Sins & Authors – Interview with L.H. Cosway

Yay this is an exciting one, folks. One of my favorite people is talking with us today – she’s written such books (that, FYI, I’ve loved) such as A Strange Fire and Painted Faces.  Her heroines are always absolutely enjoyable, the writing is fun, and she’s just an overall awesome and supportive person. Please welcome L.H. Cosway and read on her for interview (ALSO there’s a Bold Tricks TEASER PIC at the bottom :D)

KH: Hello!!! Long time no see. So, let’s go back to basics. What made you want to read Sins & Needles and what were your thoughts on it?

LC: Well, obviously I’m a massive Dex & Perry fan so I was eager to read your new series. I also liked the idea of the heroine being a con artist. I thought it read very much like a film, especially when Ellie and Camden get to Vegas. There was something about it that I could just visualise so well and imagine it as this kind of heist/crime/romance flick.

KH: Yah, it’s so fun to meet people who love Experiment in Terror as well. Back to TAT though – It is well-known in S&N and the prequel, On Every Street, that Javier cheats on Ellie…do you think it’s excusable or did she do the right thing by leaving him?

LC: Noooo way, it’s not excusable. She definitely did the right thing by leaving him. But…BUT now having read Shooting Scars and knowing the reason why he cheated I’m thinking it’s not sooo bad…It’s still bad but not as bad as I originally thought. Okay, so I just really like Javier and I want to forgive him. Leave me alone.

KH: You’re all kinds of messed-up. HA! Would your character from Painted Faces, Fred(a), choose to go on a date with Camden or Javier?

LC: I think a teenage Fred would choose Camden in a heartbeat, but grown up Fred likes a snappy dresser and if Javier is anything it’s that. Also, she’d notice that mysteriously dangerous air about him, and be like, “Who is that!?” There are lots of men like Camden in Dublin, but dark and exotic Mexican cartel members there definitely are not.

 

KH:  Word of advice: do NOT let Fred go on a date with Javier…she’ll end up murdered. Or stained!  How would a date between Ellie and Nick go?

LC: I think she’d be wary of him at first, especially if she already knew what he did for a living, ahem. But then he’d sweet talk her and make her laugh in a flirty but playful way and she’d be like, SWOON. Then he might bring her to see him perform and in her head she’d be adamant she wasn’t going to enjoy it. He’d saunter out and sing “Sweet Transvestite” to her with lots of eye contact, making sure she gets a load of his crotch in hot pants. Afterwards Nick would join her for a drink and be all, “Your place or mine, daaahling?” and she’d be like, “Taxi!”

KH: Well, Camden in high school wore makeup, so you’re right, she’d probably like it! If you were a con artist, what would your alias be? What crimes would you commit? Where would you flee to?

LC: My alias would be Liza Woolf. I’d want to do some real classy scam like trying to sell a fake Renoir to a private collector and pass it off as the real deal. Or maybe I’d pose as a swanky airline pilot and forge checks while swanning about surrounded by beautiful air hostesses. Oh, right, I forgot I’m not Leonardo Di Caprio…Since I live in Ireland, if I had to flee I’d go to this place called the Gaeltacht, which I’ve driven through a few times. It’s so desolate that I’ve thought to myself, somebody could get lost here and never be found.

KH: *makes notes to drop off the bodies there* I mean…what? If you could let Camden tattoo you, what would you get?

LC: Oh, God. I’d be so nervous to be tattooed by Camden after what he did to the Mexican guy in Shooting Scars…But I’d force myself to go through with it because that’s a once in a lifetime opportunity right there. I’d get a tattoo of a Javier quote just to be devious, lol.

KH: Do you have an tattoos? If so, what are they?

LC: I do. One is a quote from a poem that says we are the dreamers of dreams, which for me is about being a writer and being able to make anything a reality once you put finger to keyboard. The other is a picture of a fairy which I’m going to keep adding more bits to until it becomes a quarter sleeve.

KH: OMG! I love that! Ellie and Fred seem very different on the surface, but they’re alike in some ways – what ways are those?

LC: I think they’re alike in their insecurities. They were both loners when they were in their teens with these feelings of being an outsider. They’re cynical about people, but also really want to find someone who they can put their trust in.

KH: Tell me all about your latest release, The Nature of Cruelty

LC: The Nature of Cruelty is a new adult romance about a girl called Lana who has a love/hate relationship with her best friend’s brother, Robert. Truth be told, Robert is a bit of a dodgy character with some sociopathic tendencies. He bullied Lana when she was younger and at the beginning of the story she hasn’t spoken to him in six years because he lives in London now. When Lana finds herself going to London to spend the summer with Sasha, Robert’s sister, Robert manipulates the situation so that they have to live in the same house. As you might guess, lots of drama and angst ensues.

KH: I’m so excited for whatever you write, so let me know what else we can expect from you in the near future!

LC: Why thank you! I have another romance in the works about a street performer and a concert violinist, but no set release date as of yet. In December I’ll be putting out the last instalment in my urban fantasy series.

KH: One last thing- who is the better man for Ellie?

LC: Well, obviously it’s Camden, but I just love Javier so much. It’s not my fault that there’s something wrong with me. So yeah, I think Camden and Ellie would be able to get away from the drama and make a nice life for themselves and have lots of little tattoo babies and I guess that’s best for Ellie’s future. If she stays with Javier there’s a good chance she’ll end up in a shallow grave…And on that cheerful note, I bid you good day!

LH Cosway

L.H. Cosway has a BA in English Literature and Greek and Roman Civilisation, and an MA in Postcolonial Literature. She lives in Dublin city. Her inspiration to write comes from music. Her favourite things in life include writing stories, vintage clothing, dark cabaret music, food, musical comedy, and of course, books.

Website: http://www.lhcosway.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/LH-Cosway/171041853046034

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LHCosway

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16158740-painted-faces

 AND YOU ONLY HAVE TWO MORE DAYS TO ENTER THIS AMAZING GIVEAWAY – FREE BOOKS!!!! —-> CLICK HERE

Sins & Authors – Interview with Ella Fox

All right all you Javier fans, we have an author today who has a soft spot for the bad boys. And in this case, the ruthless, cheating, killing, witty comeback machine, Javier Bernal, who might just be the baddest boy of all. It’s author Ella Fox of the Hart Family series and we talk about Javier’s appeal plus I find out she’s in a wee bit of denial about her favorite villain 😀

OH and while there is STILL time left, enter to win Ella’s book plus 29 others AND/OR rare signed Sins & Needles and On Every Street copies!!! CLICK HERE FOR THE RAFFLECOPTER —–>> WIN HERE

KH: Let’s place a word association game. First word that comes into your head when I saw Sins & Needles? On Every Street? Ellie Watt? Camden McQueen? Javier Bernal?

EF: Thrilling, Heartbreaking, Uncertain, Abused, Sexy

KH: Some people call The Artists Trilogy a NA series…do you agree with that?

EF: I guess it could be viewed that way because Ellie is fairly young but I don’t think it can be categorized as just NA. I think it would best be described as a Thrillmance that’s good for any age. I’m thirty-eight- a long way from being a new adult (Damn!)- and I’ve totally fallen in love with these characters.

KH: Would you consider Ellie Watt a heroine or anti-heroine? What about Camden McQueen?

EF: Ellie is definitely an anti-heroine. She’s done things that are completely out of line and against the law, but at the same time, she’s dealing with the shit-sandwich that life handed her… which means that you never find yourself rooting against her.

Camden, for me, is more complicated. He’s that great guy that Ellie should have liked in high school. The road not taken and all that, you know? If she had stayed and let Camden in, her entire life would have been different. But at the same time, had she stayed, his father would have even more of a hold on him.

KH: Why do so many readers fall for the toxic bad guy, Javier? He cheats on Ellie, he’s possessive, obsessive, emotionally abusive, and yet…

EF: Javier is that sexy, beautiful, dangerous bad boy that we all (secretly) want to fall in love with us. He’s the James Dean to Camden’s Clark Kent. To me Camden is a mess because of his father & his crappy ex-wife. No matter how bad ass he becomes, underneath it all Camden is a GOOD guy. I think Javier is only good for Ellie and his sisters. Life with Javier is never dull. And I know… I know… I’m making excuses for him but I don’t feel like he cheated on her emotionally. He got his punishment (her leaving) and I think that’s what has made him so much darker. The fact that he’s as tough as he is but was still able to show himself to Eden/Ellie tugs at the heartstrings. My impression of him after OES was that he loved her enough to want to change, but he didn’t think that he could because he was in too deep. After reading SS I think that if she asked him to, he’d leave it all behind and sail the world with her.

The thing I so love about Javier and Ellie is that this isn’t a cookie-cutter love story. You can’t wrap a bow around it and say, “Look! It’s perfect!” It’s not- it’s ugly, it’s scarred, there are bumps all over the road- but underneath it all there are two fucked (Wait, can I say fuck? Eh- you can change that if you want!) up people who let down their walls just enough to love each other.

Admit it- as his creator, you’re totally in love with Javier, too!

KH: Oh, I do love Javier. A lot. He is an amazing villain. I also *know* him and…well…Oh, Ella. *laughs* You’ll see. How does the setting of Mexico play an important role in Shooting Scars? With that in mind, how did the setting of southern California play an important role in Sins & Needles?

EF: The town that Camden & Ellie were from in California made me think of a smaller town that had a bad rash- as if it were a place where bad things were percolating beneath the surface. All of Mexico feels dark and dangerous, and I feel like the story is getting more intense because of the setting. There are literally bad guys everywhere and there is no one to turn to for help since anyone and everyone there has been or can be bought.

KH: Did Uncle Jim have what was coming to him?

EF: This is such a complicated question! I want to say no because he DID take care of her for a long time… but then I think about the fact that he was going to let Javier kill her and I think, yeah, he kind of did. Just like Ellie’s parents, when the chips were down, he thought of himself first. He was redeemed because he saved her in the end- even knowing that saving her would end his life.

KH: I agree! Do you believe all three characters in The Artists Trilogy can be redeemed? They’re all sinners…

EF: I think that they all can definitely be redeemed- particularly Ellie & Javier. I’ve never seen Camden as being anywhere near as dark as Ellie & Javier are which is part of the reason I like Javier for her more than Camden. Having said that, Camden stepped up his Alpha status in this book and that made me like him more. Camden’s biggest “sin” seems to be his love for Ellie. In that, he and Javier have a lot in common. Both of them would (literally) kill for her. I wonder how Camden will live with that over time.

KH: Good question! Favorite scene in On Every Street. Favorite scene in Sins & Needles. Favorite scene in Shooting Scars.

EF: My favorite scene from OES is when Javier asks Eden/Ellie to move in with him and he asks her to make him her home. When you ask why readers fall in love with him- that’s one of the reasons! He’s just SO… intense.

My favorite scene in Sins & Needles is when Camden gives Ellie her tattoo. I loved that he took something that she saw as a flaw and changed it into something that made her feel beautiful.

From SS my favorite scene is when Javier tells Ellie that she wanted him to find her the whole time. His logic was perfect and seeing it through his eyes, I agree. As a Javier & Ellie fan, I saw it as another sign that she still loves him. Camden would be a better and safer choice, but her heart already belongs to someone else. Right?!?!? (cue me begging for Javier to get the girl!!)

A runner up to that scene is definitely Javier’s dark reaction to seeing Ellie’s tattoo. “You let that boy mark you?” Knowing what an obsession that Javier had for marking her, it was a major knife in his gut and I liked that he wasn’t able to hold in his reaction.

KH: Death by tattoo gun to the eyeball or Coffee Mate fireball? Pick your demise.

EF: They’re both terrifying… and I haven’t looked at my flavored coffee mate the same since reading Shooting Scars. I eye that bottle verrrrry suspiciously these days.

If I had to choose one or the other, I’d totally go Coffee Mate. Seeing that vibrating tattoo needle coming at my eyeball would be too macabre.

KH: Tell me about The Hart Series. Is Finding Hart the last book (#6) that we can expect?

EF: The Hart series started out as a canary in a coal mine. I had an idea for this story brewing in my head for years and I finally decided to sit my butt down and write it. I wrote like a crazy woman for a few months and then released my baby into the wild. I thought that if a few hundred people read the first book (Broken Hart) that I would follow up, and I had the second story in my mind in case people wanted it.

Within thirty days I realized that people really wanted it, fast, and I don’t think that I’ve stopped writing since.

At its core, The Hart series is about love, loyalty, family, karma and redemption. The response to the stories has been overwhelmingly positive and I’m still stunned by the fact that I’ve sold in the hundreds of thousands of books- especially since I thought that getting five hundred sets of eyes on it would be amazing.

There is one more book left for the series- a novella that will be out around Christmas. The title is “Saving Hart.”

KH: Speaking of…What would a date between Spencer and Ellie go like?

EF: That sappy son-of-a-bitch would sit there showing her pictures of his wife and baby all night, and Ellie would probably be ready to chew her own arm off to get away. Spencer is waaaayyyyy too domesticated for Ellie! LOL. She needs someone with danger in their DNA… like Javier.

KH: What else are you working on?

EF: Right now I’m working on an NA book. The title is “Catch my Fall” and is about a girl named Mia who’s life is in turmoil after a series of heartbreaking events. She needs someone to help her believe again, and that’s where Tristan comes in. He’s not without his own set of issues and the two of them are drawn together almost against their will.

Ella Fox

It seems I’ve had one story or another in my head since the day I was born. I’ve always had characters taking up space my brain, waiting to be “delivered.” Recently I decided to take the plunge, and what a journey it’s been!

I’m a romance girl. Always have been, always will be. My pet peeve is reading a romance novel that centers around a weak and spineless heroine. It’s insulting that as a society we fall for stereotypical female characters who bat their eyelashes, aren’t familiar or comfortable with their sexuality and who allow themselves to be railroaded by the men in the story.

I enjoy a heroine that sounds REAL. Women like you, like me, like my friends. Women who don’t take crap, who don’t accept emotional or mental abuse and who don’t automatically do whatever it is the man wants.

A GOOD relationship- even a relationship that includes BDSM- always involves two equals. It is true in life and it’s true in my books.

She is the author the The Hart Family and Renegade Saints series.

Website: http://authorellafox.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EllaFoxAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorellafox‎
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6456709.Ella_Fox

Sins & Authors – Interview with R.L. Griffin

Oh noes! We are winding down here in our Sins & Authors feature. I’ll be sad not to grill my favorite authors anymore about Camden’s tats or Javier’s…soullessness. But I gotta say, blogging every single day is exhausting (especially when you’re trying to write books and promote books and move a whole damn house!) so kudos to you book bloggers! I could never do what you do and you have my mad respect. You know who else has my mad respect? R.L. Griffin. Totally. Today I interviewed her about….stuff. Like…would she choose a tattoo gun or a non-dairy creamer fireball as her weapon of choice. She also has a few choice words to say about a certain character!

KH: Welcome. To get the ball rolling, what enticed you to pick up Sins & Needles?

RG: I love different, gritty stories that aren’t typical. The premise was so interesting to me so I took a chance on it and it was fantastic. I’m hooked.

KH: Who is your favorite character out of our con artist Ellie Watt, our tattoo artist Camden McQueen and our resident psychopath drug lord Javier Bernal?

RG: Ellie. I love her and I hate her. I feel bad for her and I want to slap her.

KH: TEAM ELLIE! *high fives* If you had to have any of their occupations, what would you choose and why?

RG: Tattoo artist. I love tattoos, I wish I was artist in that way and hearing stories of why someone wants to get something permanently in their body would be pretty cool.

KH: Summarize each character in one sentence.

RG: Ellie is perfectly broken, a mix of contradictory emotions and actions.
Camden is darkness standing in light and fighting for love.
Javier is deranged and power hungry and knows that he exactly what Ellie needs and wants.

KH: You’ve read Shooting Scars. How was that?

RG: Fucking awesome.

KH: Hahahah. Right on! Now, let’s get devious. If you had to torture someone for information, would you use a tattoo gun to the eyeball or a coffee mate fireball to the face?

RG: Tattoo gun. I’m hardcore like that.

KH: Yes you are! How does the setting play an important role in the books?

RG: Setting is important for me because I want to see the entire picture, have I been there before or does the author just create the environment so I can picture it.

KH: If you were to be arrested, what would it be for? Would you be smiling in your mug shot photo?

RG: Stabbing someone in the eye. I’m always threatening this and yes, I’d probably be smiling.

KH: Remind me to never piss you off…or give you a tattoo gun. How did you make the switch from lawyer to author?

RG: I switch daily. I’m still a lawyer and I write at night and weekends. Yep, really fucking crazy.

KH: Yeah, that is a bit crazy. Combine that with the stabbing people in the eye thing and…well, at least you can plead insanity and then argue your own case.Describe your series By a Thread (which I have and am so excited to read…you know I love contemp suspense)

RG: My series is about Stella Murphy and her friends in DC. Her life is turned upside down in the first three pages of By A Thread and the rest of the story is her response to that and then the coming blows. There is a little bit of everything deceit, sex, drinking and one-liners.

KH: Oooh, hook them in from the start! Wine or Beer?

RG: Both. Every day.

KH: Can we be friends? *hides stabby objects* Oh that’s right, you had one more thing to say…

RG: I’m team Camden. I love him and my heart cracked for him during the balcony scene. Even after that in the hotel room he fell so that Ellie would fall on him I just thought that was so heartbreaking. His entire world shifting when he saw that scene and then he still cared for her so much. Ugh. I can’t wait to read the next book.

RL Griffin

Bio:  I live in the Atlanta area and I’m surrounded by awesome dudes: my husband, son and two dogs. I went to law school at American University, Washington College of Law, but only after I fell in love with D.C. I worked in the Senate during the impeachment trial and wanted to stay. After law school I worked for a bit in the area, then moved to Atlanta.

If you ask anyone who knows me they know I love reading and read all sorts of books. Any free time I have I’m either reading, writing or drinking with friends.

She is the author of the contemporary suspense series, By A Thread.

Website:  http://www.rlgriffinauthor.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/R.L.GriffinByAThread

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/rlgriffinauthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1254833.R_L_Griffin

Here’s her teaser for today…it’s Shooting Scars too!

Don’t forget to enter this giveaway to win a set of signed Sins & Needles and On Every Street paperbacks PLUS 30 different ebooks! ————–>click here

Sins & Authors – Interview with Melissa Brown

I have a special treat for you today as we approach the home stretch of Sins & Authors, author Melissa Brown! Melissa has written such books as Champagne Toast and Picturing Perfect and has recently signed a deal with Montlake Romance! Exciting times for this lovely, Henry Cavill-loving lady. Today we talk about how she’s going to go on the lam because of kidnapping Henry Cavill and other things…

KH: For readers who don’t know about The Artists Trilogy, could you explain what it’s about and why they should pick it up?

MB: There are so many books out there, both indie and traditional. But, this series is truly unique. The characters do not fit the mold of the standard contemporary romance, and that’s why I love them SO MUCH!!! Readers should pick it up because it’s unique, it’s thought provoking and it’s really hard to put down!!

KH: Thank you! Ellie Watt, our heroine, is a difficult character for a lot of female readers to like. Can you find something loveable and redeemable about her despite her con artist ways?

MB: I guess I’m not like most readers, because I really like her. I like when characters have faults, when they’re human. I think the flashbacks in “Sins & Needles” really help us to see her vulnerabilities…what Camden meant to her throughout her young life, and what he still could mean for her. To me, that’s incredibly redeemable. But, to me, everyone is redeemable—maybe that’s naive of me though.

KH: Not naive, just hopeful! Give me three words on Camden McQueen

MB: Sexy, smart, witty.

KH: Give me three reasons why Ellie needs to stay away from Javier Bernal

MB: Camden, Camden, CAMDEN!!!!!

KH: Those are pretty good reasons! Who would you cast in the movie version of Sins & Needles…can you provide pictures?

MB: Oooh, this is a fantastic question……hmmmmm
Okay, for Camden: Taylor Kinney (yum)

Ellie: Rhona Mitra—she’s a badass!

Javier: Diego Luna—-dangerous but sexy!

KH: Yes! I love Diego! And your Camden is fucking hot as fuck. What is your favorite scene in Sins & Needles?

MB: When Camden turns the tables on Ellie in the office. Love that scene….although the sexy scene in the yard was extremely hot!

KH: If you had to be on the run from the law, what would it be for? It would be for kidnapping Henry Cavill, wouldn’t it?

MB: I’m so busted!!!! Although I loved seeing that you’re a fan, too!!!! That you emailed him 10 years ago!! That’s a riot!!!! Maybe we can track him down together!!

KH: Oh, I like this idea. OK, what would your alias be and what kind of getaway car would you drive?

MB: Hmmm….I’m such a goodie two shoes, not sure I’d have the guts….but, my alias might be Dutch —that’s my nickname with my family. Getaway car would have to be an old convertible. Something from the 60s!

KH: You just signed with Montlake for your book Picturing Perfect. Big congrats – how did that come about?! How excited are you? Give us deets!

MB: That was a the biggest surprise and was really unexpected. I was checking my email one day and I had an email from an editor at Montlake wanting to discuss Picturing Perfect. After several phone conversations, we decided this would be a good thing to pursue. It’s being re-released next month under their imprint and it’s very exciting! Thanks for asking!!

KH: What’s next on the writing agenda for you?

MB: I’m working on “Dream in the Year” right now—–it’s a companion book to “Picturing Perfect”—I’m not sure if it will be an indie release or a Montlake release, but I should know soon.

KH: Dream in the Year…fuck me, I love that title! Thank you so much for chatting today Melissa…now, that’s over, let’s seriously talk about kidnapping Henry Cavill…

Melissa Brown
I have always been fascinated with books—-ever since I was a little girl sitting in front of my record player, following along with my huge 12×12 storybooks.

I love books—everything about them. I love reading them, being surrounded by them in bookstores and libraries, and most recently, writing some of my own.

“Bouquet Toss” is available as an e-book and paperback on Amazon.com. It is a story that is very close to my heart, one that was very cathartic to write and has opened me up to all sorts of writing possibilities.

“Champagne Toast” is a companion book to Bouquet Toss and was released on January 8, 2013 and is also available as an e-book and paperback through amazon.

“Picturing Perfect,” a NA Romance was released on June 12, 2013

Website: http://melissabrownauthor.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelissaBrownAuthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/LissaLou77
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6457549.Melissa_Brown

MASSIVE 30-EBOOK GIVEAWAY PLUS SIGNED SINS & NEEDLES AND ON EVERY STREET PAPERBACKS —–> CLICK HERE CLICK HERE

Sins & Authors – Interview with S.L. Scott

It’s a sweet sunny Sunday for me here in the Pacific Northwest. I hope you all had an excellent weekend and maybe got caught up in The Artists Trilogy or books from any of the awesome authors I have been interviewing. I can’t believe the summer has gone by so fast…I can’t believe I’ve been interviewing authors for nearly a month now. I’m so glad I did this, I’ve been exposed to so many awesome reads…hope you have been too! Today we have the sweet and gorgeous S.L Scott, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at Book Bash in Orlando (we were posing awkwardly for the giant author photo). I talk to her about Sins & Needles and her Welcome to Paradise series, which, I don’t know about you but I’m all over. I am a huge sucker for any beachy/tropical related!

KH: Welcome!! Since I suck at this, describe my book Sins & Needles in a tweet

SS: Sins & Needles is an action adventure romance that will grab you at first con.

KH: Describe Shooting Scars in a tweet

SS: Double the action and cross-cons, more love all in Halle’s captivating & unique writing style.

KH: We should get this out of the way – are you Team Camden or Team Javier and why?

SS: I’m Team Camden because his history with Ellie tugs at my heart. His love for Ellie comes from an innocence of their past, which remains pure even when they are tainted by life.

KH: You get a glimpse of Gus in On Every Street…what is your opinion on him now after reading Shooting Scars?

SS: I’m reading Shooting Scars now (I bought it as soon as it was released – so excited), but Gus is interesting and complex with his life intertwining with Ellie’s and others although he tries to keep it separate. I also think he allows the character to show their more sympathetic and even comedic side.

KH: If you could have a day with any of the characters in TAT, who would you pick and what would you do?

SS: After much thought, I would pick Ellie. Not just because she’s the main female character, but because she’s so adaptable. She adjusts to new situations quickly and adapts accordingly. She’s a great con artist for this. She reads people well.

KH: Reads everyone except psychopaths…speaking of, Javier is an anti-hero who is easily forgiven for his faults by readers. Ellie is an anti-heroine who is crucified for her faults by readers. Thoughts on that?

SS: We, as women, are harder on other women. Our expectations of them are higher as we like to hold ourselves to a higher degree of self. Ellie has led a life that has shaped who she became as a woman. I may not agree with everything she does, but I get why she does it. What I like most about Ellie is that no matter how much she tries to turn off her heart, she can’t. She’s been hurt, but her heart still plays into so many of her decisions.

KH: You have to pull the ultimate con…what would you do?

SS: The ultimate con – it would include the Crown Jewels in London. I might have to use my female wiles to lure a Royal Guard to two into distraction, spend the night in the Tower and then go all Mission Impossible to sneak the jewels I want out. Escape out the waterway and out to sea to a chartered yacht and disappear into the sunrise. lol Just off the top of my head… haha

KH: Ooh, i want to join. OK now that you’ve pulled this con, you’re on the lam…what’s your alias? Where do you go? What is your getaway vehicle?

SS: My name would be  Sydney Schotz. I would escape to Switzerland or Spain. In the U. S., I seek out an old Range Rover (1996 or older so it could hold everything I need) would go to the mid-west. Everyone knows I love the beach, so that would be the places they would look first.

KH: Please tell as about your upcoming book, Good Intentions (still in cover love with it) and what else you have coming down the pipeline.

SS: I’m really excited about Good Intentions which is the sequel to Good Vibrations. It continues Mallory and Evan’s story in and out of paradise. This book is more intense and also even steamier than the first book. It comes out on September 9th. Thanks on the cover. I love that cover too. It just captures such an emotional feel I have for this story.

I also am now working on book 3 in the Welcome to Paradise series, which will wrap it up. I’m hoping to have it out by the end of the year. After that I have several story ideas I’m wanting to explore. It’s just so difficult to choose which one to explore first.

Thank you for the interview. I love The Artist’s Trilogy. It’s a really unique plot that combines romance, emotion, intrigue, and heart-racing action.

SL Scott

S.L. Scott is a former high-tech account manager with a journalism degree pursuing her passion for telling stories. She spends her days escaping into her characters and letting them lead her on their adventures.

Live music shows, harvesting jalapenos and eating homemade guacamole are her obsessions she calls hobbies.  Scott lives in the beautiful Texas Hill Country of Austin with her husband, two young sons, two Papillons and a bowl full of Sea Monkeys. She is the author of Naturally Charlie, Sleeping with Mr. Sexy, Good Vibrations (Welcome to Paradise #1)  and many more.

Website:  http://www.slscottauthor.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Slscottauthor

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/slscottauthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6467114.S_L_Scott

 Remember to enter this amazing giveaway! ——–> CLICK HERE TO ENTER ON RAFFLECOPTER TO WIN FREEEE BOOKS

Sins & Authors – Interview with Rachael Wade (+ Bold Tricks teaser)

Welcome to another addition of Sins & Authors! Today on the show…did I say show? I meant blog *silly* Today on the blog, we have a very special guest – author Rachael Wade, who is just all sorts of awesome. Rachael is the author of Preservation (who doesn’t love a great teacher student romance with sass?) as well as Love & Relativity and the Resistance Trilogy. Today we talk about how to build a great book boyfriend, and then some…(PS check out an early teaser for Bold Tricks on the bottom)

KH: Okay, you recently spoke on a panel at an author signing and mentioned Camden McQueen as a great book boyfriend. Tell us what you said about my tattooed man

RW: Ah, yes. At Indie Bookfest, a question was asked about BBFs that are not perfect. Interestingly enough, a guy raised his hand and asked have we read (or written) about a male lead that isn’t all perfect abs and killer smiles. Even though Camden obviously has the hot bod and all that, I talked about how he was my favorite out of all the male leads I’ve read recently because his pretty isn’t conventional. And in a sea of hot, perfect, fitness model millionaires dominating NA and Adult Contemporary right now, it was beyond refreshing to have this guy who was not only edgy physically, but also very, very flawed and scarred emotionally. I loved that he was so real, and I talked about all that and how I think we need more of those leads and that there is a place for them in the romance genres.

KH: I agree. Camden is quite the unconventional hero. Your initial reactions to reading the prequel On Every Street – don’t hold back!

RW: I was sucked in from page one. The writing is visceral and compelling. But most of all, what really hooked me was the characters. I am so tired of flat, boring characters. Many of the leads I’ve come across lately all seem to blur together. Reading Ellie and Javier was like having all the windows opened.

KH: Explain Javier’s appeal…

RW: Smooth, animalistic seduction. Mystery. His passion is scary one minute and sexy the next. You never know when he’s going to cross the line. He’s just wild.

KH: Do you think he really loved Ellie in OES or was he, as Gus pointed out, mistaking obsession for love?

RW: Oh, isn’t that the question of the hour. I swear, I literally just had this conversation with some of my friends about this, like…yesterday. What drives me really batshit crazy is that I truly don’t know. I think it’s a bit of both. I think he’s so damaged that like Gus points out, he doesn’t really know what love is, in its true form, anyway. But I also really got the impression in OES that at one point, in some weird, twisted way that he really did fall for her. But that could have just been me wanting him to fall for her, wanting it to be real. It was one huge mindfuck for me.

KH: If you could go on a date with Camden where would you go, what would you do?

RW: God, I don’t now. That’s tough. I think I’d want to put him to work. I’d have him tattoo me.

KH: If you were on the run from the law, what would it be for. What would your new alias be? What is your getaway car? And where is your hide-out?

RW: Ha! No idea what I’d be on the run for, but I’d want Jose as a getaway car, a cottage near the water for a hideaway, and Lydia Deets as an alias.

KH: If this were a movie, what would your casting choices be for the three leads?

RW: The first person that popped in my head for Ellie was Kristen Stewart. I’m not talking Twilight Kristen. I’m talking Indie Queen Kristen. Specifically Welcome to the Rileys, this scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdOynfyOsZs . I don’t know what it was, but images of her character from that scene immediately came to mind when I read Ellie. Raw, bold, intense, vulnerable. For Camden, no clue. I can see him so clearly in my head but can’t think of an actor to cast. For Javier, definitely a younger version of Javier Bardem or Jordi Mollà.

KH: If you could meet Camden in high school, what would be the one thing you would tell him?

RW: Don’t listen to a thing your father tells you. You’re rare. You’re brilliant.

KH: Let’s discuss Preservation. I was sucked in by the book’s description close to after you released it – in fact, in some ways I consider Preservation to be one of the first NA/college-aged books to appear on the indie platform. Do you agree?

RW: Wow. Thanks. To be honest, at the time I sat down tot write it, up until I released it, I was completely oblivious the world of NA. In fact, I didn’t even know it existed, which made marketing tricky at first. I just called it contemporary romance and let readers define it. I just wrote what I wanted to read at the time, and I was having zero luck finding stories about 20 somethings. And then the NA explosion happened and all of a sudden I’ve been informed that’s what I write lol.

KH: Tell me about your upcoming book, Declaration, as well as your latest release, Repossession.

RW: Declaration is the 3rd and final book in the Preservation Series. It’s from Carter’s POV, one of the supporting male leads in Preservation. It comes out on October 15th. Repossession is my latest NA Sci-Fi release. It’s the 1st book in an apocalyptic romance series with an alien invasion theme.

KH: I love aliens! Actually no, they scare the shit out of me, no lie! Thank you so much Rachael

Rachael Wade

Rachael Wade is the Amazon bestselling author of The Preservation Series, The Resistance Trilogy, and the upcoming sci-fi series, The Keepers Trilogy. When she’s not writing, she’s busy learning French, watching too many movies, and learning how to protect animals and the environment.

Website:  http://www.rachaelwade.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRachaelWade

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/rachaelwade

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4831558.Rachael_Wade

Don’t forget to enter this giveaway to win a set of signed Sins & Needles and On Every Street paperbacks PLUS 30 different ebooks! ————–> click here

BEST CONTEST EVER WINNERS

I was amazed at all the support for Shooting Scars (and all those lovely reviews, seriously, you guys…when you’re happy, I’m happy! AND when you’re pissed off at me and the characters and rolling your eyes and ranting…I’m still happy! Hahahaha, that’s what happens when you’re a sadist – I love it when you’re both happy and mad!)

 

So, without further ado, here are the winners of the contest (all winners have been notified):

 

A $25 gift certificate to my RedBubble store goes to….Alexandra A!

 

A $25 gift certificate to Amazon goes to…Chelcie!

 

A one-page scene in TAT (of my choosing – that will appear on this website here) goes to ….. Barbara Lopez, Katy Plaisance and Sasha!

 

AND THE GRAND PRIZE….a three-page scene of her choice in either the TAT, EIT or TDM world goes to….

 

ANA RITA!

 

CONGRATS EVERYONE!!! And thank you SO so much for all your support ❤

And if you didn’t win, remember…this epic contest below is going on for the next two weeks…

 

http://www.angiesdreamyreads.com/2013/08/huge-giveaway-to-celebrate-release-of.html?zx=158b4103678db7dc

Sins & Authors – Interview with Lori Otto

Better late than never! Hope you’re all enjoying Shooting Scars. Remember, Bold Tricks is less than two months away!Super exciting!You know what else is exciting? This interview with the wonderful Lori Otto, author of Emi Lost and Found. She made the best billboard ever and gave me some pretty deep answers to burning questions.

KH: You worked in billboards before you became an author – give us a billboard ad of Sins & Needles – what would it say?

LO: I’m not sure it would need to say much… see the attached picture.

KH: OMG *flails* I LOVE THIS….So, it kind of answers the question on everyone’s lips – are you a Camden fan or a Javier fan (or like me, Team Sandwich!)

LO: TEAM CAMDEN. Are you KIDDING ME? Who’s Javier?! CAMDEN 100%.

KH: Explain how our heroine Ellie Watt is in fact an anti-heroine.

LO: She allows the negative events of her past to dictate all of her actions. She’s a selfish woman for most of the book… until, for the first time, I think, she puts love for someone else in front of her own self-preservation. She’s a hard character to like, but I think it’s because she truly has no idea who she is. It’s like they say, you can’t expect anyone to love you until you love yourself, and I think that’s very true in her case. I think in the next book, she might begin to find her way and learn who Ellie Watt really is… and I’m hoping by the third, once she starts to know/love herself, someone will be able to love her – truly love her, not just possess her – for the person she really is.

KH: Sins & Needles explores how our past shapes who we are – how lenient are you on people who use their pasts as an excuse as to the way they are in the present?

LO: Man, what a question. I believe everyone has the capacity to change, I do. But there are some traits that you can never shed: characteristics that were earned by knowing certain people or experiencing certain things. For minor things, I’m very lenient… if the actions don’t hurt anyone, I’m not going to spend time worrying about it… but I would never say it’s okay for a man to beat his wife because his father beat his mother, you know? Change is hard, but I admire people who put forth the effort. If you were to ask me if I’d give Ellie any slack for what she did to Camden in this book (up until her final sacrifice), I’d flat out say, “No way!” As for Camden, though… I don’t think he would have betrayed Ellie had she not done so first. What Ellie does hurts others. What Camden wanted to do… well, it wouldn’t have hurt anyone.

KH: Your favorite scene in Sins & Needles. Go!

LO: It’s a toss up… I love scenes of passion, so it would either be the awesome, hot-as-burning-steaks sex scene, or the part where Camden and his father were fighting about the ad. Scenes of confrontation are my favorite to write, and this was beautifully done. My heart broke for Camden. If he’d pissed me off with any of his earlier actions, they were all forgotten by the end of this scene. Literally, did he every do anything bad? Ever? In his WHOLE LIFE?!

KH: Well…there was that one thing. Your series Lost and Found has a wonderful cult following. Why do you think readers really connect to your romance between Nate and Emi?

LO: Nate and Emi had shared twelve years of friendship by the time Lost and Found begins. The readers get a glimpse of Emi’s attraction to Nate at the beginning, and then they see his attraction to her soon after. Unfortunately, it takes the two friends years to reveal their feelings to one another. I think it’s just a traditional romantic notion for two life-long friends to end up together. Plus, when the readers learn how deep Nate’s feeling really are for Emi, they want him to have a chance to show her.

KH: Do you find there to be parallels between Camden and Nate? Why and why not?

LO: Camden and Nate were both misfit artists in high school. They were both made this way by their fathers (although through different actions). In adulthood, they were both musicians, and both harbored love for their misfit friends from high school. Still, they’re very different, as they had very different foundations on which to build upon. Nate’s parents loved him dearly, and taught him to love with no restraints. They would have supported him in any creative endeavor, and would have encouraged his individuality. They were fair and tolerant. Nate is a total pacifist, and the outlet for his aggression is painting. If he’d ever seen a gun, I think he would have walked the other way.

KH: If Emi had a free pass and were on a desert island with Javier and Camden, what would she do?
I think she’d swim to safety. Seriously, though, she’d be drawn to Camden. I think she would have been suspicious of Javier from day one, and she wouldn’t have tolerated his controlling ways. Emi would have seen the good in Camden’s heart and intentions. TEAM CAMDEN!

LO: Your covers are so unique and eye-catching- tell us how you went about using illustrations for your trilogy
These covers are actually the second iteration of covers for this series. I’ve always liked quirky hand-drawn illustrations, and I have a friend who is masterful with this type of art. We collaborated on these covers, choosing different moments or feelings from the books. I didn’t want to do the traditional photo of a man and a woman in some sort of passionate embrace because this is not a traditional romance, by any means. When people see the covers, they think, “That’s different.” When people read the books, they think, “That’s different.” So while the covers may not fit the genre, they do actually fit the books themselves. (P.S. I love your covers, Karina… they stand out in a good way!!)

KH: What are you working on next?

LO: I’m working on two spin-off series. One is another contemporary series that revolves around Steven Holland, the brother of one of the main characters of Emi’s series. The other is a YA/NA series about a young girl that’s introduced to readers at the end of Never Look Back. The next book to be released will be the second book in this series.

KH: If you could get any quote or line (from anything) tattooed on yourself (by our tattoo artist, Camden, naturally), what would it be?

LO: “All things shine.” I wear a necklace right now with that sentiment stamped on the charms. It reminds me to look for the good in all people, things and situations. I think that’s another reason I liked Camden – he saw the beauty in Ellie’s scars.

KH: Love it. Love them!

Lori Otto
After graduating from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1997 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Lori Otto worked in the billboard industry for ten years. Frustrated with trying to communicate entire messages in “seven seconds or less,” she decided to leave outdoor advertising and return to her love of creative writing.

She is the author of the Emi Lost and Found series, Number Seven, and Contessa (Choisie #1).

Website: http://www.loriotto.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LoriLOtto
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lori_otto
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4192988.Lori_L_Otto

Giveaway time! ——> CLICK HERE TO WIN 30 EBOOKS <—————-

Teaser Time…

Shooting Scars…

Would you rather with Rachel Van Dyken

Well, well, well. Today I have a special treat for you! I got to play Would You Rather with the one and only Rachel Van Dyken (her latest release, Ruin, is hot on the charts). Holy prolific author, Batman! This was so much fun and it was such an honor to twist this lovely woman’s brain around. So…here we go!

KH: Would you rather lie in a box full of angry scorpions for a half an hour or walk in the Sahara for three days without water?

RD: The idea of not having water TOTALLY freaks me out–I say angry scorpions, i can do anything for thirty minutes, right??

KH: Would you rather be in a loving relationship with Michael Cera, in a life where you have a million luxuries, or in a loveless but sex-filled marriage with Ryan Gosling, who cheats on you all the time?

RD: I had to think about this one. Im actually ashamed that I had to think about it. Ryan Gosling is…well there are no words, but cheating would make me castrate him in his sleep and then I’d be husbandless and probably be in prison for murder—so lets go with Michael Cera?

KH: Would you rather live in the world of the House of Renwick or the world of London Fairytales?

RD: House of Renwick..I mean I love fairy tales don’t get me wrong…but the rakes in Renwick are my ultimate….

KH: Would you rather have a night of hot sex with The Bet’s Travis or with Ruin’s Wes? (tough one, I know)

RD: WES!!!!!!!! I love Travis, but Wes is so sensitive that I’m guessing it wouldn’t just be about the physical but everything else…Wow is it hot in here?

KH: Okay…so that wasn’t a tough one! Would you rather be the powerful yet righteous princess or the wild and wicked stepmother?

RD: Powerful Righteous PRINCESS..i was a wicked step mother for my entire childhood–it scarred me for life and she never gets the prince. Two giant thumbs down.

KH: Would you rather have Kristen Bell or Amber Heard play you in the movie based on your life?

RD: I love love love both those actresses but in the end I’d have to go with Kristin bell I dig her personality 😉

KH: Would you rather never listen to music ever again or never see a movie or TV show ever again?

RD: I’d rather never watch TV again I don’t think I could survive without music!

Check out what other Forever authors would rather do!

Karina Halle

Jessica Sorensen

Courtney Cole

J.A. Redmerski

Nyrae Dawn

Rachel Van Dyken

 

Sins & Authors – Interview with Stephanie Lawton

Hello! Well, isn’t today a special day! It’s Shooting Scars release day…so if you’re not busy reading, perhaps you’d like to read this interview between me and the very lovely Stephanie Lawton, author of Want.

KH: Welcome Stephanie! Tell me, what made you pick up Sins & Needles?

SL: The cover. It was designed by Najla Qamber, who’s also done three of my four covers and when she began posting it, I definitely swooned. Months later, I was looking for some gritty NA that didn’t feature any of the usual tropes, and decided to finally take the plunge. Man, am I glad I did. It was exactly what I was looking for and I’ve been fangirling ever since.

KH: Give me one word to describe Ellie, Camden, and Javier.

Ellie: Neglected
Camden: Transformed
Javier: Wicked

KH: Who do you think Ellie should end up with? Who would you end up with?

SL: I’m Team Camden all the way! The ultimate underdog, there’s something about the outcast-turned-hottie that’s irresistible. He loves Ellie despite her many flaws, and I think he can give her the stability she needs. (Stability being a relative term in her world.)

I’d be with Camden. He reminds me of someone from high school that I didn’t pay much attention to, but who had a crush on me. He was very cute, and I’ve always wondered what happened to him. I hope he came into his own like Camden, but without the mob getting involved.

KH: What do you think Ellie needs to do to bring peace into her heart?

SL: I’m not entirely sure that’s possible. There will always be the ghosts of people she’s wronged, plus people who have been killed because of her (trying to avoid spoilers). She’d probably need some validation from her parents, someone she can trust and depend on in the long-run, and a way to channel her, uh, talents for good.

Then again, a bullet between Javier’s eyes might also do the trick.