Interview with Gena Showalter and Giveawy - September 27, 2011

Books-n-Kisses and The Qwillery are happy to team up to bring Gena Showalter to both of our blogs. Gena, we are both extremely excited to have you here today.


Gena:  I’m so happy to be here! Thank you so much for making it happen!

Q1)  What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

Gena:  I wouldn’t say ‘interesting’ so much as ‘frustrating.’ *g* I am over the top OCD about my books. Once I start one, I can’t stop. I eat, breathe and totally live the characters and their story. Seriously, I don’t think about anything else until the book is done. And yes, I’ve even called family members by character names. A terribly unbalanced way to live, but I honestly adore my job—even when the characters are naughty. Okay, especially when the characters are naughty.

Q2)   Have you always known you wanted to be an author?

Gena:  Actually, no. I played around with nursing for a while, but I had a terrible bedside manner so . . . that was a no go. But I had always loved to read romance novels, and I was always picturing scenes in my head, so ultimately writing seemed like the better fit.

Q3)  Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Gena:  Pantser. I like to find out what happens when the readers finds out.

Q4)  Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?

Gena:  I adore Kresley Cole, Karen Marie Moning, PC Cast, Jill Monroe, Nalini Singh, Larissa Ione, Jeaniene Frost, Meljean Brook, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Deidre Knight, Jessica Andersen, Shannon Butcher, Shelly Laurenston, Jennifer Cruise, JR Ward, and so many more! But my early influences were Johanna Lindsay, Julie Garwood, and Linda Howard.

Q5)  Gena, you have so many great series. How do you come up with so many great stories?

Gena:  Something I hear, see, or read will cause me to say “What if.” With the Lords -- what if men opened Pandora’s box? Alien huntress – what if (sexy and, okay, predatory) otherworlders walked among us? With the Intertwined series – what if a teenage boy had four human souls trapped inside his head? Everything grows from there.

Q6)  Do you have a favorite character out of all your series? If so who & why?

Gena:  I have several favorites J From the Lords, I am head over heels for William. He’s a narcissistic womanizer who thinks torturing his enemies is fun, but oh, is he sexy! I can’t wait to see him tamed. And by tamed I mean just as naughty but in love. From Alien Huntress, I want to run away with Hector. He’s as badass as a guy can be, with arms that morph into flame-throwers (literally), but when he falls for his woman . . . shiver! There is no one more loyal, no one more determined to protect.

Q7)  One of your newest releases is Dark Taste of Rapture (Alien Huntress Series 6) Can you tell us a little more about this book?

Gena:  Would love to! Here’s the blurb:

With one caress, he can give unforgettable pleasure…or unending pain...

Hector Dean is shaved, tattooed, and totally ripped -- and he has a deadly secret. He is a walking weapon, capable of killing with a single brush of his fingertips. Little wonder he’s determined to remain on his own. But Noelle Tremain is a temptation like no other. She is beautiful and rich, with a party girl smile that hides a shocking vulnerability, and from the beginning his sizzling attraction to her is undeniable. For the first time, his stone-cold resistance is tested. But to be with her, he risks destroying her.

When a wealthy businessman is murdered in New Chicago’s seediest district, the two are partnered, and there’s no escaping what they both want: each other. Yet neither Hector nor Noelle knows what to fear more—the killer case, or their own lethal desires. . . .

Q8)  Another new release is Lord of the Vampires. Which is the 1st book in a 4 author series titled Royal House of Shadows. The other authors include Jill Monroe (The Lord of Rage, Sept 27), Jessica Andersen (The Lord of Wolfyn, Oct 25), and Nalini Singh (Lord of the Abyss, Nov 27). Can you tell us a little about your book.

Gena:  Once upon a time, the Blood Sorcerer vanquished the kingdom of Elden. To save their children, the queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with a need for vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four royal heirs…and time is running out.

Nicolai the Vampire is renowned for his virility, but in a cruel twist of fate “The Dark Seducer” has become a sex slave in the kingdom of Delfina—stripped of his precious timepiece and his memory. All that remains is a primal need for freedom, revenge—and the only woman who can help him.

When the wanton vampire summons Jane Parker, she is helpless to obey. She's drawn to his dark sexuality and into his magical realm. But for this human, all is not a fairy tale. For saving Nicolai could mean losing the only man she's ever craved...

Q9)  You have a great explanation on the Royal House of Shadow’s website of how the four of you came up with this idea. Would you like to share that idea with us?

Gena:  We wanted tell our favorite fairy tales with fun new (and sexy!) twists! Jill Monroe retells Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Jessica Andersen retells Little Red Riding Hood and Nalini Singh retells Beauty and the Beast. Me? I've always been fascinated by the story of Alice in Wonderland. A young girl wakes up in a whole new world, with no idea who (or what) to trust, fantastical magic around every corner, and her curious nature getting her into all kinds of trouble. I used to put myself in Alice’s place, wondering what I would do, where I would go. And of course, anytime I insert myself into a scene, I also insert a very sexy guy.

But I digress. This time, when I sat down to retell Alice, it wasn’t myself that I saw but Jane Parker, a studious scientist with a haunted past. One morning she wakes and finds herself trapped in mythical realm with Berserkers, shifters, and evil sorcerers. But the most dangerous creature of all? The vampire prince who has an insatiable hunger for her blood. Yeah, this wonderland has fangs—and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Q10)  What is next?

Gena:  I have a bang, bang, bang of releases! There’s Dark Taste of Rapture, my sexiest Alien Huntress novel yet (Aug 23rd), Lord of the Vampires (Aug 23rd), Twisted, the darkest of the Intertwined novels, (Aug 30th, and it's about a human boy who finds himself crowned king of the vampires), The Darkest Surrender (Sept 27th, Strider’s story and my personal favorite of the Lords of the Underworld novels), and Dating the Undead (co-authored with Jill Monroe, coming Jan 2012) This book teaches women how to date creatures of “myth,” and we had such a blast writing it!

Q11)  Is there anything else you would like to add?

Gena:  Thank you so much for having me! This was a blast!

Huge thank you to Gena for stopping by Books-n-Kisses and The Qwillery to talk about her newest releases.


About Gena's Latest Books

The Darkest Surrender
Lords of the Underworld
(HQN, September 27, 2011)

Possessed by the demon of Defeat, Strider cannot lose a challenge without suffering unimaginable pain. For him, nothing stands in the way of victory. Until Kaia, an enchanting Harpy, tempts him to the razor's edge of surrender.

Known among her people as The Disappointment, Kaia must bring home the gold in the Harpy Games or die. Strider is a distraction she can't afford because he has an agenda of his own—steal first prize, an ancient godly artifact, before the winner can be named. But as the competition heats up, only one prize will matter—the love neither had thought possible.…

Amazon : Barnes & Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million

Twisted

Intertwined 3
Harlequin Teen, August 30, 2011

Sixteen-year-old Aden Stone has had a hell of a week. He's been:

Tortured by angry witches. Hypnotized by a vengeful fairy. Spied on by the most powerful vampire in existence. And, oh, yeah, killed—twice.

His vampire girlfriend might have brought him back to life, but he's never felt more out of control. There's a darkness within him, something taking over…changing him. Worse, because he was meant to die, death now stalks him at every turn. Any day could be his last.

Once upon a time, the three souls trapped inside his head could have helped him. He could have protected himself. But as the darkness grows stronger, the souls grow weaker—just like his girlfriend. The more vampire Aden becomes, the more human Victoria becomes, until everything they know and love is threatened.

Life couldn't get any worse. Could it?

Amazon : Barnes & Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million

Lord of the Vampires

Royal House of Shadows 1
Harlequin, August 23, 2011

Once upon a time…the Blood Sorcerer vanquished the kingdom of Elden. To save their children, the queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four royal heirs…and time is running out….

Nicolai the Vampire was renowned for his virility, but in a twist of fate "The Dark Seducer" had become a sex slave in the kingdom of Delfina—stripped of his precious timepiece and his memory. All that remained was a primal need for freedom, revenge—and the only woman who could help him.

In her dreams, a wanton vampire called to Jane Parker, drawing her to his dark sexuality and his magical realm. But for a human, all was not a fairy tale in Delfina. Jane was the key to Nicolai's memory…but exploiting her meant dooming the only mortal he craved.

Amazon : Barnes & Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million

Dark Taste of Rapture

Alien Huntress 6
Pocket Star, August 23, 2011

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter captivates with a dark, tantalizing world of humans, otherworlders, and a powerful AIR agent consumed by his desire for a woman he can never have. . . .

With one caress, he can give unforgettable pleasure . . . or unending pain. . . .

Hector Dean is shaved, tattooed, and totally ripped—and he has a deadly secret. He is a walking weapon, capable of killing with a single brush of his fingertips. Little wonder he's determined to remain on his own. But Noelle Tremain is a temptation like no other. She is beautiful and rich, with a party girl smile that hides a shocking vulnerability, and from the beginning his sizzling attraction to her is undeniable. For the first time, his stone-cold resistance is tested. But to be with her, he risks destroying her.

When a wealthy businessman is murdered in New Chicago's seediest district, the two are partnered, and there's no escaping what they both want: each other. Yet neither Hector nor Noelle knows what to fear more—the killer case, or their own lethal desires. . . .

Amazon : Barnes & Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million

Gena's Links

Website
Official Facebook page
Twitter page
Young Adult page
Amazon page


The Giveaway

THE RULES

What:  One commenter at The Qwillery will win a signed copy of  The Darkest Surrender from Gena Showalter. Head over to Books-n-Kisses and enter for a chance to win there also! Two copies of the book will be given away - one at each blog. US mailing addresses only.

How:  Leave a comment answering the following question:



What is your favorite book by Gena or which of her books are looking forward to the most?

Please remember - if you don't answer the question your entry will not be counted.

You may receive additional entries by:

1)  Being a Follower of The Qwillery.

2)  Mentioning the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter and/or your blog. Even if you mention the giveaway on both, you will get only one additional entry. You get only one additional entry even if you mention the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter or your blog multiple times.

Note:  It must be your own blog or website; not a website that belongs to someone else or a site where giveaways, contests, etc. are posted.

There are a total of 3 entries you may receive: Answer the question (1 entry), Follower (+1 entry), Facebook and/or Twitter and/or personal blog/website mention (+1 entry). This is subject to change again in the future for future giveaways.

Please leave links for Facebook, Twitter, or blog/website mentions. In addition please leave a way to contact you.

Who and When: The contest is open to all humans with a US mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59pm US Eastern Time on Tuesday, October 4, 2011. Void where prohibited by law. You must be 18 years old or older to enter.

*Giveaway rules are subject to change.*