Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Interview & Giveaway with Stephanie Julian

Hi Stephanie, Welcome back to Anna's Book Blog! It's great to have you here. To start off can you tell the readers a little about yourself?
SJ: I’ve always been a writer. I got a job as a reporter and feature writer for a daily local newspaper right after college graduation and worked city-side then edited the Weekend section. When I left to freelance after the birth of my first son, that’s when I began to write towards publication. Since I’d always been a romance reader, that’s where I put all my energy.

What A Goddess Wants is your latest release, can you tell us a little about it and the series?
SJ: What a Goddess Wants is the first in the Forgotten Goddesses series. Tessa is the Etruscan Goddess of the Dawn whose job was usurped by the Roman’s Aurora, that cow. Now, Tessa needs a hero because the Etruscan God of the Underworld is looking for her to consume her powers. Tessa needs a hero and fast. She finds one in Caligo, a legendary Cimmerian warrior, who’s sick of being a sucker for a pretty face. Tessa, however, gets under his skin, steals his heart and becomes the woman he can’t live without. But may not have the strength to save.

What is your writing day like?

SJ: Get up around 7, stumble to my desk to clean out email then write, write, write. Five days a week. Sometimes, if I’m behind, on the weekends too. I really try to keep focused but I’m easily distracted. Email and the internet is the bane of my existence. I would get so much done if I would just shut it off but I can’t. It’s a disease. I try to write at least 2K a day though I wish it could be more.

When you’re not writing what kind of books do you like to read?
SJ: Paranormal romance, the hotter the better. Lora Leigh, Nalini Singh and JR Ward are auto-buys but I love Virginia Kantra, Eileen Wilkes, Stacia Kane and Jim Butcher too. If I’m in research mode, I can lose myself in books called Etruscan Religion and Cryptozoology A-Z for days.

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

SJ: Definitely getting covers. They’ve been beautiful. I’ve been so lucky. Favorites include What a Goddess Wants, the upcoming How to Worship a Goddess (which I don’t have a copy of yet but it’s just so pretty), Grace in Moonlight, and my very first EC cover for Seduced by Magic.


What are 3 things that are "must haves" for you when you sit down to write a book?
SJ: Junior Mints. I’m a confessed addict. I must have a clean email box. And Henri the Gargoyle must be sitting in front of my screen. He’s become my guardian angel.

What inspired you the most when writing What A Goddess Wants?
SJ: Etruscan Roman Remains by Charles Godfrey Leland. This was the first book I found when I started researching the Etruscans and it provided such a wealth of information. It’s not a scholarly work but it’s more a look at the magical folk traditions of the Italians. I’m constantly pulling this book out to look for little tidbits of information for my Etruscan stories.

You write four different series, do you find one series easier to write than the others?
SJ: No. You would think they’d get easier as you go along but that’s not true. There’s so much you have to keep track of. Actually the hardest story to write was Size Matters, which is a short, funny, paranormal novella. You’d think because of its size that that would be easier but comedy is hard! I loved writing that story and I’m heading back into that world very soon but it’s so hard to write that short.

What type of research did you do for the book/series?
SJ: Lots and lots. I immersed myself in Etruscan research for several months, read loads of books on Etruscan religion, lifestyle, language, anything I could find.

If you can, tell us what is up next for you?
SJ: Actually, Grace in Moonlight, Book 5 in the Lucani Lovers series releases today! This is Grace and Kaisie’s story. After that I’m hoping there will be a new Fringe story this fall before How to Worship a Goddess releases in December.


WHAT A GODDESS WANTS 
BY STEPHANIE JULIAN
IN STORES JULY 2011

In his arms, her magic powers are on the rise…
Tessa, Etruscan Goddess of the Dawn, is desperately fighting off a malicious god, but her powers are weakening. She needs a hero and fast, because only sexual energy can give her strength. So she seeks out Caligo, whose sexual prowess is legendary…

And she’s the only one who can bring him into the light…
Caligo is a fabled Cimmerian warrior determined to stay away from spoiled goddesses who trample heart after they’ve had their fun. But there’s something irresistibly hot and inviting about Tessa, and he knows he’s her only chance to escape the encroaching darkness…

Where to buy:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Sourcebooks | The Book Depository

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stephanie Julian is the author of three erotic romance series with Ellora’s Cave. She is a member of RWA and Valley Forge Romance Writers and is a freelance entertainment and lifestyle feature writer. Stephanie lives in eastern Pennsylvania, where she is working on the next two books in the Forgotten Goddesses Series: How to Worship a Goddess (December 2011) and Goddess in the Middle (July 2012). For more information, please visit http://www.stephaniejulian.com.

GIVEAWAY
Thanks to Sourcebooks I have two copies of What A Goddess Wants to giveaway. To enter leave a comment along with your email address. Open to U.S. & Canada. The winner will be announced on July 25th. Good Luck!

28 comments:

  1. Thanks for hosting the giveaway! I hadn't heard of this before, but it sounds really good. [:

    Erin @ Let's Evaluate
    letsevaluate@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oooh. I really want to read this!

    Thanks for hosting the giveaway!

    lyssad87(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great Post! Definitely a book thats going on my wishlist here. Thanks for the giveaway.

    LadyVampire2u AT gmail DOT com

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  4. The Etruscans are interesting to study; I would like a copy of this book. Thank you.
    mnleona@aol.com

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  5. Great interview. What a Goddess Wants sounds good. Thanks for the giveaway.

    Crystal816[at]hotmail[dot]com

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  6. I love that Junior Mints are on the top 3 list for writing :)

    Thanks for the interview and the giveaway!

    ssosborn AT gmail dot com

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  7. This book sounds really interesting, thanks for the giveaway!


    Littopandaxpress(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  8. Would love to be entered. Thank you for the contest!!!

    robin [at] intensewhisper [dot] com

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  9. This sounds like a great series! Please enter me in the draw!

    I'm following you on GFC (Darlene), and my email address is darlenesbooknook at gmail dot com.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  10. Thanks for the giveaway! I've seen this cover on a couple blogs, but hadn't seen a synopsis. It definitely sounds interesting.

    Sara M
    sara_UFblog [at] yahoo [dot] com

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  11. Thanks for the interview and giveaway! Looks like a great book!

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  12. Thanks for the giveaway. I really want to read this book. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com

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  13. Thanks for the giveaway!
    mce1011 AT aol DOT com

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  14. I am addicted to those junior mints,too. (did you try the special edition ones that come out at Christmas?).
    I loved the interview, the book sounds so good. I put it on my TBR list.
    twoofakind12@yahoo.com

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  15. Wow...sounds like a great read!! Very nice interview!!
    viajeradelmar@aol.com

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  16. I have been away from the book world for a while since my son was born and this is the first day I have been back on all the blogs and I have seen several reviews about this. I love all mythology books and I am looking forward to reading this one!! I have already put it on my nook wish list!!

    aliciahall0605@yahoo.com

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  17. Thank you all for stopping by and checking out my interview with Anna.

    Sabrina, Junior Mints are in my top three of anything.

    Debbie, special edition junior mints? and I missed them. NOOOOO!

    Alicia, congrats on your son. enjoy these young years. I have teenagers. Enough said.

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  18. I really want to read this book.Thanks for the chance to win a copy
    elaing8(at)netscape(dot)net

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  19. I'm still trying to get used to the new website, by the way congratulations for that!
    Sounds like an interesting book though haven't heard much about it yet.

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  20. Forgot my email address: dsadler53 at yahoo dot ca

    Sorry!

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  21. What a great giveaway thank you so much for the chance! I would love to read this sounds good!
    tishajean@ charter.net

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  22. Enjoyed your post and loved your Gargoyle. It sounds like yours will be a rather unique series. I certainly haven't read a book with an Etruscan goddess as a heroine.

    little lamb lst at yahoo dot com

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  23. I love the picture of your statuette there is just something about it that is so intriguing. Thank you for the lovely post and giveaway opportunity.

    dz59001[at]gmail[dot]com

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  24. I'd love to get a copy of this one! tWarner419@aol.com

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  25. Please enter me in the giveaway. thanks
    marlenebreakfield(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  26. o i want to read this! it sounds awesome! thank you so much for the giveaway!
    shadow_kohler(at)att(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  27. I really look forward to reading this. Thanks for the fabulous giveaway!

    mljfoland AT hotmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  28. Thanks for the great giveaway!
    twigerina@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete

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