Laura Kaye's Blog, page 90

I am totally ecstatic to share that about two hours ago I received a phone call from Tara Gavin, senior editor of the Harlequin Nocturne line...who offered me a two-book deal on my dark, paranormal vampire warrior king series (with options to buy more!).
I am so thrilled I can't even say!
Here's the blurb (to be edited, I'm sure!!!):

Kael the Fair, one of seven reigning vampire warrior kings, loathes the Night of the Proferring—the night he must feed from a human female virgin to maintain his immortality and his humanity.  By feeding directly from the veins of the Proferred as he takes her virginity, Kael could determine whether the mating bond exists between them—but war and a previous loss lead the king to refuse to take a mate.  Groomed for the Proferring throughout her teens, twenty-year-old Shayla McKinnon has put aside her promising academic career to make another dream come true—the impossible goal of capturing the Warrior King's heart.  In the feeding chamber this night, a battle of wills ensues, one played out through a game of domination and submission that might prove dangerous to both of their hearts.

And here's my image of Kael, borrowed from the artwork of the wonder Tricia Pickyme Schmitt.  When I was drooling over perusing her artwork one day, I saw this and it WAS JUST Kael!
 Isn't he awesome??? (And isn't Tricia's artwork crazy good???)
I don't know any more about when these books will come out, etc., but I'll be sure to share!
Thanks for reading!Laura

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME!
*Grins* I'm celebrating around here because I've got some publication anniversaries to note:It's the ONE-month anniversary of Forever Freed's publication!It's the TWO-month anniversary of Hearts in Darkness's publication!

And both books have been doing so great! As of today, Hearts in Darkness is ranked the #7 best selling ebook over at Fictionwise and the #12 best rated contemporary romance ebook over at amazon! And Forever Freed is the #94 bestselling gothic romance ebook at amazon.

I've got lots going on in celebration--please check it out!
1) FOREVER FREED received a new 5-star review, and in celebration, there's an ebook giveaway! Comment to enter over at Were Vamps Romance! (Thru 6/22)
2) I'm baring my soul...okay, well, really just my bedside table, over at Parajunkee's View! And I'm giving away ebooks, print books, and amazon gift cards, depending on how many comments I receive! The post is totally fun, so come on over and comment to enter! (Thru 6/21)
3) I'm a featured author over at The Romance Reviews and I'm available for chat all day today, 6/20!
4) FOREVER FREED's book trailer is up for a best video contest and voting runs from 6/21 - 6/26 over at You Gotta Read Reviews Video Contest!
I hope you'll have the chance to enter a contest or stop by to leave me a comment! :)
Thanks for reading,Laura

It's Sunday, so that means I have six sentences for you! Once again, here are Lucien and Samantha from Forever Freed:

My thinking suddenly crystalized. I loved Samantha and Olivia Sutton and needed them in my life. I had to try to be good enough for them and make this work. For the first time in more than a century, I allowed myself to have someone to love, something to hope for. I could swear, in the hollow of my chest, my heart started beating again.Lying there on the great-room floor at Orchard Hill, I came back to life.

I totally love this moment of epiphany for Lucien! And I hope you do too!
Be sure to visit the other Sixers' posts, and follow the #sixsunday hashtag on Twitter!
I'm blogging about first person point of view, including some excerpts from Forever Freed, over at the Black Rose Blog! I'd love it if some of you dropped by! *grins*
If you're celebrating it, I hope you have a great Father's Day! Thanks for reading and commenting, as always--I truly appreciate it!
Laura

Happy Friday everyone! I'm taking part in a great promotion idea sponsored by the blog, Authors Promoting Authors. Each week, the APA blog features an author, and then the next author to be featured on the blog hosts the previous author on their own site! (I'm featured over at APA today!) Great idea, huh?So, today I'm thrilled to introduce you to Susan Roebuck!

Sue Roebuck was born and educated in the UK but she now lives in Portugal with her Portuguese husband. She has taught at various colleges and institutions in Portugal and her interest in dyslexia started with a discussion over lunch with a colleague and friend. Nowadays Sue's mostly occupied by e-learning courses which, when no cameras are used, are also known as "teaching in your pajamas". But, given a choice, writing would be her full-time occupation.
Working from home presents no problem for her since her office window overlooks the glittering point where the Tagus River meets the Atlantic Ocean. The huge container ships, tankers and cruise liners which are constantly on their way in or out of Lisbon harbor are a great source of inspiration (or distraction).
She has traveled widely through The States and believes that "being born American is like winning the lottery of life". If she could live anywhere, she'd live in the Catskills in Upstate New York. 

Now, for Susan's new book:

This is the tale of two men fighting to find their worth in a worthless world. 

Feckless, exasperating Alex Finch is a rich, handsome and talented singer/songwriter who longs for two things: a career as a professional rock singer, and to have his love for Sam Barrowdale reciprocated. But drifter Sam's two aims are simply to earn enough money to pay his sister's medical bills and to hide from the world his reading/writing and speech disability. At this time the word "dyslexia" is generally unknown so to most people he's just a "retard". From the severe knocks life's dealt him, Sam's developed a tough outer coating and he has no time for a spoilt, selfish guitar player.

Despite his defects, Alex's love for Sam never wavers and when Sam unexpectedly disappears, Alex begins a somewhat bungling quest to find him, only to discover that Sam has a fearful enemy: Alex's powerful and influential yet sociopathic uncle.

As Alex spirals downwards towards alcoholism, many questions need answering. Just why did Alex's evil uncle adopt him at age eleven yet deny him any affection? And what's the mystery behind Alex's father's death?
 Both seem to face unbeatable odds. Are they doomed to follow separate paths forever?s, exasperating Alex Finch is a rich, handsome and talented singer/songwriter who longs for two things: a career as a professional rock singer, and to have his love for Sam Barrowdale reciprocated. But drifter Sam's two aims are simply to earn enough money to pay his sister's medical bills and to hide from the world his reading/writing and speech disability. At this time the word "dyslexia" is generally unknown so to most people he's just a "retard". From the severe knocks life's dealt him, Sam's developed a tough outer coating and he has no time for a spoilt, selfish guitar player.

Despite his defects, Alex's love for Sam never wavers and when Sam unexpectedly disappears, Alex begins a somewhat bungling quest to find him, only to discover that Sam has a fearful enemy: Alex's powerful and influential yet sociopathic uncle.

As Alex spirals downwards towards alcoholism, many questions need answering. Just why did Alex's evil uncle adopt him at age eleven yet deny him any affection? And what's the mystery behind Alex's father's death?

Both seem to face unbeatable odds. Are they doomed to follow separate paths forever? This is far more than a completely non-erotic romance, it's also suspense and light-literary. Links:Read an Excerpt & Buy from Publisher: http://www.awe-struck.net/books/perfect_score.html
Susan's blog: http://lauracea.blogspot.comThanks for reading!Laura

My newest publisher, Entangled, has launched its brand spanking new website today, and it's so beautiful. And, holy cow, peeps, have you seen the cover art goodness that is Entangled's covers???  I cannot wait to get my cover for North of Need, the first in a four-book contemporary-fantasy series based on the Anemoi, directional wind gods the Greeks associated with the seasons.
Entangled will be having a special pre-opening book release on July 5, featuring Nina Croft's sci-fi vampire romance, Break Out! Then the rest of the opening releases hit the stands on August 5, the official opening date.  My book will release November 5 - perfect since Christmas plays such an important role in the story!
Is it hawt? Or is it hawt???So, check the new website out! Follow Entangled on twitter, facebook, and their blog! Big things are afoot!
Thanks for reading,Laura

It's Sunday, so that means I have six sentences for you! I'm still celebrating the release of my debut paranormal, Forever Freed, so I've got six molten sentences featuring Lucien and Samantha:
 




"Fuck, Lucien, I need you again.""Your wish," I hissed against her neck.In one moment, I shoved her panties and my boxers down and sheathed myself in latex, then pushed her upper body slightly forward and found her wet entrance from behind.The whole night went on like that.We'd make love, and she'd sleep restlessly, then she'd wake up and one of us would need it again. My blood in her veins was calling me home—and it was clear both of us heard it. Sooooooo...is it hot enough for ya? *grins* Have a great Sunday everyone, and don't forget to read the other Sixers' excerpts and follow the #sixsunday hashtag on Twitter!  

Oh, and I'm starting a new newsletter! There will be subscriber-only giveaways and offers! You can subscribe here if you're interested! Thanks!

Thanks for reading and commenting!Laura

I am so excited to welcome my friend and fellow Wild Rose Press author Sarah Grimm to the blog today!
So, please share a little about yourself, your genres, any other pen names you use.
Hey, Laura, thanks for hosting me today. I've been writing for as long as I can remember. I have notebooks filled with poems, story ideas, and partial chapters from as far back as age five. As a young girl, I was always telling people stories. Sometimes they were funny, other times scary, but they were always, and I mean always, happily-ever-after. You see, I'm a romantic—a die-hard romantic. I believe in love, not just as a fundamental part of human relationships, but as a force that really can heal emotional scars. I truly believe there is someone for everyone—the person they are meant to find. Their other half. Their soul mate.
I live in West Michigan, along the shores of Lake Michigan, with my soul mate, two teenaged sons, three miniature schnauzers and a guinea pig. I write sizzling, dangerously sexy contemporary romance and romantic suspense—no intimacy hidden "behind closed doors" in my books. Nope, with me you get detailed, explicit love scenes. You've been warned. J
Sign me up! *grins* Okay, tell us a little about your latest or upcoming release.
My latest release, Not Without Risk, is a romantic suspense with a wounded hero—the story of Sergeant Justin Harrison, who returns to his job as a San Diego homicide detective after six months of medical leave. Determined to prove he's fit for active duty, he doesn't need the self-doubt that plagues him, or his growing feelings for the leggy brunette who is at the center of his homicide investigation.
I'm absolutely thrilled with the reviews it's been getting, including my most recent review from Rita G at Readers Favorite who said, "Not Without Risk is a book you won't want to miss."
Congratulations on the great review(s)! What character is your favorite and why?
Sergeant Justin Harrison, hands down. There's just something about a wounded hero, you know?
I totally know! As an author, what surprised you about this story?
Honestly? That I've heard so many wonderful comments about it. I wrote Risk in its entirety at least three times. At least. Each time shaping and tweaking it in order for it to 'fit' a certain line or suggestion given to me—to the extent that I reached a point when I felt totally disconnected from it, and was forced to set it aside. I only went back to it when I knew I could ignore all those voices and opinions and tell the story the way I always planned to tell it.
That took guts—and it paid off! I read Not Without Risk, folks, and it's great storytelling! Will there be any sequels or other books in the same series?
Not this book, no.
What are you working on right now?
I'm writing a spin-off of my upcoming release After Midnight, titled Midnight Heat. It's a contemporary romance that, although I had no plans to make it so when I started it, is looking as if it may become a romantic suspense.
Book do have a way of doing what they want, don't they? What happened to the first book you ever wrote?
The first book I ever wrote wasn't a romance, it was a story about my best friend. One called My Cat Sneaker, which won a Young Authors Award.
Okay, that's cool! Who wants to read My Cat Sneaker? *looks at all the raised hands and eyeballs Sarah*…  What do you find the easiest and hardest to write?
Easiest for me to write is dialogue—maybe because it comes to me like voices in my head and all I have to do is take dictation.
Hardest changes depending on the book. Sometimes it's knowing the correct place to start, other times it's getting the ending 'just right'.
Interesting.  So, have you incorporated actual events or people from your own life into your books?
I use 'pieces' of people I know in my writing. A unique laugh, or a gesture that someone I know uses when uncomfortable or stressed, but not actual events or people. For example, the hero from After Midnight has quite a few of my husband's traits. And the hero of my work-in-progress a few traits from a current friend along with a couple of a friend I haven't spoken with in years.
As an author I think it's impossible to write without putting pieces of people we know and love into our characters—whether or not we even realize we are doing it at the time.
I definitely agree.  Is there a theme or message that runs through your work?
It wasn't until I was in the middle of edits for my second book that I realized that there is: Love is worth the risk. Spoken or implied, it seems to make its way into everything I write.
That's a great theme. What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?
I love cars, especially classic cars. Classic hot rods—the faster the better! To me, there is nothing sexier than the purr of a well-tuned engine.  Okay, maybe a hot guy promising to make me purr like a well-tuned engine. Yeah, that's pretty sexy.
I noticed a bit of that in Not Without Risk! Of all the characters you've ever written, who is your favorite and why?
Isabeau Montgomery, the heroine of my upcoming contemporary romance, After Midnight.  Isabeau is the owner of Izzy's Bar, a child prodigy, piano phenom—a woman who is hiding behind a lie of her own making. She's just so very tortured, her past so full of tragedy… She deserves a happy ending and Noah Clark is just the man to share it with her.
Okay, she sounds totally cool!  Alright now, just for fun:
Milk chocolate or dark chocolate?  Milk
Salty or sweet?   Sweet
Bed or kitchen table?   Kitchen table
Beach or mountains?   Mountains – beach is too hot for snuggling and the sand can be...painful. lol
Give or receive?   You expect me to choose? Okay, I'll go with give.
Not Without Risk Blurb:

Six agonizing months after a slug collapsed his lung, Sergeant Justin Harrison manages to return to the one place where he shines—the San Diego homicide division. Nothing will stand in the way of proving he is fit for active duty. Especially not the long-legged brunette who just stumbled into his crime scene.

Photographer Paige Conroy spent years hiding from her past. Then a late night telephone call brings it crashing back. An old friend is in town and needs her help. When she arrives at his hotel room four hours later, he's dead. Suddenly, she's the target of a madman, and Paige must turn to Sergeant Harrison for protection. 

But who is the bigger threat to her... the faceless assailant she fears will steal her life or the dark-eyed detective she knows could steal her heart?

Thanks for being on the blog, Sarah! Where can we find you on the web? Website: http://www.sarahgrimm.comBlog: http://www.authorsarahgrimm.blogspot.comFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/SarahGrimm.AuthorTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/SGrimmAuthorGoodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/sarahgrimm
Alright, everyone, leave Sarah some comment love! And thanks for reading, Laura & Sarah

So, I'm off to the warm breezes, soft sand, and happening boardwalk of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware for a few days, and wanted to leave y'all with a Hot Laura's-on-a-Beach-Vacation Deal!
Some great beach reading just for you!  20% off of Hearts in Darkness and Forever Freed at DigiBooks Cafe with code e3d9d10a3c! Can't beat that!
Hot Deal! Hotter Books! 'Cause I like you guys so much!
Thanks for reading, and I'll be back soon!Laura

I'm so excited to welcome a fellow Wild Rose Press author to the blog today! 
Welcome, Rachel Brimble!
So, to start, please share a little about yourself, your genres, any other pen names you use.

I write romantic suspense, contemporary and Victorian romance. I love the variety of my writing and when I first 'hear' the hero or heroine's voice, they immediately tell me in which sub-genre their story needs to be told. It works very well for all of us!
I live with my husband of thirteen years and two daughters in South West England, just a thirty minute drive from the famous and beautiful Georgian City of Bath. As well as writing I work part-time so time is precious and I'm never ever bored, lol!
OMG, Bath is fantastic! I've been there once and fell totally in love (with all of South England, truly). I love the way you described your writing process there. Okay, then, tell us a little about your latest or upcoming release.
My latest release is Getting It Right This Time by Lyrical Press. It is a contemporary romance set in the UK and has it all: love, laughter, suspense and the ultimate happy ever after. Here's the blurb and buy link ; )

She's back, but this time she's a mother…intent on protecting her young.
Two years after her husband's death, Kate Marshall returns home seeking security and stability for her three-year-old daughter. But when her path crosses with 'the one who got away'…her husband's best friend, she has to fight the desire to be with him for the sake of further heartbreak for her and her daughter.
A tough, straight talking theatrical agent, Mark Johnston is dangerously handsome, exceedingly rich, irresistibly charming – and branded by the tabloids as one of the UK's most eligible bachelors. So even though Mark lost the girl of his dreams to his best friend, he finds no hardship in being single. Or so he thought.
Determined not to lose her a second time, Mark has to find a way to convince her they can work.  But can Kate cope with the media interest and ruthless, money-hungry clients surrounding him, being anywhere near her daughter?  Or accept that Mark Johnston is really the family man he claims to be?

Ooh, that sounds like a fantastic summer read, people! So, which character is your favorite and why?
This is such a hard question for me to answer with this book – in all my previous books I have had one character that I loved above all the others, but in Getting It Right This Time, I love Mark (hero) and Kate (heroine) equally, but also Jessica, Kate's daughter. She was a joy to write and I have had such lovely comments from both readers and reviewers saying how lovely she was and how much she made them smile.
I totally know how you feel. I have a child in my latest release and she seems to be a real scene-stealer—hard not to love! As the author, what surprised you about this story?
The suspense element – it wasn't planned when I started it but the 'villain' of the piece grew and grew in my mind until she was a fully-fledged and important part of the book. In fact, it was the villain that led me to write the book I am working on right now.
The books aren't connected in anyway but I enjoyed writing Getting It Right This Time so much, I knew it was time for me to return to romantic suspense that I haven't written for three years. My current work is a struggle right now but I am two-thirds the way through and will get there…eventually!
Yes, you will! Push through that need-to-finish-the-end fatigue! Will there be any sequels or other books in the same series?
No – see above! I am yet to write a series of any sort but I have been asked by my publisher to consider a sequel to my next release, coming in September, that I may well write because Paying The Piper is full to bursting with characters that have more to offer. I also have an idea percolating for a Victorian series set on a big country estate in Bath.
Watch this space!
Yes, definitely do! What was the hardest thing for you about writing this story?
Getting started! I knew I wanted the story to revolve around a child but wasn't sure how or why. My books often start with a character talking to me and this one was entirely different than ever before in that the first voice I heard was a little girl's. Completely threw me but the more I listened to her, the more I learned about her mother.
Once I had a four-page synopsis written, I had a good idea of where I was going – the next bit was getting the words on the page! Writing each book is never easy for me but I keep going – that's all every writer can do.
So true! What are you working on right now?
As I mentioned previously, my current work in progress is the first romantic suspense I have written for three years. I am struggling through right now but know the idea is a good one and fingers crossed my editor will too!
It is set in the fictional seaside town of Templeton Cove and revolves around three summer vacation friends. When one of the friends is found murdered, the other two join forces to find her killer…and of course, fall in love along the way.
Sounds so interesting. So, what happened to the first book you ever wrote?
It was published by The Wild Rose Press, yay!! I wrote lots and lots of short stories before embarking on my life-long dream of writing a novel and learned so much over the proceeding five years that I think I avoided a lot of common mistakes.
I must have written at least seven or eight drafts of this book and then my editor was fantastic in making it shine before it was released. Searching For Sophie came out in July 2007 and I was on top of the world! What do you find easiest and hardest to write?
I find the synopsis the hardest to write which is why I write a rough draft of one before I do anything. I outline my story in a three or four page synopsis, which I continually update and change as I write my first draft. That way, when I've finished I've got something to tweak rather than write from scratch.
Easiest to write for me are the love scenes – I never get embarrassed and thoroughly enjoy myself!
Oh, that's a great idea for tackling the synopsis! Have you incorporated actual events or people from your own life into your books?
Never intentionally, although I think there is an aspect of that in every character and situation a writer feels compelled to put onto paper. It won't be an obvious rehashing of an event but just subtle hints at the writer's feelings or memories. Often things are two or three memories mixed together.
Interesting. Is there a theme or message that runs through your work?
Regaining trust seems to be a recurring theme – which goes back to the writer him or herself. I clearly have my own issues I need to work through, lol!
Still, that's something a lot of people can identify with! What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?
I hate porridge (oatmeal) with a passion – to the point I'm a little bit scared of it!
LOL Which romance book or series (or other genre) do you wish you had written?
I love the J D Robb books – love Rourke, love Eve, cannot recommend them highly enough. Romantic suspense writing at its best!
Of all the characters you've ever written, who is your favorite and why?
Most probably Lily in The Arrival of Lily Curtis as I have had readers say she made them laugh out loud as she did me when I was writing her story…but I also love Grace in my upcoming September release, Paying The Piper, but you'll have to wait to read about her.
Okay, now, just for fun: Milk chocolate or dark chocolate? Milk
Salty or sweet? Sweet
Bed or kitchen table? Kitchen table
Beach or mountains? Mountains
Give or receive? Give
Thanks for being coming on the blog, Rachel! Where can we find you on the web? Website:  www.rachelbrimble.comBlog:  www.rachelbrimble.blogspot.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=86573019143Twitter: www.twitter.com/rachelbrimbleTHANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING MY GUEST!
Everyone, please leave Rachel some comment love! And thanks for reading,Laura & Rachel

Forever Freed is being featured as part of a four-day appearance at Sky Purington's A Writer's Mind Blog! There's behind-the-book details and foreshadowings of the planned sequel. PLUS, there's a giveaway! That's right, with a few easy steps you can be entered to win Forever Freed in ebook or print format!
The Schedule:THURSDAY, June 2: Character Blowout with heroine Samantha SuttonFRIDAY, June 3: Character Blowout with hero Lucien DemarcoSATURDAY, June 4: Book Trailer Breather - behind the book trailerSUNDAY, June 5: See below for what's going on with Forever Freed!***MONDAY, June 6: Mondays Cover It - behind the covert artTUESDAY, June 7: Giveaway winners announced!
How to enter the giveaway:

At the end of my four-day appearance, I will give away one pdf format ebook and one signed print book of Forever Freed. To enter to win, you must do all of the following:

1) comment on one or more of my posts at A Writer's Mind (1 comment per day counts for an entry, but you can comment on the different days for a total of 4 entries) and leave your twitter name

2) follow me on twitter (@laurakayeauthor)

3) follow my blog. 

Current twitter AND blog followers are eligible to win and can enter by leaving your twitter name in your comments AND tweeting at least one of my A Writer's Mind posts (be sure to @ me so I see it!). Winner to be announced on June 7!

***AND, as if all that wasn't exciting enough, Forever Freed's book trailer is part of You Gotta Read's June Book Video Contest and will debut on SUNDAY, JUNE 5 as Entry #5. Voting will take place June 21 - 26.
So, check out Forever Freed, peek in on the characters, and enter to win!
Thanks for reading,Laura