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Scifi, Fantasy & Paranormal Romance that Defies Boundaries

My Bitten by Books interview, chat and contest is LIVE!  Stop by and chat with me for a chance to win one of TWO PRIZES: $30 Amazon Gift Card (1 Winner) and $20 Barnes and Noble online Gift Card (1 Winner).

 

EVENT TIME: NOW

WHERE: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=19521

EVENT ENDS: Feb. 9th 12pm Central Time
Open to U.S. & International Entrants

* *REMEMBER**  Your purchases also go towards Haiti relief organization Doctors Without Borders. (I’m donating 10% of all my book sale proceeds to Doctors Without Borders when you purchase the books directly from my publishers.)

AVAILABLE BOOKS:

Temptation Eve (Nocturnal Cravings – Book 1) – Buy Link

Starstruck: Hunter (Celestial Lovers – Book 1) – Buy Link

Hope to see you there!

~ Michelle

Relief for Haiti

Last month, an earthquake and several aftershocks devastated the country of Haiti. My heart goes out to those affected. I have family in Haiti, so this is personal for me.

To help Haitian Relief efforts, this month I’m donating 10% of all proceeds from my book sales to Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when you buy the books directly from my publishers.

Doctors Without Borders received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999 and has worked in Haiti for almost 20 years. It provides emergency medical services and operates 3 emergency hospitals in Port-au-Prince, the area where much of the earthquake damage occurred.

This charity is tax-deductible.

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They’re HERE! I just posted TWO brand new FREE READS to my site. Experience NIGHTS OF TEMPTATION (A Nocturnal Cravings Prequel) TODAY!

An icy hot lawyer meets her match in a jaded incubus who haunts her dreams in this hot tale, a prequel to the spicy love story shown in my bestselling story, TEMPTATION EVE from Cobblestone Press.

Download NIGHTS OF TEMPTATION on the FREEBIES page here http://www.michellelaurenbooks.com/freebies

2010 NEW RELEASE & AUTHOR GIVEAWAYS

2/2 Gail Roarke – Love heats up the sky – and the city – with Gail’s spicy, new superhero romance Three on a Rooftop from Cobblestone Press PRIZES 1 Copy of Three on a Rooftop & 1 Copy of Queen Bee (1 Winner will get both books) Click to view Giveaway

2/4 Keta Diablo – Chats about 3-D characters and her new m/m paranormal romance, The Sin Eater’s Prince, available from Ravenous Romance PRIZE A copy of The Sin Eater’s Prince (1 Winner) Click to view (Won’t work until Feb. 4th)

SPECIAL EVENT 2/8 Michelle Lauren - Get ready! I’m taking over Bitten by Books for an interview & to give away goodies. PRIZES One $30 Amazon.com Gift Card & One $20 Barnes & Noble online Gift Card (2 Winners)


2/9 Jeanne St. James - Get ready for a game of Double Dare, her sexy new release from Loose Id

2/11 Gianna Bruno , author of Hot Chocolate Kiss from Eternal Press is in the house!

SPECIAL EVENT 2/13 Join Michelle Lauren and author Minx Malone at the Naughty Girls Next Door & indulge in a hot flash or two (the good kind).

2/16 Cathleen Ross gives us a taste of Dirty Sexy Murder, her new release from Lyrical Press.

2/23 Sandra Sookoo – Learn The Art of Fang Shui & Win! PRIZES A goodie bag filled with fun book-related stuff in a custom tote bag (1 Winner)

2/25 Rida Allen author and owner of Draumr Publishing, gives up the dirt on The Player , Book 2 in her Bandmates series. PRIZE 1 Copy of The Player (1 Winner)

Naughty is the Watch Word : 2/28 Inez Kelley , author of Jinxed from Samhain Publishing visits The Naughty Girls Next Door to share a sinful excerpt & to give away some goodies. PRIZE Reader’s choice of a book from Inez’s backlist (1 Winner)

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Joining me today is Jeanne St. James, author of Banged Up and Rip Cord. Her new release Double Dare is available now from Loose Id.

She’ll be introducing us to Quinn Preston, the heroine from Double Dare. Take it away Jeanne!


INTERVIEW WITH QUINN PRESTON

Why is your story titled DOUBLE DARE?

It all stemmed from when I was wrangled into being a bridesmaid at a wedding. Well, I and two of my close friends did it for another friend… Why are bridesmaids’ dresses so awful?

Anyway, at the reception, my friends spotted a handsome stranger – one I would not have taken noticed to myself… he had tattoos and long hair and a very short beard. I was never one for facial hair. Or tattoos. But there was something about Logan which ended up caught my attention… once I talked to him.

But even so, they had to dare me to ask him to dance. I didn’t fall for it. Then they double dared me. It turned out that the double dare was the best thing I ever did… And I can say that with a BIG SMILE!

Why do you call Ty and Logan “the boys”?

Honestly, I don’t know. It just came naturally. Once they took me into their lives, I felt like I was a part of them – that they were mine – so I just started calling them “my boys” or “the boys.” They like it, though. And believe me, they are ALL MAN!

Have you ever heard of sod farming before you met “the boys”?

No. But it makes sense. Somebody has to supply stadiums and golf courses with that great sod. And before going out to the farm, I never realized that there are so many different types of grasses. They have quite a successful business and it continues to grow.

What does your family think of your relationship with two men?

They are not too keen on it. They are very conservative and my parents – my mother in particular – is very worried about “keeping up appearances.”

Have you ever had a relationship with two men at the same time before?

No! Never even considered it. It was quite a shock to learn that Logan was already in a relationship… with another man! I think you have to be very open-minded to even consider being in a relationship with two men at once. I’d have to say that Logan and Ty made it an easy decision for me.

Do you think that you can be truly in love with two men at once?

No doubt about it. The boys loved each other intensely before I came along and they still love each other just as much now. The only thing different is that they both love me and I love them in return. And yes, I love them both equally.

I noticed your story has some BDSM in it? Is that something you were involved in before meeting the boys?

No. My sex life was very, very boring in comparison. My ex-boyfriend bored me in bed. Logan is the dominant in the relationship. And they both opened my eyes to some new and exciting things. In fact here’s the publisher’s warning (which makes me giggle):

Publisher’s Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Anal play/intercourse, BDSM theme & content, male/male sexual practices, ménage (m/m/f).

You can read more about Quinn, Logan and Ty in DOUBLE DARE, an interracial ménage a trois out with Loose Id.

BUY LINK

Blurb:

What could be better than waking up next to a hot guy? Waking up sandwiched between two of them.

Quinn Preston, a financial analyst, is not happy when her friends dare her to pick up a handsome stranger at a wedding reception. What better reason to give up men when her previous long-term relationship had not only been lackluster in the bedroom but he had cheated?

Logan Reed, a successful business owner, can’t believe that he’s attracted to the woman in the ugly, Pepto-Bismol pink bridesmaid dress. And to boot, she’s more than tipsy. After turning down her invitation for a one-night stand, he finds her in the parking lot too impaired to drive. He rescues her and takes her home. His home.

The next morning Quinn’s conservative life turns on its ear when Logan introduces her to pleasures she never even considered before. And to make things more complicated, Logan already has a lover.

Tyson White, ex-pro football player, is completely in love with Logan. He has mixed emotions when Logan brings home Quinn. But the dares keep coming…

EXCERPT LINK:

www.jeannestjames.com/bookshelf

Michelle Lauren: Thanks for joining us today Jeanne and Quinn. Readers, make sure to check back every Tuesday & Thursday this month for more character interviews, new release giveaways & more!

Today I’m joined by author Keta Diablo, author of the sexy m/m vampire romance, THE SIN EATER’S PRINCE (available from Ravenous Romance).

In honor of her new release, Keta chats characters with us.
3-D isn’t JUST for movies; the best stories include characters that “feel” real. Making them 3-Dimensional is the most effective way.


TODAY’S GIVEAWAY


1 Copy of THE SIN EATER’S PRINCE.

GIVEAWAY ENDS: February 5th, 10 AM Eastern Standard Time

INTERNATIONAL READERS WELCOME!

Keta, we’re all ears — and grabby, book-loving hands. ;D


3-D CHARACTERS


by Keta Diablo

Thanks Michelle for hosting me today on your lovely site. Let’s talk a little about characters today and why some are one-dimensional, two-dimensional and three-dimensional.

Have you ever read a review where the reviewer points to “shallow” characters in the novel? I know I have, and that’s why I feel it’s so important for writers to allot their characters depth. So what is depth, and what do you mean by “dimensional” characters?

I think it’s crucial that readers understand who the characters are: what makes them tick, and particularly what the character’s identifying features are. I’m not necessarily talking about physical features, but consistency and manner of speech, body language and internal thoughts on how he/she views the world. A character is not merely a gorgeous person with eyes of blue. He/she is a composition of many events that has made him/her what they are today.

Their emotions are multifaceted and often conflicting. They could come from troubled backgrounds or perhaps have been born with silver spoons in their mouths. Whatever the case, in order for readers to understand and relate to your characters, writers need to delve into a character’s history to make them likeable and real (or not so likeable in the villain’s case). It’s also important the readers believe (and can picture) the character existing before your story even began — thus the history.

Shallow characters (one-dimensional) have no real story, no identifying aspects to their personality. They’re merely walk-ons in your novel and won’t make lasting impressions. Readers will soon get bored with reading about someone they can’t identify with or like, and will no doubt put the book down. This, of course, is the last thing you want them to do.

Two-dimensional characters might have one identifying trait or a smidgeon of history, but why stop there? Write your characters as if they are a person you’d love to know. In fact, you should be so fascinated by their thoughts about life, their opinions, that you long to know everything about them, including their past.

If your hero or heroine lacks depth or dimension, reviewers/readers might refer to them as cardboard characters, another term you want to avoid at all costs. This means they’re typical ordinary, forgettable people or par for the course in motives and goals. While writing about them, you might have hinted about a like or dislike they possess, but there you stopped, leaving the thought underdeveloped without explaining why they dislike the color purple or why they adore women in hats. What’s the history behind their abhorrence, fetish or passion?

One of the great things about writing is that you, the author, have control over the portrayals of your characters. Make them bigger than life; exaggerate their habits, annoyances, likes and dislikes. Make every aspect about them memorable in the reader’s mind.

Here’s a very short example of revealing something about the character’s background by subtly weaving it into dialogue. This is from my series, Crossroads and is contained in Crossroads Revisited (Available from Phaze Publishing). Here, one of the main characters, Rand, is having a conversation with his college professor about his lack of attentiveness in class. We learn that Rand’s dependence on his older lover, Frank McGuire, stems at least in part because he misses his father.

The professor’s tone softened. “Does your mother have a husband, Mr. Brennan? Perhaps I should speak to your father about your latent distractions and boredom in class. I’m certain he’d want to know how his money is being frittered away.”

“Not anymore.” Flashbacks of Rand’s father rose behind his eyelids and tears surfaced. He fought them back and looked into Professor McBride’s eyes. “He died about six years ago, shot during a bank robbery.”

The man stilled and studied him.

You won’t regret giving your characters three-dimensions to their personalities. Here’s an excellent article from The Writing Tools Blogspot about Writing Character Bios for your stories. I highly recommend reading it.

Happy writing and reading! ~ Keta

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GUEST AUTHOR BIO:
Keta’s latest release is The Sin Eater’s Prince, a male/male vampire novel set in historical Wales. You can find out more about The Sin Eater’s Prince at Ravenous Romance

Don’t forget to sign up for Keta’s newsletter if you’d like to know when she has a new book being released. Keta gives away three FREE books every month. Sign up here.

About The Sin Eater’s Prince:

Owen Rhys, the sin eater of his village in Wales, has been shunned by the local villagers his entire life–except by Andras Maddock, the local physician. In love with the one man he thinks will never return that love, Owen is shocked when Andras saves him from death at the hands of a vampire and admits he cares deeply for Owen.

Dagan, son of Traherne, the vampire Andras killed to save Owen, will stop at nothing to avenge his father’s death and obtain the Prince of Wales’s mystic sword from Andras. The divine claymore holds the power to grant immunity from the sun’s harsh rays—the one exemption the dark Lords of the Underworld has sought for centuries.

Star-crossed love, sorcery, and bloodlust collide on a vengeful path where only one side can remain victorious. Revenge and redemption. Dark versus light. Good versus evil. The Sin Eater’s Prince.

Watch the video trailer here | Read a sample chapter of The Sin Eater’s Prince

TODAY’S GIVEAWAY

Win ONE copy of THE SIN EATER’S PRINCE today! You can enter the drawing in two ways:

  • FOLLOW one of Keta’s blogs — The Stuff of Myth and Men OR Keta’s Keep
  • OR

  • FOLLOW Michelle Lauren’s blog

    Michelle will select the winner and notify Keta. If you’re the winner, Keta will contact you to see what blog you’re following and send you The Sin Eater’s Prince in your chosen format.

    REMEMBER: The giveaways ENDS February 5th, 10 AM Eastern Standard Time.

    Happy reading!

  • Congratulations to Tamela! You won a copy of THE SIN EATER’S PRINCE. Keta will contact you soon to see which of our blog(s) you’re following & what format of the book you want.

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    Happy Hump Day! Check out today’s Wicked Wednesday featured author, KyAnn Waters. She’s sharing some steamy excerpts from two of her works-in-progress: A contemporary short (“Beautiful Storm”) and a BDSM story.

    Tell her know what you think here.

    Today I’m joined by author Gail Roarke, author of the hot new superhero romance, Three on a Rooftop (available from Cobblestone Press).

    In honor of her new release, Gail talks enemies with us. For those of you who love comic book and superheros as much as I do, you know a hero is only as good as his nemesis.

    TODAY’S GIVEAWAY

    Stayed tuned because Gail is giving away not one but TWO great prizes: 1 Copy of Three on a Rooftop and 1 Copy of Queen Bee (1 Winner will receive both

    Gail, you have the floor.

    Is A Man Measured By His Enemies?

    Signs point to yes, at least when it comes to fictional heroes.

    After all, a story is simply a lengthy description of an extended conflict. Everyone who’s studied literature in school knows that you don’t have to have a human foe in your story to establish conflict. The conflict can be with nature, in the form of dangerous animals or the environment. You can write about the internal conflicts of a man who must choose between competing needs or desires. Or you can write about conflict with other human beings.

    And to the extent that your hero’s opponent is powerful, determined, and able, the story will be improved. After all, if the conflict is easily resolved, there’s no story. If John wants some ice cream and there’s an ice cream truck right there, with a driver willing and able to sell him some…John gets his ice cream without any fuss. There’s no drama there!

    If John wants to take Mary to the prom but Fred is competing for Mary’s attentions, then you’ve got conflict. To the extent that Fred is a potent enemy–wealthy, handsome, clever, motivated–he makes for a more interesting story because John defeat Fred to win the date with Mary. Fred’s good qualities make him a formidable opponent.

    James Bond demonstrates his heroism when he overcomes formidable opponents to save the world. Indiana Jones must defeat a literal army of bad guys to keep the Ark of the Covenant out of Nazi hands. Spider-Man has to defeat equally powerful supervillains to protect his loved ones and save the city from destruction. If these heroes faced foes who were easily defeated, who would care?

    No, a powerful and motivated villain can make all the difference in a story. That’s especially true of smart villains, who use their wits to overcome physically superior opponents, whether it’s Lex Luthor making use of Superman’s fatal weaknesses, or Hans Gruber manipulating events to his own advantage in Die Hard: “You asked for a miracle, Theo? I give you the FBI!”

    We all like to see the hero win in the end, but a really well-written, clever villain gains our admiration as well. He makes the race worth winning, he shows us just what our hero is really made of by pushing him to his limits, and he makes sure the hero has earned his victory with his sweat, pain, and blood. No cheap, easy victories when a masterful villain is involved!

    GIVEAWAY

    So, in honor of worthwhile villains, those “Necessary Evils” of fiction, a contest! If you are the first to name the speakers (or the most speakers, if nobody gets them all) in these quotes (all from memorable movie villains), I’ll send you a free copy of my two latest erotic romance publications, Three On A Rooftop, and Queen Bee.

    1. “From this day forward, your lands, your homes–your very lives!–will gladly be given in tribute to me. In return, you will enjoy my generous protection. In other words, you will be allowed to live. Defy me, and all your cities will end up like this one!”


    2. “Mr. Takagi, I could talk about industrialization and men’s fashion all day, but I’m afraid that work must intrude.”


    3. “We are the future, Charles. Not them. They no longer matter.”


    4. “I’m not a comic book villain. Do you seriously think I would explain my master stroke to you if there were even the slightest possibility you could affect the outcome? I did it thirty-five minutes ago.”

    Women love Mr. Darcy. It’s a universal fact, aided by the sight of Colin Firth in a wet T-shirt. Adaptations and remakes of his story abound, from humorous to downright naughty. Join The Naughty Girls Next Door for a list of the most sensational remakes in literary history.

    Have a favorite? Share it!

     
    LINK: http://cataurl.com/SnYXB

    Yay! After a brief hiatius, I’m thrilled to announce the return of Superhero Saturday, a regular blog feature focusing on comic books and graphic novels.

    Today, I’m counting down The Sexiest Supervillains: Femmes Rule, a list that proves evil can definitely be sexy. In two weeks, I’ll count down the Sexiest Male Supervillains. Enjoy!

    First Appears: Wanted # 1 by Mark Millar (2003, 2004)

    Publisher: Top Cow

    Occupation: Super villain/Assassin

    Skills: Weaponry; Agility

    Dubbed as “the Watchmen for villains” by the Sunday Times, Wanted burst onto the scene with a vengence with the Fraternity, a group of super villains.

    Oddities: Somehow this character, whose physical appearance was reportedly modeled after Halle Berry (and who is obviously NOT white in the comic), was portrayed by Angelina Jolie in film. Maybe executives didn’t think Berry could pull off the bada$$ery needed to portray this gritty character. Thoughts?

    First Appearance: Batman # 181

    Publisher: DC Comics

    Occupation: Eco-terrorist/Ex-Botanist

    Powers: Immunity to all toxins & diseases

    Skills: Hynopsis; Pheromone Control; Death Touch

    Nemesis: Batman

    Weakness: Bad Boys & Irritating Catch phrases (a.k.a. “You’re plant food!”)

    Think Jessica Rabbit — except criminally insane. Voila! You have Poison Ivy (a.k.a. Pamela Isley), an ex-botanist who turns evil after a love interest tries to kill her. Has anyone else noticed how the “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” angle is the origin for many super villains? A similar incident occurred with Cat Woman (except the man in question wasn’t a boyfriend).
    So here’s the moral: Don’t piss off a woman in the comic verse. Or she’ll destroy you. And then the world.

    First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #52
    Publisher: Marvel

    Occupation: Ex-KGB Assassin (Currently, a member of S.H.I.E.L.D.)

    Powers: Slowed aging; Advanced Healing; Psychological and physical enhancements.

    Skills: Hand to Hand Combat; Excellent Sharpshooter; Escape & Martial Artist

    Nemesis: Various members of the KGB

    Weakness: Daredevil
    Known as one of the greatest espionage spies alive, Black Widow (a.k.a. Natasha Romanova) definitely gets around. A trained ballerina, Natasha later became a member of the KGB when her first husband died.

    Since then, she has been an assassin for The Hand, and a member of S.H.I.E.L.D. and and The Avengers. But her bada$$ery quotient goes up simply because she had the guts to move in on Elektra’s on-again/off-again, Daredevil.

    NOTE: Although Black Widow starts off as a villain, she does later help the “good guys.” Her place on this list, though, is due to her work for The Hand and the KGB.

    First Appears: Captain America Vol. 1, #184

    Publisher: Marvel

    Occupation: Biochemist/Criminal

    Powers: Slowed aging; Advanced Healing;

    Skills: Hand to Hand Combat; Brilliant Scientist with enhanced skills in Cybernetics, Robotics, Genetics and Physics.

    Nemesis: Captain America

    Weakness: Fleas?
    I’m conflicted about Nightshade. Like many supervillains, she comes from impoverished beginnings, is extraordinarily intelligent and is very attractive — a combination that, according to the comic verse almost universely leads to crime. And skin tight uniforms.

    However, I think Marvel did her character a disservice. Intelluctually gifted in cybernetics, robotics and physics, Nightshade uses her powers to create…werewolves. Seriously.

    NOT the most advanced A.I. the world’s ever known. NOT an enhanced exoskeleton. NOT sentient weaponry or time travel. Werewolves.

    True, Nightshade did turn Captain America into a werewolf at one point, but that “victory” pales in comparison to the lameness of her ultimate goals.

    Verdict? Lame, Marvel. Just…lame.

    First Appears: Daredevil # 168

    Publisher: Marvel

    Occupation: World’s Deadliest Assassin

    Powers: Illusion Casting; Hypnosis; Danger Sense; Resurrected from Death.

    Skills: Expert Marksman; Agility; Hand to Hand combat; Tracking

    Nemesis: Daredevil

    Weakness: Matt Murdock (a.k.a. Daredevil)
    Bada$$ery has a face. And sais. And one hell of a temper.

    Oddities: Unlike a lot of people, I didn’t loathe the Jennifer Garner film version of this character. Sure, it was lame in that studio execs toned down the grittiness of this character. The movie was like an adaption of Sin City without the gore or violence. Sort of like, if they weren’t going to do it right then why bother?
    Thoughts?

    Seen in: Angel: After the Fall and Spike: After the Fall

    Publisher: IDW Publishing

    Occupation: Hell Goddess

    Powers: Time Manipulation; Supernnatural Strength, Speed & agility; Ability to communicate with plants; Almost-Impenetrable skin; Morphing; Empathic abilities; Immortal

    Skills: Expert in Hand to Hand combat and Weaponry

    Nemesis: Wolfram & Hart

    Weakness: Wesley Wyndham-Price

    I’m a die-hard X-Men fan. Everyone knows this. For years, I thought no one would top Marvel’s Dark Phoenix as super villain of the century. Then I met Illyria.

    Need an example of her awesomeness? During a brutal battle, an enemy murdered Illyria’s love interest Wesley (see above). Her reaction? Illyria shatters the killer’s head with a single punch.

    Her list of powers is longer than I could list. Not only did she rule an alternate dimension with an iron fist, but her is essentially Mystique, Elektra & Dark Phoenix rolled into one.
    Hear that sound? That was the bada$$ meter exploding.

    TUNE IN 2/6 for the next installment, The Sexiest Supervillains: The Men.



    Now it’s YOUR turn!

    Who is your favorite female supervillain? Tell me in the comment section below!

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