Q&A Interview and Contest with Kathryne Kennedy

Kathryne Kennedy Interview Intro

Hey there Book Monsters and Literal Addicts! Book Monster Reviews and LITERAL ADDICTION are very pleased to welcome author Kathryne Kennedy to our sites today.

Kathryne is the creator of THE RELICS OF MERLIN and THE ELVEN LORDS series.  Kathryne has a great bio on her website so we borrowed it and posted it below so you can learn some more about her.

I'm a college grad and business owner, and have published nearly a dozen short stories in the SFF/Romance genre, receiving Honorable Mention twice in the 'Writers of the Future' contest (read more on the Awards page). Being an Air Force brat, I traveled a great deal, and over the years I've lived in Guam, Okinawa, and several states in the U.S. I currently live in Arizona with my husband, two sons, and the rest of my wonderful family.

I'm addicted to reading, chocolate, and shopping (in that order). I have two chihuahuas named Precious and Baggins (think Lord of the Rings) who I'm rather goofy about, so I included a couple of pictures of them below.

Some of my favorite authors include: Andre Norton, Patricia McKillip, Robin Hobb, Dave Duncan, Mary Brown, Emily Bronte, Jane Austen, Jude Deveraux, Johanna Lindsey, Barbara Michaels, Anne McCaffrey, Donna MacQuigg...the list goes on!

A few books that I continue to read over and over are "Saving Grace" by Julie Garwood, "The Hob's Bargain" by Patricia Briggs, "The Hero and the Crown" by Robin McKinley, "Soulstring" by Midori Snyder, "Sorcery and Cecelia" by Wrede & Stevermer, and "The Shape-Changer's Wife" by Sharon Shinn. Such awesome stories!

A proud member of the Romance Writers of America, I belong to the Desert Rose and the Valley of the Sun chapters.

Today we are helping Kathryne promote her newest release in THE ELVEN LORDS series.  The series currently consists of three books, "The Fire Lord's Lover", "The Lady Of The Storm" and "The Lord of Illusion", which was just released on February 7, 2012.   In case you're not yet familiar with the series, here's a look at all three books in THE ELVEN LORDS series…..

"The Fire Lord's Lover"

THE ELVEN LORDS - Book 1

If his powers are discovered, his father will destroy him...

In a magical land ruled by ruthless Elven Lords, the Fire Lord's son Dominic Raikes plays a deadly game to conceal his growing might from his malevolent father, until his arranged bride awakens in him passions he thought he had buried forever.

Unless his bride kills him first...

Lady Cassandra has been raised in outward purity and innocence, while secretly being trained as an assassin. Her mission is to bring down the Elven Lord and his champion son. But when she gets to court she discovers that nothing is what it seems, least of all the man she married...

Then Dominic and Cassandra together discover an unspeakable evil, one that threatens the destruction of the magical realm they would give their souls to save...

"The Lady Of The Storm"

THE ELVEN LORDS - Book 2

Giles is bound to protect her...

In a kingdom viciously ruled by warlike elven lords, village blacksmith Giles Beaumont reluctantly swears to protect the half-elf, half-human Cecily Sutton, never dreaming that he will fall under her enchanting spell.

But duty soon turns to desire...

When Cecily's father disappears, Cecily and Giles set out to find him. But, as their journey unfolds, duty is quickly replaced by desire--and the search for Cecily's father leads to a magical destiny that could end the rule of the elven lords forever ...

"The Lord Of Illusion"

THE ELVEN LORDS - Book 3

He'll do anything to save her...

Rebel Lord Drystan Hawkes dreams of fighting for England's freedom. He gets his chance when he finds a clue to opening the magic portal to Elfhame, and he must race to find the slave girl who holds the key to the mystery. But even as Drystan rescues Camille Ashton from Dreamhame Palace, it becomes unclear exactly who is saving whom.

For the fate of humankind lies with Camille...

Enslaved for years in a realm where illusion and glamour reign, Camille has learned to trust nothing and no one. But she's truly spellbound when she meets Drystan--a man different from any she's ever known, and the force of their passion may yet be strong enough to banish the Elven Lords from this world forever.

They sound great don't they!?  Before you run off to buy them, let's get to the interview so we can learn more about Kathryne and the series…..

Kathryne Kennedy Interview

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION:  Hi Kathryne!  Welcome to Book Monster and LITERAL ADDICTION.  Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to drop by and spend some time with us!  We’re so happy to have you with us today!

Kathryne: It’s great to be here! Thank you so much for hosting me on your incredible blog!

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION:  We like to start out by getting to know our guest authors a little bit better.

Q1):   Can you tell us 3 things about yourself that we can't find out easily on the internet, in your bio, etc?

Kathryne: I think I haven’t mentioned that my favorite television show is Castle. If you’ve seen it, you can probably guess why. My favorite movie is Sense and Sensibility, with Emma Thompson. It is such an outstanding representation of the characters in that era. And if you take the movie, The Duchess, and mix it up with The Lord of the Rings, you have an idea of what the Elven Lords series is like.

2)  What are some of your hobbies/interests, or things that you enjoy doing when you’re not writing?

Kathryne: I love shopping, and occasionally going to the casino with my sisters and nieces. I like the penny slots. :}

3)  What are 3 things that never fail to make you smile?

Kathryne: My dogs, who manage to do at least one cute thing a day. My son, who has a witty sense of humor. And I have a little nephew who is so adorable he never fails to make me smile.

4)  Do you have any writing quirks or something you must have with you to start the daily writing process?

 Kathryne: My surroundings have to be tidy. I need an organized space in order to focus on my work.

5)  What are the easiest parts and the hardest parts of writing for you?

Kathryne: The easiest parts are the love scenes. The hardest is juggling the fantasy plot with the development of the love story, and keeping everything straight in my head.

6)  We know this is a hard question but, who are some of your favorite authors and series?

Kathryne: It is difficult because I have so many. As far as a series goes, off the top of my head it would be Robin Hobb and her Tawny Man series. And recently, Gail Carriger and The Parasol Protectorate series.

7)  What are some of your favorite TV shows and movies?

Kathryne: We are of like minds…I answered that above. :}

8) What was one of the most surprising things you learned over the course of your career so far?

  Kathryne: That my books would mean so very much to some very amazing people.

9) Do you have a personal favorite amongst all of the books you have written?  Maybe one that has extra sentimental value, etc?

Kathryne: My favorite book is always the one I just finished writing, because I’m still so caught up in the characters, so it would have to be Everlasting Enchantment, the fourth new book in my Relics of Merlin series.

10)  If you can spend the day with any one of your characters, who would it be and what would you do?

Kathryne: It would have to be with Grimor’ee, the golden dragon in The Lord of Illusion, and I would be riding on his back while he danced with the stars.

11)  For those that are not yet familiar with the series, can you please tell us what  THE ELVEN LORDS series is all about? 

Kathryne: It’s about seven mad Elven Lords who broke the barrier between their world and England, dividing the land into seven realms, and enslaving the English people to fight their war games. It’s about their half-breed children, who find the strength to reclaim their freedom with the help of true love.

12)  What's coming up next in THE ELVEN LORDS series?

Kathryne: I’m currently involved with developing a new series, so it may be a little while before I come back to the Elven world.

13)  Can you tell us a little about  THE RELICS OF MERLIN series?  Will there be more books in this series?

Kathryne: The Relics of Merlin is about the descendants of the great wizard--who inherited his power of magic--and the quest for his thirteen enchanted relics. It takes place in a magical Victorian London where titles are based on the inheritance of power. In the new book, Everlasting Enchantment, a were-panther steals one of Merlin’s relics, a moonstone bracelet enspelled with a cursed knight, and the only way to free herself is to make love to him.

14)  Do you have any other upcoming projects planned outside of the above mentioned series that you can share with us?

Kathryne: I am working on a new series that involves four Regency sisters who are cursed with fractured magic from a sorcerous world that eclipses their own.

15)  While we have you here, is there anything specific you would like to say to your readers?

Kathryne: I sincerely appreciate every letter or email I receive from you.

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION:  Thank you so much Kathryne for taking time out of your busy schedule to sit down and talk to us.  We would love to have you back again in the future when you're ready to promote your next book.

Kathryne: Thank you so much for having me! It’s been a pleasure. And I look forward to the next time.

If you would like to find out more about Kathryne you can visit her WEBSITE or you can follow her on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or the FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.

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CONTEST:

Kathryne is graciously giving away a copy of "The Lord of Illusion" to a winner from Book Monster and another winner over at the LITERAL ADDICTION website.

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 with your 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!!!

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Return Appearance with Christina Henry

Christina Henry Interview Intro:

Hello everyone!  LITERAL ADDICTION and Book Monster Reviews are proud to welcome Christina Henry back to our sites today.   

Christina is the author of the MADELINE BLACK series, which currently consists of 3 books:  “Black Wings”, “Black Night”, and “Black Howl”, which was just released TODAY, and which we’re going to help Christina promote and celebrate!

Christina is a Columbia College Chicago graduate, and still resides in Chicago with her husband and son.  When she’s not writing, Christina loves long distance running, watching zombie, samurai, and/or foreign movies with subtitles, and reading just about anything.

Christina summed up how the 2 main characters of the MADELINE BLACK series came to be very nicely in a Blog post.  We’d like to share bits of that with you here to remind lovers of MADELINE BLACK why they love it, and introduce new readers to the stars by way of the authors own words, not just a synopsis on the back cover:

From On the importance of a sidekick by Christina Henry:

“When I first started writing Black Wings, I had only the vague idea that I wanted to write a book about the Grim Reaper.  Then I heard Maddy’s voice in my head, and the gigantic, brooding male reaper I’d been envisioning became a short, slightly overweight female with a huge attitude.

I love to write dialogue, so I wanted to have someone around that Maddy could converse with on a regular bases.  Thus Beezle, the tiny gargoyle with the mighty appetite, was born.

He loves popcorn, and chocolate and pretty much anything that’s been deep-fried.  He acts like a know-it-all, which is fairly justified since Beezle is like an encyclopedia of things that go bump in the night.  He knows every creature, every court, and every set of magical laws and spells.  His job is to be a home guardian, and make sure that nothing creepy sneaks up on Maddy’s house, but mostly he spends a lot of time eavesdropping on Maddy’s conversations and demanding fat-and-sugar laden pastries…”

In “Black Wings”, Book 1, we meet Maddy, a reaper whose job escorting souls into the afterlife leaves her little time for socializing.  Then, devishly handsome Gabriel Angeloscuro comes to lease the empty apartment in Maddy’s building.  All is fine and well, until demons start to appear on the front lawn and Maddy realizes that there may just be more to her new tenant than what she sees. 

In “Black Night”, Book 2, we continue to follow Maddy as she escorts the souls of people who have died to the great beyond, but not everyone is happy to see her!  It’s the nature of the trade, and if obstinate dead people were ALL she had to worry about, she could live with that.  Unfortunately, she’s being stalked by bad guys both inside and outside of her family, and when the 2 most important beings in her life-her bodyguard Gabriel and her doughnut-loving gargoyle, Beezle-disappear, she’s not sure she can take much more.  As Lucifer’s granddaughter though, she’s expected to handle delicate negotiations with beings from other realms regardless of what might be going on in her own life.

In “Black Howl”, Book #3, Maddy is finding that some of the spirits of Chicago aren’t quite ready to cross over, and something is really wrong with Chicago’s dead.  Ghosts walk the street, and Maddy’s boss wants her to find out ‘why’.  While work is bad enough, Maddy has a whole slew of personal problems too – since Gabriel was assigned as her thrall, their relationship has been hurting.  The only thing that could make things worse is if her sleazy ex-fiance Nathaniel were still in the picture…

For those of you wanting an action packed series with an array of supe group characters ranging from loveable to loathed, MADELINE BLACK is definitely for you and should be bumped to the top of your TBR pronto!  

Us MADELINE BLACK groupies have no problem remembering why we love Maddy, Beezle & the gang so much, but there’s always room on our fan bandwagon for more!  With that said, let’s get to the interview to see what Christina’s been up to since we last spoke with her, find out some more about the new release, and share the MADELINE BLACK love.

Christina Henry Interview

LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews:  Hi Christina!  Welcome back and happy release day!  We’re very happy to have you back with us and hope we can turn even more readers on to your wonderful series!

Christina: Thank you so much! I’m always happy to visit with you guys J

LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews:  We asked you most of our good staple ice breaker questions the last time we hosted you, but we have a few more… 

Q1): If you were told the world was going to end tomorrow, what would you do in your last 24 hrs?

Christina:  Honestly, I used to think these kinds of questions were fun, but then I had a kid and it’s hard to think about your kid’s last 24 hours. So can I take the fifth? Sorry! (You don’t have to publish this one if you don’t want to)

Q2):  We asked you last time what 3 things were that always make you smile.  What are 3 things that never fail to piss you off?

Christina: People who stop in the middle of the aisle at the grocery store, people who can’t decide what to order at a restaurant, people who wait for a parking spot just because it’s close to the door in a parking lot that still has spaces left elsewhere.

Q3):  If you could spend the day with anyone from the cast of MADELINE BLACK, who would you want to spend the day with and what would you want to do?

Christina: I think Beezle and I would have a good time touring the bakeries and chocolate shops in Chicago. First stop: Eli’s Cheesecake Factory!!

Q4):  We discussed your love of eclectic movies the last time we had you with us.  What was the last great movie you saw?

Christina:  It’s a tie – on video, I saw DETECTIVE DEE AND THE MYSTERY OF THE PHANTOM FLAME,  a bizarre Chinese fantasy-mystery that I really loved.  At the theater I loved TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY. Gary Oldman has been a longtime favorite of mine.

Q5):  We didn’t ask you this last time…  Was there any specific inspiration behind the creation of the MADELINE BLACK series?

Christina: I had wanted to write a book about the Grim Reaper, and originally I’d considered a Gabriel-type character as the hero. Maddy and Beezle kind of muscled their way in and convinced me it was Maddy’s story instead.

Q6):  Was surprises have you encountered so far with regards to the books, your fans, etc?

Christina: I have to say that I was really surprised by the number of people who liked Nathaniel. I didn’t think very much of him at first, but as the series has gone on he’s gotten more interesting to me.

Q7):  Is the plan still to write 6 books in the series, or has that changed since the last time we talked? 

Christina: Right now there are still going to be six books. There may be more story to tell after that, but nothing has been finalized yet. I’m working on book #5 right now.

Q8):  Do you have a title and/or expected timeframe for Book #4 yet? 

Christina:  The fourth book is called BLACK LAMENT, and it’s set to be published on 10/30/2012.

Q9):  What can we expect as the series continues to progress?

Christina:  After BLACK HOWL, the scope of the series really widens. Maddy’s choices are getting harder, and it’s becoming more difficult for her to see the line between black and white. I think it’s interesting when characters walk on the edge of darkness.

Q10):  What are you most proud of about the series so far?

Christina:  That there is such a passionate fan base for these characters. It’s really rewarding to hear from readers who love Maddy’s story.

Q11):  What have been some of the challenges in bringing MADELINE BLACK to life?

Christina:  The biggest challenge is the one that most authors have – time!  I have a five-year-old and I squeeze all of my writing-related activities into the hours when he’s at school. When I’m trying to promote one book, edit another and write a new one all at once that stretch of time can get a little crazy.

Q12):  Do you have anything else in the works outside of MADELINE BLACK that you can/want to share with us?

Christina:  Right now I’m supposed to hand in two more BLACK WINGS books this year, so while I have some ideas for other stories I don’t have time to work on them right now!

LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews:  Christina, thank you so much for being with us again today!  It’s ALWAYS a pleasure.  We love MADELINE BLACK, can’t wait to talk with you some more about the series and “Black Howl” in the live chat later tonight, and would LOVE to have you back for Book #4 if you’re interested.  Maybe Maddy and Beezle would let us interview them for that Event??  J

Christina:  That sounds great! I’m always happy to come back. Thank you so much!

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CONTEST:

Christina is graciously offering up a copy of BLACK HOWL (Courtesy of Ace/Roc books) to a U.S Resident winner from Book Monster Reviews and another US Resident winner over at the LITERAL ADDICTION Website.

*If you are International, you will get an eBook copy of BLACK HOWL. 

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 with your 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!!!

Q&A Interview and Contest with Joan Swan

Joan Swan Interview Intro:

Hello everyone!  LITERAL ADDICTION and Book Monster Reviews are very happy to welcome Joan Swan to our sites today!  

Joan was never a star English student or a Literature buff.  She does, however, have a creative soul and an active imagination, and because of that, writing came pretty naturally.

She writes for entertainment and escape, the same reasons she loves getting lost in a good book, and she writes what she loves to read - romantic suspense. 

Joan’s books are full of real-life language, steamy sex, violence and mystery.  She does dabble in the lighter side of the paranormal as well.

When Joan’s not writing, she works as a sonographer at UCSF Medical Center, a location with an intensity that makes her slightly insane, though that works well with the writer in her.  It also gives her tons of access to character material.

She’s been married for twenty two years to her own personal hero, a veteran firefighter.  The two live on the gorgeous central coast of California with their two beautiful daughters. 

Joan’s first book, “Fever”, Book #1 of the PHOENIX RISING series, is coming out in Feb with the 2^nd, “Blaze”, following in Oct. 

For those of you that have not yet heard about Joan’s PHOENIX RISING series, we thought we’d give you the blurbs.

“Fever”

PHOENIX RISING Book #1:

Dr. Alyssa Foster will admit to a bad boy fetish…

But when she finds herself face to face with a convicted murderer with a ripped body, a determination for freedom and an eye on her as his get out of jail free card, Alyssa knows she’s in deep trouble…. Not just because Teague Creek is a prisoner desperate for freedom, but because his every touch makes her desperate for more.

A man with a life sentence has nothing to lose…

Teague Creek has one shot at freedom, but his plan to escape with a hostage develops a fatal flaw: Alyssa. On the run from both the law and deadly undercover operatives who know of his strange abilities, he needs to avoid trouble, but every heated kiss tells him the fire between them could be just as devastating as the flames that changed him forever.

“Blaze”

 PHOENIX RISING Book #2:

Coming in October 2012

The hotter they come, the harder they fall…

With a man like him, every mission becomes personal…

Ever since FBI agent Keira O’Shay started tracking a young boy named Mateo, she’s felt a connection even her empathic abilities can’t explain. She needs to save Mateo from the cult leader holding him hostage. Nothing can interfere with that—not even the reappearance of Luke Ransom, the hot-as-hell fire captain she’s regretted walking out on for three long years.

Losing Keira left Luke vulnerable—in every way. When they were together, the powers each possesses were mysteriously enhanced. But it’s the sexy, surprising woman beneath the tough exterior that Luke’s really missed. Even if she betrayed him utterly. And even if agreeing to help her uncover a government conspiracy means watching his life and his heart go up in flames again…

How fantastic do those sound!!?  Make sure you get them preordered!  For now though, let’s get to the interview and learn some more about Joan and the series.

LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews:  Hi Joan!  We’re very happy to have you here today and are thrilled to let the world know about “Fever” and the PHOENIX RISING series.  Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us.

JOAN: Thanks so much for having me! Great to be here and finally “meet” you J

LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews:  We always start by getting to know our guest author a little bit better.

Q1): Can you tell us 3 things about yourself that we couldn’t find out easily on the Internet?

JOAN:

·       I swear a lot.  At work (with my coworkers, not with patients J), on IM with my CP, when I’m talking to myself…and in my novels—worse in first drafts; I cut out a lot in revision.

·       I have a negative streak that I’m constantly curbing. I believe whole-heartedly in the power of positive thinking; I’ve seen the benefits first hand.  But I’ve got a naturally negative tendency.  So I’m constantly in a battle between the two. Rarely, do I let that negative side show outside a selected few (poor, poor CP. She knows the truth about me.) And I think my positivity is finally starting to win out!!

·       I get super snarky (and rather hilarious) after 11pm.  Have no idea why.  Wish I could channel that into regular daylight hours – it would work well in a romantic comedy.

Q2):  What are 3 things that always make you smile?

JOAN:

·       The sight of my pup waiting for me when I drive up to the house.

·       Curling up to take an afternoon nap on my day off.

·       Driving home from work on Sunday afternoon (my Friday).

Q3):  If you could spend the day with any of your characters, who would you want it to be and what would you want to do?

JOAN:  Would have to be the crew of Phoenix Rising.  I love these guys (and gals!). I’ve done a few character interviews and they’ve been so much fun I don’t want to stop.  I’d like to just kick back at Teague and Alyssa’s house in Truckee, with Mitch’s military body guards keeping watch and the hunky heroes bar-b-quing for us while the kids run around and everyone snipes at each other.  All I would do is laugh.

Ah, crap. Is it a bad thing when you’d rather hang with your fictional characters than the, you know, real people in your life?

*flipping through Rolodex for asylum’s phone number*

Q4):  What are some of your hobbies and/or things that you enjoy doing when you’re not writing or taking care of other author business?

JOAN: It’s been so long since I’ve done anything else, it’s hard to remember. I have a demanding day job and since I sold Fever two years ago, I’ve been dedicated to developing an online presence, so if I’m not working or writing or doing those other authorly things…I’m…sleeping.

Once upon a time I loved to knit, scrapbook, bake, walk, garden, go to the gym, take in movies and go to the beach.

Oh, shoot, now you’re going to make me start missing them!! *sniffle*

Q5):  How has the road to “Fever”s release been for you?  What surprises, roadblocks, etc have you experienced?

JOAN: I won’t lie, the road has been long. I know authors are supposed to say it’s been great and exciting and it’s been that too.  But I sold two years ago. That’s a really long time to wait and plan for a book to come out.

The last month has been particularly grueling – but that’s my own fault. I’m an overachiever and I don’t know when to pull back. I get great ideas, throw myself into implementing them, then find myself caught in the momentum. It’s something I need to work on.

On one hand, all great success comes with struggle.  On the other, I’ll be of no benefit to anyone in an asylum. (Except, my muse…I get great stories in there…<<<See, one of those great ideas that could cause all sorts of problems!)

Surprise wise, in the last month or so, I’ve been thrilled with the great reviews. I thought readers would like it; I hoped readers would like it, but I was still super nervous. So the across the board enthusiasm for Fever has to be, by far, the absolute best part of the release so far.

Q6):  We know this is a tough question, but who are a few of your personal favorite authors, and what are a couple titles in your TBR pile/list right now?

JOAN: Personally I’m a sort of eclectic reader. I love thrillers, mainstream suspense and romantic suspense and even though I’ll love one or two books by a certain author, it’s rare that I love them all.  Some authors I enjoy are Karin Slaughter and her Georgia series, Darynda Jones, Janet Evanovich, Dean Koontz, Ted Dekker, Suzanne Brockmann, Elisabeth Naughton, Gena Showalter, Tess Gerritsen…

Q7):  What are the best and worst parts of writing for you?

JOAN: Best parts are when my characters surprise me—because that means I’ve developed them to a point that makes them three dimensional, when various plot lines dovetail perfectly, when my writing takes a turn for the better and I can see myself growing as an author.

Worst parts are the constant insecurity and self doubt, the anxiety.  As I come up to release day and have struggled with a couple of negative reviews, I’m finding that opening oneself up to that criticism is harder than I anticipated as well.  1 harsh critique stays with me well beyond 20 raving reviews.

Q8):  What is a typical writing day like for you?  Do you have a routine that you follow?  Are there specific things that you have to have with you to get the creative juices flowing, etc?

JOAN: I write every morning. Not crazy 4am morning, but on days I work, I do get up at 530 so I can write for at least an hour before I go in.  And 5 or 6 out of my 7 days, I work at McDonalds. The other days my husband takes me to breakfast.

Generally, I write better when I’m out of the house. The phone, the bills, the laundry…it’s so distracting and angst-making for me. I like to find a booth at a fast food place where I can get free soda refills or a Starbucks where I can dominate a big leather chair, pop in earphone and ignore the world.

I also get a lot more done when my internet is off, though I can rarely get myself to do that.

Q9):  What type of scenes (dialogue, action, sex, etc) do you enjoy writing the most and why?

JOAN: It’s a love-hate relationship. The scenes I like to write most are scenes with the most emotion, the most angst; the scenes that generally create a turning point for a character’s internal landscape.  Those can happen anywhere—action, sex, etc. But they are also the hardest and most anxiety producing to write.

Q10):  Can you tell us a little bit more about “Fever” and the PHOENIX RISING series in your own words?

JOAN: I like to say Fever is an escape gone wrong in epic proportions.  At one point in the story Alyssa says to Teague, “In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m getting tired of this whole escape-gone-wrong thing.” 

Fever starts out with a desperate man taking desperate action.  And, off course, everything goes wrong. At the point when you think it can’t get any worse…it always does.

Q11):  How many books do you have planned for the series?

JOAN: 7.  There are 7 members in the hazmat firefighting team involved in the military warehouse explosion which spurs the Phoenix Rising series.

Two of the books, Blaze, book 2 and Inferno, Book 3, involve both hero and heroine that were on the team.  That would make five books total in the series if I stopped with the team, but two other characters have risen to hero status during prior books and are demanding a story of their own.  One is Mitch, a secondary character in Fever and the other is Cash, a secondary character in Blaze.

Who knows what characters will steal my heart as we move forward through the series!

Q12):  What can we expect as the series progresses?

JOAN: You can expect fantastic fun stuff and some cool twists you hadn’t expected!

While in Fever, the reader gets their first glimpse of the conspiracy, in Blaze, they’ll get to meet the entire team when the enemy forces them to engage or accept defeat.

Because their personal safety and basic freedoms are at stake, this team will never lay down and die.

Q13):  Do you have an idea of when “Inferno” might be coming out?

JOAN: The proposal for Inferno is with Kensington now and I hope to hear soon. Fingers crossed it will be mid 2013.

Q14):  What’s next for Joan Swan?  What do you have going on in the next couple months that your readers might be interested in?

JOAN: Of course, Blaze releases in October 2012, and I LOVE that book!

Prior to that, I have an Indie release coming up in April. This romantic suspense finalled in the RWA Golden Heart twice, and I’ve spent several months revising the novel to my current writing standards. This is another story that I love, featuring driven characters who are working against impossible forces.

INTIMATE ENEMIES

She is on a quest for answers; answers that could just get her killed.

Six months after the mysterious yacht explosion that killed Cassie Christo’s mother and stepbrother, authorities still have no answers to the cause. Searching for closure, Cassie returns to her childhood home on the Pacific Coast of Baja, Mexico, where she launches her own investigation into the accident.  She never expected to find an adversary in the man who had once touched her heart with kindness in her darkest moment.

Rio’s been fantasizing about reconnecting with Cassie for months. But not here and sure as hell not now. As an undercover agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he’s working the biggest sting operation in all of northern Mexico, and he definitely doesn’t have time for the wild attraction he feels for Cassie.

Not only is his cover on the line, so is his heart. Because as the end of a yearlong operation draws closer, Rio knows if he tells Cassie the truth about who and what he is, it won’t only jeopardize his mission, it may result in him losing her forever. And if he doesn’t, his lies and deception could get them both killed.

Q15):  Is there anything special that you’d like to say to your readers while we have you here today?

JOAN:

First: Thank you – for your enthusiasm and for your willingness to risk your time and money on my writing.

Second: I strive to write deep, which means I never throw something in for the sake of sensationalism. If you are the type of reader who thrives on uncovering hidden meaning and subtle connections, you will find that in my work when you look beneath the surface.  If you’re the kind of reader who wants a fulfilling read without having to work at it, you’ll find that in my novels as well.

LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews:  Joan, thank you so much again for being with us today.  We’re very happy to help you promote the PHOENIX RISING series.  We’d love to have you back to promote “Blaze” when it releases in October.

JOAN: Can’t wait!! Blaze is a very special book for me, so I’ll enjoy telling readers about it!  Thanks so much for introducing me to your readers!

If you want to keep up with Joan, you can find her here:

Website:  http://www.joanswan.com/index.htm  

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Joan-Swan/120027341414640

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

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3029840.Joan_Swan

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CONTEST:

Joan is graciously offering up  a copy of FEVER (either eBook or paperback - we are not sure which one) to a winner from LITERAL ADDICTION and a winner from Book Monster Reviews. 

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 with your 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!!!