Winner - Falling & Dreams

and the winner is...

MARCIE

You've won a copy of and Falling, Fly & In Dreams Begin!

Congrats! Please send your mailing information here:

annasbookblog@gmail.com

You have 5 days to claim your prize

The winner was chosen through Random.org

December Book Releases

1st

Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings- Helen Boudreau
The Vampire Hunter- Lisa Childs
Night of the Vampires- Heather Graham
Alaskan Wolf- Linda O. Johnston
The Winter Sea- Susanna Kearsley
The Duke & the Pirate Queen- Victoria Janssen
Beneath the Thirteen Moons- Kathryne Kennedy
The Wolven- Deborah LeBlanc
Alcatraz Versus The Shattered Lens- Brandon Sanderson
Blue Twilight- Maggie Shayne (reissue)
Wolf Fever- Terry Spear

7th

Stranger- Zoe Archer
Real Vampires Have More to Love- Gerry Bartlett
A Pirate's Possession- Michelle Beattie
You Dropped A Blonde On Me- Dakota Cassidy
Goddess of Legend- P.C. Cast
Right Hand Magic- Nancy A. Collins
Ride the Fire- Jo Davis
Impulse Power- J.C. Hay, Nathalie Gray & Robert Appleton
Vampire Knight Vol. 11- Matsuri Hino
The Mammoth Book of Zombie Apocalypse- edited by Stephen Jones
Star of the Morning- Lynn Kurland
Songs of the Wolf- R F Long
The Bards of Bone Plain- Patricia A. McKillip
Explosive- Beth Kery
Alien Tango- Gini Koch
Seer of Sevenwaters- Juliet Marillier
Last Sacrifice- Richelle Mead
The Valkyrie- Mandy M. Roth (pbk)
Primal Seduction- Sydney Somers
Biting the Bride- Clare Willis
Demon Underground- S.L. Wright
Day of the Dragon- Rebecca York

13th

Witch & Wizard: The Gift- James Patterson

14th

By Royal Decree- Kate Emerson
Entice- Carrie Jones
Never Have I Ever- Alisha Rai

16th

Stocking Full of Coal- Amanda Feral

21st

Roses and Bones: Myths, Tales, and Secrets- Francesca Lia Block
Out for Blood- Alyxandra Harvey
Tempestous- Lesley Livingston
The Secret History of Elizabeth Tudor, Vampire Slayer- Lucy Weston

22nd
Silver Frost- Kailin Gow

28th

Eternal Prey- Nina Bangs
Killing Rocks- DD Barant
Deep Kiss of Winter- Kresley Cole & Gena Showalter (mmp)
Bloody Valentine- Melissa De La Cruz
The Lost Saint- Bree Despain
Sapphique- Catherine Fisher
Crimson Wind- Diana Pharaoh Francis
Black Magic Sanction- Kim Harrison (pbk)
Hellforged- Nancy Holzner
The Iron Palace- Morgan Howell
Ghouls, Ghouls, Ghouls- Victoria Laurie
Forbidden Pleasure- Lora Leigh (mmp)
The Ranger- Monica McCarty
Dark Waters- Alex Prentiss
Ascension- Caris Roane
Arcane Circle- Linda Robertson
Vampire Crush- A.M. Robinson
Soul Hunt- Margaret Ronald
Once in a Full Moon- Ellen Schreiber
Deadly Little Games- Laurie Faria Stolarz
Fallen Angel- Heather Terrell

31st

The White City- Elizabeth Bear

In My Mailbox [81]

 In My Mailbox was started over at The Story Siren.
Here is what I got this past week...

Review:

Blue- Lou Aronica

Visions of Magic- Regan Hastings

Thanks to Fiction Studio & Regan Hastings/NAL.

Paperback Swap:

Tyger Tyger- Kersten Hamilton

Bought:

Blue Moon- Alyson Noël

What did you get this week? 

Feel free to leave your IMM link in the comments.

Happy Thanksgiving + Cover Discovery

Happy Thanksgiving!! I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday. Also today I have some lovely cover art to show you. These are my favorites from this week:

Release Date: January 1, 2011

Release Date: May 1, 2011

Release Date: May 3, 2011

Release Date: July 26, 2011

TBR: Recent Additions [2]

Here is the latest books I've added to my TBR list:

Hexed
I. Andrews, Y. Galenorn, A. James & J. Stein
June 7, 2011

Instructions for a Broken Heart
Kim Culbertson
May 1, 2011

In the Heat of the Bite
Lydia Dare
July 1, 2011

Undead and Undermined
(Undead #10)
MaryJanice Davidson
July 5, 2011

The Iron Knight
(Iron Fey #4)
Julie Kagawa
2011

Forgotten Sea
(Children of the Sea #5)
Virginia Kantra
June 7, 2011

Master of Shadows
(Mageverse #)
Angela Knight
August 2, 2011

Lawes Justice
(The Breeds)
Lora Leigh
October 2011

Always a Witch
(Witch #2)
Carolyn MacCullough

Succubus Revealed
(Georgina Kincaid #6)
Richelle Mead
August 30, 2011

Shimmer
(Riley Bloom #2)
Alyson Noel
March 15, 2011

Darkness Descending
Devyn Quinn
August 2, 2011

Taken
Lilith Saintcrow
February 1, 2011

Let It Bleed
(WVMP Radio #4)
Jeri Smith-Ready
August 1, 2011

Hunter's Fall
(The Hunters)
June 7, 2011

[Promo] - Believe

Believe is a Christmas anthology put out by Turquoise Morning Press.

Book Summary:

A collection of uplifting Christmas stories from Turquoise Morning Press. Romance, inspiration, and unexpected gifts- Reminding us to simply...believe.

Secondhand Horses by Amy Le Blanc, Mall Magic by Cat Shaffer, Another Quirky Christmas by Tonya Kappes, Concourse Christmas by Margaret Ethridge, Love in an Elevator by Krista Ames, Fixing Christmas by Elizabeth Chalkley, Angel on Board by Janet Eaves, The Twelve Seductive Days of Christmas by Marissa Dobson.

Where to buy:

Amazon: Kindle
Barnes & Noble: Nook
Createspace: Print
Smashmouth: Multiformat ebook

Stop back on December 16th... I'll be interviewing Marissa Dobson, author of The Twelve Seductive Days of Christmas. She will be giving away a digital copy of Believe. 

[Promo] - Hunger Undone

I recently read this short story. It was a good read. I really enjoyed it. If you like shifter-stories, I suggest checking this one out. :)

Hunger Undone

By: J.A. Saare  Website | Blog
Out Now!!



Book Summary:
Three months ago, jaguar shifter Marshall Mackenzie met his mate. Sultry witch Mira Jones is beautiful, smart, and everything he wants -- there is just one problem. Their introduction was orchestrated by his employer, which meant Marshall was forced to break Mira’s trust in order to uncover the secrets of a magical coven responsible for killing innocents. Mira fled from him when she learned the truth -- both angry and afraid -- but Marshall’s determined to teach the alluring female that while she can run from the hunger that now consumes her, she can never hide.

Where to buy:
All Romance Ebooks: Multiformat ebook
Amazon: Kindle
Amira Press: Multiformat ebook

Interview/Giveaway with Skyler White

It's a pleasure to have Skyler White here on the blog. She's here in celebration of her latest release In Dreams Begin. 

Hi Skyler, Welcome to Anna's Book Blog! I'm glad to have you here. To start off can you tell the readers a little about yourself?

I’m glad to be visiting, thanks for inviting me! I’m a newcomer, but late to the party. My first book and Falling, Fly came out in March of this year. In Dreams Begin is my second, begun before I sold Falling. I didn’t start thinking of myself as a writer until a few years ago, although writing to some extent, and certainly reading, has always been a part of my life. Before that, I was mostly feeling my way from one thing to the next trying to make a Life Path out of a fairly incoherent collection of interests. I’ve been a ballet dancer and a factory line worker. I got halfway through a BFA in choreography and switched to a BA in English Lit & Anthropology. I ran a theater company and wrote ad copy. I got a MA in theater history and started an online candle company. I had kids and got married. Mercifully, having become a writer, I can now call all that research!

In Dreams Begin is your latest release, can you tells us a little about it and the series?

Sure! In Dreams Begin is a prequel to and Falling, Fly but only in so much as The Harrowing is a series, which is kinda-sorta-but-not-really. I have a couple of core interests which keep manifesting themselves in certain characters who reoccur in my stories. Gaehod from Falling shows up in Dreams (but I’m not saying how or in what form!). And so does the Irish underground “hell.” Olivia even makes a brief cameo in Dreams (as Laura did in Falling). But really, the overlap is more of a little game, a hide-and-seek for readers who enjoy the occasional Easter egg, more than really critical to either book. In Dreams Begin tells the story of a contemporary woman whose awareness is channeled into the body of the Irish revolutionary and (self-reported) part faery Maud Gonne. Inhabiting Maud’s body, Laura meets and falls in love with the turn-of-the-century poet WB Yeats.

When your not writing what kind of books do you like to read?

I’ll read twenty pages of anything. I’m completely agnostic in regards to genre. I read non-fiction, graphic novels, literary fiction, poetry, fantasy – anything as long as it sucks me in. Right now I’m reading “The Anubis Gate.”

What are 3 things that are "must haves" for you when you sit down to write a book?

Coffee, noise-canceling in-ear headphones, and my hour-long track of thunderstorms

What type of research did you do for In Dreams Begin?

The difficult, time-consuming type? I actually took six months off writing just to research. I read both Yeats’s autobiographies and several biographies. I read Maud’s autobiography and two very good biographies of her. I read all the letters they wrote each other. And I read some specifically Irish history.

After I got the timelines sketched in, I did location research and then I wrote a first draft. The writing itself turned up racks of additional questions. So I did another round of research between the second and third draft. And the whole time I was writing, I was reading Yeats. In the course of the time it took me to write Dreams, I read all of his poetry, collecting the lines and little snippets that preface each chapter.

Finally, with a pretty evolved draft finished, I went to Ireland, London and Paris for two weeks and visited every location (or the closest thing still around) where I had a scene set. I have a tiny little netbook computer, so I was able to actually re-write scenes in the places where they were set. Which was wonderful. There are some pictures from that trip on my website here.

I'll admit even with my love of Ireland- when I started reading In Dreams Begin I wasn't familiar with Maud Gonne. Can you give us some insight on her or why you picked her to use in your story?

Well, it wasn’t the initial plan. I was reading up on Yeats, planning a straight time-travel or even historical novel. I was looking for a Victorian figure to model my hero on – someone Irish, passionate and romantic. What I found was Will Yeats. And he was perfect. Reading about him, I discovered Maud and their inexplicable thirty years of courtship and denial, their marriage “on the spiritual plane” and their involvement with the occult. At which point he and she became too perfect. I had to use them rather than simply model a fiction on them. Which about quadrupled the amount of research. But it was wonderful fun!


In the book your writing oozes with history and heritage. If you could visit any time which would it be?
Oh, I think I’d have to do the turn of the century Ireland and London. I’d want to see Will again.

I really liked both Ida Jameson and Laura Armstrong. What inspired you when writing these two women?

They grew out of the story I wanted tell, and in response to the real characters I already had. Will and Maud required them, and they both to some extent, are foils for Maud. Or Laura is. Ida is really a reaction to her. Laura is modern and rational and careful, none of which Maud was. Maud had two children with a married French revolutionary, and another one by a violent, drunken Boer War vet who molested her daughter, kicked Maud more than once, and ended up being executed by firing squad for his role in the 1916 Easter Rising. Laura marries her husband because they’re good together and she’s not crazy in love with him. Crazy is dangerous. Ida is dangerous. Poor Ida. I really loved writing her, allowing the times in which she lived and her alternate adoration and jealousy of Maud to warp and embitter her. It’s fun writing someone so twisted. I’m so glad you enjoyed them!

What is your fave W.B. Yeats poem?

Just one? Yikes. The Second Coming.

What is up next for you? Will you continue writing within the same universe as and Falling Fly & In Dreams Begin?

I’m working on an all-American, no travel east of the Mississippi, completely contemporary trilogy. It nestles into the world of Falling and Dreams, but I’m thinking of it as a stand-alone series. There will be some character overlap between them and previous characters, as there is with Dreams and Falling, both of the brief cameo type that Laura gets in Falling, and the larger backstory building in Dreams.

__________________________________________________________

IN DREAMS BEGIN
By Skyler White

Out Now!

From a Victorian Ireland of magic, poetry and rebellion, Ida Jameson, an amateur occultist, reaches out for power, but captures Laura Armstrong, a modern-day graphic artist instead. Now, for the man or demon she loves, each woman must span a bridge through Hell and across history . . . or destroy it.

“Every passionate man is linked with
another age, historical or imaginary, where
alone he finds images that rouse his energy.”
--W. B. Yeats

Anchored in fact on both sides of history, Laura and Ida, modern rationalist and fin de siècle occultist, are linked from the moment Ida channels Laura into the body of celebrated beauty and Irish freedom-fighter Maud Gonne. When Laura falls—from an ocean and a hundred years away—passionately, Victorianly in love with the young poet W. B. Yeats, their love affair entwines with Irish history and weaves through Yeats’s poetry until Ida discovers something she wants more than magic in the subterranean spaces in between.

With her Irish past threatening her orderly present and the man she loves in it, Laura and Yeats—the practical materialist and the poet magus—must find a way to make love last over time, in changing bodies, through modern damnation, and into the mythic past to link their pilgrim souls . . . or lose them forever.

About the Author:

Skyler White is the bestselling author of dark fantasy novels ‘and Falling, Fly’ (Berkley, March 2010) and ‘In Dreams Begin’ (Berkley, November 2010). She lives in Austin, TX. Visit her on the web at http://www.skylerwhite.com.

__________________________________________________________

GIVEAWAY:

I have a copy of and Falling, Fly & In Dreams Begin to giveaway to one lucky winner. To enter leave a comment along with your email address. Open to U.S. & Canada. The winner will be announced on November 30th.  Good Luck!!

In My Mailbox [80]

 In My Mailbox was started over at The Story Siren.
Here is what I got this past week...

Books download to my Kindle.

Review:

The Iron Queen- Julie Kagawa

Once A Witch- Carolyn MacCullough

The Anatomy of Ghosts- Andrew Taylor

(Thanks to Harlequin Teen, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Hyperion & Netgalley.)

Paperback Swap:

Blood Magic- Jennifer Lyon

Won:

Immortal Sea- Virginia Kantra

(Thanks to Book Binge & Penguin Group.)

Bought:

Play of Passion- Nalini Singh

What did you get this week?
Feel free to leave your IMM link in the comments.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

The Beginning of the End....

I can't wait to see this. I'm not going to the midnight showing, but I am going to see it later today. Anyone else going? 

I love the HP posters. You can check out the Deathly Hallows posters here.

Waiting On Wednesday [19] - Hexbound

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly post started by Breaking the Spine. A feature showcasing upcoming releases that are eagerly anticipated.

This week my WOW pick is Chloe Neill's Hexbound. It's the second book in the Dark Elite series. I read the first book, Firespell back in January and fell in love with the world Ms Neill created. It was a great story and I can't wait to read this latest installment.  You can check out my review of Firespell here. 

Title: Hexbound
Series: Dark Elite
Author: Chloe Neill
Release Date: January 4, 2011

Book Summary:

Lily Parker is new to St. Sophia’s School for Girls, but she’s already learned that magic can be your best friend…or your worst enemy.

They say absolute power corrupts absolutely. Turns out, even a little magic can turn you to the dark side. That’s why Lily has to learn how to control her newly discovered paranormal abilities, on top of avoiding the snobs who think they run her school, nursing a crush on a cute sophomore with a big, werewolf-y secret, and fighting the good fight with her best friend Scout as they take on Chicago’s nastiest nightlife—including the tainted magic users known as Reapers.

Then Lily’s invited to a private meeting with Sebastian. He’s hot, powerful, and offering to help her harness the magic flowing in her veins in a way no one else can. He’s also a Reaper. Lily can’t hide her suspicions. But she’ll soon find out that the line between good and evil isn’t always clear…

Winners - The Taming of the Wolf

and the winners are...

HighlandHussy

Laurie (BittenbyParanormalRomance)

Congrats! Please send your mailing information here:

annasbookblog@gmail.com

You have 5 days to claim your prize

The winners were chosen through Random.org

Winner - Box O' Books

and the winner is...

Amanda aka Morning Glow

Congrats! Please send your mailing information here:

annasbookblog@gmail.com

You have 5 days to claim your prize

The winner was chosen through Random.org

[Review] - Songs of Love & Death

Title: Songs of Love & Death
Edited By: George R.R. Martin & Gardner Dozois
Genre: Anthology (SciFi/Fantasy/Romance)
Release Date: November 16, 2010

I received this for review from Simon & Schuster.

Summary:  In this star-studded cross-genre anthology, seventeen of the greatest modern authors of fantasy, science fiction, and romance explore the borderlands of their genres with brand-new tales of ill-fated love. From zombie-infested woods in a post-apocalyptic America to faery-haunted rural fields in eighteenth- century England, from the kingdoms of high fantasy to the alien world of a galaxy-spanning empire, these are stories of lovers who must struggle against the forces of magic and fate.

Award-winning, bestselling author Neil Gaiman demonstrates why he’s one of the hottest stars in literature today with “The Thing About Cassandra,” a subtle but chilling story of a man who meets an old girlfriend he had never expected to see.

International blockbuster bestselling author Diana Gabaldon sends a World War II RAF pilot through a stone circle to the time of her Outlander series in “A Leaf on the Winds of All Hallows.” Torn from all he knows, Jerry MacKenzie determinedly survives hardship and danger, intent on his goal of returning home to his wife and baby—no matter the cost.

New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher presents “Love Hurts,” in which Harry Dresden takes on one of his deadliest adversaries and in the process is forced to confront the secret desires of his own heart.
Just the smallest sampling promises unearthly delights, but look also for stories by New York Times bestselling romance authors Jo Beverley and Mary Jo Putney, and by such legends of the fantasy genre as Peter S. Beagle and Tanith Lee, as well as many other popular and beloved writers, including Marjorie M. Liu, Jacqueline Carey, Carrie Vaughn, and Robin Hobb. This exquisite anthology, crafted by the peerless editing team of George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, is sure to leave you under its spell.  (description from book flap)

Thoughts: This anthology holds stories about star-crossed lovers. The authors included in the book are: Jim Butcher, Jo Beverly, Carrie Vaughn, M.L.N. Hanover, Cecelia Holland, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Robin Hobb, Neil Gaiman, Marjorie M. Liu, Jacqueline Carey, Lisa Tuttle, Linnea Sinclair, Mary Jo Putney, Tanith Lee Peter S. Beagle, Yasmine Galenorn & Diana Gabaldon.

There were a few stories I didn't care for - but all in all it was a good read. A well put together anthology. Whether your a fan of Science Fiction or Fantasy, your gonna find something you love in the pages of this book.  Here are a few of my favorite stories...

Love Hurts by Jim Butcher- Fun read! Very much classic Dresden. Harry realizes something about himself that most fans have known for a while.

The Thing About Cassandra by Neil Gaiman- This was my first time reading anything by Gaiman.  I have to say this story was freaky, but absolutely brilliant.

You, and You Alone by Jacqueline Carey- As heart wrenching as this story was - I loved it! Fans of the Kushiel's Legacy will eat this one up. Especially since it's narrated by Anafiel Delaunay, a much beloved character.

Score: 4 Stars

Where to Buy:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Borders / The Book Depository

In My Mailbox [79]

 In My Mailbox was started over at The Story Siren.
Here is what I got this past week...

I received two books this week and they are both for review...

Thanks to Bloomsbury and Simon & Schuster.

Out for Blood by Alyxandra Harvey

Hunter Wild is the youngest in a long line of elite vampire hunters, a legacy that is both a blessing and a curse at the secret Helios-Ra Academy, where she excels at just about everything.

Thanks to her friendship with Kieran Black, Hunter receives a special invitation to attend the coronation of Helena Drake, and for the first time, he sees the difference between vampires that must be hunted and vampires that can become friends—or even more.

When students at the academy fall victim to a mysterious illness, Hunter suspects they are under attack from within. She will need someone she can trust to help her save the future of Helios-Ra . . . help that shockingly comes in the form of Quinn Drake, a drop-dead gorgeous vampire.

Who said senior year would be easy?

The Secret History of Elizabeth Tudor, Vampire Slayer by Lucy Weston

Sovereign Power. Eternal Pleasure.

Revealed at last in this new vampire saga for the ages: the true, untold story of the “Virgin Queen” and her secret war against the Vampire King of England. . . .

On the eve of her coronation, Elizabeth Tudor is summoned to the tomb of her mother, Anne Boleyn, to learn the truth about her bloodline—and her destiny as a Slayer. Born to battle the bloodsucking fiends who ravage the night, and sworn to defend her beloved realm against all enemies, Elizabeth soon finds herself stalked by the most dangerous and seductive vampire of all.

He is Mordred, bastard son of King Arthur, who sold his soul to destroy his father. After centuries in hiding, he has arisen determined to claim the young Elizabeth as his Queen. Luring her into his world of eternal night, Mordred tempts Elizabeth with the promise of everlasting youth and beauty, and vows to protect her from all enemies. Together, they will rule over a golden age for vampires in which humans will exist only to be fed upon. Horrified by his intentions, Elizabeth embraces her powers as a Slayer even as she realizes that the greatest danger comes from her own secret desire to yield to Mordred . . . to bare her throat in ecstasy and allow the vampire king to drink deeply of her royal blood.

As told by Lucy Weston, the vampire prey immortalized in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, this spellbinding account will capture your heart and soul—forever.

Also this week I received a sweet Thank you gift.
Thank you Ann (alba)!

What did you get this week?
Feel free to leave your IMM link in the comments.

[Trailer] - Night Star

Coming November 16, 2010

 Book #5 in The Immortal Series...

"Night Star continues the epic love story that has enchanted readers across the world. In this installment, Ever and Damen face down bitter rivals, jealous friends and their own worst fears—all in the hope of being together forever. Night Star is guaranteed to mesmerize fans and leave them breathlessly awaiting the sixth and final book!"




Alyson Noël - website
The Immortals

November Giveaway: Box O' Books

The November giveaway is another Box o' Books.  These are both new and used books. But all are still readable.  To enter leave a comment along with your email address.  Open to U.S. addresses.  The winner will be announced on November 16th. Good Luck!



Here's what you'll find inside the box:

Shades of Midnight- Lara Adrian
Sleeping with the Fishes- MaryJanice Davidson
Seducing the Heiress- Olivia Drake
Every Which Way But Dead- Kim Harrison
The Selkie- Melanie Jackson
What Happens In London- Julia Quinn
Ten Things I Love About You- Julia Quinn
A Bite to Remember- Lynsay Sands
Bite Me If you Can- Lynsay Sands
Vampires Are Forever- Lynsay Sands
The Rogue Hunter- Lynsay Sands
The Renegade Hunter- Lynsay Sands
The Immortal Hunter- Lynsay Sands
Taming the Highland Bride- Lynsay Sands

Cover Discovery

These are all on my TBR and I have to say I'm really lovin' the art. :)

Release Date: March 29, 2011

Release Date: May 31, 2011

Release Date: June 28, 2011

Release Date: July 26, 2011

Interview/Giveaway with Lydia Dare

I'm excited and honored to welcome back Lydia Dare to my blog. Author of the Westfield Brothers/Wolves series. Their latest book The Taming of theWolf is now available in stores. Please give them a
warm welcome.  

Hi Lydia, Welcome to Anna's Book Blog! I'm glad to have here. To start off can you tell the readers a little about yourself?

Hi, Anna! Thanks for having us. We’re happy to be here. Since there are two of us who make up Lydia Dare, we’ll try to make it clear which one of us is talking, because we’re not similar in the least.

Lydia/Jodie – I’m Jodie and before Tammy and I teamed up, I was writing Regency Historical romance. So I bring that background into our partnership.

Lydia/Tammy – I’m Tammy and I was writing paranormal and contemporary romantic suspense.

The Taming of the Wolf is your latest release, can you tells us a little about it and the series?

Lydia/Jodie – We would love to! The Taming of the Wolf is what they call a “bridge” book. It connects the Westfield Brothers trilogy from this spring to a vampyre trilogy we have coming out next year. It is a standalone book, but if you read The Wolf Next Door, then you’ve already met our current hero and heroine. Dashiel Thorpe, Earl of Brimsworth, was the villain of the previous book and now he takes his turn as the hero, reformed of course. And the clairvoyant Caitrin Macleod has actually made appearances in two previous books, as a werewolf-hating witch. Hate might be a strong word, but she’ll have her hands full with a wolf of her own in this book.

Lydia/Tammy – The Taming of the Wolf was sooo much fun to write. I remember when the idea came to us. We had this perfectly flawed gentleman we’d cast as a troublemaker in The Wolf Next Door. And out of nowhere, we decided he could be redeemable. We had to figure out how, of course. But we did have a lot of fun turning this gentleman every reader probably hated into a loveable hero for the next book.

When you’re not writing, what kind of books do you like to read?

Lydia/Jodie – We don’t have a lot of spare time anymore. But when I get the chance to read something for pleasure (meaning not research) my first love is Regency Historicals. I’m a huge Sabrina Jeffries, Claudia Dain, Deb Marlowe and Liz Carlyle fan.

Lydia/Tammy – I have always loved to read Historicals. I like being removed from daily life and into a world where things are completely different. The fantastical intrigues me too. I love paranormals. (I’ll also admit that I like some heat, so I do (very often) pick up some steamy romances on my iPad.) I find that reading is necessary to my writing. It keeps the gears turning and keeps the mind open.

Since becoming published, what has been your favorite part of the process?

Lydia/Jodie – I love hearing from readers. I love it when someone takes the time to send Lydia an email or Facebook message about how much she enjoyed the latest book. It always brings a smile to my face and reminds me I don’t live in a vacuum.

Lydia/Tammy – The best part has probably been (for me) the contact with the readers. I love walking into a bookstore and seeing someone with one of our books in their hand. (I don’t stalk people, I swear it.) I love getting notes about how much people are in love with the heroes of the books. And I even like it when they tell me how much they hate a character, because it means they were invested enough to care.

What type of research did you do for the book/series?

Lydia/Jodie – I’ve researched the Regency era for so long, that a lot of that is second nature to me these days. I did buy a book on magickal ingredients, so I’d be more familiar with herbs, plants and stones our witches would likely use for - specific purposes.

Lydia/Tammy – My husband loves to tell people he helped me with the research for the hot parts (cough, cough). But he also likes to tell people he’s the man on the cover, too, and we know that’s not the truth. For me, I’m not 100% comfortable in the Regency era but Jodie lives there. So, if she started out a scene at Drury Lane and then sent it to me, I’d have to go and look up what Drury Lane was, what it looked like, etc, so I could have a clear mental picture and continue what she’d started.

What are 3 things that are "must haves" for you when you sit down to write a book?

Lydia/Jodie - (1) Peace and quiet. NO music, it drives me a little crazy when I’m trying to write. (2) Starbucks venti white chocolate mocha latte. (3) A goal for the day. How many pages/words do I need to get before I go to bed that night?

Lydia/Tammy – Quiet is a must. I can’t write in a windstorm. And my house is usually a windstorm, since I have boys who range from 15 to 6. I also need a clear picture of what’s going on and where the scene needs to go. Jodie’s very character driven while I’m very plot driven. (It seems to work for us. J). I also need an endless supply of Diet Dr. Pepper and ice to crunch. Yes, I’m one of those dreadful ice chompers, and I can’t write without it.

First off, thank you for writing a Regency series involving werewolves. Ever since I read Ronda Thompson's Wild Wulf's of London, I've been looking for something just as great... and that's definitely your series. When writing your series did you read any other Regency books containing werewolves or just werewolf stories that inspired you?

Lydia/Jodie – Tammy reads everything. I stick to my era of choice. In fact, she like to tease me and says I live in the 19th Century. Should I openly admit that I’ve never read a paranormal romance? I guess, it’s too late to say otherwise, right? Everything I read is firmly grounded in the Regency.

Lydia/Tammy – I read everything. I do try to steer clear of topics we’re writing about, though. I want our ideas to be ours, and not influenced by what I’ve read. So, if we’re writing vampyres, I don’t read vamps. If we’re writing werewolves, I might read straight Regency. I don’t think there’s a book or series that inspired our stories. At least, we hope they’re very different from what anyone else has written.

Most readers are fully aware that Lydia Dare is actually two people, I'm just curious how you came up with your writing name?

Lydia/Jodie – Well, Anna, I like to joke that it was easier naming my child. Back then, only two of us had to agree. But where Lydia was concerned, Tammy and I had to agree. We had input from our wonderful agent. We also needed to have the publisher agree. I always liked Lydia as it was Elizabeth Bennet’s silly younger sister and we agreed on that name fairly easily. The last name on the other hand took a lot more work.

Lydia/Tammy – I remember we bought about five domain names as we tried to pick. Every time we settled on something (which is nearly impossible since Jodie and I are so different), someone would say it didn’t work. “Nope, it’s too hard to spell.” “No, it’s too much like my other author.” “No. I hate that name.” So, we finally settled on Lydia Dare, and we joke that she’s the Lydia and I’m the Dare.

Being a writing duo, what is your writing time like?

Lydia/Jodie – Well, it depends on what else is going on and how close the current deadline is. Usually we trade off on a daily basis. And we shoot for 1500 words or so.

Lydia/Tammy – I know my time is spent editing when I get the pages from Jodie and familiarizing myself with what the characters did while she had them. Then I dive in and try to put them in a new situation. It’s fun writing with a partner because you never know what’ll happen when the pages are gone.

What is up next? Will you continue with this series or move on to something else?

Lydia/Jodie – We have a Regency Vampyre trilogy that will hit shelves next spring.

Lydia/Tammy – And we hope we’re going to write a few more Lycan books after that. We’ll see!

THE TAMING OF THE WOLF 

BY LYDIA DARE

IN STORES NOVEMBER 2010

A fresh and imaginative world of noble werewolves, each of whom encounters nearly insurmountable problems in his quest to live a normal life among England’s Regency society.

Dashiel Thorpe has grown up with the sobriquet “The monster of Eynsford.” Each full moon, when he turns into a wild beast, he has been chained to the wall to protect those around him. He has never before encountered a creature like himself, until he goes to visit his university friend and encounters a family of Lycans living just next door.

When the full moon turns the pack of them into wolves, Dashiel’s feral ways bring him to near-disaster, and when he bites Caitrin McLeod he unknowingly sets off a chain of events that could lead to his ultimate destruction.

Banished to Scotland to find a mentor and get trained in how to be a proper werewolf, Dashiel must also find Caitrin and persuade her that she’s his only chance for salvation…

About the Author

Lydia Dare is the writing team of Tammy Falkner and Jodie Pearson. Both Tammy and Jodie are active members of the Heart of Carolina Romance Writers and live near Raleigh, North Carolina. They are working together on their next paranormal historical trilogy as Lydia Dare, which will be released by Sourcebooks Casablanca in 2011! For more information, please visit http://www.lydiadare.com/.

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GIVEAWAY:

Thanks to Sourcebooks I have 2 copies of The Taming of the Wolf to giveaway. To enter leave a comment along with your email address.  Open to U.S. & Canada.  The winners will be announced November 16th.

Winner - Deadly Intent

and the winner is...

tetewa

Congrats! Please send your mailing information here:

annasbookblog@gmail.com

You have 5 days to claim your prize

The winners were chosen through Random.org

In My Mailbox [78]

 In My Mailbox was started over at The Story Siren. 

This week was looking pretty bleak as books go. But Thursday and
Friday were good days. I found some at Walmart and my order
from Borders arrived.

What did you get this week?
Feel free to leave your IMM link in the comments.

Not pictured: Kelley Armstrong's Becoming.
You can download your own copy here.

Bought:

Wolfsbane- Patricia Briggs

Pulse of Power- Anne Elizabeth

Marked by the Moon- Lori Handeland

Rosemary and Rue- Seanan McGuire

Confessions of a Vampire's Girlfriend- Katie MacAlister

In the Company of Vampires- Katie MacAlister

Once a Witch- Carolyn MacCullough

Prince Charming Doesn't Live Here- Christine Warren

Free Reads:

Becoming (graphic novel)- Kelley Armstrong

[Review] - Ecstasy In Darkness

Title: Ecstasy In Darkness
Author: Gena Showalter
Series: Alien Huntress
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Futuristic
Release Date: October 26, 2010

Summary:  Growing up poor on New Chicago’s meanest streets, Ava Sans had two options: be the predator, or be the prey. No contest. Now, working for Alien Investigation and Removal, she’s been ordered to capture the biggest, baddest warrior of all—a vampire too beautiful to be real, with the ability to manipulate time. Once the leader of the entire vampire army, McKell has been deemed savage and unstable, spurned even by his own kind.

To McKell, humans should be nothing more than sustenance. Yet the petite, golden-skinned Ava is a fascinating contradiction—vicious yet witty, strong yet vulnerable, lethal but fiercely loyal.  Against his better judgment, McKell craves that loyalty, and much more. When the chase leads to seduction, McKell and Ava will race to discover the truth about his past. But the answers will come at a price, even for a woman who thought she had nothing left to lose. . . .

Thoughts: Ava Sands is a trainee with Alien Investigation and Removal. To be granted agent status Ava and her friend and fellow trainee Noelle are sent to take down the big bad vampire McKell and bring him in. McKell has dealt with four agents already, and when the two friends walk into his camp he thinks he'll deal with them the same way. But Ava and Noelle are more that meets the eye. For McKell this is especially true with Ava, she intrigues him like no other.

Ecstasy In Darkness was a fantastic read! An action packed story and a delicious Alpha male, to die for. Two things I've learned to love and expect when reading Gena Showalter. Plain and simple this author rocks.  Every time I read one of her books I'm amazed with the story lines and the addicting & intriguing characters.  I thought Noelle and Ava were great they - their bickering back and forth was hilarious and endearing. Their relationship dynamic is just as important to the story as is the love story between Ava and McKell. If you haven't read the Alien Huntress series yet, I highly recommend you give it a try.

Score: 5 Stars

Author Website: http://members.genashowalter.com/

Alien Huntress series:
Awaken Me Darkly
Enslave Me Sweetly
Red Handed
Blacklisted
Savor Me Slowly
Seduce the Darkness
Tempt Me Eternally (in Deep Kiss of Winter)
Ecstasy In Darkness
Dark Taste of Rapture (Noelle's story)- August 2011

Upcoming Releases:
Deep Kiss of Winter (pbk)- December 28, 2010
On the Hunt (anthology)- February 1, 2011
The Darkest Secret- April 1, 2011
Dark Taste of Rapture- August 2011
The Darkest Surrender- TBA
Twisted- TBA

Waiting On Wednesday [18] - Visions of Magic

I found this gem of a cover while searching on Amazon.  I love the cover and want to read it on that alone. The tattoo on her back is very eye catching. Plus, It looks like it'll be a good read.  I learned over at RR@H Novel Thoughts & Book Talk that this is Maureen Child writing under a new name.  I have read her Nocturne books, so I'm eager to see what this one is gonna be like. :)

Title: Visions of Magic

Series: Awakening

Author: Regan Hastings

Release Date: February 1, 2011

Book Summary:

In the ten years since magic has reemerged in the world, witches have become feared and hunted. For weeks Shea Jameson has been haunted by visions of fire. When she unintentionally performs a spell in public, she becomes one of the hunted. Her only hope is Torin, a dangerously sensual man who claims to be her eternal mate.

Interview/Giveaway with Kylie Brant

It's a pleasure to welcome Kylie Brant back to my blog. She is here today in celebration of her latest release Deadly Intent!

Hi Kylie, Welcome to Anna's Book Blog! I'm glad to have you here. To start off can you tell the readers a little about yourself?
I'm a mother of five and a full-time special education teacher.  Writing is something that gets done in between family and job demands.  In that way, it's sort of a mini-vacation for me!

Deadly Intent is your latest release, can you tells us a little about it and the Mindhunters series?
The Mindhunters are led by the legendary Adam Raiker, ex-FBI profiler.  The company is staffed with some of the best criminologists in the country and they consult with law enforcement on particularly puzzling and high-profile crimes.

Deadly Intent pairs forensic linguist Macy Reid and fellow investigator Kellan Burke as they race the clock to find an eleven-year-old kidnap victim before her abductor carries through on his threats.  Macy and Kell have a past, but they must find a way to put it behind them as they trail the kidnapper through the wintry Colorado wilderness.

When your not writing what kind of books do you like to read?
My favorites are psychological thrillers, suspense and romantic suspense.

What type of research did you do for the book/series?
I can get lost in the research!  I have an extensive personal library but the most valuable research I do is contacting experts.  I like to talk to people in the field who can answer questions specific to the plot I'm writing.  In the course of writing this series, I've consulted with forensic anthropologists, police detectives, and the manager of a crime lab facility.  For one book I actually hiked the Willamette Forest and crawled through caves :)  For Deadly Intent, I consulted with a forensic linguist, an assistant director of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, a mask maker and a forensic doctor for questions regarding a severed thumb.

What are 3 things that are "must haves" for you when you sit down to write a book?
I never write without a Diet Coke at hand.  Although I wrote my first twenty or so books amidst chaos, I've grown used to the quiet since the kids are gone and prefer it when I'm writing.  Throw in a few online bridge games before I start writing and I'm set.

Do you see Mindhunters having an end or do you feel it's an open ended series?
The Mindhunters will end at six books.  The last is Adam Raiker's story and I'm writing it now.

You mostly write Romantic Suspense, is there another Genre or Sub-genre you'd like to write in?
I always thought I'd like to try my hand at Young Adult.  Maybe someday....

What has been your most memorable moment since become published?
There have been some real highs.  The three Rita nominations were great, as were the two Daphne du Maurier awards.  But I don't think anything will ever match the feeling of getting that first call, or seeing my book on the shelf for the first time!

If you can, tell us what is up next for you? 
Deadly Dreams will be out in April '11, and Deadly Sins follows in August '11.

DEADLY INTENT

BY KYLIE BRANT

Out Now!

No one knows the patterns and nuances of communication like forensic linguist Macy Reid. She is also an expert on kidnapping, having experienced firsthand the stark terror of being abducted when she was a child. So she is the perfect investigator to be called in when a Denver tycoon's eleven-year-old daughter is abducted—for the second time.

The biggest stumbling block for Macy may be a member of her own team: Kellan Burke, the wisecracking, rule-breaking investigator who relishes getting under Macy's skin. Their styles couldn't be more different; the attraction between them more explosive. And when it becomes apparent that Macy can't solve the case without confronting the demons from her past, Kell is just the man to take her there—and back.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kylie Brant is the author of thirty-one novels of romantic suspense for Silhouette and Berkley. She is a three-time Rita nominee, and a five-time Romantic Times award nominee. Notable awards are the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award and two Daphne du Maurier awards for mystery and suspense. Her acclaimed Mindhunters series continues in 2010-2011 with a new trilogy Deadly Intent, Deadly Dreams and Deadly Sins. For more information, please visit: http://www.kyliebrant.com/

__________________________________________________________

GIVEAWAY:

Thanks to Kylie, a copy of Deadly Intent will go to one lucky winner.  This is open to everyone, including International readers. The winner will be announced on November 8th. Good Luck!

October 2010 - Reading List

Torment- Lauren Kate
4 Stars

Mythe & Magick- Shiloh Walker
3 Stars

The Passionate Brood- Margaret Campbell Barnes
4 Stars

The Shadow Queen- Anne Bishop
5 Stars

Dark Slayer- Christine Feehan
4 Stars

Hungry For Your Love- Anthology
3 Stars

The Taming of the Wolf- Lydia Dare
4 Stars

Birth of a Killer- Darren Shan
4 Stars

Personal Demons- Lisa Desrochers
4 Stars

In Dreams Begin- Skyler White
3 Stars

Styx's Storm- Lora Leigh
4 Stars

The Dark-Hunters Vol. 3- Sherrilyn Kenyon
5 Stars

Maximum Ride Vol. 3- James Patterson
4 Stars

Halo- Alexandra Adornetto
3 Stars

Low Red Moon- Ivy Devlin
3 Stars

Shalador's Lady- Anne Bishop
5 Stars

Bound In Sin- Jenna Maclaine
4 Stars

iDrakula- Bekka Black
3 Stars

Arson- Estevan Vega
4 Stars

Shadow Days- Andrea Cremer
4 Stars

The Haunting- Jessica Verday
4 Stars

By Royal Decree- Kate Emerson
5 Stars

Wolf Fever- Terry Spear
4 Stars

Ratings:

5 Stars- Amazing- A Must Read
4 Stars- Loved It
3 Stars- Liked It/Good read
2 Stars- It was Ok
1 Stars- Didn't Like

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• Monthly Contest 
• Interview & Giveaway with Kylie Brant
• Interview & Giveaway with Lydia Dare
• Interview & Giveaway with Skyler White

Winners - Highland Hellcat

and the winners are....

Jennifer Mathis

Estella

Congrats! Please send your mailing information here:

annasbookblog@gmail.com

You have 5 days to claim your prize

The winners were chosen through Random.org