Guest Author Interview: Cate Masters

Today we are interviewing Cate Masters, paranormal romance author, who is giving away a copy of THE MAGIC OF LAVENDER.

Alexis: Hi Cate, thank you for visiting Happily Ever After Thoughts :-) You have a series called The Goddess Connection. I love the name and the ties to Greek Mythology. What is this series about?

Cate: Hi Alexis! Thanks so much for having me at Happily Ever After Thoughts! I’ve always loved mythology, too, and I love tying it to present day with an urban fantasy feel. The premise of The Goddess Connection series is: Every woman should embrace her inner goddess. What’s your connection?  I now have finished two, with several more novels in this series in mind to follow. In each, the heroine will be somehow connected to a goddess. Her lifelong quirks will become strengths once she finds her true place in the world, and accepts herself for who she really is.

But we don’t actually need to be related to a goddess to celebrate our unique powers. We all deserve to be treated like goddesses, don’t we? :)  

THE MAGIC OF LAVENDER launched the series, and I’m thrilled that it’s received wonderful reviews and was a Night Owl Reviews Top Pick. You can view the book video, read the reviews, an excerpt and the first chapter on my blog: http://catemasters.blogspot.com/2009/05/magic-of-lavender-contemporary.html

 

Alexis: The premise is perfect! Of course, we should all be treated like goddesses, but I have a feeling that includes having certain responsibilities as well :-} Now the second book in the series, DANCING WITH THE DEVIL, was recently released. Can you tell our readers a little about it?

Cate: The myth of Persephone and Hades always intrigued me. Hades is the worst villain of all, yet somehow he won Persephone’s heart, which meant he had to have some redeeming qualities. I wanted to explore that a bit, and tie my heroine, Lily, to the goddess Persephone.

Here’s the blurb:

Lily MacInnis has the luck of the Irish – against her. All her life, she never could catch a break. But now, something’s about to catch her, and dump her suitcase of secrets on the floor. Some secrets, even Lily hadn’t known. Like her father’s an angel, and her mother escaped from Hell. Literally. And now Hades and Persephone – her grandparents – want her to return to the Underworld. Lily is The Destined One, promised to Zeveriah, Archduke of Section Six, and Hades’ up and coming CFO.

Not in Lily’s plans – she’s fallen for Bodie, the Ruling Angel of the Sixth Heaven.

Bodie can’t let Lily fulfill that destiny. But will Bodie risk losing everything to keep his promise to ensure Lily stays safe?

Part goddess, part angel, part demon, can Lily summon the powers she never knew she had to free herself and make her own destiny?

Alexis: Wow, where did you get the idea for this story?

Cate: This is an example of how story ideas can come in strange ways, lol. My sisters had visited Ireland and brought me back a keychain explaining the origin of my hubby’s last name. According to the keychain, it literally meant “descendant of angels.” (I already knew that, lol) So Lily’s last name is the Irish version. I thought it would be interesting for Lily to have Persephone and Hades as grandparents, but an angel for her father, making her torn between two worlds. 

Alexis: That's a great idea! I love that it started with a keychain :-) What are your favorite character traits of Lily and Bodie?

Cate: Lily’s goddess material but doesn’t recognize it until the situation puts her to the test, and then, of course, she shows her true strengths. 

Bodie’s an angel – what’s not to like? :) He falls in love with Lily and risks everything for her. True hero material.

Stories usually play like movies in my head while I write, providing a strong image of the characters, and a few years ago I started a blog series called Casting Call. I’d love for you to check out DANCING WITH THE DEVIL'S Casting Call: http://catemasters.blogspot.com/2012/03/casting-call-dancing-with-devil.html

 

Another blog series, Story Elements, is linked here, along with reviews and more: http://catemasters.blogspot.com/2011/03/dancing-with-devil-dark-paranormal-with.html

 

Alexis: Very interesting. You also write contemporary romances. How do you decide which type of romance to write next? Do you prefer one over the other?

Cate: Ideas will grab me, and if they’re strong enough, I’ll follow through. I also write historical, women’s fiction, and mainstream stories. For me, it’s less about genre than just telling a great story.

Alexis: I completely understand that.  You are a very busy lady. What can we expect next from you? Do you have any new releases coming or a work in progress?

Cate: The WIP list is neverending! Decadent Publishing will soon release another fun paranormal novella based on mythology, DEATH IS A BITCH. A ghost story, In the Midnight Hour, is now finished, and I took a break from romance with a series of interrelated literary short stories called Wild Life. I’m working on another paranormal novella now and after that will start on the next Goddess Connection story, based on an Egyptian goddess.

Alexis: It sounds like your readers have a lot to look forward to :-) Thank you so much for sharing your magical stories with us. It's a pleasure having you visit.

Cate: Thanks so much for having me, Alexis! I’m always happy to share my stories. :)

Alexis: For a chance to win the first book in The Goddess Connection series, THE MAGIC OF LAVENDER, be sure to leave a comment for Cate. If I have contact information, I will let you know when you win, otherwise, check the side column for your name on Wednesday under WINNERS :-)

For more information on Cate’s romances go to http://catemasters.blogspot.com/

 

Alexis: Check out this excerpt from DANCING WITH THE DEVIL

Excerpt:

What had he done? By all that was sacred, Bodie knew better than to lie with her. Since the first night he’d spoken to her, he’d had trouble restraining himself. Her every movement, every word, seared into him at his greatest depth, filled him with yearning for something forbidden.

Her lips moving against his unleashed emotions that had stayed dormant for millennia. He was in it, deep. Already he spiraled out of control, and he hadn’t allowed himself to move, not even a finger. Not a slide of his lips, not a slip of his tongue into what must be a warm, tantalizing place. Once he did, that one tiny step would trigger an avalanche of desire, already building with volcano force.

To clear such thoughts from his mind, he turned his head to break away. Never should have closed his eyes; it only intensified the tactile senses. The fluttering of her breath as she followed, her kisses now moving up his neck, her fingers splayed lightly against his cheek as her mouth found the edge of his mouth.

“I can’t, Lily,” he rasped.

Her knee grazed his thigh as she straddled him. “Are you sure?”

A shudder wracked his body, and he clenched the cushions to keep from reaching for her. “I don’t mean it’s a physical impossibility. And I’d love to, believe me. But it’s not exactly condoned by my superiors.”

She sat up. “They’re not here. They can’t see us, can they?”

He risked a look at her. A mistake. Tawny hair framed her heart-shaped face in tumbling waves. He locked the muscles in his rising arm and forced it down before he could touch her.

A teasing smile lit her face. He hadn’t needed to answer her. She lifted the bottom of her shirt up and over her head, revealing a black lace bra, lush dark peach rosettes pebbled beneath.

Her warm hand closed around his, and drew it upward to press against her breast and hold it there.

Everything in him screamed No! and Yes! at the same time. With an animal sound, his torso rushed up to meet hers. Somehow he stayed his desire. Lips barely brushing hers, he drew back enough that her breath flowed into his mouth as he spoke. “They’ll reassign me, Lily. I’d love to make love to you. I’ve wanted to for longer than you know. But I don’t want one night to have to last an eternity as a memory. We’d have tonight. Then I’d never see you again. Is that what you want? Tell me now. Quickly.”

Sadness tightened her lips. “No.”

As she curled into him, her muffled words soothed the tension threatening to burst through his skin. “I want to be with you, Bodie. Hold me.”

His body quivered, whether from denial or relief, he couldn’t say. He relaxed into her embrace and closed his eyes. “Always.” If only he could keep her here, safe from their reach.

But how safe was she from him? 

He couldn’t let his feelings for her compromise the mission.

With a sharp intake of breath, she pulled away. “I’m not like this. I don’t seduce men. I haven’t even…” Hair hid her face when she dipped her chin to her chest.

He tilted his head to catch her attention. “I know.” It won him a tentative glance. “You don’t need to explain, Lily. Ever.” He knew she’d let men touch her, a few with whom she’d been infatuated, maybe even loved. None had taken her virginity.

Yet she’d offered it to him. Tenderness washed over him as she searched his face, wary and confused. Distrustful. How terrible for her, not to believe herself worthy of complete love and devotion. The same worship any goddess deserved. Someday he’d prove to her she was a true goddess.

Alexis: Don't forget, for a chance to win the first book in this series, THE MAGIC OF LAVENDER, leave a comment for Cate :-)

Review: THE LAST NUDE by Ellis Avery

Ellis Avery paints a picture of the famed artist, Tamara de Lempicka, and the erotic burgeoning of art between the world wars.  With daring bravado, Lempicka picks her model from the streets of Paris. 

Tamara offers a beautiful American, Rafaela, the opportunity to strip her body of modesty and become the pose for a masterpiece.

Rafaela, a penniless immigrant who sells her body for shelter and food, is caught up in the swift strokes of Tamara’s brush.  Sensual curves of paint and brilliant colors create a bond between the women.

To paint a body perfectly it must be studied and touched. 

The women learn the art of each others strengths and weaknesses as the painting develops.  Tamara de Lempicka wants fame and fortune in tandem with sexual gratification.  Rafaela simply requests love.

The hectic and evolving world of art demands its own formula to offer a renowned artist a position at the top of the ladder.  Tamara de Lempicka and her Rafaela stumble and trip along the ladder, both forging ahead to find their ultimatum.

This is an indulgent story of the backside in an artist’s life of love, sex, cocaine, and how the combination molds its participants.  Explicit in meaning, yet not graphic.

Enjoy,

Dawn

Guest Author Interview: Gabrielle Bisset

Today we are interviewing Gabrielle Bisset, paranormal romance author, who is giving away a set of signed bookmarks from her latest series.

Alexis: Hi Gabrielle, thank you for visiting Happily Ever After Thoughts :-) You have a series called The Sons of Navarus. What is this series about?

Gabrielle:  Hi Alexis!  Thanks for having me here.  The Sons of Navarus is a paranormal romance series about eight vampire males chosen to defend their world from the Archons, the law and order vampires who long ago it was prophesized would take over and eliminate all who didn't follow their ways. The story is a great mixture of Greek mythology and vampires, two of my favorite things. 

Alexis: I love Greek mythology and to match that with sexy vampires makes this a must read :-) I understand the first book in the series, Blood Avenged recently released. Can you tell our readers a little about it?

Gabrielle:  Blood Avenged is the story of Vasilije and Sasa.  It's an introduction to the series, but it brings the reader into the story slowly.  Vasilije is a 400 year old vampire who travels to New Orleans to seek the killer of one of his vampires.  There he meets Sasa, a human who charms him like no other woman has for centuries. The story ends with Vasilije joining the other Sons of Navarus to fight in the vampire civil war that has just begun. 

Alexis: That sounds epic.Where did you get the idea for this story?

Gabrielle:  I knew if I did a series, I'd want it to begin slowly.  I'm never a fan of series that throw all kinds of information and details at me in the first book, so I planned for Blood Avenged to give the readers a taste of my vampires before giving them the civil war that the Sons of Navarus must fight.  Blood Avenged is mainly the story of Vasilije because he's such a powerful character.  He'd been the villain in a novella I wrote a year ago, Vampire Dreams, and he'd found a following with readers, so the idea of giving him a story and beginning a new vampire romance series merged together nicely. Then it was just a matter of giving him a heroine who could match him, if not in power than in strength.  Finally, I had to find a setting perfect for a hedonist.  New Orleans was the natural choice.

Alexis: What are your favorite character traits of Sasa and Vasilije?

Gabrielle:  I love the effect she has on Vasilije.  He's spent the last few hundred years as an unrepentant hedonist. Whatever pleased him was what he chose.  Sasa isn't a kick-ass heroine, but in her very quiet way, she enchants him and he finds love where he may have only considered lust with another woman.  She grounds him emotionally, which is what he'd been craving for years. 

As for Vasilije, I love his Alpha nature. He's commanding and knows it.  I also love how sensual a being he is.  It was so much fun to write a character who loved everything about life.  And when he meets Sasa, that hedonism morphs from a love of mere pleasure to a love for another. 

Alexis: That sounds like a great journey to join. The next book in the series is coming out this month! Who does this book focus on?

Gabrielle:  Blood Betrayed releases on May 24.  This is the second book in the Sons of Navarus series.  In this book, the civil war with the Archons really begins to heat up.  Here's the blurb:

I am everything forbidden.  I am vampire.

Haunted by betrayal, Saint hides in the human world, giving his heart to no one and finding the only solace from his past in the arms of human women. Now as the Archons begin their takeover of the vampire world, this Son of Navarus has been marked for death. 

Summoned to defeat the Archons by the world that shunned him, Saint must face his past and Solenne, the woman he loved and lost a century ago, for only in accepting her will his body and soul finally find salvation.

Saint is as different from Vasilije as night is from day, so it's a real change from the first book.  Each Son's story will show their unique personalities, so each book will have a distinctly different feel to it. 

Alexis: This series is fascinating. What can we expect next from you? Do you have any new releases coming or a work in progress?

Gabrielle: In addition to Blood Betrayed's release on May 24, I'm currently working on the third book in the series, Blood Spirit.  That will be released in the fall.  In that book, readers will meet another Son, Terek, who was a monk before being turned vampire in the mid 1300s.  It's shaping up to be a great story.  Terek was a very committed man to religion, but has developed into a very committed vampire, siring thousands of his own.  He has a wonderful spiritual side that melds beautifully with his sensual side.  

Alexis: How different. Your readers are sure to love these romances. Thank you so much for sharing your stories with us. It's a pleasure having you visit.

Gabrielle: Thank you for having me, Alexis.  It's been great! 

Alexis: For a chance to win a set of signed bookmarks from the series, be sure to leave a comment for Gabrielle. If I have contact information, I will let you know when you win, otherwise, check the side column for your name on Wednesday under WINNERS :-)

For more information on Gabrielle’s Romances go to http://www.gabriellebisset.com/index.html 

Alexis: Check out this excerpt from Blood Avenged.

Excerpt:

Sasa’s legs shook so violently she was sure the large vampire behind her would hear her knees knock and become suspicious of her. In one night, she’d been foolish enough to become involved with not just one but two vampires. Three if the one she’d watched murdered was counted. And she couldn’t decide which one was more frightening.

As she questioned whether she’d finally lost her mind, she remembered the man following her hadn’t given her his name. Spinning around, she asked as casually as she could muster, “So what’s your name?”

Her heart skipped a beat when he stepped close to her and said in a deep voice, “Vasilije. And I’m hungry.”

She genuinely hoped he meant for food, especially since she thought she saw him eyeing up her neck.

He walked past her, giving her a chance to thoroughly check him out from behind. The front view had been stunning, albeit frightening. His black hair was straight and glossy with stray strands that fell into his eyes. She imagined it would feel incredible between her fingers, like strands of the darkest silk sliding over her skin.

Then there were his eyes. Crystal blue, they were cold and expressive at the same time.

But the most frightening part of him was his mouth, and he knew it. Unlike Tatiana’s, whose fangs sounded more ominous than they looked, Vasilije’s fangs looked razor-sharp, like a wild animal’s. She’d noticed Teagan’s were similar and wondered if a vampire’s sex had anything to do with their fangs’ sharpness.

Poor Teagan! She’d had no idea Tatiana meant to kill him when she followed her to his house. She’d ranted on about this one all the way there, but when she’d called Teagan by name, Sasa had thought perhaps she’d been spared the sight of Tatiana killing someone tonight.

What have I gotten myself into?

“Love, you’re supposed to be leading the way. Stop daydreaming and take me to some food.”

“I’m sorry. I was just thinking about...”

Sasa let her sentence trail off, sure by the look of disgust on Vasilije’s face that he wouldn’t ask about what she was thinking. Catching up to him, she hoped she wouldn’t have to pretend to be the sad girlfriend much more. As it was, she was giving an Oscar-worthy performance, but she had to be careful not to overplay her role. If this vampire found out she was working for Tatiana, something told her she’d know instantly who was more frightening. He might look like the most erotic dream a woman may have, but she was sure angered he’d quickly become her worst nightmare.

Sasa led him to a side street off Teagan’s street and a little hole-in-the-wall bar called Napoleon’s. She’d been there once with the boyfriend she’d used as material when she’d told Vasilije of her problems with Teagan and remembered it being secluded. Perfect for a discreet drink with a vampire.

He stood for a moment eyeing the sign and turned to her. “Original for these parts?”

She couldn’t help but smile as she opened the screen door to enter. To locals, the idea of a place being named Napoleon’s seemed perfectly natural, but to an outsider, she knew it must have seemed almost campy.

“It’s a local thing.”

In a voice as sarcastic as he’d used for his last comment, he remarked, “I guess the thought is if it works once, it will work every other time?”

 Alexis: Don't forget to leave a comment for Gabrielle for a chance to win a set of bookmarks from the series.

Love Scenes

I have just finished reading Jennifer Ashley’s “Lady Isabella’s Scandalous Marriage” (yes, I know I’m woefully behind on my TBR pile, but that’s another topic). This is a brilliant story, full of everything we want in a romance.

            Jennifer writes such wonderfully erotic and warmly sensual love scenes (the kind that make you suck in your breath or giggle out loud) and I enjoyed reading every one of them. She has mastered this art, as have so many other authors.          

So I have to ask: Are you the type of reader who prefers to let your imagination soar after the bedroom door is closed? Or do you want to see what the writer has in mind once the action moves to the bed (or chair or floor or anywhere else the love scene might take place)?  How much is too much? How much is too little? Do the words used matter to you? Are there some that make you cringe?

            For me, I want to see it all and it doesn’t matter what words are used as long as the author can bring me into the scene completely. I want to see the slow dance of removing one article of clothing at a time. I want the gentle touches and the gasps of surprise, the indrawn breath that makes me draw in my breath too and sigh. I have read some love scenes that left me cold and wondering what the author was thinking. I have read others that just felt like they were stuck in middle of the story because the author simply thought it was time for the romance to be consummated. The ones I like best are the ones like Jennifer writes…full of passion and fire.       

            What about you?

As always, happy reading!

Marie