We are
having a give away going on for April. What item are you giving away? (Anyone can win the
item by going to the rafflecopter on the right hand side of the pg.)
The Vampire, The Witch & The Werewolf: Chains of Silver
First
why don't you tell us a little about yourself?
I’m
addicted to reading and writing. Thank goodness, I have a family and two
demanding children; otherwise, I’d lose myself in the fictional realm.
On the
real-world side, I also teach college journalism and English.
Newest
release?
The Vampire, The Witch & The
Werewolf: Her Wolf Ménage.
It is an erotic paranormal set in New Orleans. Although it’s the 7th
book in the series, I’m told it stands alone, and I purposely tried to write it
that way.
What
can we expect from your stories, action, drama, romance, sex, blood and guts?
Adventure
and hot sex. Some also find my stories fall more on the dark side, which
probably comes with the paranormal aspects.
Do you
have a favorite character in your stories? Who? and Why?
While
there are so many, I have to say Nick from the VWW series. He very much feels
real, like a comfortable friend, who you know but constantly surprises me. While
his story came to an HFN, he continues to pop up.
Give
us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:
Before
I visited New Orleans, I wrote the first book in my series, A New Orleans Threesome. The residential
setting is a bookstore named Pages. Below is the store, and they live above it.
On my first visit to the city, I was walking and came across this used
bookstore, and it was like, “That’s it.” Pretty crazy to imagine something, and
then have it be almost identical.
Has
there been any other authors who have inspired your work or helped you out with
your stories?
I have
a fair amount of friends who are writers, Nikki Prince, Saranna DeWylde,
Dorothy Shaw, Lisa Fox, Sabrina Sol, Beth Yarnall, Heather Long, Claire
Ashgrove. It’s nice to be able to pass a blurb by them, or an opening chapter. More
so, have them understand what it’s like to be on deadline, etc. Plus, many stay
up just as late, or later, as me, which makes for some good writing buddies!
On the
other side, I often teach workshops on writing the short story or erotic
romance in order to help out others.
What
can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?
Tell a
friend, and lave a review. I recently had someone ask if I wrote a series,
which shocked me. Book 7 was about to come out. It only shows how many haven’t
“found” it.
Do you
have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published?
I
fully believe in taking writing classes, and joining writer’s groups. I’m
involved with the Orange County Chapter of RWA, and several online chapters
such as FF&P and Passionate Ink. There’s also Savvy Authors, which offers
some great, affordable online workshops.
Do you
have a favorite author? If yes, what draws you to that person’s work?
My
reading taste varies a bit. In addition to a plethora of new releases, I tend
to pick up big names like Stephen King and Robyn Carr. One favorite I can
always depend upon is Heather Graham. I like her combination of paranormal,
mystery and a satisfying romance.
Can
you remember one of the first things you wrote? What makes it memorable?
Friends as children
Now we’re grown
I have a home
And you’re on your own
Your world’s been shattered
Mine’s still in glass
Two different worlds
Made from the same past
I
wrote that poem when I was maybe 10, and I still have it memorized. My best
friend at the time was a few years older than me, and started to get into
trouble, eventually running away from home.
As an
only child, I always turned toward reading and writing.
Where
do you gather most of the inspiration for your work?
Real
life inspires me. Sometimes I overhear a funny dialogue, or I see something out
of the ordinary happen, and then a story idea sparks. My background is a
journalist, so I’m constant observer.
Do you
have any other interesting hobbies, pets or stories you would like to share?
We
have too many pets to count: three dogs, three rabbits, two guinea pigs, two
hamsters. We also have an outside aviary, hermit crabs, and several large fish
tanks. I thought once I had children, I wouldn’t have so many pets, but I guess
not. I grew up with many, including having a horse, so wild life comes
naturally to me.
Favorite
places to travel or visit?
Rather
than big, extensive trips, I like to take more mini-vacations – a few days locally
at a hotel. At the end, it feels like you’ve escaped, and rejuvenated. This
summer, though, we’re doing our first family trip to Hawaii. My oldest is going
into junior high (boy, does time fly), and it’s going to be a celebration.
It’s a
joke to me, but I say I travel often but not well.
And now,
before you go, how about a snippet from your book that is meant to intrigue and
tantalize us: (Include links to were we can find your work)
Her
dormant wolf senses flared to high alert with the confluence of new stimuli.
She smelled the air: exhaust, the river and a blend of food sources. The sights
and sounds of New Orleans came at Jana from all sides. She watched the bus pull
away from the curb, and the beat of her heart sped up along with it. The fast and
easy escape route had just taken off. There would be no quick return home to
the Kisatchie National
Forest.
No
way. Jana had picked her city, and now she had to sleep in it. She unfolded the
map of the French Quarter and walked to the nearest street corner to check out
the signs. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t marked and memorized the route countless
times. She held the creased paper up, comparing the two. Someone bumped her
from behind.
“Watch
where you’re standing,” a man said, grumbling. “Tourist.”
He
spat the last word out like it was a meant to be a derogatory statement. Even
though she had no reason to, she cringed under his undisguised hate.
The
wind picked up, catching the packet of folded paper and lifting it from her
hands. She cried aloud, jumping for it, and feeling it slip right out of her
fingers. The map rode an air current away from her. Her skirt raised up,
lifting high, exposing her long legs and, judging by the sudden cool draft, her
ass. She juggled her bags to one side of her body, fighting to hold down her
dress.
What
a mess she was. Barely in New Orleans for ten minutes, and already she was lost
and falling apart. How did she ever think she’d be able to blend in and live
within the Quarter for any length of time?
“You
look like you might need some help.” The speaker appeared to be in his late
twenties with long dark hair that hung straight down his back. “I rescued this
runaway map.”
The
side of his mouth turned up in a half smile as he talked to her.
“Oh,
thank you.” As she reached for it, he held it right out of her grasp.
“Hold
on a minute. Do you know where you’re going?”
She
held down her annoyance. The best thing would be to get to her destination as
quickly as possible, and if she had an offer of help, why not take it?
“Pages
Bookstore. I’m visiting some family friends.” Now why did she add in that final
part? No reason to offer information that wasn’t requested. He didn’t ask why
she was there, only where she was headed.
“I’m
quite familiar with that store. They have a great collection of new and used
books.” He reached for her bag. “Let me carry that for you.”
“I’ve
got it,” she said, gripping the handle and holding it closer to her body.
His
eyes widened ever so slightly. “That’s all right. It’s good to be leery of
strangers. Once we get to Pages, I’m sure Lawrence will vouch for me.”
After
taking a few steps, he looked back at her, waiting for Jana to follow him. It
wasn’t like she could get any more lost than she already was. If he led her too
far astray, she’d simply ditch him. From looking at the map, she knew Canal
Street bordered the far side of the Quarter. If they reached it, they’d gone
too far.
“If
you know the area so well, can I have my map back?”
He
laughed, a deep rumble that stirred an emotion within her, deep in her belly.
The feeling was quite similar to how she felt while watching Dominick, a
dominant wolf in her pack, when he was unaware. It wasn’t like anything could
ever happen between her and Dominick. As an alpha, he was destined to lead his
own pack. As an un-shifting female, Jana pretty much rested on the bottom of
the hierarchy. Forget hunting; she helped gather. The pack leader’s former wife
made it her point to remind Jana of her deficiencies every moment she could,
and there was no way in hell they’d let a reject like her mate with someone
like Dominick. It went against all social order.
She
steadied herself against an onslaught of unwanted emotions. One of the main
reasons she’d made this journey was to escape thinking exactly like that. If
she couldn’t be wanted within her world, she’d forge her own way in a new one.
* * * *
The
longer Andre watched the woman, the more interested he became. He’d taken a run
through the Quarter for some errands. He’d finished checking in with one of the
local art shops on their stock when he caught scent of the female. If she
didn’t come along with him quickly, he might throw her over his shoulder and
keep her for himself.
That
certainly wouldn’t do. If she was staying with Lawrence, odds were there was
some sort of family relationship through Trevor, his partner who also happened
to be a werewolf. He wasn’t lying when he said he was familiar with Pages.
Lawrence certainly knew him. Trev and Lily, too. But he did his best to avoid
pack conflicts. Although he was a member of one of the bigger city packs, he
kept to himself most of the time.
A
weariness had started to drag him down, and he fantasized about escaping it all
and moving to the forest—away from the technology of mankind. It had gotten to
the point where a person couldn’t unplug. If one didn’t belong to Facebook or
Twitter, they were viewed as social outcasts. The packs even had their own
private Facebook Groups. Well, Andre bucked the trend. He didn’t want to be
connected virtually to everyone else in the pack. Hell, no. He preferred to run
solo, untethered to traditions and hierarchy.
But
he certainly wouldn’t mind some one-on-one time. His hands ached to reach out
and stroke the woman’s thick, dark hair. Easily, he could imagine himself
wrapping it around his waist and entwining his fingers throughout it as he
stole a kiss. Or two.
Did
he dare? Would she let him?
Probably,
but there would be consequences, and she’d probably be the least of it.
Just
his luck, she probably had another he-male waiting for her back home in the
forest.
He
lifted his eyebrows at her, mentally asking if she was going to follow him.
Reluctantly, she finally did. “So how long have you been away from the forest?”
he asked.
She
stopped, puzzled by his question.
“Where
did you hear that? How did you know?”
Leaning
in a bit closer, he whispered, “I can smell it on you.” A rich garden
consisting of pine needles and wild flowers. “And it smells good.”
Barely
perceptible, he noticed a slight shiver and the hairs on her arms stood up.
“Only
a few days.”
As
he continued to walk, she trailed. Despite being behind him, he sensed her
presence. The older he got, the fewer choices he had. With the lack of female
wolves in the city, if he wanted a mate he’d need to choose a human or some
Other paranormal, or go outside the city. He’d resigned himself to the latter
until the moment he’d caught the scent and sight of this she-wolf.
A
female away from her pack, on the verge of her time of heat. He couldn’t help
thinking maybe his destiny had come to him.
Her Wolf
Ménage
By
Louisa Bacio
She seeks adventure
What’s
the use of living in a wolf pack when one isn’t a shifter? Jana strikes out
from Louisiana’s national forest to New Orleans to find herself, only to
discover more questions.
They want the same woman
The
moment Jana steps into the French Quarter, Andre pursues the naïve beauty. An
artist, he senses the hidden wolf beneath the surface, and her nature calls to
him. It’s not until she leaves that long-time friend Dominick realizes what he
wants. The two alpha weres must battle it out or learn to share to reach their
happy ending.
