Interview & Giveaway with Paige Tyler

Hi Paige, Welcome to Anna's Book Blog. To start off can you tell the readers a little about yourself? I’m a USA Today Bestselling Author of sexy, romantic fiction. I written over fifty books in practically every genre of romance, but my favorite is definitely the paranormal/romantic-suspense combo. My very own military hero (also known as my hubby) and I live on the beautiful Florida coast with our adorable fur baby (also known as our dog). I actually graduated with a degree in education, and was well on my way to being a teacher, but ultimately I followed my dreams and gave up teaching to pursue my passion and write books about hunky alpha males and the kickbutt heroines who fall in love with them.

Her Perfect Mate is your latest release, can you tell us a little about it and the series? I’d love to! The X-OPS Series centers around the Department of Covert Operations, a super-secret organization within the Department of Homeland Security. They get impossible missions done by pairing the very best soldiers, law enforcement officers, and spies together with shifters—humans that possess special animal attributes because of what's locked in their DNA. Think of it as pairing one of them with one of us.

In the first book, HER PERFECT MATE, the heroine is a feline shifter named Ivy Halliwell. The DCO teams her up with yet another soldier—and she isn't thrilled. With good reason. Her previous partners hated her because she was different, and she figures this new guy will be the same. But Captain Landon Donovan is Special Forces, so he's used to impossible situations and takes them in stride. He’s also hot and hunky, and smells absolutely delicious.

Her Perfect Mate is a paranormal shifter story that blends romance, action, suspense, and military elements into one exciting package that will keep you up reading late into the night—I promise!

What is your writing day like? Ideally, I start off with yoga or some other kind of exercise, get all sorts of amazing ideas while I’m in the shower (it’s one of the places where I do my best thinking!), then curl up with my laptop and write ten-thousand words of perfection.

In reality, while I do start the day with yoga or some other kind of exercise, and even come up with a few awesome ideas in the shower, things derail when I check my email. There’s invariably some crisis that needs my attention right away, so I have to take care of whatever it is before I can start writing. Even then, I still manage to get in several solid hours of writing a day—sometimes more—in between everything else.

When you’re not writing what kind of books do you like to read? I love romantic suspense—and if it’s combined with military and/or paranormal romance, even better!  I also enjoy reading some of the more adult-themed YA books out there. My current favorite (besides Lisi Harrison’s Monster High Series!) is Tracie Puckett’s Just a Little Series. If you love YA, grab it, grab it, grab it!

What type of research did you do for the book/series? Well, I had to do a lot of research on Army Special Forces, like their schooling, units, and organizational structure. It was so fascinating that I spent hours reading everything. Since the DCO is a fictional organization within Homeland Security, I had to read up on that, as well as what makes up a Congressional Oversight Committee. I also had to research all the countries the characters go to, as well as how they get there (and back out), what type of weapons they use, and a lot about human and animal DNA.

What are 3 things that are "must haves" for you when you sit down to write a book? Comfy clothes. I wear a Disney sleep shirt when I write. Yeah, I know it plays into the stereotype of romance writers sitting around in their PJs all day, but that really is what I wear.

My iPod. I know some writers who say they can’t write to music, but I actually write better when I listen to it.

Inspiration. If I don’t have that, the other two don’t make a difference!

What inspired you most while writing Her Perfect Mate? I really wanted to write a story (an entire series, really) that delves into a lot of things people in the military experience. Since my hubby is retired military, I was able to draw from not just my background and his, but from other military people we know. Even though it’s a paranormal romance, I feel that I was able to keep it grounded with real emotions.

If you could give your lead characters one piece of advice, what would it be? I’d tell the hero and heroine to trust their instincts. Ivy has dealt with a bunch of jerks before, so while she thinks Landon is different, she doesn't know if she can trust her feelings. On the flip side, Landon feels something for Ivy right from the start, but can't imagine how getting involved with her romantically can work out—especially since it’s against DCO policy. Both of them need to realize this is what they’re supposed to be doing, and who they’re supposed to be doing it with.

What's your favorite thing about writing Paranormal Romance/Military Romance? Getting to combine my two favorite sub-genres. The military aspect provides me with immediate access to amazing alpha males who are geared for action and come with their own adventurous storylines. The paranormal element gives me the freedom to explore those themes in a completely unique way.

What is next for you? Well, HER LONE WOLF, Book Two in the X-OPS Series, releases in November. So excited about that! It’s followed by an X-OPS Novella called HER SECRET AGENT that releases in December. It’s a fun story that gives readers inside info on the DCO, as well as gives them the skinny on some very important stuff that the other characters in the novels aren’t privy to. So, yeah, there are lots of OMG moments ahead for the X-OPS crew.

Right now, I’m working on the outline for the second book in my S.W.A.T. Series, aka my Special Alpha Wolf Team Series. If you haven’t figured it out from the name, it’s about a SWAT team made up of wolf shifters. Think hot guys in tactical gear with claws and you get the picture! The first book releases from Sourcebooks in early 2015, so I hope you’ll check it out!

Bio:

Paige Tyler is a USA Today Bestselling Author of sexy, romantic fiction. She and her very own military hero (also known as her husband) live on the beautiful Florida coast with their adorable fur baby (also known as their dog). Paige graduated with a degree in education, but decided to pursue her passion and write books about hunky alpha males and the kickbutt heroines who fall in love with them.

She is represented by Bob Mecoy.

Her Perfect Mate
X-OPS #1
By Paige Tyler

Out Now

He's a High-Octane Special Ops Pro
When Special Forces Captain Landon Donovan is chosen for an assignment with the Department of Covert Operations, he's stunned to find his new partner is a beautiful woman who looks like she couldn't hurt a fly, never mind take down a terrorist.

She's No Kitten
Ivy Halliwell isn't your average covert op. She's a feline shifter, and more dangerous than she looks. Her feline DNA means she can literally bring out the claws when things get dicey. She's worked with a string of hotheaded military guys who've underestimated her special skills in the past. But when she's partnered with special agent Donovan, a man sexy enough to make any girl purr, things begin to heat up. He doesn't think she's a freak-and he's smokin' hot. Soon they're facing a threat even greater than anyone imagines...and an animal magnetism impossible to ignore.

Read an Excerpt:

http://paigetylertheauthor.com/BooksHerPerfectMate.html

Reviews:

"An absolutely perfect story-one I honestly couldn't put down. One of the best books I've read in years. I hope this is the beginning of a very long series, because I definitely want more of Paige Tyler's shifters." - Kate Douglas, author of the bestselling Wolf Tales and Spirit Wild series

"A wild, hot, and sexy ride from beginning to end! I loved it!" - Terry Spear, USA Today bestselling author of A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing

"Once I began, the outside world ceased to exist. It's exciting and fast paced." - Paranormal Kiss

"I love a good paranormal romance and this series has started off with a bang!" - Hopeless in Literature Reviews

Buy Links:
Amazon | BN | ARe | iTunes | Sourcebooks

Author Links:

Website: http://paigetylertheauthor.com/

Blog: http://paigetylertheauthor.blogspot.com/

Facebook Profile Page: http://www.facebook.com/paige.tyler.9

Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/PaigeTylerAuthor

Twitter: http://twitter.com/PaigeTyler

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/paigetylerauth/

Google+: http://plus.google.com/u/0/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2300692.Paige_Tyler

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/BBrEP

Email: paigetyler@paigetylertheauthor.com

GIVEAWAY
Thanks to Sourcebooks I have a copy of Her Perfect Mate to giveaway. To enter leave a comment along with your email address. Open to US/CA. The winner will be announced on May 21st!