Book Monster Welcomes Back Deborah Cooke

Book Monster Reviews and LITERAL ADDICTION Paranormal Book Club are very happy to welcome back Deborah Cooke to our sites today.  

Deborah has always been fascinated with dragons, though she has never understood why they are portrayed as the bad guys.  She has an honours degree in history, with a focus on medieval studies, is an avid reader of medieval vernacular literature, fairy tales, and fantasy novels, and has written over 40 romance novels and novellas, including some written and published under the pseudonyms, “Claire Cross” and “Claire Delacroix”. 

Deborah lives in Canada with her husband and enjoys knitting, sewing and hunting for vintage patterns. 

Deborah’s Dragonfire series has 6 available books and a digital novella, and two more coming in 2012.  The series kicked off in 2008 with “Kiss of Fire”, followed by “Kiss of Fury”, “Kiss of Fate”, “Winter Kiss”, “Harmonia’s Kiss” (the digital novella), “Whisper Kiss” and just this May, “Darkfire Kiss”. The 7^th book, “Flashfire”, is due out 1/3/2012 followed by #8, “Ember’s Kiss”, in October 2012. Read more about Dragonfire at http://www.deborahcooke.com/

There is also a spin-off YA series called The Dragon Diaries, with “Flying Blind” out now, “Winging It” which was just released 12/6/2011 and “Blazing the Trail”, is coming in June 2012. Read more about the Dragon Diaries at http://www.thedragondiaries.com/

If you love magic, dragons, thrilling plotlines, and scorching romance, then the Dragonfire series is definitely for you!  And if you love Dragonfire, then you have to check out The Dragon Diaries. 

If you're not familiar with Deborah's Dragonfire and The Dragon Diaries series, we posted a synopsis of the first and last book in the Dragonfire series as well as the upcoming book "Flashfire", that will be released in January 2012, and the two books in the The Dragon Diaries series, as well as the upcoming release of "Blazing the Trail" coming in 2012.

"Kiss of Fire" - Book 1 in the Dragonfire series:

When ace accountant Sara Keegan decides to settle down and run her quirky aunt's New Age bookstore, she's not looking for adventure. She doesn't believe in fate or the magic of tarot cards, but when she's saved from a vicious attack by a man who has the ability to turn into a fire-breathing dragon, she questions whether she's losing her mind - or about to lose her heart.

Self-reliant loner Quinn Tyrrell has long been distrustful of his fellow Pyr. When he feels the firestorm that signals his destined mate, he's determined to protect and possess Sara, regardless of the cost. Then Sara's true destiny is revealed and Quinn realizes he must risk everything - even Sara's love - to fulfill their entwined fates.

"Darkfire Kiss" - Book 6 in the Dragonfire series

Rafferty Powell has exchanged challenge coins with his arch-nemesis Magnus Montmorency, and their next battle will be their last. But Rafferty never expected to meet a woman whose desire for Magnus’ downfall matches his own—and whose presence sparks Rafferty’s long-awaited firestorm.

Since facing her own mortality, investigative reporter Melissa Smith has resolved to live without fear. She’s determined to make the seemingly untouchable Magnus pay for his role in ending her friend’s life – no matter the price to herself.

When her quest entwines with Rafferty’s, Melissa finds herself risking more than she ever thought possible. Because the heat between them unleashes the darkfire—an awesome force of Pyr legend, one that won’t be sated until everything they know has been tested and remade.

"Flashfire" - Book 7 in the Dragonfire series

Coming January 3, 2012

Master illusionist Lorenzo wants nothing to do with the Pyr.  His dragon nature is just another secret to hide and another detail to juggle, like ensuring that each of his Las Vegas magic shows is a true spectacle. Until he feels the burn of his firestorm and his whole world shifts....

Cassie Redmond is tired of photographing celebrities. She wants to pursue her dream of serious photography despite the lucrative offer for a shot of a dragon shifter. Las Vegas is the last place she wants to be, but Lorenzo arouses more than her curiosity when he shifts shape as the finale of his show. Instead of forcing him to reveal his secrets, Cassie
gets swept away by this illusionist’s masterful touch.

Lorenzo wants to satisfy the firestorm and put it behind him. But Cassie is hard to forget and he can’t ignore the danger when Slayers target the mate Lorenzo didn’t believe
he wanted....

"Flying Blind" - Book 1 in The Dragon Diaries series

Zoë is the Wyvern of the Pyr – the one female dragon shape shifter with special powers.  But Zoë is at the bottom of the class when it comes to being Pyr, and her powers are AWOL. Worse, there’s no reference book to consult, and the last Wyvern is dead….

Everything changes when Zoë’s best friend is bullied and Zoë reacts. Before she can blink twice, her inner dragon is loose, and she’s suspended from school and headed to a shape shifter boot camp with guys she’s known all her life. But soon she’s doubting her powers – and even some of her friendships.

Zoë quickly realizes she has to master her powers yesterday – there’s danger ahead and boot camp is a trap. A secretive group, the Mages, want to eliminate all shifters and the Pyr are next in line – unless Zoë and her friends can solve the riddle and work together to save their own kind…

"Winging It" - Book 2 in The Dragon Diaries series

Zoë Sorensson yearns to come into her powers as the only female dragon shifter. But being part of two worlds is more complicated than she expected. It’s bad enough that she’s the target of the Mages’ plan to eliminate all shifters—she also has to hide her true nature from her best friend Meagan, a human. For her sixteenth birthday, all Zoë wants is one normal day, including a tattoo and a chance to see hot rocker Jared.

Instead, the Pyr throw her a birthday party but ban Meagan from attendance, putting Zoë in a tight spot. Things get even worse when Zoë is invited to the popular kids’ Halloween party and Meagan’s left out. Zoë knows the party is a trap laid by the host, an apprentice Mage. When Meagan gets a last-minute invite, Zoë must save the day—and her best friend—without revealing her fire-breathing secrets…

"Blazing The Trail" - Book 3 in The Dragon Diaries series

 Coming June 2012

It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and Zoë Sorensson’s love life is heating up. Cute, loyal, and understanding, wolf shifter Derek is pretty much the perfect guy. He likes Zoë, and he knows what it’s like to have to keep a secret. Yet, Zoë can’t help but wish it was rebel rocker Jared asking her to the Valentine’s dance instead. But Jared’s too busy playing hot and cold with her heart, calling Zoë his dragon girl one minute and then taking special interest in her best friend the next.

Zoë is just about ready to breathe fire, especially once she uncovers a new threat that targets her friends. Although Zoë thought the Mages were defeated, they’re back and have invoked an old spell to give them new power – they plan to eliminate all shape shifters on the night of the big dance. Now, Zoë must lead an alliance of young shifters to battle the Mages and figure out exactly what – and who – she wants, before it all goes up in smoke…

Know that everyone is acquainted with both series, let's get started with the interview to find out what Deborah's been up to since we last spoke with her….

 Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION:  Hi Deborah! Welcome Back!!  We're so happy to have you with us again and to find out what's new with you.    

Deborah: Well, thanks so much for inviting me. It was a lot of fun last time, which is a good reason to visit again. :-)

          Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION:  Since you're a repeat offender and we already asked you our staple questions the first time around, we're going to mix things up a bit and ask some random questions…

Q1):  What was the first thing that popped into your head when you woke up this morning?

Deborah: I am completely fixated right now on how much writing I have to get done. I need to finish the manuscript for EMBER’S KISS in the next couple of weeks and send it off to my editor -- so it will be on her desk for the holidays instead of mine. (Insert evil laughter here!) Actually, my heroine in this book was quite uncooperative for a long time - she kept doing things that made no sense to me, until the end of November when she finally told me her secret. Suddenly, it all makes sense! This is very exciting and gives me lots to play with in the story., as well of a bucket of revisions to do. I wish she’d told me sooner, but that’s how characters are sometimes. They get coy with their secrets. I do have to admit that she had a good one... 

Q2):  If you had the opportunity to spend the day with anyone of your choosing (dead or alive), who would you pick and what would you do?

Deborah: Tough choice. Either I would decide to hang out with Eleanor of Aquitaine or J.R.R. Tolkien or Freddie Mercury. Any one of them probably had a lot of great stories to tell - and I would be listening!

Q3):  When is the last time you went to the movie theatre and what movie did you see?

Deborah: I don’t remember when I last went to the movie theatre, which doesn’t say much for whatever I saw that time! I DO remember lining up around the block to see STAR WARS at the old University Theatre in Toronto, many many times. It had a huge screen and was one of the first theatres with that enhanced sound. It was the best place to see a movie that demanded a big screen, like STAR WARS. I think I went four times. Sadly, that theatre is gone. It was one of my faves.

Q4):  What are 3 things that never fail to make you smile and 3 things that never fail to piss you off?

Deborah: Hmm.

On the :-) side:

1/ Color. It doesn’t matter where or what. Flowers in bloom, stacked skeins of wool, artist’s supplies, a box of crayons (haven’t you always wanted that huge box of Crayola that comes with the built-in sharpener?) or quilting fabric. I love color and the sight of it makes me smile.

2/ Puppies. (Actually babies of any species will make me smile.)

3/ Packages. They don’t have to be brown paper packages tied up with string to be my favourite things. They don’t even have to be surprises. Just getting a package in the mail makes me happy.

On the >:-( side:

1/ Rudeness. I would say “unnecessary rudeness” but my mom insists that all rudeness is unnecessary. (I like that.)

2/ Bad weather. I like a good lightning storm and I don’t mind snow. But when it gets nasty, windy, cold, damp and blustery and stays that way, feh, I don’t like it. The Queen Bee doesn’t like it either and we both get grumpy when we can’t go walking. We sit in the kitchen with the fire on and snarl in harmony.

3/ Revising. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a scene that needs to be chopped and rewritten or a piece of knitting that needs to be ripped out and knit again, revising and reworking is always a bit of a disappointment. Invariably, the project ends up better, though, so that makes it worth the trauma.

Q5):  If the world were to end tomorrow, what would you do in your last 24 hours?

Deborah: I would cook something delicious, knit a bit and read. Not sure how I’d choose which book to read last - or what I would cook last - but I’d figure it out.

Q6):  I (Carla), come up with my best ideas while I'm trying to fall asleep.  When or where do you come up with your best ideas?

Deborah: In the shower. It’s like magic.

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION:  Know we'd like to ask you some questions about The Dragon Diaries and Dragonfire series.

Q7):  For those not familiar with books, can you give us a general background on what both series are about?

Deborah: Well, in the world of Dragonfire, there are dragon shape shifters called the Pyr. They are were-dragons - they can be (very sexy) men or dragons and their shifts between forms are by choice. They aren’t immortal but they live a very long time. Once in his life, each Pyr will experience a firestorm, which is the mark of his meeting his destined mate. This is the human woman who can bear his child. Sparks literally fly between the two of them and the firestorm ensures that their desire continues to heat until it is satisfied. Although the firestorm is purely about biology, most of the dragon guys discover that there’s something special about the woman who sparked the flame and she’s not so easily forgotten as that. Each of the Dragonfire novels is a paranormal romance, focused on the firestorm of one of the Pyr. There’s also a continuing story because the Pyr are locked into battle against the Slayers (the evil dragon shape shifters) for control of the treasure that is the earth.

The Pyr are all male - well, except that there’s one female dragon shape shifter in the Dragonfire world at any given time. She’s called the Wyvern and has additional powers. The Wyvern - Sophie - introduced in the beginning of the Dragonfire series (Spoiler alert!) died in KISS OF FATE. You’ll have to read that book to find out why and how, but the end result was that the child conceived in the firestorm of that book was a girl. Her father is sure that Zoë must be the next Wyvern. The other Pyr come into their dragon abilities at puberty, and so does Zoë. The Dragon Diaries trilogy tells the story of Zoë’s coming-of-age as not just a teenage girl but a dragon shape shifter and the Wyvern.

Q8):  We know that "Blazing the Trail" is coming out in June 2012.  What do you have planned for The Dragon Diaries series after that book?

Deborah: Right now, there is no firm plan after BLAZING THE TRAIL. My editor and I are talking about possibilities and I would guess that we’ll make some choices in the first quarter of 2012. Stay tuned!

Q9):  "Flashfire" the 7th book in the Dragonfire series will be coming out next month.  What's next in the series after this release?  How many more books are planned and who's book will be next?

Deborah: Similarly, the eighth Dragonfire book will be EMBER’S KISS, which will be published in October 2012. My editor and I are talking about what comes after that (and I’m still writing EK!) I’m running a bit behind this year, but things will catch up. The way I look at it, I’m three books ahead of you all - by the time you can read EMBER’S KISS, more will be arranged!

Q10):  If you could leave your readers with one legacy, what would you want it to be?

Deborah: I love when readers say they can count on a book by me, no matter what the genre or subgenre. That trust is a really special bond to have with readers, and it’s one that I never want to betray. It’s really important to me to make each book the best it can be, so I love hearing from readers that they love the books.

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION:  Deborah, thank you so much for coming back to hang out with us again.  We hope to have you back again in 2012.  We wish you a wonderful  holiday and a happy and healthy new year.

Deborah: Thank you so much for inviting me back again! I hope that both of you and everyone who follows your blogs has a wonderful holiday season, and wish everyone the best for 2012.

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CONTEST: Deborah is giving away a copy of "WINGING IT" - US edition (orange cover) to one winner from Book Monster and one winner from LITERAL ADDICTION. 
Since the books are coming straight from the publisher, the contest is for US residents ONLY.

To Enter: Make sure you are a member of the Book Monster Blog (by clicking on the “JOIN THIS SITE” button at the top left hand corner of blog page), and then post a comment on the interview and make sure you leave a valid email address. Any comments without an email address will NOT be entered into drawing.

Don't forget to drop by the LITERAL ADDICTION website (http://www.literaladdiction.com/) and follow the directions and links to enter their contest for an extra chance to win!!!