Tag! I'm it!

Welcome back everyone! 

I've been tagged by the lovely and talented Nicki Greenwood to participate in a blog tag. Here's how it works - Nicki tagged me and two other fabulous authors and gave us the following four questions. So today I post my answers, and tag the next people and next Monday (April 7) you stop by their blogs to check out their answers! :-) It's a fun way to share some info about myself and some fellow authors with you all and you get the chance to get a behind the scenes look at some awesome people. And... go!



What am I working on? 
Hmmm, well currently I'm rewriting (and I do mean rewriting like from page one) a romantic suspense I wrote a couple years ago. It was my second novel, and was in pretty rough shape. A couple weeks ago, I cut 20,000 words from the manuscript in 2 days. It was horrendous. And when I was done, I was left with the tattered remains that didn't even resemble a book. Now I'm at the rewrites stage - rebuilding the book, splicing existing pieces together with the new stuff, and trying to make it seamless start to finish. It's been... um fun. Right, fun. That's the word for it. 
Here's a bit more on Los Diablos - Reporter Eva Ramirez is determined to find her brother’s killer. Undercover cop Diego Lopez is desperate to stop his ex-love from uncovering his involvement in her brother’s murder and getting them both killed.

As fire reignites between them, they soon discover if they don’t work together and trust each other, they’ll both wind up in dumpsters behind Lucky’s Bar.   

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Ooh, this is a fun one. Let's see... with my erotic romances, I really like to focus on a good external plotline, which I think is missing from a lot of other books in this genre. I like to have a lot going on in my books. It's one of the reasons I usually write long novels. 




My first was An Affair Across Times Square (right) and amid this incredibly sexy voyeuristic relationship between Layla and Tyler, there was also an intriguing murder trial and subsequent mystery to solve which helped create conflict and craziness in the book. 

In the sequel, An Engagement in Paris, (left) I have Mandy and Julien pitted on opposite sides of the marriage battle - he wants to get married, she thinks she doesn't, but agrees anyway, and as the day inches closer and her family descends upon them, she panics. 






With my holiday story Spicy with a Side of Cranberry Sauce (left) Amy and Mason are

instantly attracted to each other and then thrown together in this impossible situation - a holiday with their families.... during which his mother and her father begin dating. So it's not just their relationship bubble, but a lot of family dynamics and Turkey Day chaos which help make things a little crazy. 

In Queen of Hearts (right) Erica and Maya have a one night stand. Later, when Erica is in trouble of losing her business, she realizes she ran out on the one woman who might actually be able to help her. It's the pressure of failure that breaks through her barriers and forces her to accept Maya's help. 

My newest one, Break(Through) the Ice is all about Jasmine and Vince battling the elements (and the gossip) to be together. The Adirondack Camp they're in is just as much a character as they are, and that adds a nice element of suspense and danger to the book, which I love. :-)  






Why do I write what I do?

Because sex sells. :-p  No but seriously, I love romance novels. I've loved them since I was sixteen. While my reading in the genre was paranormal and I still enjoy a lot about that genre, erotic romance is so much fun to write. Can't think of a plot point? Write a sex scene. Stuck on why the character hates himself? Sex scene. Want to make the couple's relationship get screwed up in no time flat? Sex scene! Need them to make up? Sex Scene. Can't reveal who the killer is yet? Sex SCENE! Need more time for them to fall in love SEX SCENE! :-) 

I know that sounds really basic, or like I'm filling my book with sex because I can't write the book or don't want to work on the hard (or not so hard) stuff but because the sex, aside from being fun, is an integral part of the storyline. When you write historicals, your characters cannot be having sex on page thirty. You have to slowly build that kind of relationship and there are chaperones and rules of propriety and all kinds of things. When you write erotic romance, you don't have to worry about that, but you do have to worry about keeping things exciting. If your characters are geting busy on page thirty, and then again on page sixty-five, and one-hundred, etc. you better make sure that the scenes escalate, and that they're not random or erroneous. I love making sex an intricate part of the building romance and sometimes it even helps stave off the romance, because sometimes (like with Tyler & Layla) it's just sex in the beginning and then slowly they develop feelings for each other. It's wonderful to watch that unfold. 

How does your writing process work?

Oi - um, this is a hard one to answer because it's different for every book. The things that are the same for me are the basics: 

• I have to build real three-dimensional characters. That usually means photographs (I use a lot of models or actors for this), their main personality traits (including their astrological sign or exact birth date because that helps me build a full character), a background of their childhood and major events in their lives (death of a parent or sibling, abuse, past lost loves) and basically their damage. Perfect or completely well adjusted characters are boring and also useless in a romance plot because if they're perfect alone, why would they want or need a life partner or romantic attachments. 
• I have to have an external plot line - sometimes it's a paranormal or suspense/mystery plot, sometimes it's a little less involved. I just finished a BDSM book in which the heroine is on a deadline with a book and has to get the research done and write the book before the deadline, and I have a hero who is in danger of losing his business, his house, and basically every he's worked his entire adult life for. So the stakes have to be high - sometimes my emotional stakes are high, sometimes it's the physical stakes like in the WIP where Diego and Eva are in mortal danger. 

As for the process itself, sometimes it starts with a scene in my head with two people and I build everything off that. Sometimes it's a person or character. Sometimes it's an overall concept like "our parents are dating" or "instant enemies" or other kinds of tropes like that. 

I almost always create a plot using the 3-Act Plotting Method that Alexandra Sokoloff talks about on her blog about using screenwriting tricks to plot your book. And I usually have a visual layout of the main setting in a very basic, ugly, disproportionate drawing (because I have no artistic ability whatsoever) which helps me figure out what's where in a scene. 

I like to write a "dirty draft" after I've done the plotting, some of the research, and the character backgrounds. Inevitably somewhere in the draft I realize that something isn't going to work or that a character happens to have done something in their past which I didn't know until I reached the midpoint climax and then I make notes to go back and fix it after I finish the draft. It usually takes me 1-2 weeks to do the research/plotting/character background stuff and 2-6 weeks to write the draft (depending on the length and topic of the book) and then I let it rest for at least a week and get the real life stuff done that I've been ignoring while fully immersed in the book like grocery shopping and seeing my family. And then I re-read the book, start to finish, without making any changes and I use these mini sticky notes and take notes on everything I need to change, the main characters, and important info I need. Then I start making those changes and when I finish doing one, I get to rip the sticky note off the notebook page, crumple it up, and throw it away. It's VERY satisfying. :-) 

And that's it. Me, my books, and my writing in a (very large) nutshell! 

Thanks so much for the Tag, Nicki!

And now it's my turn to tag some people. I have chosen two great authors to tag and I can't wait to see their answers next week! Check em out: 

Stephanie Wytovich: Stephanie M. Wytovich is the Poetry Editor for Raw Dog Screaming Press, a book reviewer for Nameless Magazine, and a well-known coffee addict. She is a member of the Science Fiction Poetry Association and a graduate fom Seton Hill University’s MFA program for Writing Popular Fiction. Her poetry collection, HYSTERIA, can be found at www.rawdogscreaming.com. Follow Wytovich at stephaniewytovich.blogspot.com and on twitter @JustAfterSunset.

Priscilla Kissinger: Priscilla A Kissinger is a three-time Golden Heart finalist who writes contemporary romance with a Latino flavor. A single mom with three daughters, Priscilla recently earned an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. During the day she works as an administrator at a major university, and she spends her free time writing, reading, playing tennis, training for half marathons, watching sports and singing karaoke with her family.

You can find out more about her at www.prisakiss.com, follow her on Twitter with @prisakiss or catch her blogging on www.peanutbutteronthekeyboard.com 

and www.ghfirebirds.com.

So be sure to stop by and check out Stephanie and Priscilla's answers on Monday April 7 at stephaniewytovich.blogspot.com & www.ghfirebirds.com 

Thanks, 

~ Rach

Guest Post & #Review by Rach: THE SUBMISSION GIFT by Solace Ames

Welcome back readers! Today we have a guest blog and a review of The Submission Gift by Solace Ames

The Submission Gift

LA Doms

Book 2 (stand-alone)

Solace Ames

Genre: Erotic Romance, Ménage

Publisher: Carina Press

Date of Publication: March 24, 2014

ISBN: 978-1-4268-9828-0.

ASIN: B00GKBIPLY

Number of pages: 254

Word Count: 100,000

Amazon          BN             ARe

Kobo          Google Play     iTunes

Book Description:

Newlyweds Jay and Adriana had a happy marriage and a spectacular sex life—until tragedy struck. Wounded in a car accident, Jay spent a year recuperating while Adriana worked overtime as a chef to pay their bills. Though he’s made nearly a full recovery, some aspects of their intimate play will never be the same. It’s a small price to pay, all things considered.

But when a long struggle with the insurance company results in an overdue payout, Jay has a plan. He’ll take some of it and hire a high-end rent boy who specializes in sexual dominance. Not for him, but as a gift for Adriana, for taking care of him for the past twelve months.

Paul is the handsome stranger they choose…and the one who changes everything. What starts out as a onetime session to fulfill a fantasy turns into something bigger than all of them. But when the money runs out and Paul’s dangerous past resurfaces, the sacrifices required to stay together may end up tearing them apart…

And now a bit more from the author...

I won’t name any names, but as a reader, I get frustrated with books that promise loads of BDSM and end up delivering only the same flavor of D/s. So when I wrote The Submission Gift, I wanted to lay out a fuller kinky table setting of imaginative, consensual BDSM.

I especially enjoyed writing the erotic electrostimulation part of the novel. Although this kink sounds futuristic and high-tech, it’s actually been around for hundreds of years. Back in the 19th century, terrifying electric belts were marketed for both men and women, sometimes as general health aids, sometimes as “cures for impotence”.

Today’s e-stim devices are a lot safer and smaller. Follow the manuals and don’t use them it near the heart area! At lower settings, the sensations aren’t painful at all. In fact, similar gadgets are common in physical therapy.

The idea of experiencing alternating waves of pleasure and pain at the flick of a switch sounds appealing, whether in real life or fantasy. It’s also an interesting analogy for the reading experience itself. The story is the little magic box we use to shock ourselves!

So I hope you have a wonderful time turning the pages and flicking the switches.

Rach's Review: 3 out of 5 Divas 

Favorite Line: Does it come with a St. Andrew's Kitchenette? 

I really liked a lot about this book. Jay, Adrianna, and Paul were all damaged characters with some pretty good background. The sex scenes on the whole were pretty good and I enjoyed the way Ames jumped between POV for the three characters. The writing style was great - having some nice lyrical almost literary writing in there which made it lovely. 

Jay and Adrianna were a good couple and I really liked the way they opened their lives to make a relationship with Paul. It was a good book and worth a read. There was humor and some great heart-felt moments between these three characters, but for me it fell just a little bit short of making me really care and feel for the characters. 

About the Author:

Solace Ames has roots in the Southeast US, although her heart lives somewhere along the Pacific coast of Mexico. She's worked in restaurants, strip clubs, academia and the corporate world and studied everything from the philosophy of science to queer theory to medieval Spanish literature. Rejecting neat categories, her writing sprawls across genres and genders and swings from high art to low art, marching with the erotic avant-garde, tongue sometimes in cheek and at other times... well. Along with writing, education and political activism are her passions. Family takes up most of her time, but she loves to keep learning.

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/solacewrites

FB: http://www.facebook.com/solace.ames

Website and Blog: www.solaceames.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/solaceames

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win this beautiful three-heart charm bracelet or a copy of The Dom Project (LA Doms Book 1) 

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Review by Rach & Guest Blog: FULL STRENGTH by @KatieKenyhercz

Hey there everyone,

Welcome back to another wonderful round of Review by Rach! Today we have a special treat, not just a review, but also an excerpt and guest blog from the author, Katie Kenyhercz.

Meet Allie and Shane:

After a bum knee ended her soccer days, Alexandra-Allie-Kallen has dedicated her life to helping injured athletes cope and get back in the game. As the new team sports psychologist of the Las Vegas Sinners, she starts out with just one player, but he's a handful. Goalies are stubborn, and she would know. She's determined to figure him out and return him to the net good as new, especially after she sent her last patient back to the ice too soon. The problem is, she sees so much of herself in Shane, and their chemistry is off the charts. Falling for him isn't in the plan. Is love worth losing her career?

Shane Reese's entire identity has been wrapped up in being a goalie since he was five years old. When he gets a high ankle sprain right before playoffs, he doesn't exactly take it well. After putting his fist through the physical therapy room wall and hitting a few joking teammates, he's ordered to see the new shrink. All he has to do is convince her he's seen the light, and he can get back to defending his team as soon as his ankle heals. The problem is, she sees through him like no one he's ever met, and the more time he spends with her, the less hot he is to get back to the ice. Could something mean more than hockey?






And now for the excerpt: 

Shane ambled down the tunnel to the locker room, half-paying attention to his excited teammates bumping his shoulder, patting his mask, and barking, “Fuckin’ awesome!” Their support meant a lot, but right now, something else meant more. He shed his gear in front of his locker. As soon as he got down to athletic shorts and a t-shirt, he slipped into the quiet hallway.

Adrenaline and emotion carried him to Allie’s office, and when he opened the door, she stumbled forward as if she’d been leaning against it.

“Shane?” A mix of confusion, happiness, and something like regret played on her face. “You were amazing out there. You—”

He scooped her up and swung her around. She gasped and laughed, holding onto his shoulders, and it felt even better than the win. He smiled so hard his cheeks hurt, and when he set her down, he backed her against the door and kissed her. Her lips were soft, warm, and moist. She tasted like cherries, and the citrus-vanilla of her perfume filled his head. Her body stiffened, but she didn’t pull back or push him away. Because his palms rested against her neck, he could feel her pulse trying to outpace a German train. He slid his thumbs lightly along her cheekbones and nudged her nose with his. When their foreheads touched, her lashes fluttered, and her breath rushed warm against his lips. She met his gaze and whispered, “Shane …”

Since peewee hockey, no one had called him anything but Reese at his own request, but God, he couldn’t get enough of the sound of his name from her mouth. In the next second the enormity of what he’d done sunk in, and he took a step back, eyes wide as he tried to get his emotional bearings. “Allie. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—I was so caught up … but I crossed a line. Even though I guess I’m officially not your patient anymore.”

The shock on her face couldn’t hide a trace of pleasure. Her voice came out low and unsteady. “It’s all right. You were just carried away. You’re not my patient now, but you might be in the future, so … we probably shouldn’t make a habit of it.” She smiled the way she did when she wanted to deflect, but the look in her eyes said she wasn’t so sure.

“Yeah.” But neither moved. He couldn’t look away. How were they supposed to pretend this didn’t exist? That it wasn’t important? Apparently, he was pretty good at self-deception, but even with his exceptional skill in denial, he couldn’t wrap his mind around treating Allie like one of the guys.




And now a little more from Kenyhercz on writing and this series: 

Viva Las Vegas

A lot of readers ask how the Sinners' world came to be. It was a long, winding, random road! When I first got the idea for On the Fly about ten years ago, the Sinners started out as a minor league team, the Albany Racers. I set the series in the minors because I had Carter playing and coaching at the same time for the entire book, and that wouldn't fly in the majors. But that version of the book wasn't working, and I knew things had to change.

When in doubt, up the stakes.

I knew I had to put the team in the NHL, and I needed a more exciting backdrop. There have been talks of putting an NHL team in Vegas for years and years, but things never coalesced in real life. It was the perfect choice for me. Las Vegas is its own character and the right place for my guys and gals to get neck-deep in trouble.

Next up, I needed a new coach. I could have made a stock character to blend into the background, but even in the first draft, Nealy was a spunky, intimidating, little lady who would not be ignored. It seemed a shame to waste her hilarity in such a bit role. I gave her the coaching job on a whim one day, and everything fell into place. She was the best fictional accident I've stumbled into. She created controversy for my heroine in the first book, and she is such a gem in Full Strength. Nealy is like an angry, high-pitched Yoda for the guys, and I love her to pieces.

A lot of readers fell in love with Madden in the first book, and he was a happy accident too. Originally, I asked myself how a woman would come to inherit an NHL team, and “only child” was the first explanation that came to mind. If she had a brother, the team probably would have went to him. Light bulb moment. What if she did have a brother but got the team anyway? That added drama and backstory and made things more interesting.

My favorite elements in the Sinners' world weren't originally planned, and that's part of the magic of writing. If you start spinning an idea, it takes on a life of its own and tells you how it's supposed to pan out. Check out Full Strength, and look for Madden's book, Winning Streak next year!

Rach's Review: 5 out of 5 Divas

Well what can I say? Katie did it again! I loved On The Fly the first book in the Las Vegas Sinners series. It was fantastic, and sometimes sequels can disappoint. Totally not the case with Full Strength. Once again, she brought the characters to life, making us feel for them, root for them, and smile when they got their happily ever after. :-) I loved it. These books are sweet, sexy, funny, and endearing. Definitely a great read and one you should pick up! 


Thanks so much for stopping by Katie, it was fun to have you.

Dakota Hearts Series by Lisa Mondello

Welcome back!

Today we have a bit more of information on the Dakota Hearts series by Lisa Mondello, and I've got to say, these books sound hot, hot, HOT! Check em out below. And be sure to enter the contest at the bottom for the chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card

About the Author:

USA TODAY Bestselling Author, Lisa Mondello, has held many jobs in her life but being a published authors is the last job she'll ever have. She's not retiring! She blames the creation of the personal computer for her leap into writing novels. Otherwise, she'd still be penning stories with paper and pen.

Her first book, All I Want for Christmas is You won Best First Book in the Golden Quill. Her books have finaled in the HOLT Medallion, and the Colorado Award of Excellence contests. In 2011 she re-released her award winning book All I Want for Christmas is You along with a re-issue of her romantic comedy, The Marriage Contract, with a new contemporary romance called The Knight and Maggie's Baby.

In 2012 she reissued the first 3 books of her popular Western Romance Series TEXAS HEARTS including Her Heart for the Asking, His Heart for the Trusting and The More I See. Writing as LA Mondello, her romantic suspense, MATERIAL WITNESS, book 1 of her Heroes of Providence series made the USA TODAY Bestsellers List.

You can find more information about Lisa Mondello at lisamondello.blogspot.com

@LisaMondello

https://www.facebook.com/LisaMondello.Author

Book 1: Her Dakota Man 

Genre: Contemporary romance

ISBN: 978-1-9405-12-006

ASIN: B00FRSX700

Word Count:  37,000 words

Cover Artist: Purple Girl Design

Amazon  BN  Smashwords

iTunes  Kobo

Book Description:

She needed to risk the truth to get a second chance...

Poppy Erickson had spent the year wondering how all their lives might have been different after hearing the deathbed confession of her childhood friend. She'd left South Dakota years ago because she couldn't bear to watch the man she loved loving another woman. But now she knows the truth. She'll keep the promise she made to a friend, but will Logan understand when he learns the truth? More important, can they again recapture the passion that had been between them all those years ago?

He needed to face the past to get the love of a woman he thought he'd lost…

Everyone knows that the Dakotas didn't get the name Badlands for nothing. Harsh weather and rough living are a way of life. But single dad, Logan McKinnon, had seen more than his share of bad times after the death of his wife a year ago. The last thing he needs is Poppy Erickson, an old flame and his late wife's best friend, showing up unannounced to help after devastating floods nearly washed away their hometown. With no place to stay in town, he has no choice but to offer her a bed at his house.

But can he live under the same roof with a woman he'd once loved passionately without feeling he's betraying his late wife?

Book 2: Badland Bride

Badland Bride

Dakota Hearts

Book 2

Lisa Mondello

Genre: western romance

ISBN: 978-1-940512-01-3

ASIN: B00GIZ1OD8

Word Count:  28,000 words

Cover Artist: Purple Girl Design

Amazon    BN   iTunes

Kobo   Smashwords

Book Description:

She'd spent a lifetime packing armor around her heart...

Raised an Army brat, Regis Simpson was used to calling new towns home, learning to quickly make friends but never letting anyone get too close. When devastating floods tear through the Badlands of South Dakota, she thinks Rudolph is just another town that needs to be rebuilt. Nothing more. The sooner she gets her work done, the sooner the people of Rudolph can heal and she can move on to the next town in need. She never counted on the sexy town doctor, Keith "Hawk" McKinnon or his determination to break down walls she'd spent a lifetime building, making it impossible for her to leave.

He's determined to break down her walls and give her a reason to stay...

Nothing pained Hawk McKinnon more than seeing people he'd known his whole life hurting. He traded a high-paying salary at a city hospital to come back to Rudolph and make a difference where he'd dug his roots. When the beautiful Regis Simpson comes to town offering help, he's immediately drawn to her even though she's spent a lifetime believing that everyone she loves leaves. Now she does the leaving and once her work is done, she'll be leaving again. He's determined to do everything possible to make her stay.

Book 3: Dakota Heat

Dakota Heat

Dakota Hearts

Book 3

Lisa Mondello

Genre: contemporary romance

ISBN: 978-1-940512-02-0

ASIN: B00H2W66H0

Word Count:  23,000 words

Cover Artist: Purple Girl Design

Amazon   BN  Smashwords

Book Description:

Hotshot Sam McKinnon was always leaving town, chasing another fire until his own hometown became vulnerable during the fire season after a devastating winter flood left debris and destruction in its path. He didn't expect out of town dispatcher, Summer Bigelow, to catch his eye or his heart.

It hadn't been Summer's idea to move from Providence to South Dakota, but when a serial murderer suddenly turns his attention on Summer, her boss insists she leave town...at least until the heat dies down. She's dealt with high tension, life or death situations many times in her job. It isn’t until she meets Sam McKinnon and falls for the sexy Hotshot that she really begins to know fear. The fear of losing someone she loves.

Excerpt from Dakota Heat:

The girl was new.  Sam walked around the Interagency Fire Crew basecamp with familiarity.  He saw faces he recognized from working in different locations over the past few years.  But the girl…  Yeah, she was new.  He doubted he would forget the soft blond color of her hair or the slight tilt of her head as she read through paperwork, pretending she didn’t notice the people around her.

He grabbed two water bottles from the bucket full of ice in the back of the Quonset hut and walked toward her.  She didn’t look up until he held the water bottle in front of her.

Blue eyes met his with a mixture of irritation and surprise.

“You’re dropping ice pieces on my paperwork,” she said.

He noticed the smooth as silk sound of her voice before the water splatter on the top page of her paperwork.  He immediately pulled the water bottle back a few inches.  

“Sorry.  I thought you might like something to drink.”

Her face softened as quickly as it had shown irritation.  She reached her hand out and took the water bottle, and then placed it on the bench next to her before shaking her hand of the residual moisture the bottle left behind. “Thank you.”

“You’re new here,” he said as he sat down next to her.  

Not looking up, she said, “So are you.” 

She smelled like soap and lavender.  After breathing in smoke and dirt for so long, it was refreshing to breathe in the sweet scents of a woman.

“Not exactly.  I grew up in Rudolph.” 

That earned him a lingering second glance.  One that afforded him a few seconds to really look into her eyes, at her face.

“Really?”

“My whole life.”

She glanced around quickly.  “When I got in last night I was told the basecamp here was new this year.  I didn’t realize South Dakota had a dedicated fire basecamp.”

Sam had never worked fire duty in his home state before.  And he’d never come to a new location and been so familiar with faces as well as the location.  His reason for wanting to come back to South Dakota this year was personal. 

A lot of his friends who worked with the Interagency Fire Crew were still reeling after the deaths of nineteen Hotshot firemen in Arizona last summer.  Some had quit fighting fires altogether at the urging of their family.  Sam’s own mother had tried her best to do the same during many phone calls since the tragedy, but Kate McKinnon settled for having him come home to Rudolph to work. 

“This was just constructed this year.  The Black Hills are a hot spot this year because of all the flood and ice damage that occurred over the winter.  When I found out they were setting up a base here to do fire control for the season, I put in a request to work here.”

She nodded.  “Must be nice to be home.  At least for the season.”

She glanced down at her paperwork again.

He chuckled at how quickly she fell into her reading again.  “You’re looking at that like you’re cramming for a final exam.”

She shrugged.  “I feel I am.  This is my first season working fire dispatch anywhere.”

“Ah, then that explains it.”

“Must feel good to be home after—” 

“Summer?”

Both Sam and the girl looked up to see the chief calling out from across the tent.  The girl quickly collected her paperwork and stuffed it in a folder.

“Be right there,” she called out.  She turned to Sam, lifting the bottled water in her hand.  “Thanks for the water.”

“No problem.”

But she was already trotting over to the superintendent’s office.  He hadn’t even had a chance to get her name.  But he would before the day was done.  This was one woman he had a feeling he wanted to get to know.

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Character Interview: Wyck from SEAL OF AWAKENING by Traci Douglass

Welcome back readers to the Divas of Desire. As you know by now, this is your one-stop shop for all things sexy and behind the scenes (of the books, that is).

Today we have a super special guest, Wyck, the hero of Traci Doulass’s third book in the Seven Seals series, Seal of Awakening.

Welcome, Wyck. It’s soooo nice to meet you.

Thanks ladies. Great to be here.

What brings you by our little page today?

Well, when Quinn said that you called and invited me, I was a bit collywobbles about it.  You know, nervous. I mean I’m a bloke and you ladies are… well, the Divas of Desire. Then, of course, I checked out your website and saw all the steamy reads, and I knew this was definitely the place for me.

What’s it like to be immortal? I’ve always wondered what I would do with that kind of time… how many books I could write… ooh, how many could I read if I had eons of time???

Well, contrary to what some of my other stodgy Scion brethren might have you believe, it doesn’t blow.  Seriously. It’s rather brilliant most of the time. Especially now that I’ve got Quinn to share eternity with. It’s great to have someone to spend time with besides my adopted brothers. Quinn sure is prettier to look at and she smells better too, especially after a long night of surveillance work.

Could you tell us a little bit about what it’s like to go undercover for the Scion? Oops, was I not supposed to mention that? I wouldn’t have except, danger’s just so… sexy.

No worries, love. Just don’t tell Xan, my commander. He’s a bit… uptight about those sorts of things. Then again, he gets his knickers in a twist about virtually everything I do, so I guess it doesn’t matter much, eh?

Since you’ve mentioned it, having led my own covert op was fun, but a bit dodgy at times and yes, a few of my plans sadly went balls-up. Still, I’m glad for the opportunity to regain my title of King of the Mission again and I never would’ve found the love of my life otherwise, so it’s all good. Working behind the scenes suits me better though and has much better hours and benefits. You know, creating mass Internet mayhem, screwing with those Nephilim wankers, and all that. Always fun times.

And now for what everyone really wants to know… how’s your little friend, er I mean wife, Quinn (of whom none of us are jealous… promise…) :-p

My wife’s fine. Well, actually she’s better than fine. I mean she’s smokin’ hot and she’s got me, right? (Ducks to avoid flying debris from the sidelines). Oh sweetheart! I forgot you came with me today… What? Well, I’d try doing that to myself, but I don’t think it’s anatomically possible. (Laughs, crosses arms and leans back in his chair). See? She’s bursting with love for me. Things are great. Despite some doubts about us, we’re a perfect match. Quinn’s the ying to my yang, the peanut butter to my jelly, the tea to my scone… Well, you get the idea.

I just lurve your accent. Where’s home base for you these dreams, Mr. Dreamy? Um, I mean, Wyck?

Sorry, love. Can’t divulge that secret either. Top-secret headquarters under construction and all. If I told you, Xander really would have my todger in a sling.  But speaking of home base, I have been missing my English homeland more frequently these days. Maybe Quinn and I should take a trip to Cumbria. After all, we never took a proper holiday after the wedding. What do you think, sweetheart? (Looks at Quinn) Hmm… I‘ll give that some serious thought.

What is it about modern technology that attracts someone who’s seen so much history?

Interesting question. For me, it’s not so much about what’s evolving, it’s about what stays constant—the mathematics, the formulas and codes and binary languages. There’s a legacy in those that stretches back farther than I do. I find such consistency comforting. Plus, while I do love my gadgets, I’ve found I love a woman who can challenge me intellectually and shag my socks off even better. (Winks at Quinn)

If you could live in any time period in any country where and when would you go and why?

Oh, no question I’m happiest in the here and now. Bugger all, I mean look at how fantastic this time is? So much great invention and innovation and so much left to discover. Oh yeah, I’m a modern man through and through. Though I will say, you can take the man out of Britain, but you can’t take the Brit out of the man. Give me a nice stroll through Piccadilly Circus or a ride in the London Eye anytime.

Thanks so much Wyck for stopping by today and letting us chat it up. It was so nice to meet you.

And thanks so much for the ace interview! I can see why they call you ladies the Divas of Desire. (winks at Rachell) Cheerio.

Fallen in love with Wyck yet, ladies? 

Check this out for more of him: 

Socially awkward geneticist Quinn Strickland has willingly forgone the pleasures in life to reach her career objectives. Alone and approaching thirty, she uses her independence to mitigate any risk of a broken heart. Her strategy works until the day a handsome stranger bursts into her lab and her orderly plans shoot straight to Hades. He claims to be her personal divine protector, a powerful, ancient warrior sent to defend a prophetic time bomb existing within her own genetic code.

The Scion’s alpha-geek Wyck is offered the opportunity of his immortal lifetime as head of his own covert operation. He arrives at a Colorado lab expecting starched white coats and sterile surroundings—not a redheaded spitfire in charge of both his project and his libido. His skills have carried him from the battlefields of ancient England to the pits of Hell and he has no plans to be felled by one woman, regardless of her shag-worthy charms. Divine duty requires him to protect the apocalyptic Seal encrypted within Quinn’s DNA, but his heart has other ideas. When his personal feelings interfere with his age-old vendetta, he’s forced to decide between desire and retribution.

Amazon     Paperback

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/dAJ9tKiiUOQ

And if that wasn't enough to whet your appetite, here ya go... 

Short Excerpt:

For the band of adopted heavenly brothers known collectively as the Scion, covert ops generally fell into two categories, crashing bore or glorious adventure. And after more than nine hundred years of divine missions, Wyck could tell the difference before the first volley fired.

He double-checked to make sure his ID badge was prominently displayed.  Divinity had finally given him a second chance as mission leader and he intended to make sure this operation fell squarely into the epically awesome range despite his less than glamorous surroundings. This time, he vowed, there’d be no messy diversions to waylay his goals, no damsel in questionable distress to shred his heart to smithereens. Nope. This time he was fully prepared and would see his mission through to a successful end.

Wyck trudged up the sidewalk toward the imposing glass and steel Eugenicorp Labs building, craning his neck to see the top of the six-story structure. He was so engrossed in his perusal he nearly squashed a bedraggled squirrel limping across the pavement in front of him. Wyck glanced down and spotted a half-cracked acorn near the toe of his boot. Poor bugger must’ve dropped it in his hasty retreat.

His first inclination was to reach down and retrieve it, maybe place the nut near the roots of the giant tree where the squirrel now hid.  But now wasn’t the time to get sidetracked. As his commander, Xander, had already warned him, such kindness had only added to his past failures.

He kicked the nut, watching as it hurtled through the open grassy area surrounding the complex, then strode through the automatic doors and into the cavernous lobby. Empty. Sterile. Utilitarian, covered in gleaming metal and glass. The décor - neutral grays and bland beiges - screamed restraint. 

Okay, he amended. Maybe epic and awesome were pushing the envelope for this mission. Best to start with solidly successful. He blinked several times in the early morning sunshine and spotted the pinched, schoolmarm expression of a receptionist across the expanse.

Brilliant.

In his experience, mulish females appeared to be the rule in academia. Just one more reason he steered clear of the smart ones and stuck to his technology. Emotional evisceration was another, but he refused to dwell on that now. Gadgets and science had always been his safe refuge. They trustworthy.

He proceeded across the pristine white-tile floor and when the receptionist steadfastly ignored him, Wyck coughed and summoned his most charming smile. “Hi, I’m Orson Parrot, the new bloke.”

The woman glanced up from her computer screen and ran a disdainful eye over him, her glare burning a hole through his extended hand.  Her scowl increased as she snatched a clipboard from the desk’s immaculate surface and skimmed a bony digit down the list.  She tapped her finger twice beside one line and stared back at him, her demeanor cold enough to freeze hydrogen, then pointed toward a pair of glass doors across the lobby. “Through there.”

He leaned forward to thank her only to be confronted by a strip of red fabric. Dangling from the receptionist’s hand, it swung in crazy, lopsided circles to tap him squarely on the chest. “You’ll need this,” she said, her tone a perfect match for the Queen’s after a distasteful tabloid scandal.

Wyck caught the twirling lanyard, with its attached security keycard, and placed it around his neck.  He couldn’t resist giving the woman a wink and a grin on his way out, and was delighted when she stiffened like rawhide. A fellow had to have some fun.

He headed toward the double doors across the atrium, his mind ticking with details. This rare shot at redemption, plus the added potential for delivering a digital smackdown to his longtime enemies, the Nephilim, had him jumping at the chance to infiltrate the Eugenicorp’s computer system. Getting back in the field again would prove more enjoyable than his usual long hours of tedious research for his brother’s quests. Not to mention turning down an assignment from Divinity wasn’t really an option. She’d given the Scion many blessings, but freewill over their assignments wasn’t one of them.

If his hunches were correct, his new logic bomb would blow the fucking cork right off the half-breeds’ schemes for a new world order. By utilizing their legitimate business arm in the human realm, Tolbert International, the Nephilim had been quietly amassing huge quantities of money for centuries, branching out into everything from pharmaceuticals to produce. The Internet had been buzzing for months with rumors of an eminent Tolbert takeover of a genetics research facility and Divinity had sent him to Eugenicorp to make sure those takeover plans didn’t include the Seal currently hosted by one head scientist or the top-secret project she commandeered.

He used his new keycard to enter a glass-lined walkway and caught sight of his reflection. Christ Almighty. He’d done a wicked job of turning his normal hipster persona into Orson Parrott—Super Brain Extraordinaire.

Attired in a scholarly turtleneck and khakis, he couldn’t have been further from his normal choice of t-shirt and jeans. Between his helmet hair and the tatty, empty briefcase he carried, there was little sign of the tousled charmer who’d enticed a cute barista to bed during his last reconnaissance mission here a few months earlier.

Goodbye quick tumbles. Hello brainy celibate.

Wyck passed from the atrium into another adjoining lobby and glanced at the office number scribbled across his palm in blue ballpoint ink. 5324. He pushed the button for the next arriving elevator, whistling while he waited.

Sure, he’d performed a teensy bit of cyber-fraud by uploading his own credentials and employee demographics into the Eugenicorp HR files and he’d picked out a nice cushy office with a window, close to his target and close to the vending machines. Perfect.

Speaking of his target, the buttoned-down woman wasn’t one he looked forward to meeting. From everything he’d read about the third Seal’s unwitting host, she was smarter than sin and as enticing as a good bout of bubonic plague. No thank you.

A determined clack of heels echoed against the tile behind him and he swiveled toward the noise, just in time to see a flash of bright red hair barge through the gathering crowd and into the elevator. People stepped back, some headed for the stairs, as if the woman now occupying the compartment might spontaneously combust at any moment.

And thanks so much to Traci who brought Wyck to life and to us for today! 

Traci is the author of paranormal romance/urban fantasy and contemporary romances featuring a sly, urban edge, including her current Seven Seals series. Her stories feature sizzling alpha-male heroes full of dark humor, quick wits and major attitudes; smart, independent heroines who always give as good as they get; and scrumptiously evil villains who are—more often than not—bent on world destruction. She enjoys weaving ancient curses and mythology, modern science and old religion, and great dialogue together to build red-hot, sizzling chemistry between her main characters.

She is an active member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), Indiana Romance Writers of America (IRWA) and Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal Writers (FF&P) and is pursing a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Writing Popular Fiction through Seton Hill University. Her stories have made the final rounds in several RWA chapter contests, including the 2012 Duel on the Delta, the 2012 Molly Awards, and the 2012 Catherine Awards. An earlier draft of the first book in the Seven Seals Series, Seal of Destiny, won the paranormal category of the 2012 Marlene Awards sponsored by the Washington Romance Writers.

Other current projects include upcoming books in the Seven Seals series, a new contemporary novella series due out in early 2014, and a new futuristic suspense series with hints of the paranormal and plenty of romance.

Website and blog: http://www.tracidouglass.net

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Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/8112113-traci-douglass

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/tracidouglass