a witness to the fight scene. An actress, present at the fatal fight, refuses to get involved. Stymied temporarily, he seeks help from a member of the Dallas Homicide division. The old cop admits that a crime mob does exist and is growing. He must move with care in dealing with the mob, as they may have infiltrated the police department. Events unfold that provide a rosier view. Jeff's name could be cleared, his future looks brighter and love is in full bloom.

This book was very interesting and very easy to follow. I absolutely grew to love the character of Jeff Prince in his quest to prove his innocence. I cannot imagine what it would have been like to be in prison for two years knowing you are innocent. There was such a huge, complex cast of characters, and I have to say bravo to that. Jeff finds allies in unexpected places, such as Olin Miller and Katy. I like the romantic twist to the story. Jeff definitely deserved to have something good happen in his life.

The novel was very realistic and very well written. The complex story plots fit together very well. It was interesting to see the process by which Jeff went through to accomplish his goal; being in the thick of danger, but not afraid to keep pushing ahead. I think one of the biggest things I got from this novel was that if you want something bad enough, you will do anything to get it. It also means that you probably shouldn't get caught up with the mob. Very good image of what the mob does and it was a very interesting twist to the story. Out of everyone, I didn't see the mob as the ones responsible. Thank you for a very interesting read!

Exciting Changes at Book Talk

Please bear with us as we take a mini vacation this week and next. We'll be back with an excerpt and contest on Friday, November 13 and will return with our interviews on Saturday, November 14.

Jessica and I have been talking for months about upcoming changes at the blog. When we started this blog in November 2007 (hey, we're two years old!), we were just going to talk about some of the books we liked and offer reviews. Then in June 2008, we decided to see if we could find a few authors who would agree to be interviewed for a little variety on the blog. We posted our first interview in July and the response was overwhelming.

Nearly a year and a half later, the blog continues to grow, but changes are necessary to keep the blog fresh. The biggest change is that starting February 1, we're revamping the whole blog. We'll be moving to a new web address and more than likely switching from Blogger to Wordpress (don't worry, this will hopefully be a smooth and seamless transition for you). Along with this move, we'll debut a whole new look for the blog. Our name will be changing as well as our focus. And last, Jessica is stepping back to be our web designer (after all she went to school for it).

Last month we held a name the blog contest. We thank everyone who offered their suggestions to us. We ended up coming up with our own blog name, but did chose a winner (Lulu) for offering a name that, when adjusted a little, will become our backup. The name we decided to go with is Romancing the Book. This reflects our new focus of the blog: a place to feature books of the romance (and related) genre.

As the debut of the new and improved blog draws closer I will keep you updated on the upcoming changes. Oh, and check out the poll in the right had side bar and offer your opinion...

Contest winners

Here's another update of winners in the last couple weeks.

Susan St. Thomas book, Meltdown: T., L.M
Joselyn Vaughn's CEOs Don't Cry: Tracey
Sheila Roberts' Angel Lane: Cheryl M.
Tamela Quijas book, Blood of the Beast: Amy S.
J. Hali Steele prize package: Z, Robin
Name the Blog contest: Lulu

Many thanks to everyone who's stopped by the blog and supported our authors. We currently have two contests running. We will be on a promo break for 2 weeks and will be back on Friday, November 13 with an excerpt and contest. During these two weeks, we'll post some blog updates and a couple reviews... and who knows, maybe give away a book or two.

Interview with Janette Kenny

Jen: We're happy to have Janette Kenny as our guest this weekend. Janette, will you please share a short bio with us?
Janette: For as long as award-winning, bestselling author Janette Kenny can remember, plots and characters have taken up residence in her head. But she didn't fully embrace her secret dream to write for a living until she was a busy cosmetologist making a name for herself in her own salon. Once the writing bug bit, the incurable passion consumed her to create stories and people them. She's climbed in the saddle and ridden the same trails as her western heroes and heroines, camped on the range, explored ghost towns in blizzards and stone jails in record heat waves, and visited too many stage stops between the Mississippi and the West Coast to count. She's slept in authentic log cabins listening to the lonesome howl of a coyote, and came frighteningly close to crossing paths with a grizzly bear high in the Rocky Mountains in Montana.

Jen: Tell us about A Cowboy Christmas and where it's available.
Janette: A Cowboy Christmas is the first book in my Lost Sons Trilogy and it’s available at all online and brick and mortar bookstores, discount stores and from Kensington Publishing. This is Reid’s story, the eldest of the orphan boys who met at the Guardian Angels Orphan Asylum.

Closer than brothers, bonded forever after growing up in an orphanage, three best friends set out to become cowboys, not knowing destiny will also make them heroes. But one fatal betrayal divides them, and now each man must face the West alone.

Reid Barclay has never celebrated Christmas—but this year, the rugged cowboy is going to change that, even though there’s trouble brewing at the Crown Seven Ranch. What with a herd of prize thoroughbreds to protect and a long-ago wrong that he wants to make right in time for the holidays, Reid’s in deep, but he’s not the type to give up. Or become distracted. Which is why he fights so hard to resist the beautiful cook who’s taken over the ranch kitchen. Not that Miss Ellie Jo Cade can cook—why, she burns everything from gingerbread to roast beef. But her sweet face and sensual womanliness are pure temptation…

Cornhusk angels…bright berry garlands…spun-sugar snow—everything about Christmas holds fond memories for Ellie Jo. A twist of fate gave her the chance to spend the holidays with her pa at the Crown Seven for what may be the last time and she’s doing her best to make peace with an ornery wood-burning stove and make the old ranch house truly festive. Reid and her father don’t see eye to eye, though, and she doesn’t know who to trust. Yet Ellie Jo’s heart tells her to believe in Reid…and the only-at-Christmas magic that heals lonely hearts…

Jen: At what age did you discover writing and when were you first published? Tell us your call story.
Janette: I’ve always dabbled in writing, from prose to fan fiction. I was first published in nonfiction – from anti-drug articles aimed at teens to Kansas history articles. But I really was bitten to write fiction when I delved into my family genealogy.

I was far from an overnight success with fiction! I’d been writing romance for seven years, but the last three years I’d seriously pursued publication. Naturally I’d racked up a thick stack of rejection letters from agents and a few publishers. I was of the mind I had to have an agent before I sold, and was told repeatedly that I had a good voice but western romance was a hard sell. So instead of giving up on that book and genre that I loved and believed in, I took a fellow authors advice and submitted my manuscript to Kensington Publishing. One month later, Hilary Sares called me on my birthday and said the words I’d dreamed of hearing: “I love your book and want to buy it.” She offered a two-book contract in Kensington’s debut program, and right before she left the company, I was offered another contract to write the Lost Sons trilogy.

Jen: Are there any other writers, published or not, in your family?
Janette: I have a cousin who’s a poet. My mom wrote poetry as well as fiction, and she had a distant cousin who published celebrity biographies. On my dad’s side, I had an uncle who wrote sports articles for our local newspaper.

Jen: How do you approach your writing? Do you plot or go with the flow?
Janette: I’ve never been able to do extensive plotting before beginning a story. I get the general premise for a story, and once I get to know my characters and what’s driving them, I start writing. I write everyday and do a quick edit of the previous day’s work before starting fresh, which also helps with continuity and keeps my mind on the pulse of the story.

Jen: Have you noticed your writer's voice has changed over the years due to your experience? If so, how?
Janette: I haven’t noticed it so much, but one of my editor’s recently remarked that my voice was stronger.

Jen: What kind of research did you do for this book?
Janette: About as much as I typically do though I had to dig deeper into how Christmas was celebrated in that era. Though larger towns and cities were embracing the Victorian holiday traditions, it was a hit and miss in the Old West with some areas doing a fair amount of celebrating to those who’d never bothered. Though I knew my area in Wyoming very well, I’d never been there in the winter, so I needed to research the season too.

Jen: Do you feel as if the characters live with you as you write? Do they haunt your dreams?
Janette: They do and I think about them at the oddest times. But when they come to mind with the problems, fears, and dreams, then I know that I’ve done my job and know my characters well. As odd as it may sound, I’ve often posed a plot problem before going to sleep and found the solution by morning.

Jen: If you could travel back in time for one year, what time and place would you choose? And if you could only take 3 things with you, what would they be?
Janette: The Victorian era is definitely my favorite era, but as to place, it’d be a tie between the Lake District of England or the American West. What to take? A good pair of walking shoes, my Alpha smart (which has run a year on one set of batteries), and a bottle of aspirin!

Jen: What did you do to celebrate your first book?
Janette: I bought silver dolphin earrings and a matching charm, and went out for dinner. Gosh, I can’t even remember where now. That’s why I always buy a piece of jewelry for each book sale.

Jen: What’s the most interesting comment you have received about your books?
Janette: “Thank you for persevering past any rejection slips, and writing your books. They are most appreciated!”

Jen: Who are some of your favorite authors and books? What are you reading now?
Janette: That’s a difficult question because I’ve read so widely over the years and have so many favorite authors. I’ve added fairly new ones to my favorites, such as Jennie Lucas, Larissa Ione and Allison Brennan. A few of my standard auto buys are: Amanda Quick, Sandra Marton, Linda Howard, Lisa Kleypas, Jane Porter, Linda Lael Miller. Really there are so many authors that I love that I can’t list them all. I just finished reading Heartbreak Hotel by Jill Marie Landis

Jen: What's next for you?
Janette: Two books with back-to-back deadlines. First, I have to finish the third western historical in the Lost Sons trilogy-- Trey’s story. It’s due the first of Jan. And then I have to write my fourth novel for Harlequin Presents and turn that in Feb 1.

Jen: Where can you be found on the web?
Janette: My Website— www.jankenny.com, Sisterhood of the Jaunty Quills, the group blog I belong to-- www.jauntyquills.com and Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/janette.kenny, MySpace, http://www.myspace.com/jankenny, and Twitter, http://twitter.com/janettekenny though I’m sporadic about updates on those public sites and I’ve yet to learn how to tweet.

Jen: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Janette: What quality makes an author an auto-buy for you? If you’re a pick-and-chose reader, what makes you buy a novel and especially a new author? Reviews? Word of mouth? Reading a few pages of the novel?

Jen: Readers, we're giving away an autographed copy of A Cowboy Christmas to a random commenter. To enter the drawing, first leave a comment or question for Janette. Then you must either leave your email address in your comment or send a message to contests.bookblog@gmail.com. A winner will be chosen on Thursday, November 5.

Excerpt from "A Cowboy Christmas" by Janette Kenny

Mr. Barclay expected her to cook a fine feast for his wedding. Her pa wanted her long gone. And all she wanted was the chance to spend what could be her last holiday with her ornery pa.

Men! Ellie Jo broke off a piece of burned crust and stuck a finger into the warm filling, scooping up a bit to taste. She would not think of Reid Barclay beyond the role of her employer. In fact she didn’t want to think at all right now.

She scooped a bit of filling in her mouth like a lad who’d just filched a pie off a windowsill. As soon as the pungent tastes exploded in her mouth she moaned her pleasure.

Past the telltale charring, it was a cross between mincemeat and raisin. Far better than she’d hoped to achieve. Why, if she’d been able to add a meringue to it-and if it hadn’t scorched-this pie would rival one of Grandma Kincaid’s molasses pies.

“You all right?” Reid asked, startling a gasp from her.

How could this man sneak up on her unawares? Not that it mattered. Now that she knew he was an arm's length away her entire body began that unwanted tingling again.

There was no dignified way she could get to her feet, so she remained seated. “Other than smoking out your kitchen and burning dessert, I’m just dandy.”

She poked two fingers into the pie again and stuffed the sticky filling into her mouth. Hopefully her uncouth manners would prompt Reid Barclay to leave her in peace. Or in this case, leave her to wallow in her personal misery.


You’re doing that all wrong,” he said. “Let me show how to make short work of that pie.”

Reid plopped down beside her on the small bench, his boot heels scraping the floor as he extended his long jean-clad legs the same direction as hers. She’d expected his black boots to have fancy stitching, but they were plain and the leather looked supple, thanks to the shine evident of frequent polishing.

Like an exuberant kid, he poked his long fingers into the sticky filling and scooped a large finger-full to his mouth.

Though she was typically quick to instruct others on proper etiquette, she couldn’t seem to get her mind and mouth to work together. Reid Barclay was to blame, for each time he stole another bite his broad shoulder brushed hers and sent energy jolting through her.

Energy of the most titillating kind.

Heavenly days, the fact he was her boss and affianced didn’t penetrate her mind. Neither did the fact that her pa had recently rustled his prize stallion and was holed up right under Reid’s nose, or that Reid would sooner see the old man hang.

Right now as he sat beside her helping himself to another taste of her charred molasses pie, he looked for all the world like a cowpoke. A very tempting cowboy.

Interview with Mary McCarthy

Jen: Today we're pleased to have Mary McCarthy visiting the blog. Mary, will you please share a short bio with us?
Mary: Sure!

Professional freelance writer with 15 years' experience in magazine, newspaper and online features. I've written features in Victorian Homes magazine, The Washington Post, Baltimore Sun and Philadelphia Inquirer, Maryland Life, Chesapeake Life, What's Up Eastern Shore (as Managing Editor) & others. I write for a number of websites, and also run Creative Halloween.

I have a blog called Pajamas & Coffee and I am the author of the books Adult Halloween Parties and Cape May for All Seasons.

I am mother of four children ranging in age from fifteen to three. Our family lives in a spooky-looking 1881 Second Empire Victorian house which undergoes perpetual restoration on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Jen: Tell us about Adult Halloween Parties: Spooktacular Decorations, Food, Drinks, Costumes & Beyond and where it's available.
Mary: Adult Halloween Parties is available on Amazon.com. The how-to Halloween party planning book offers frighteningly cool ideas for interior and exterior Halloween decor, party food and drinks, activities and atmosphere, over 100 Halloween costume ideas (plus how to hold a costume contest) and much more! I wrote the book in a casual, bloggy style, offering tips from my own experiences planning a decade full of totally ghoul adult Halloween parties.

Jen: At what age did you discover writing and when were you first published? Tell us your call story.
Mary: I have been writing since the novel I never finished when I was in grade school! I wanted to be Judy Blume! I ended up first being published professionally after the birth of my first child, 15 years ago, since I needed a way to make money working at home and had always loved writing- it was my Minor in college, and I was editor of my high school and college newspapers. My first paid piece was for a regional magazine here in Maryland, then I wrote a humor column for two local newspapers.

Jen: Are there any other writers, published or not, in your family?
Mary: My mom is a poet.

Jen: Describe your writing in three words.
Mary: Honest, funny, thought-provoking

Jen: Do you have a writing routine?
Mary: I like to write with my feet up, in a recliner. Weird, I know. I usually write while my four kids are in school since that’s the only ‘quiet time’ in my house. I usually write for an average of about three hours a day, five days a week.

Jen: What kind of research did you do for this book?
Mary: I had almost a decade worth of adult Halloween parties! Also I wrote several dozen Halloween-related articles for Suite101.com, where I’m a Feature Writer.

Jen: What’s the most challenging aspect of writing? Easiest?
Mary: Challenge: staying focused (darn twitter!). Easiest: doing it. It comes naturally.

Jen: What’s the most rewarding aspect?
Mary: Comments from readers on my personal blog. (www.pajamasandcoffee.com)

Jen: What did you do to celebrate your first book?
Mary: My first book was Cape May for All Seasons, a glossy color photo book that came out in 1998. Honestly, I will be most excited when my memoir comes out- I plan a series of personal narrative/essay style books- not sure whether these will be self published or picked up by a traditional print publisher. I’m tired of waiting for a literary agent!

Jen: What has been your highlight of your career to this point?
Mary: I was really excited when The Washington Post published a humor piece I wrote. But I don’t think the highlight has come for me yet- hopefully, it’s in my future. I would LOVE to be a best-selling New York Times author at a busy book signing because I think THAT would be a real highlight- ah, hope.

Jen: Who are some of your favorite authors and books? What are you reading now?
Mary: I love Jen Lancaster, David Sedaris, Stephen King- but my first favorite writer was Erma Bombeck- her humorous accounting of day-to-day life is a real inspiration for me. I just finished Crazy for the Storm by Norman Ollestad- right now I’m in love with memoir.

Jen: What do you do in your free time?
Mary: Free time?

Jen: What's next for you?
Mary: Get over trying to find an agent (rejection is too depressing) and become my own publisher for the books on which I’m working.

Jen: Where can you be found on the web?
Mary: Pajamas and Coffee is home for me on the web.

Jen: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Mary: Won’t you be my neighbor? (Sorry, random Mister Rogers reference.) I’d ask them to come by and check out Pajamas and Coffee and if they like my style- stick around!

Jen: Readers, we have a copy of Adult Halloween Parties up for grabs to a random commenter. Leave a comment or question for Mary and be sure to include your email address (or send a message to contests.bookblog@gmail.com after you comment) and you'll be entered in the drawing. The contest will end on Thursday, November 5.

Interview with J. Hali Steele

Jen: This week we welcome J. Hali Steele to Book Talk. J. Hali, will you please share a short bio with us?
J. Hali: First I’d like to say thanks for having me over, Jen. Currently, I live in Pennsylvania but I’m trying to talk my baby sister into moving to California. *grins* I spend as much time as possible with my heroines – my sisters. I have 4 adorable cats who are spoiled as heck. And I love romance novels with happy endings. Oh, I drink too much flavored coffee.

Jen: Tell us about A Panther’s Flight and where it's available.
J. Hali: A Panther’s Flight is available now at www.eirelanderpublishing.com. It’s about the Kind species of vampyre cats. In particular, the Sovereign Kind who are the warriors of the species. They’re ‘big’ cats – lions, tigers, leopards – infected thousands of years ago with vampyre blood. There are two factions: those who’ve accepted their curse and enjoy living as vampyres and those who stay hidden on compounds because they are afraid to embrace the bloodcurdling abilities of their undead cousins. Fane, the hero of this story, is a panther who battles his desire for blood and for the heroine, who is about to go through her first change to panther. (BOOK TRAILER AT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux9jEeNlgIY or you can watch it after you read the excerpt post here at Book Talk.)

Jen: At what age did you discover writing and when were you first published? Tell us your call story.
J. Hali: My mom was an avid reader and shared her books with me. I read John Steinbeck and Taylor Caldwell when I was barely a teen. The worlds they created and drew me into were fascinating. I tried to write like them and made her read everything. Considering I knew nothing about life or writing…she never laughed, she told me to keep trying. Many years later, this year in fact, I became published. My first story, With Extra Cream, was published by Changeling Press. It’s an erotic novella about the other side of the Kind – those who like blood. CP also published a follow-up to that story, Hot Tin Roof, which came out in August.

Jen: How do you approach your writing? Do you plot or go with the flow?
J. Hali: Once an idea pops into my head, I prepare an outline that usually becomes the synopsis. Once I start the story, the characters take over the wheel, and sometimes they let me have it back. lol

Jen: What kind of research did you do for this book?
J. Hali: I did research on the internet about prehistoric cats and where they lived. It was interesting to find that one of the largest lions was located in America. Panthera leo atrox was a cave lion associated with North America in the Pleistocene era. They dwelled in caves and weighed about 840 lbs. I wanted my cats to be really big so I modeled the Kind after them.

Jen: How do you pick the character’s names?
J. Hali: I wanted the elders and those who embraced the vamp world to have European names from the Balkan area where the curse started – names like Patrik and Nikolaus. The younger American cats are the ones I had fun with. For instance Fane came about because I wanted something with ‘bite’ but didn’t want to use the common Fang. I couldn’t see any of the cats being called John or Bill. *laughing*

Jen: Do you become attached to your characters and have a hard time letting them go, or are you happy that their story is told and you can move on?
J. Hali: I’m not sure I’ve let any of them go because I do bring characters back in other stories. Though they’re not series, and each book stands alone, they do tie together by location and what’s happening in their lives and where it’s happening.

Jen: Is there a genre that you’d like to write? Is there a genre you’ll probably stay away from and why?
J. Hali: I’d done a contemporary free read for Changeling and wanted to try my hand at something longer in that genre. I wrote an erotic contemporary novella and subbed it to Ellora’s Cave. They liked it and Rhythm of Love will be coming out in February 2010 as part of their Dance of Desire theme. I prefer erotic paranormal and will always do that. I don’t see myself ever doing anything in the BDSM arena. Maybe a light, light bondage, but for me sex and love don’t ever equal pain.

Jen: What five authors or people, from the past or present, have been important to you as an author? What question or comment have you always wanted to say to them?
J. Hali:

• Nina Simone: who were you thinking of when you sang Take Care of Business? This song always makes me think of Yael from Hope in Love, the first in my Angels in Love series at EC.
• Ayn Rand: Can we talk about your John Galt? I love her strong heroes.
• David Bowie: Major Tom, China Girl, Dancing in the Streets (with Mick) – tell me everything. LOL His music is…well…inspirational to me.
• Billy Idol: One day to follow him around because, damn, he’s hot! I have a few blond heroes.
• Anne Rice: What happened? Her vamps were the best; she lost me with the witches.

Jen: What did you do to celebrate your first book?
J. Hali: I called my sisters and thought we’d go out, but they all came to my house and made me cook! We did drink some champagne. LOL.

Jen: What do you do in your free time?
J. Hali: *Laughing* What’s free time? No, really, my sisters make me leave the house occasionally and I go out with girlfriends. I like watching a good action movie and I do still find time to read.

Jen: What's next for you? J. Hali: I’m working on a series, Angels in Love, for Ellora’s Cave. It’s turning out to be one of my favorites. The characters are sexy, bad boys (and a girl or two) from the heavenly realm who have to live among men. They have quite a few spicy adventures while finding their happily ever after. And there will be more Kind cats. I’m also working on a series inspired by Poker After Dark.

Jen: Where can you be found on the web? J. Hali: I have a website: www.jhalisteele.com; I blog every Friday at www.paranormalromantics.blogspot.com and the 6th of every month at www.trampyvamps.com. I also have my own blog which I need to take better care of www.sovereignkind.blogspot.com and I’m on Facebook at www.facebook.com/purpleprose. I also have an age restricted Yahoo Group I’m trying to develop as a posting spot for authors of erotic romance: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jhalisteele/, so anyone looking for a spot to post excerpts, free reads and just about anything at all – come on over and join me.

Jen: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
J. Hali: I’m a big fan of Happily Ever After and don’t like Happy For Now books that go on and on and on. What do you prefer – HEA or HFN? And Jen, I’d like to thank you for having me at Book Talk with J & J and letting me share some of my story with readers.

Jen: Readers, we have two prize packages up for grabs. J. Hali is giving away a promotional package including a "Are You Kind" t-shirt (they're all XL-so most can fit, as seen in the picture), a key chain and some book cover excerpts. She sent me one of these packages, so I'll give mine away too. To enter, leave a comment or question for J. Hali and leave your email address in your comment. If you don't want to leave your email at the blog, then after your comment, send a message to contests.bookblog@gmail.com. The winner will be chosen on Sunday, November 1.

Excerpt from "A Panther's Flight" by J. Hali Steele

Blurb:

When a mate is worth waiting for.

Fane Baron is a Reign warrior—a sanctioned killer charged with hunting down the rogue vampyre cats of the Sovereign Kind. Haunted by memories of stalking his best friend and afraid the same contagious addiction will consume him, Fane makes a drastic decision; he’ll stop taking blood. He knows the consequences of his decision, the problem is, can he live with himself once he meets her…?

Edy Adair is in a predicament of her uncle's making. A few days from her first change to a panther, already dealing with the clawing emotional turmoil of being in heat, she’s headed on a short flight to Arizona with the vampyre cat of her dreams. Only problem, he isn’t the mate chosen for her by her parents. The fact is he killed her cousin!

Excerpt:

Edy Adair’s face lit with excitement as she hurried across the tarmac. This would be her first real estate deal. Uncle Thomas had called at the last minute to say she’d be making the trip alone and it took longer than they both expected to bring her up to speed. She added to that by taking extra time to assure her hair and makeup were perfect.

Her parents were concerned because her twenty-second birthday was the day after tomorrow, an important age for all Kind.

The plight of her people was attributed in part to the prophet Ezekiel and the angel Gabriel who, it was said, created vampyres. She had heard the stories as she grew up about scrolls written by the prophet that would free them from the vampyre curse. Ezekiel wrote this prophecy during his twenty-two years in Babylon. All Kind went through their first change at the age of twenty-two.

In just two days, she’d be panther for the first time and Edy couldn’t wait. Pain would be involved but she was prepared, and her mate would help. Her cat paced inside of her. It knew freedom was near. Soon she’d crave release.

She wasn’t anxious to become a vampyre.

The Elders still searched for the hidden scrolls that they hoped would rid them of their blood-thirsty half. But for now it couldn’t be avoided. It was part of who they were.

What kept her kind strong and gave them long life was blood taken in the way of the vampyre.

This made Edy think about her chosen mate. It would be his blood that sustained her. Her parents liked him and she was okay with their choice. She’d known him most of her life and they were good friends. She just wished he excited her more.

She knew she’d be back in plenty of time for the mating. She already felt the effects of being in heat. The fire that flared up inside of her was compounded by the fact that it settled right between her thighs.

It was an itch she couldn’t scratch.

Edy focused on the two men by the plane. All thoughts of her mate slipped to the back of her mind. Her uncle told her to trust Fane, he’d take good care of her. She knew he was Reign and he would be her pilot for this trip. But her uncle didn’t tell her how damned good looking he was.

She recognized the Kind prince, Nikolaus, so the magnificent creature beside him must be her pilot. Her inner cat started to purr like a motor. Wow, this guy is hot!

Close to six and a half feet tall with hair as black as a moonless sky, he wore it in a braided ponytail that hung down his back. The white shirt, partially open, clung to him in the heat and managed to accentuate a mat of dark hair on his broad chest.

Definitely panther.

The shirt couldn’t mask the muscles bunched beneath it. His leather pants strained against thighs that belonged to an athlete. She wondered how much better he’d look if he didn’t scowl.

Was she that late? She picked up her pace dragging both bags behind her. Edy was glad of the extra time spent on her appearance. She looked damned good in the dress she wore and hoped Fane would notice. Not quite normal business attire, it was one of her favorites. It gave her confidence and made her feel feminine. The discarded outfits littering her bedroom floor were a distant memory.

* * * * *

“Damn, why didn’t Patrik tell me this? A female. Hell, this is going to be a long trip.” Fane’s panther felt his distress and scratched at his insides for release.

“Everyone understood about Sans,” Nikol replied. “He was a transgressor. You did what needed to be done. No one blames you. You need to stop blaming yourself. She’s very young and probably won’t know you. You were bound to run into the family sooner or later. Anyway, an hour in, let her do her thing, and an hour back. I’ll probably see you on the compound tonight.”

The likelihood of his name cropping up around the family dinner table was zero. The subject of transgressors had always been taboo. Even though it could happen to any one of them, the Kind avoided the topic like the plague. It was a weakness none of them wanted to acknowledge.

The time to let it go had long passed. But his fear of transgressing didn’t relinquish its hold on him. He had stopped taking the blood as often as he should to maintain his powers and soon it would be evident.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Fane watched anxiously as Edy approached the plane. She was a knockout and he felt his panther change direction. It no longer prowled. It started to purr and the beast waited as she walked towards him.

When she got closer, he saw that kohl lined her sparkling green eyes and gave her an exotic look. Black as ink hair was worn tousled and short. It surrounded a face of stunning beauty. Her cheeks glowed with that just-made-love flush. Small, rounded breasts looked so right on her tall, slender body. Hips that curved sweetly above the longest legs he’d ever seen. They went on and on.

She exuded sex appeal like an expensive perfume.

Interview with Tamela Quijas

Jen: This weekend we welcome Tamela Quijas to Book Talk. Tamela, will you please share a short bio with us?
Tamela: I was born in the USA, raised in Germany and have lived in the Southwest for nearly 30 years. I am happily married and the proud mother of 5 children, 2 stepchildren, and grandmother to 2 wonderful grandchildren.

Jen: Tell us about Blood of the Beast and where it's available.
Tamela: Blood of the Beast is a paranormal romance novel set in modern times. It is the story of a detective, Valentina Kureyev, who has been assigned to one of the worst cases of the century. A serial killer is roaming the streets of her town, gruesomely depositing bloodless corpses. She joins ranks with an intriguing Professor of Russian Antiquities, who has a few secrets of his own.

Blood of the Beast can be purchased at Amazon:
Kindle Format: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002GP7YMY/
Paperback Format: http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Beast-Tamela-Quijas/dp/1442173351

Jen: At what age did you discover writing and when were you first published? Tell us your call story.
Tamela: I was a teenager that loved to scribble down every thought that came to mind. I was first published in 2007. Would you believe it was a Southwestern inspired cookbook? From that point on, I never looked back.

Jen: Are there any other writers, published or not, in your family?
Tamela: No, just me. There is a lot of voracious readers, though.

Jen: How do you approach your writing? Do you plot or go with the flow?
Tamela: It's a little of both. Blood of the Beast literally spewed from me, 20,000 words in about a week. It seemed that Demetri was desperate to get his story out. At that point, I wrote the entire novel, then went back to fill it out.

Jen: Do you have a specific time or place that you write?
Tamela: Early in the morning and I mean really early! Usually, I begin writing about 4 am and let the creativity flow until 630 am.

Jen: How do you shut out disruptions?
Tamela: That's why I write so early in the morning—it's quiet

Jen: Do you do anything special to celebrate a sale, new contract, or release?
Tamela: Don't laugh...I do the 'snoopy dance' around the house for about an hour then get back to work

Jen: Is there a genre that you’d like to write? Is there a genre you’ll probably stay away from and why?
Tamela: I love writing paranormal romances set in modern times. I don't like and would, probably, never write anything that involves outerspace.

Jen: Who has inspired you as an author?
Tamela: Jude Deveraux and Johanna Lindsey were my inspirations with a little bit of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Jules Verne.

Jen: If your book was made into a movie, which actors would you choose to play the hero and heroine?
Tamela: If Blood of the Beast was made into a movie, I would be at my wit's end. I know it's a stretch of the imagination, but I think Dolph Lundgren or Alex O'Loughlin would play a fantastic Demetri and Kate Bekinsale as Valentina Kureyev.

Jen: What do you do in your free time?
Tamela: I am addicted to movies. All genres, all stories.

Jen: What's next for you?
Tamela: I' just finished My Lord Raven, after months of rewrites. It's a contemporary romance that just became available on Amazon

Jen: Where can you be found on the web?
Tamela: I can be found at http://tamelaquijas.wordpress.com and at http://www.myspace.com/tamelaquijas

Jen: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Tamela: What intrigues a reader with the paranormal? Are there any particular types of paranormal characters that they look for in a novel?

Jen: Are you doing a giveaway, if so, what’s the prize?
Tamela: For every comment that I receive, I will place the commentators name in a drawing. One luck winner will receive a free PDF copy of Blood of the Beast.

Jen: The contest for the PDF of Blood of the Beast will end on Thursday, October 29. Be sure to leave your email address in your post or stop back here to see if you're the winner.