Interview & Giveaway with Hanna Martine

Book Monster Reviews & LITERAL ADDICTION are happy to welcome author Hanna Martine to our sites today.

Hanna Martine's only goal growing up was to become a writer, specifically a fantasy writer. That dream stuck until she realized that most speculative fiction novels faded to black during the best parts or skipped over love stories altogether. When she discovered paranormal romance and urban fantasy, she found the genre of her heart. After the arrival of her daughter, she couldn't think of a better lesson to teach the little one than: Have a dream. Go after it. Be fulfilled. So she set aside all thoughts of returning to the business world and focused on writing and learning about the industry. She finished two novels before coming up with the idea for the world of The Elementals. She joined the Romance Writers of America (RWA), placed in numerous contests, and found an agent and editor who believed in her unique stories. She loves writing about secret worlds, magic, and the intense emotional and physical relationships that exist within them.

Hanna is the creator of the new paranormal romance series THE ELEMENTALS, and the upcoming contemporary romance series HIGHLAND GAMES.

Today we are helping Hanna promote the newest release in THE ELEMENTALS series "A Taste of Ice" which was just released on December 31, 2012.  If you are not familiar with the series, fear not!  We have posted the synopses below for you to check out…

LIQUID LIES

THE ELEMENTALS, #1

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IndieBound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BAM!

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Magic is Corporate America's best-kept secret

Gwen possesses the unique ability to pick up any language in an instant—a power that will globally expand the profitable family business. As dutiful future leader of her race of water elementals, she'll do anything to protect her people's secrets and bloodlines—including enter an arranged marriage. Inside, however, she yearns for forbidden human men.

Reed is a mercenary addicted to the money and adrenaline rush of his work. After he inadvertently saves Gwen's life, he ignites her taboo desire for men without magic—and with bodies of gods. Just as things heat up, Reed discovers that Gwen is exactly who he's been hired to kidnap. He resolves to put work before lust, yet her luscious beauty and fiery spirit unravel him...

But there is a terrible truth behind Gwen's family business—and now, caught between the kinsmen she no longer trusts and an enemy bent on vengeance, the only ally she has is her abductor...

A TASTE OF ICE

THE ELEMENTALS, #2

Just released 12/31/12

 BUY THE BOOK: 

IndieBound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BAM!

BUY THE eBOOK: 

IndieBound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BAM!

There is an untapped world of magic that any man would covet...

Five years ago, Xavier escaped from the Ofarian Plant. Today he calls a Colorado mountain town home. It's there he buries himself in his work, swearing off magic and relationships—until a woman threatens every promise he's made to himself.

Cat has always known she is different. Water speaks to her on an uncanny level, and she channels this gift into beautiful painted waterscapes. Now, a gallery is debuting her work in Colorado—and it'll reveal far more about her than she imagined.

The spark between Cat and Xavier is enough to throw both of them off balance. Every tantalizing moment sends them dangerously close to a rising flood of desire. Dangerous because Xavier comes to suspect that Cat is an Ofarian—his people's enemy. But they're both about to discover a far greater, more malicious power at play...

UNBOUND

THE ELEMENTALS, #1.5

Available March 5, 2013

PREORDER THE BOOK: 

Indiebound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BAM!

PREORDER THE eBOOK: 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Desire is released in these original stories by four masters of paranormal romance.

Hanna Martine expands on the fascinating world she introduced in Liquid Lies. "No Surprise More Magical" returns to the Elementals world, three months after the conclusion of Liquid Lies. David has grown from an awkward jokester teenager into a powerful, smart Ofarian soldier ... but his unrequited love for the brainy, beautiful Kelsey has remained steadfast since high school. Dr. Kelsey Evans has been mixing magic with mundane medicine, and a faction of Ofarians doesn't like it. When a terrible threat rises against the new Ofarian leadership, David and Kelsey are forced to question their loyalty, their duty, and their love.

Also included in the Unbound anthology: New York Times bestselling author Angela Knight revisits the world of Guardian, USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Ashley continues her Shifters Unbound series, and national bestselling author Jean Johnson returns to her Vulland Chronicles.

We know, you're hooked already! We were too when we read the synopses and saw those incredibly sexy covers!  Before you run off to buy your copies, check our interview with Hanna  so we can learn more about the incredible author behind the books and what she has coming up next…

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION:  Hi Hanna!  Welcome to Book Monster Reviews and LITERAL ADDICTION!   We’re very excited to have you with us today!

Hanna: I'm so thrilled you asked me to join you!

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION:  We always 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 on the internet, in your bio, etc?

Hanna: I still have to use my fingers to count. I'm excellent at starting home projects but terrible at finishing them; I need firm deadlines to get anything done. I would love to learn how to drive a motorcycle and make my own furniture.

Q2)  What are some of your hobbies, or things that you enjoy when you’re not writing or taking care of other author business?

Hanna: I love the outdoors--camping, hiking, sitting around a fire ... pretty much anything that involves being in fresh air in a natural setting. Winter is tough for me. I do love the snow, but the cold restricts outdoor activities and I get restless. Autumn is the absolute best season and the one in which I'm most happy.

I also love attending plays and visiting art museums.

Q3)  Do you have any interesting writing quirks, or things that you must have with you to begin the writing process?

Hanna: I really don't. I'm fairly adaptable. I like frequently changing writing venues (my home, the library, a coffee shop, a friend's house) and computers (switching between laptop and desktop). I don't like writing to music with words because I can't separate lyrics from the words coming through my fingertips. The same goes for writing in places where I can hear conversations. In that case, I'll turn up the volume on wordless music to drown out people. Conversely, I like writing in really loud restaurants or coffee shops because the noise becomes white and I can block it out.

Q4)  What are the best parts of writing for you?  What are the hardest parts?

Hanna: Great questions. I'll answer them in reverse order.

The hardest part is the middle revision. I go through what I call my "zero draft" (which is basically word vomit, as complete a first draft as I can get) and stick a bunch of post-it notes all over it, telling myself what to fix without actually getting bogged down in line-by-line edits. Then I go through and rewrite the whole darn thing guided by the notes ... and that is by far the hardest part. It takes five times as long as the zero draft because I'm extremely conscious of what exactly I have to get across. At this point I'm paying attention to the prose as well, so making the phrases pretty takes extra effort.

The best part (I notice you didn't ask what was the easiest, and I thank you for that, because nothing about writing a book is easy) is the final edit. After I do my extensive rewrite, described above, I print out the whole book and do edits on paper, using a perfectly sharp pencil (okay, maybe that's a writing quirk). This is where the story really shines. I can put a narrow focus on the prose and the structure and flow all slide into place. It's where I feel the most accomplished, and where I can finally see that all those months of hard work and doubt were worth it.

Q5)  What is the most surprising thing you have learned while writing your books?

Hanna: That I can do it? Haha. When you first say to yourself, "Hey, I think I want to write a book," it feels so easy. The concept of writing is big and beautiful and wide open, and there's nothing but possibility ahead. The words flow and you feel amazing. Then you open yourself up to critique and devote time to improving your craft, and that exciting project suddenly feels insurmountable. You think, "I can't do this." But then you learn and learn and learn, and write and write and write ... and discover you can do it. You can type "The End" and send it off to your editor and not only feel an extraordinary sense of accomplishment, but come to know the meaning of pride when you realize you love the story you've created. You can send it out to readers with confidence and the desire to share.

Q6)  For readers who have not yet read THE ELEMENTALS series, can you please give us a brief synopsis of the series?

Hanna: You did an excellent job highlighting each of the books above, so I'll tell you more about my vision for the series as a whole. THE ELEMENTALS is a different kind of paranormal romance series, centered around hidden races that command the classic elements (water, air, earth and fire). The races are tenuously linked, their politics volatile, with the threat of exposure to the human world constantly hanging over their heads. These are serious, deeply emotional books with an intense focus on characters' physical and personal relationships.

Q7)  What you can tell us about your newest release "A Taste of Ice?

Hanna: It's exactly the kind of paranormal romance I love to read. A hero with some serious issues to overcome who doesn't know how sexy he truly is. A heroine with a straight, smart head on her shoulders and her own sexual vibrancy. A villain that makes your skin crawl. Plot twists that make you question who exactly is good/who is bad. Tall, thick obstacles that stand between the couple.

Q8)  How many books do you have planned for THE ELEMENTAL series?  Who's book will be up next and when can we expect it?

Hanna: I would like to eventually write five books. I don't see THE ELEMENTALS as an open-ended, never-ending series, although it does have possibilities outside of what I currently envision. At this moment I am contracted for three ELEMENTALS books, and the next book will be the story of Griffin and a particular "fiery" female introduced in A TASTE OF ICE. I just started writing it, and it is due at the end of July, so I'm going to guess that it will be released in early 2014? As far as I know, no specific date has been set.

Q9)   Can you please tell us a little about your upcoming contemporary series HIGHLAND GAMES?

Hanna: Gladly! I'm really, really excited about these books. I love attending my local annual Highland Games, and two years ago, as I was sitting there watching these really big, strong, talented athletes throw in the traditional Scottish events (caber toss, hammer throw, etc.), I said to myself, "Self, that would make one fine contemporary romance hero." Fast forward to this past summer, when I pitched and sold two books to Berkley Sensation centered around modern-day Highland Games.

In the first book, LONG SHOT, Jen, New York City's top event planner, is called back to the New Hampshire town of her youth to save the local Highland Games. She doesn't expect to find the love of her teenage years still living there. Leith is a legend in the Highland Games, winning three years in a row, and about to skip town to chase his own dreams. When she tries to convince him to come out of retirement and stick around, their old adolescent love evolves into a very grown-up Highland affair.

Q10)  Is there anything specific you would like to say to your readers or information you'd like to share while we have you here today?

Hanna: To new readers who haven't heard of me or my books, I sincerely thank you for taking the time to read this interview, and I hope you are intrigued enough to either pick up one of THE ELEMENTALS books, or hold out until October for LONG SHOT. To readers who stopped by because you've already opened one of my books, THANK YOU for your support!

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION:  Thank you again Hanna for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us.  We would love to have you back again in October to help you promote your new HIGHLAND GAMES series.

Hanna: Yes, please! Thanks so much for having me.

Connect with Hanna:

Website / Facebook /Twitter / Goodreads

Win a signed copy of A TASTE OF ICE!

Hanna's current favorite TV show is Hunted, a British spy drama on Cinemax that is very similar to Alias. What TV show are you currently watching that you love?

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