Laura Kaye's Blog, page 91

This. Is. Huge!
Prepare to Sizzle!
Over $5,000 in prizes up for grabs!
Total of 8 pairs of tickets to RomCon 2011 to be won!!! (each pair worth $490)
Sizzling Summer Reads (Romance)
From June 1 to 28, 2011
at http://www.theromancereviews.com(Look for the Sizzling Summer Reads event button)
Play the games. Explore new books.
Chat with authors. Rack up your points!
Visit everyday to increase your chances to win awesome prizes!
PRIZES, YOU SAY?

Weekly Prizes2 tickets to RomCon 2011 worth $490$10 Gift Cards – 4 winnersOver 100 Book Giveaways in total(paperback, ebook)

Main Sponsors: RomCon 2011, eTreasures Publishing, Astraea Press
Participating Authors:   ME!!!   Plus:
Barbara White Daille       Elisabeth Naughton           JL Oilder                         Autumn JordonMarie Treanor                 Teresa Bohannon             Anne Patrick                    Edie RamerCaroline Clemmons          Missy Jane                      Sibel Hodge                     Jenny SchwartzMary Eason                     Sarah Grimm                   Louise Crawford              Jess MountifieldToni C. LoTempio           Ann Tracy Marr               Suzanne Barrett               Brynna CurryJennifer Wells                  Stacy Juba                       Gini Rifkin                        CJ ArcherStaci Brush                      Lisa Beth Darling             Christianne Charles           Sheri Lewis WohlNatasha Deen                  Nadia Lee                       Roni Adams                     Raquel ByrnesSamantha Hunter             Joely Sue Burkhart           Rebecca L. Frencl           Dianne DuvallRae Renzi                        Greta van der Rol            Sharon Buchbinder           Dora HiersDana Stevenson               Anna Small                      Terry Campbell               Tiphanie ThomasLisa Kumar                      Myne Whitman                Phillip Thomas Duck        Laura KayeCherie Le Clare               Elizabeth Lang                  Robin DeJarnett              Tarah ScottEdnah Walters

My specific events will be as follows: June 7: Forever Freed ebook Q&A contest and giveaway June 12: Hearts in Darkness ebook Q&A contest and giveaway June 20: Author Chat to Celebrate the 1-month anniversary of Forever Freed and 2-month anniversary of Hearts in Darkness! June 23: Forever Freed signed print book Q&A contest and giveaway!

You gotta play to win! So drop by The Romance Reviews website as much as you can!
Thanks for reading,Laura

That's right, I'm bringing the controversy! But I'm doing it over at Sharon Buchbinder's place today -- go visit me there? Weigh in on this debate of vital national significance! ;)=
Oh, and looky, a new promo item:
Thanks for reading!Laura

STAY TUNED HERE FOR BAG OF HEARTS & KMN BOOKS WINNER ANNOUNCEMENTS!

Happy Memorial Day! Many, many thanks to all the military men and women, and their families, who give of themselves for our country!
What better day to celebrate with giveaways, right? So I've got two! My ongoing Bag of Hearts giveaway ends at Sizzling Hot Book Reviews today, so enter! Second prize there is a signed print copy of Forever Freed!  Next, I'm at Karen Nutt's blog with an interview and excerpt, plus I'm going to give one ebook each of Hearts in Darkness and Forever Freed to commenters on that post!
PLUS, Forever Freed is now up for Sizzling Read of the Month, based on the great 5-STAR review it received there earlier in the month. Please consider voting! Poll goes through end of the day on Tuesday!
Check out the other authors on the hop, join in, comment, follow, and have fun!
Thanks for reading!Laura

Winner, winner, chicken dinner! :)

I've got two giveaways going on today and you're not going to want to miss 'em!

1) at http://KMNbooks.blogspot.com, leave me a question on my interview post and enter to win your choice of the ebook versions of Forever Freed or Hearts in Darkness!

2) at http://sizzlinghotbooks.net, today is the last day to enter my Bag of Hearts giveaway. The bag includes a dozen Hearts-inspired items! Second prize is a signed copy of Forever Freed!

Go! Go! Go! And enter to win!

Thanks for reading!
Laura (who did her first post by iPhone!)

Welcome back for my sixteenth round of Six Sentence Sunday! Woot! Mad love for everyone who drops in each week, reads, and comments--it means a lot!
This week, six from my new release, a paranormal romance called Forever Freed. In this scene, someone important to heroine Samantha Sutton has just died and Lucien is consoling her.

"Sshh, dolcezza. I've got you. It'll be all right." I folded my arms around her body and pulled her in, wanting her to feel me there, to have something solid, unmoving, unchanging, to hold onto. I knew what it felt like to lose your whole family at such a young age.She released her grip and stepped back. "I have to tell Ollie. Will you come with me?""You don't even have to ask."

Gratuitous but SOOOO sexy! Ah, I'm verklempt! *grins*
Do stop by and read and support the Other  Sixers, and follow the #sixsunday hashtag on Sunday! For the Americans in the room, have a great Memorial Day weekend!
Please consider dropping in on my Hearts & Heroes blogpost at Sizzling Hot Book Reviews--I've got man candy!
Thanks for reading and commenting,Laura

I'm very pleased to welcome fellow Wild Rose Press author Paty Jager to the blog today as part of her blog tour! 
(see giveaway details below!)
Hi, Paty! *waves* Please share a little about yourself, your genres, any other pen names you use.
Hi Laura, thank you for hosting me on my blog tour. I've been writing for over twenty years, and published my first book, a historical western romance, in 2006. It's now available on Kindle and Smashwords for $.99. I've always had problems catching the eye of the large publishers. While I write a good story, it isn't unique or out of the box enough or too out of the norm for them to be willing to take a chance on me. 
So I started with a small ebook and print publisher, The Wild Rose Press. They have published nine of my books and I just finished up the tenth for them. I've slowly been gathering my rights back and putting the books up in ebook myself and I have two series I started that don't fit in TWRP's guidelines that I'm contemplating self-publishing as well. I wouldn't even think of it if I hadn't spent nearly five years as an editor for a small ebook publisher. That experience and my awesome critique partners gave me the confidence to try self-publishing. So look for my books at The Wild Rose Press and at Kindle and Smashwords.
I went off topic. I have five historical western romance, two contemporary western romance, and two historical paranormal western books published. And I've written a contemporary action/adventure romance that isn't published yet.
Wow, you're very prolific! It's inspirational! Tell us a little about your latest or upcoming release.
My latest release, Spirit of the Lake, is about the spirit hero, Wewukiye (Way-woo-key- ya) who saves a Nez Perce or Nimiipuu (as they call themselves) maiden. Dove was attacked by a Whtieman who the Nimiipuu leaders believe is a friend. She finds herself with child and no one willing to listen to how she became that way. Because of the treaty of 1862 that the Wallowa Nimiipuu didn't sign that took away their country, they are not willing to cause trouble with the Whitemen living in their area.  Wewukiye vows to help her carry the baby to term and prove the Whiteman's deceit. Only through the eight months, he grows to love Dove and she begins to show powers other mortals don't possess.
I'm a historian by training, so I'm totally hooked! Which character is your favorite and why?
In Spirit of the Lake? I'd have to say the secondary character Crazy One. She is the daughter of Wewukiye's older brother who became mortal to be with his love in Spirit of the Mountain. She talks in questions which was fun to figure out how to make her conversations all in questions. And she sees things—the future, insights in to people. She was fun to put on paper.
She does sound like a great character. It's always interesting when those secondary characters pop off the page like that. Okay, as the author, what surprised you about this story?
I'm surprised in every book when I write a scene and wonder why I put something in, and then a couple scenes later it's apparent why I put that in. Because it works beautifully with the plot that I didn't know was happening.  That's the fun of writing. Having an end goal but never quite knowing how you're going to get there and the process by which it will happen. I love that.
Yup, that's me, too! Will there be any sequels or other books in the same series?
Spirit of the Lake is the second book or a trilogy. Spirit of the Mountain was about Himiin, the older brother and wolf spirit, and Spirit of the Sky with the sister, Sa-qan, a bald Eagle, is finished and getting polished to go to my editor. The trilogy starts out before the Whiteman sets foot in their country, then the second book is then they begin to clash with eh Whiteman and the third book is about their flight to Canada to avoid being put on a reservation.
Awesome sound series! So, what are you working on right now?
My next project will be the last Halsey brother book. These are a series of books about five brothers. The first four are available but I've had glitches in coming up with Hank's story and I think I finally figured it out so that is my next project. Logger in Petticoats.
What happened to the first book you ever wrote?
It was a mystery and it's in a tote box under my goodie table. It was written on a typewriter. That tells you how long ago it was written.
LOL Have you incorporated actual events or people from your own life into your books?
I use many of my everyday life experiences and people I've come across in my writing but none specific. My EPPIE award book, Perfectly Good Nanny, a contemporary western, has a scene where they have to get a cow up out of a mud hole. That was written after my husband and I had to get a pregnant cow up after she'd gone down in an irrigation ditch and couldn't get out.  And one of my unpubbed stories has a heroine who looks like a girl I saw at one of my daughter's volleyball tournaments. Her striking hair and heart-shaped face became the features of a heroine.
Oh, man, poor cow! LOL Is there a theme or message that runs through your work?
Righting wrongs, maybe. I've always rooted for the underdog. Talk to the kid the others made fun of. I think some of that comes through in my books. 
I love that. What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?
I'm an introvert. I could easily go to our cabin at our other property and never leave. I like solitude. I don't like talking on the phone. When my daughters call, I just listen and "uh huh," once in a while and wish they'd finish their conversation so I can hang up. I love them dearly and I want to know what's going on with their lives and the grandkids, but I just hate talking on a phone. I don't know why, but I do. And for that reason I don't call family members as much as I should.
Okay, here's some questions just for fun: Milk chocolate or dark chocolate? Dove dark chocolate, hands down.
Salty or sweet? Depends on the day. Some days I crave one and some days the other.
Bed or kitchen table? LOL If you're insinuating what I think you're insinuating, I'm old—the bed. But there was a time….
Beach or mountains? I grew up in the mountains and LOVE the beach.
Give or receive? Give most definitely. I love giving. It's more fun to see how the person responds to the gift.
Spirit of the Lake Blurb:

Two generations after his brother became mortal, Wewukiye, the lake spirit, prevents a Nimiipuu maiden from drowning and becomes caught up in her sorrow and her heart. Her tribe ignores Dove's shameful accusations—a White man took her body, leaving her pregnant, and he plans to take their land.Wewukiye vows to care for her until she gives birth, to help her prove the White man is deceitful and restore her place in her tribe.
As they travel on their quest for justice, Dove reveals spiritual abilities yet unknown in her people, ensnaring Wewukiye's respect and awe. But can love between a mortal and a spirit grow without consequences?

 Blog Tour Giveaway:
This post is part of a blog tour. Leave a comment here and on as many of my guest blogs as you can and the person who travels with me the most will receive an autographed copy of Spirit of the Lake, a sweatshirt, and cowboy chocolate. To find all the places I'm visiting go to my blog: www.patyjager.blogspot.com  The contest runs from May 18th – May 29th covering over thirteen blogs. I'll notify the winner on May 30th. In the event of a tie I will draw a name and the ties will receive a cowboy boot shot glass.
Woohoo! Leave a comment folks and enter to win! Thanks, Paty, for being coming on the blog! Where can we find you on the web?Website:  http://www.patyjager.netBlog:  http://www.patyjager.blogspot.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/paty.jagerTwitter: @patyjagGoodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3352227-paty-jagerAmazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002I7M0VKPublisher's Author Page: http://tinyurl.com/3uh9hzoThanks for being here today, Paty, and thanks to everyone for stopping by, reading, and commenting!Laura & Paty

The awesome Gem Sivad nominated me for this lovely blog award: My Blog is Irresistibly Sweet! 
I love this award especially because 1) there's a big hocking dessert on it, duh, and 2) hero Lucien Demarco calls heroine Samantha Sutton "sweetness" or "dolcezza" in Forever Freed, so it's a fun connection!
Gem writes sexy, smart western romances -- her Six Sentence Sunday excerpts are ones I always look forward to. You should seriously check her out at her website and on twitter!
The rules of this award are as follows: 1. Thank and Link To the Person who Nominated You -- Thanks Gem! 2. Share Seven Random Facts About Yourself -- Below! 3. Pass the Award on to 10 deserving blog buddies -- Also Below! 4. Contact those buddies to let them know -- Got it!
Seven Random Facts about Me! I have two tattoosI have a borderline unhealthy obsession with Zsadist [I'm not going to describe him further because 1) I would be flabbergasted if you don't know who he is, and 2) he's mine so, um, back off! LOL]I have a dog -- he's a Collie-Shepherd mix I have a PhD in American history, but I don't write historicalsI am learning to play guitarI wrote fan fiction (too busy to do that much anymore...)I have spent time in 9 countries Passing on the Irresistible Sweetness to:
Sharon BuchbinderJoya FieldsLisa SanchezKaitlyn Schulz/Nocturnal ReadingsAJ NuestAmie LouellenSarah GrimmJennifer JakesCherie MarksStacey Kennedy

A huge shout-out to folks who have befriended me on twitter or facebook, been faithful followers and commenters on Six Sentence Sunday, or who have hosted me on their blog in recent weeks. Check them all out--they're peeps you want to know!  Thanks again to Gem for the award nod!

Thanks for reading,
Laura

Me on left and the lovely Sharon on right!So, it wasn't an official booksigning, but at my critique group meeting on Sunday, several of my writerly friends bought Forever Freed and asked me to sign--my first signings! :) Here, fellow author Sharon Buchbinder is celebrating with me after we'd manage to settle down following her "faux adoration" pose that had us both cracking up! :D
Other good news: 1) The paperbacks arrived right on time on Forever Freed release day, May 20. It was TOTALLY THRILLING to hold the books in my hands for the first time!
2) Forever Freed is getting great reviews!5 STARS from Sizzling Hot Book Reviews!5 STARS from Paranormal Opinion!5 STARS from So You Think You Can Write! 4.75 STARS from Book Wenches!4.5 STARS from Words That Sparkle4.5 STARS from MyVampFictionTake a look at the REVIEW page to see what the reviews are saying! Consensus is that Lucien Demarco's a big hit! *winks*
3) Forever Freed is making the rounds for interviews and excerpts! Hope you'll stop on by!:Smoking hawt excerpt at Amie Louellen's blog!Behind-the-scenes with Forever Freed interview at Nocturnal Readings!Excerpt from the **unpublished prequel** of Forever Freed at Fang-tastic Books! [The night Lucien was turned into a vampire, ahem. And a fantastic picture of Lena and Isabetta, Lucien's human family...]So, lots going on and it's good, good, good! Thanks to all of you for joining in the fun!
Thanks for reading,Laura

I'm very excited to have author Karen Michelle Nutt here with us today! Welcome, Karen!
Can villains also be heroes? When creating the My Fallen Angels series, the bad boy kept telling me he didn't want the role of villain. What could I do, I had to find a way to make him a hero.

Can Villains Also Be Heroes?By Karen Michelle Nutt
What if the guy wasn't decent or gallant or all that good, could he be the hero? Could I make a villain likable? Could I turn the villain into a hero?
I liked my villain Lucca in Eli: Warriors for the Light, but could I make others like him as well? Now that he's been punished for his bad deeds. It's time for him to tell his side of the story.
To do so, you must understand why he's acted as he did. No one sets out to be evil. My villain was evil because of the path he chose. The guidelines he lived by were wrong. His weakness was his short-sightedness and being completely inflexible to change. 
Lucca was simply a good guy gone wrong. His position was right and he has a list of reasons to prove it. Tradition and culture were the right things to do and anything else was wrong. The problem was the rules he followed were outdated. His goal was simply at odds with the Hero's goals. This was how Eli and Lucca become rivals. Black became white and the shades of gray faded away. 
In Lucca: The Warriors for the Light, it's Lucca's chance to tell his story. I'll leave it up to you to decide if he's hero material or not.
For a chance to win an e-book copy of Lucca's tale, let me know what you think of a villain becoming a hero. Do you believe it's possible?
Lucca: Warriors for the Light (Fallen Angels series, Book 2)

Lucca Marlowe has a dark past that threatens to destroy him. He's banished for crimes against one of his fellow brethren. The elders bind his glamour and wings, casting him to the human realm. He'll either learn to respect and embrace his human side or live out eternity trying. 
Lucca does not live a mundane life. Angels and demons demand he do their bidding. His estrange father resurfaces after centuries of being absent and he's brought a friend from Hell.
To make his life more complicated, he fears he found his soul mate in a human female. Only Juliet Romeo has a secret that will bring the wrath of Heaven down upon both their heads.
It's a race against time to find out who will end up with his soul.

If you're interested in finding out more about my otherworldly tales, please visit my website at: http://www.kmnbooks.com
For interviews, contests and all things book related, please come by my blog on Mondays for new updates. http://kmnbooks.blogspot.com
I also frequent Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.
Thank you, Laura for having me here today and sharing.
You're very welcome, Karen! The book sounds great--one for the TBR pile for sure!

Bio:

Karen Michelle Nutt is the author of paranormal tales, writing for Tease Publishing LLC, The Wild Rose Press, Highland Press, Victory Tales Press and RJV Publishing.
Time Travels have been her passion. She's always been intrigued with the possibility of being able to reach back in time and change the past. Common sense says influencing the past isn't impossible, but she can't help but wonder: What if she can?

Fallen Angels, vampires and shape shifters embrace her darker side where their worlds intertwine with ours.
She shares her life with a wonderful man, three lovely children and house full of pets. In her spare time, she reviews for Paranormal Reviews, a great place to find paranormal books and other genres. Her new passion is the wonders of Photoshop. Her header for her website and blog were her first projects. She's since created book covers for Victory Tales Press and Western Trail Blazers.

Thanks for reading, everyone--feel free to leave Karen comments and questions! Laura & Karen

25% off  w/code 18b632d0b0It's a release weekend Six Sentence Sunday for me this week!  FOREVER FREED officially released on Friday and has already garnered four great reviews and a spot on an Amazon bestseller list, Kindle Books > Romance > Gothic!  So, in celebration, I've got a coupon code for you good at The Wild Rose Press all month AND naturally I've got six from my debut paranormal romance:

She rubbed her thighs together as I ran wet open-mouthed kisses down into the V-neck of her shirt. My teeth tingled, and I had just enough awareness to keep my fangs retracted. But I wanted to sink myself into her—my fangs and my sex—more than I'd wanted almost anything ever before."Lucien."My name on her lips was an incredible invitation, so filled with need and longing. "God, I want to touch you."

There's space for you next to Lucien!Can I even tell you how thrilling it is that this story is out into the world? This was the first novel I wrote and the first I sold, and I may never know a character more intimately than I know Lucien Demarco...
So, you know the drill!  Hop around to all the Sixers' posts here, follow the #sixsunday hashtag on twitter, and leave everyone some commenting love!
Thanks for reading,Laura

PS--I'm offering a GIVEAWAY and an excerpt from the Unpublished Prequel to Forever Freed (called Forever Damned) - what happened the night Lucien was turned into a vampire?  At Fangtastic Books!