Book Review:

Dawn of a Dark Knight starts out fast paced and never skipped a beat.  Ashor leads a group of magi warriors whose goal is keep balance on earth and are governed by Egyptian deities.  The chosen healer, Kira, is needed to help them in this journey, but what happens when her undeniable bond to Ashor goes against the gods rules?  Will she accept the responsibility?   I have to say, I loved this story.  I know the warrior bit is not a new concept per se, but Dawn of a Dark Knight is completely original in its own right.  I enjoyed the different point of views and the story moved effortlessly throughout each of them.  The chemistry between Ashor and Kira virtually melted off the page and I loved each of their individual stories as well.  If you are a fan of alpha males and strong female characters you will enjoy Dawn of a Dark Knight.  This is certainly a romance, so don’t judge a book by it’s cover!  =)

Blurb:

In the shadows of our world, a secret band of warriors fights to protect us. They are the last line of defense against an evil no human can stop.

An ancient nemesis has resurfaced. Duty demands that Ashor Vlahos, Scimitar Magi commander, recruit a magical healer to fortify the remaining eight magi. The gods’ choice is the woman who helped him escape torture a decade ago. Ashor couldn’t have imagined a better punishment for his vow-breaker homicidal incidents than for the gods to bind him irrevocably to the only woman in the universe he cannot have. The soul-searing desire she ignites in him is strictly forbidden.

Kira Hardy, M.D. is a brilliant, hardworking internal med resident with big secrets. But when Ashor asks for aid after a brutal daemon attack, she is sucked into his dangerous, secret world. Enslavement to the magi, no matter how hot they are, may be an unattractive life plan, but being targeted for death by their enemies is less tolerable.

She must trust the sexy, tormented Ashor to keep her safe while he must deny his ultimate desire and keep Kira at arm’s length lest he bring destruction down on them both. As a centuries-old evil catches up to them, they face a crucial decision–follow the gods’ rules or follow their hearts.

I rate Dawn of Dark Knight 4 out of 5 Bullets!

Amazon

To learn more about the author, Zoe Forward, you can check out her:

Website ∫ Facebook ∫ Twitter

I obtained this book directed from the author in exchange for an honest review.  I received no compensation.

I am currently in the process of moving from the wordpress.com site over to self hosted!

The http://bookedandloaded.com link will remain my permanent domain, but I am working on transferring a few things over.

I hope everyone is patient with me during this transition!  Right now both sites are up, but I am still trying to adjust my side bar widgets and plugins.

Thanks,

Annie

So let’s all do the adult thing here and analyze the bejesus out of her!  =)

~~Author Guest Post~~

Character-naming Quirks

Hi, I’m Cassi Carver—author of spicy urban fantasy and contemporary romance— and I’m so glad to be visiting Booked and Loaded!

Today seems like a good day for a confession, doesn’t it? So I might as well come clean and tell you about a little problem I have. I wasn’t aware of this problem until after I’d written the first novel in the Shadow Slayers urban fantasy series and my critique partner asked, “Do you know that every male character you’ve written has a name ending in ‘n’?”

What? What was she talking about? This couldn’t be true. All of my books? Even the early novels? Let’s see… Brayden, Quinn, Ian, Ryen, Ailexon, Julian, Gavin, Jaxon, Aiden, Brakken. Even my bad guys? Yep.

I was concerned. What did that say about me on a deep psychological level? I had no idea. But to combat this quirk, I started plugging in different names when I could—mostly given to secondary characters. Admittedly, these new names sometimes sound wrong to me, but with any luck, future readers won’t throw my books across the room and exclaim, “Every name of every man in this book ends with ‘n’!”

So rest assured, I’m working through this naming issue…but in truth, it kills me to withhold an “n” name from a handsome hero, and it may even affect the hero’s future. “How?” you ask…

Well, the next full length Shadow Slayers novel, Dark Flight, is due out next week, and in the future I’m thinking of writing novellas to tell the story of secondary characters who didn’t get their HEA in the main series. (Like I did with Abbey and Jaxon in The Silverwing’s Sorceress.) So if I’m writing a novella for a secondary character from the world of The Shadow Slayers, I’m much more likely to give Flynn his time in the sun, rather than Liel or Steve. There’s nothing wrong with Liel and Steve…except their names. If Liel and Flynn are vying for the same woman—Flynn is likely to come out on top. (And in case you’re reading this series and wondering who the heck Flynn is…he isn’t in there. A double “nn” name like that one clearly deserves its own series!)

What about you? How much thought do you give to names in the books you read? Does it even matter? I need your help, so I’m going to give out a digital copy of Dark Flight to one person who comments today—and I promise not to look at the last letter of your name!

   *********

Blurb:

In a world of shadows, a pure heart can be the most dangerous weapon of all.

Kara has been training for months to help take down Brakken—the merciless black-wing who is making life hell for the Demiáre. But when Julian discovers a scout has been tracking Kara, he wants her out of the fight—even if it means breaking her heart in the process.

Gavin isn’t much better. He’s already lost so much to Brakken and has no intention of allowing the woman he loves to be the next sacrifice. He and Julian have their hands full trying to fight Brakken’s army and keep Kara safe, especially after her recent visit to the mythical white-wings. Since her return, she’s been acting decidedly…strange.

With a terrible battle looming, Kara doesn’t have time to think about her conflicted feelings for Gavin and Julian—or the fact that she’s developed an unnatural taste for Gavin’s blood. But if she thought it was complicated evading mysterious scouts and fending off vicious black-wings, she’s learning that’s nothing compared to loving two strong-willed men.

Product Warnings:

This book contains angels that aren’t what they seem, a heroine with mad midwifery skills, and a metamorphosis that will change life as we knew it.

~ Excerpt ~

Copyright © 2012 Cassi Carver
All rights reserved — a Samhain Publishing, Ltd. publication

Kara dropped into a crouch behind the leaves of a giant bird of paradise as her claws silently pushed through the tips of her fingers. Her thigh muscles burned from the continued strain, but they could catch fire for all she cared. He wasn’t going to get her. Not this time.

When the sound of furtive footsteps approached, crunching softly through the thick, tropical undergrowth, Kara grabbed onto a low-lying branch and swung herself up, then quickly scaled the side of the tree. Her heart beat full-throttle, hammering so hard she hoped he couldn’t hear it. But if his hearing was that good, even the shallow breaths she took might give her away.

The buckskin-clad shape came closer. Head to toe, he wore a suit made of animal skin with a leaf pattern hand-drawn on the material. It was a hunting suit. But Kara didn’t feel like being hunted tonight.

She waited until he was directly under the tree where she hid. His chest and back were strapped with weapons that slowed him just enough to put him at a disadvantage. With a silent, decisive breath, Kara leapt.

Claws extended, she pounced on his back from above, flattening him to the ground under her, crushing a mass of fern fronds under his thick chest. She pulled a knife from his back strap and held it to his throat.

Smiling, she leaned down to whisper above his hooded ear, “Give up, big guy?” If it came out a little throaty and seductive, she couldn’t help it. Victory was a major turn-on. But then again, when it came to Gavin Cross, just breathing the same air was enough to get her hot and bothered.

He shifted under her, and his hulking body had no problem moving her with him. With her knees straddling his hips, she lifted up to allow him to roll onto his back.

“Lady Kara…” the man began, “you have need of me?”

Kara dropped the knife and jumped off, falling to one knee and clobbering a sprig of wild orchids in the clumsy maneuver. “Who the hell are you?”

“Patrick. You don’t remember me?” The warrior sat up and searched her eyes for a moment, but then his confusion cleared, as though he’d finally caught on to what was afoot. “Ah, you really don’t remember me, do you? You simply have need of a man. I don’t mind, my lady. I would be honored to service you.”

It still bothered Kara that his offer lit fuses all up and down her body. If she hadn’t grown up as a regular gal, she probably would have taken him up on his offer. Right here. Right now. Already, his substantial interest was growing.

She stood and brushed the debris from her black jeans. “I’m so sorry, Patrick. I really didn’t intend to…jump you. Lord Gavin and I are doing training exercises out here, and I thought you were him. You may want to hunt somewhere else until we’re finished.” When his brows rose, she added, “Finished training.”

Patrick stood, assessing her with a wry smile, then he retrieved his knife and returned it to its sheath. “Lord Gavin, you say? But he was the one who ordered the hunt.”

“He did what?” But just as she said it, something slammed into her from behind, carrying her blindingly fast through the maze of trees and vines until the blurred image of a clearing appeared.

In the next instant, she crashed into the tall grass face first and rolled onto her back—or was flipped, more like it. The hulking form above her blocked out the light of the moon with his massive silver wings. Her back pushed into the soggy soil, the moisture soaking through her shirt, and a root of some sort pressed against her ribs.

She glared up at Gavin, but with only an inch separating them, his hazel eyes were huge, eclipsing everything else in her vision, and his grin seemed to stretch as wide as his wings. “Gotcha.”

“What was that?” she demanded, but it was hard to yell at him with his lips so close to hers.

He brought a hand to her neck and ran his finger slowly across her throat. “If I had a knife, you’d be dead. I win again.”

Kara’s hands found his waist of their own volition. “No you don’t. You cheated. You sent a horny hunter into our training ground. I thought he was you!”

His breath was sweet and spicy, and the corners of his eyes crinkled with soft lines as he smiled. “Cheating is irrelevant when it comes to life and death, princess. Don’t expect integrity from those who want you dead.”

Her hands raked over the bare skin covering his ribs, until she curled her fingers into her palms to keep from touching him again. “Okay, that one doesn’t count.”

Gavin laughed and pulled her to her feet. “It counts. That’s three hundred sixteen for me and seven for you.”

“Shit,” she ground out. “Let’s try again.”

He reached out and adjusted her damp black T-shirt so that it lay smoothly against her chest. “You’re not ready, Kara.”

She batted his hand away. “So I can’t flash like a silver-wing. That doesn’t mean I’m defenseless.” She’d killed his brother, who was incredibly strong for a silver-winged fallen angel—but she didn’t think there would ever be a right moment to throw that in Gavin’s face. Besides, he’d just tell her that his brother hadn’t been an almost invincible black-wing like the beast they were planning to bring down now.

“We’ve done enough for one night. Let me take you home. It must be almost three pm in San Diego, and you said you had to work tonight.”

Now that Kara was officially part of the Mercury Clan—a band of more than three hundred fallen angel hybrids—Gavin had finally confided that Mercury Island was located in the Seychelles chain of islands. Albeit, with all the wards and defenses, there wasn’t a good chance of a fisherman or passing cruise ship catching on to that fact.

Being halfway around the world from San Diego, it was almost twelve hours off from where she called home. Three pm in San Diego meant she’d kept Gavin up all night here on Mercury Island.

“Yeah, I do have to work. And you need to get some rest.”

He wrapped his arms around her, preparing to flash. “Have you thought about my offer?” As he asked, they began to dissolve. He carried her through the inky tar, and a moment later, they were standing on the balcony off her living room overlooking downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter.

She let the nausea and the boneless feeling pass before she answered. “I can’t.”

He growled and released her. “No lady of the Mercury Clan needs to work. I have enough resources to keep you comfortable from now until the Armageddon. Did I ever mention that Teras’s daughter working at a bar for minimum wage and paltry tips is just plain absurd?”

“Only about a dozen times. Don’t you ever get tired of this subject, Daddy Warbucks? I know I do.”

“Your father was my king, Kara. How can I hold my head high when I’m not caring for his only daughter?”

Kara reached up—way up, given Gavin’s six-foot-seven-inch frame—and patted his cheek. The dark blond stubble along his jaw was just starting to poke through and it tickled her palm. “You’re so cute when you go all protect-and-provide on me, but I gotta get ready for work now. Bye.” When she wiggled her fingers in farewell and turned to enter the apartment, Gavin slapped her on the rump. She yelped and dashed into the living room.

“Brat!” he called after her, and then he flashed.

And with the sting his hand left on her ass, he was lucky he did.

She growled and swallowed down her body’s reaction to her golden-haired protector. Since her lover, Julian, had called things off three weeks ago, bringing Kara’s sex life to a screeching halt, her starving body couldn’t handle even grappling or sparring with Gavin without her wanting to unstrap his weapons belt to unsheathe his broadsword.

She sat hard on the edge of the sofa and ran a hand over the side of her throbbing backside. What if she did quit her job? What if she took her place on the island as a lady of the clan? What would it be like to trade her boots and jeans for island wear and an ever-present supply of men eager to do her bidding?

As it was, she wondered how long could she pine for Julian, hoping he’d reconsider—and not just for the sake of her broken, humiliated heart, but also for how effective his attention was at helping her control her raging libido.

Truth was, females of Kara’s kind didn’t do well with abstinence once they’d reached her age. Hell, they didn’t even attempt it. And now more than ever Kara could see why.

She began to pull off her boots, but her face was angled toward the balcony window, pointing towards Mercury Island however many thousands of miles away. “Celibacy sucks!” she shouted.

But unfortunately, rolling around with Gavin Cross in a totally different exercise couldn’t happen until they’d accomplished their primary objective—sending that black-wing bastard Brakken to the Abyss before he got hold of Gavin’s only child.

~~About the Author~~

Cassi Carver lives in sunny Southern California with two dogs, four kids, five chickens, and one hubby who gives great massages. She gets to San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter for research (okay, happy hour) as often as possible. She’s never saved the world, but she keeps sexy boots on hand just in case the opportunity arises.

When Cassi isn’t busy plotting or writing, she enjoys reading, spending time with family and friends, caring for pets, getting outdoors, and watching sappy movies that deliver reliably happy endings.

Twitter ∫Facebook ∫ Website ∫ Goodreads 

~~Giveaway Info~~

Cassi Carver is giving away one ebook copy of Dark Flight to one lucky winner!

To enter please fill out the rafflecopter by clicking on the link below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway ends on 5/18/2013 at 11:50 pm CST.  Open to US/CAN must be 18 to enter.

~~Pembroke Sinclair Guest Post~~

I love dragons.  I’ve loved them for as long as I can remember.  I have memories of watching Dragon Slayer when I was a kid.  It scared the crap out of me, especially the part where the princess gets eaten by baby dragons, but there was something fascinating about the creatures.  I read Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern when I was in high school.  I saw Reign of Fire in the theater.  Anything that had to do with dragons, I soaked in, even if it wasn’t good.

When I started writing Wucaii, I wanted it to have a high fantasy feel to it.  After all, dragons existed in the time of magic of swords.  Even with the influence of Reign of Fire, it never occurred to me to place the creatures in the modern era.  I was young, determined, and my dragons were going to be in the time and place they were intended to be in.

I started Wucaii when I was in high school.  Due to my limited vision and unrefined writing skills, I wasn’t able to finish the story at the time.  Years went by, and I picked it up again when I was in college taking a writing workshop.  Again, I had visions of the story being high fantasy.  I rewrote parts of it, but my confidence was shaken by the professor.  The story was once again put away for several years.

When I picked up the story yet again, I still had visions it would be high fantasy.  After all, dragons can’t exist anywhere but in the time of magic and steel.  As I rewrote again, I found myself getting stuck.  The story wasn’t working.  It wasn’t going where I wanted it to go.  I stepped back and looked at my options.  What was the most important thing I was trying to convey?  What did I want readers to remember?

It dawned on me that the most central part of the story was Aelana, not as the human she used to be but as a hybrid.  I didn’t think human-dragon hybrids had been the focus of a story before, so I decided to give it a try.  I also knew it couldn’t be done in the past, it had to be “modern” times.  As I started working, the story flowed.  I was able to bring in the history through flashbacks, so all of my previous work wasn’t completely wasted. 

I was incredibly pleased with how the story turned out.  It was fun to write a character that didn’t fit conventions.  I’m figuring out what other kinds of adventures Aelana can go on in the future.

 **************

 Blurb: 

After five hundred years’ labor destroying worlds, half-dragon half-human Aelana returns to her home planet.

 She expects to be anonymous, but instead she is worshipped as a god. She finds the reincarnation of her centuries-dead first and only love and life begins anew. Little does she know, however, that a shrewd and formidable evil lays in wait, one with the power to undo everything she’s worked for. To  maintain the balance of the universe, she must confront and destroy the menace before it annihilates her and everything she loves.

Excerpt:

Aelana cowered in the corner of her tent, her blanket pulled over her head. Her knees were pulled up to her chest, her forehead resting on them. Muffled, indistinguishable voices drifted through the canvas. Fear beaded sweat on her forehead. What would happen if someone came into her tent? She had given specific orders no one should disturb her, but that didn’t always stop them. They couldn’t find her like this. Bad things might happen if they did.

 “Aelana?” a familiar voice drifted into the tiny space. It was low, masculine, and soothing.

 She cringed. “Go away, Thoran.”

 The canvas door flopped into place, a footstep thudded on the ground.

 “I’m not leaving until you tell me what’s going on.”

 She inhaled a shaky breath. “I can’t.”

 A few more steps sounded, and his hands wrapped around the outside of the blanket. Panic gripped her chest, and she grabbed the edge of the material.

 “I’m worried about you. What’s going on? Why have you been hiding lately?” He tugged on the blanket.

 “Thoran, no!” Her grip tightened on the cover.

 “Aelana, stop this! You’re acting like a child!”

 They played tug-of-war with the blanket for several moments. Aelana’s panic increased, and her only concern was keeping herself covered. Thoran wouldn’t understand, he wouldn’t get it. She didn’t even know what was going on. How could she explain it to anyone else? If the changes scared her, they might utterly freak out others.

 “Aelana, you can talk to me. You can trust me!” The strain was evident in his voice. He jerked on the material.

 He had more leverage than Aelana, and the blanket slipped from her fingers. A squeak escaped her lips as she tried to fold herself in on her own body. He placed his hands on her knees.

 “Aelana, please. Talk to me.” His voice was low, pleading.

 Her heart rate increased, her breathing became rapid. The desire to push him away and run into the night, disappearing into darkness, surged through her, but she fought back the urge. She wouldn’t; she couldn’t. He’d come after her. Her resolve faltered. If it had been anyone else, it would have been easy to stay strong, overpower them and leave. Thoran, however, could make her talk, make her open up. He knew her better than anyone. That was both comforting and annoying.

 He placed one hand on her shoulder and the other on her forearm, pushing gently, attempting to get her to unfurl. “Don’t make me beg.”

 With a grunt and a sigh, Aelana threw her arms open and kicked out her legs. Thoran fell backward. She jumped to her feet.

 “Is this what you wanted?” she growled. “Are you happy with what you see?”

 Thoran moved backward, his eyes wide, his mouth open. She stepped closer and loomed over him.

 “Now do you understand why I’ve been hiding?”

 Thoran tried to scuttle away, to head out the door. Aelana crouched down and grabbed his collar.

 “What’s wrong, Thoran? Talk to me!”

 He screamed and slapped her hand away before pushing her over. He crawled out the door, and she collapsed onto her knees. The weight of sadness dropped onto her shoulders. What had she done?

 * * * *

 Aelana jerked awake, her elbows digging into the scales of the Queen’s neck. The Queen shifted slightly but didn’t wake up. Aelana took a deep breath and ran her hand down her face. Quietly and deliberately, she left the comfort of Her Highness’embrace and headed for the cave opening. Standing at the door, her gaze drifted to the peaks and rises silhouetted against the night sky. A few stars twinkled above; others were blotted out by dark clouds of rolling smoke. Aelana caught the faint scent of burning wood on the breeze.

 Picking her way across the landscape, her claws scraped against the rocks. Visions of Thoran’s horrified face lingered in her mind. She found a small stream trickling down the mountain side and knelt next to it. Splashing her face with the cool liquid, she sighed and stared into the water. It was too dark to see her reflection, but she didn’t need to. There was a definite reason Thoran ran from her so long ago.

 Her eyes were multifaceted, glittering like diamonds. They were no longer deep blue, human-like. Her pale skin wasn’t supple. Though it was still smooth, it was covered in tough scales. Her face was angular, the chin pointed and defined. Small knobs protruded from her forehead, the smallest hint of horns. Pointed ears lay flat against her head. Her teeth were sharp, her canines longer than the others, protruding slightly from her lips when her mouth was closed. Only her hair retained its human quality, rows upon rows of braids that traveled to the middle of her back. Her feet had morphed into powerful claws, and her hands were tipped with razor-sharp nails. She was the perfect mix of human and dragon, powerful and compassionate.

 Thoran had asked repeatedly what was wrong, but she dodged his questions and concerns. Eventually, avoiding him all together. It worked for a while, until he barged into her sanctuary. What other choice did he give her but to throw her mutation in his face? Why hadn’t she left? She could have snuck away in the middle of the night. People would have noticed, but they wouldn’t have cared. The whispers would have continued, rumors would have spread, but things would have turned out differently, maybe better. Her leaving would have saved a lot of heartache.

 She gazed at the sky. More stars were blotted out by dark smoke columns, and the stench of burning forest grew stronger. Slowly, Aelana made her way back to the cave. Thoran shouldn’t have found out like that, but there was no way to reveal it delicately. Still, given the chance to do it again, she’d approach the situation differently.

~About the Author~

 Pembroke Sinclair has had several short stories, novels, and novellas published in various places, including MuseItUp Publishing, Musa Publishing, and eTreasures Publishing. Her story, “Sohei,” was named one of the Best Stories of 2008 by The Cynic Online Magazine. Her two novels, Coming from Nowhere (adult, sci fi) and Life After the Undead (YA, horror), are available from eTreasures Publishing, as well as Death to the Undead (YA, sequel to Life After the Undead). Life After the Undead was a Top Ten Finisher in the Preditors and Editors Reader’s Poll in the YA category and the cover art category.

 Under her real name, Jessica Robinson, from March 2008 to January 2011, she wrote scientific articles for Western Farmer-Stockman. She has a nonfiction book, Life Lessons from Slasher Films, available from Scarecrow Publishing (an imprint of Rowman and Littlefield).

 Jessica/Pembroke has a Master’s in English, and is a freelance content editor for Musa Publishing, as well as a content and line editor for eTreasures Publishing.

 Author Blog ∫ Goodreads ∫ Facebook ∫ Website 

~~Interview with Terry Spear~~

Annie:  Welcome to Booked & Loaded Terry!   I am super excited to have you here!

Terry: Thanks so much for having me, Annie! I’m looking forward to sharing all about writing, concerning those hunky wolves.

Annie:  Can you give us a brief description of you newest release, A Highland Werewolf Wedding?  

Terry: Think hunky Highland wolf all dressed in a kilt and running late to a wedding. He and an American she-wolf nearly collide and she ends up having to take him to the wedding. She is NOT surprised that the bride isn’t marrying him. But everything soon changes as her cousins strand her and Cearnach at some castle ruins and now they want her back because she knows where a pirate’s treasure is, but Cearnach’s not giving her up.

Annie:  I love your style of Alpha in A Highlander Werewolf Wedding.  Cearnach is so respectful of Elaine’s strength and accepts her as an equal.  Do you prefer Cearnach’s type of Alpha over the so called Alpha-Holes (you know…pushy, controlling, and assholish?)

Terry: LOL, Annie!!! Love your description. I love alpha males, but they also have to be caring, tender, attuned to her needs, respectful of her strengths, and treat her as a partner. Yet there’s still that inherent wolfish need to protect a mate. With ANY male, alpha or beta, he has to have a sense of humor. No sense of humor, no go.

Annie:  I have so much respect for the fact that your highlander attire and weaponry is accurately described and titled.   Have you ever had the pleasure of visiting Scotland?  

Terry: Ah, thanks so much, Annie. Yes! I loved Scotland, visited seven castles during the trip there, and fell in love with many of them. We took our own rental car and that made it more fun. We stopped to take pictures of the shaggy Highland cows and learned how to stay on the correct side of the road. Most of the time. Set off the alarm at a store that is our version of Walmart—the doors looked like the exit, and one of our friends set off the alarm at the hotel we were staying in. Little green men walking means exit. Little green men running means don’t go out this way unless you want to set off the fire alarm.

Some of the roads were sooo very narrow that I loved writing about that for the stories. We stayed at bed and breakfasts and I tried blood pudding one morning. Must be an acquired taste. I didn’t try haggis, though I should have just to say I had. LOL

Annie:  What other kind of research do you do to help add to the authenticity?

Terry: I do a lot of plant and weather research. Even though I went to Scotland, I don’t recall all the plants, and the weather was atypical for October when I was there. Plus, I like to write about other seasons, and I haven’t visited during that time. I included one of the castle ruins in this story as a basis, but placed it in a different location to make it the heroine’s family’s. Also, I looked up places for sale and used those to describe the properties she owned over there, including the part about the place that had window seats that were used as prayer seats for the monks. Fascinating details like that add to the story and are for real.

Annie:  What has been your biggest challenge when writing this series?

Terry: This is the 11th book in the series and I have written the next two in the wolf series also. The biggest challenge is to keep each unique and refreshing. Early on when I was doing interviews, interviewers would ask me what was different about each of the books. With eleven now, that’s quite a list. In each, I introduce something new. A Highland Werewolf Wedding touches on privateers, or pirates of old, about feeling a connection to a place even when you have never lived there, about coming home to a place that feels right. It’s about weddings that don’t happen and weddings that do. It’s a fun way to show off men in kilts!! LOL So all of these things are different from any of the other stories I’ve written.

Annie:  What characters do you find the easiest to write – the bad?  The good?  The murderous psychos?

Terry: LOL, all of them are fun to write. The heroes and heroines are fun to showcase—to develop as they’re going along in their quest to find fulfillment. The bad guys are fun to show also in a way that makes them real—flawed, a good side to them maybe that only their mother can love. I have fun with adding some teens to show how they deal with being shifters in a pack. And a few babies here and there to start the new generations of wolf packs! I love showing the relationships between pack members and the lead characters for the story. So they’re all good.

Annie:  What can fans expect next?  

Terry: Jaguar Fever is coming in August, book 2 in my Heart of the Jaguar Series. And you all need to read it right away, as I am writing Jaguar Hunt right now and keep wanting to talk about it, but no one knows what I’m talking about yet! LOL That’s the problem with working on a book several books into the future. And then A SEAL Wolf Christmas is coming in October for a nice early Christmas present. After that, Silence of the Wolf, Tom Silver’s story, Feb, 2014, and everyone has been waiting for the Colorado Silver brother to get his own story. Then after that is the aforementioned Jaguar Hunt, June 2014, another Highland wolf story (sometime in 2014!), and Guthrie’s Highland Wolf Christmas story in Oct 2014, and….yes, they keep coming, aren’t you glad??? One of Maya’s cousins ends up with twin jaguar cubs during an assignment, so what’s a hot shot Special Forces JAG agent supposed to do? His partner, a female JAG agent, tells him to deal with it. A fun bachelor auction with two SEAL wolf giveaways—now who would love to be bidding on those guys? I love writing these books!!!

Annie: So I love music almost as much as books.  Do you think your characters or books have theme songs?  What are they??

Terry: Anna in A SEAL Wolf Christmas loves Lil Red Riding Hood by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs. I just asked fans what ring tones they could think of for a jaguar, and one came up with the fight song for the Jacksonville Jaguars—”Rock and Roar (J-A-G-U-A-R),” and another was “What’s New Pussycat” by Tom Jones. I want to use “Hungry Like the Wolf” by Duran Duran that another fan came up with. I had a lot of suggestions for great songs, but I always check out the actual lyrics to see if they work for the character. I love to have fan participation. Recently, I asked also what everyone loved for their favorite bubble baths and then used that in the current work-in-progress.

Annie:  What animal do you think you are most like?

Terry: Bear. I’m from California and the grizzly is the state animal. I love bears, make teddy bears that have one awards all over and have been featured in magazines and newspapers. They have found homes all over the world. My dad would say I was like a cuddly teddy bear.

Annie: If you could compare yourself to any fictional character who would that be? (tv, movies, literature)

Terry: Castle. Richard Castle. He’s running around during the commission of a crime while everyone else is wearing T-shirts with POLICE on them, he’s got AUTHOR on his. We both have a quirky sense of humor, and I loved how when he was trying to determine if the two dead people in one episode were really a werewolf and vampire, he was speculating about it being for real. And he’s always thinking in term of a book or solving a mystery.

Annie: What is your go-to Monopoly token?

Terry: A cat. Wolf, if they had one. Or a bear.

Annie: If you were fighting zombies what would your weapon of choice be?

Terry: Cearnach wearing his kilt and wielding his claymore swords. Actually, all the brothers. Yes!

Thanks so much for having here today, Annie! What a fun interview! And for wolf fans, what would you like one of the MacNeill very wolfish brothers to do for you, if you got to meet up with him either in the Caribbean islands, along a narrow road in Scotland, or at a pub there???

A HIGHLAND WERWOLF WEDDING BY TERRY SPEAR – IN STORES MAY 2013

On The Run…

After werewolves Elaine Hawthorn and Cearnach MacNeill almost have a head-on collision on a foggy Highland road, they’re pretty well stuck with each other. It’ll be hours before anyone can get there to pull his car out of the ditch and they both have better places to be.

And Nowhere to Hide From Each Other…

The sexy little American brings out all of Cearnach’s big bag protective instincts. If she thought she was in trouble before, Elaine has no idea what kind of complications a hot Scot can cause…

Delightful, steamy, and devilishly funny, join the hundreds of thousands of readers who already discovered that USA Today bestseller Terry Spear delivers a sizzle worth howling about.

Praise for A Highland Werewolf Wedding:

“The two protagonists are well matched in intelligence, and their snappy dialogue will have readers chuckling from the first chapter on.” —Booklist

“The hills of Scotland make a dramatic backdrop for this novel, and the characters are pleasing and well written.” —RT Book Reviews

“A Highland Werewolf Wedding is another shining example of exactly why Terry Spear is the Queen of the shifter romance.”—Night Owl Reviews, 5 Stars, Reviewer Top Pick

You can check out my review’s by clicking on the titles below:

A Howl for a Highlander 

A Highland Werewolf Wedding

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

USA Today bestselling author Terry Spear has written over two dozen paranormal romance novels and medieval Highland historical romances. She has received incredible praise for her romances, including Heart of the Wolf named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. A retired officer of the U.S. Army Reserves, Terry also creates award-winning teddy bears that have found homes all over the world. She lives in Crawford, Texas, where she is working on her next paranormal romances! For more information, please visit www.TerrySpear.com.

~~Giveaway~~

Terry Spear and Sourcebooks are giving away one print copy of

Howl for a Highlander (Heart of the Wolf, #10)

To enter please fill out the rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Open to US/CAN.  Must be 18 to enter.  Ends May 13, 2013 at midnight CST.

Hello Booked & Loaded readers. Thanks for having me today. I’m having a great time on this blog tour.

First off, I’d like to let you all know Influential Magic is on sale for a very short time on Amazon, B&N, Kobo, & Apple for only 99 cents. So go grab your copy before it goes back to the regular price.

Let’s talk about setting. Influential Magic, as well as all the rest of my books, is set in New Orleans. Why? Well, mostly because I love it. The city is so quirky, full of artists, musicians, great food, and even though the city is full of challenges, there is a “we’re in this together” kind of feeling. It also has a darker side, such as what happened during Katrina, the very real reminder of slave quarters that still exist as expensive real estate in the French Quarter, and it’s well known for corruption. If that isn’t great fodder for fiction, I don’t know what is.

The other wonderful thing about New Orleans is all the history that is there. One could spend years digging through all of it. I’ll admit I’m not a huge history buff. I definitely like it, but when it comes to writing my stories, it turns out I like to make stuff up more than stick to the facts. So I don’t draw from a lot of the history. I do reference real places and neighborhoods and use ghost lore and vampire lore as inspiration.

I guess when it comes down to it, I’m much more interested in the way New Orleans is now, rather than what happened in the past. In Influential Magic, I really feel like I captured the essence of how I feel about New Orleans. To me the city is full of creative people; loyal, salt of the earth people; quirky characters; displaced people; and those who’ve allowed corruption into their hearts.

If you read Influential Magic, I hope you’ll find all of those elements among my characters, who happen to live in one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever seen.

~~About Influential Magic~~

Kindle ∫ Trade Paperback ∫BN ∫ Kobo ∫ Smashwords

It’s tough being a faery in New Orleans, a city fraught with vampires… especially when their very existence drains your life-force.

Willow Rhoswen, owner of The Fated Cupcake and part-time vampire hunter for the Void is having a rough week. Four years after her twin brother’s mysterious death, Willow’s life is threatened and the director saddles her with a new partner—her ex-boyfriend, David. To her horror, he’s turned vamp, which causes her physical pain whenever she touches him… and any other specimen of the undead.

In order to save Willow’s life, David agrees to turn double agent against the most powerful vampire organization in New Orleans. Or so he says. And she’s convinced they know something about her brother’s death. Unsure where David’s loyalties lie, she turns to Talisen, her childhood crush, to help her solve the mystery.

Caught between two gorgeous men and a director who’ll stop at nothing to control Willow’s gifts, she’ll have to follow her instincts and learn who to trust.

Otherwise, she risks losing more than just her life.

**********

EXCERPT 

A low chuckle rumbled from the branch.

“Wil, I think our friend finds us amusing.” Phoebe gripped her black agate crystal.

“Just you,” the vamp replied, his voice as deep and gritty as a thirty-year chain-smoker. “She’s interesting, as well as that dog of hers, but I’ve been looking forward to this matchup for some time.”

A grin broke on Phoebe’s profile and her eyes glittered. “Oh, good. A challenge.”

The hooded figure leapt from the branch a second before Phoebe blasted the spot with her sunlight-infused agate. The branch sizzled and, with a deafening crack, landed inches from where Phoebe had been standing.

“Holy fae,” I breathed and took off after Phoebe, who was now sprinting to catch the vampire. She sped up, periodically flashing her agate, trying to stun him. His reflexes proved to be far superior to the average vampire’s, and I suspected this one had been around much longer than most. He alternated back and forth from the tree limbs to the cemetery wall in smooth, graceful movements, deliberately waiting for Phoebe to make a move before leaping.

He was playing with her.

At the end of the cemetery, the vampire turned and looked Phoebe in the eye. “What else you got, witch?”

Phoebe stopped yards ahead of me, her tiny, lithe body seeming to grow a few inches. She lifted her left hand straight out, palm up and shouted, “Siste!”

Her long, glossy black hair fell from its bun, whipping straight back in the windless night.

The power behind the spell rooted me to the path, frozen in a running pose. Link was a few yards ahead of her, suspended in midair, his face scrunched up in a snarl. The vampire’s laughter rang clear as he bounded onto a nearby rooftop and disappeared.

“Fuck!” Phoebe shouted as the power dissipated.

With the spell broken, I lost my balance and fell face-first on the hard brick sidewalk.

Link shot ahead, his little legs never breaking the run. His body shimmered gold before his limbs gave way, expanding until he’d grown to ten times his normal size. Once again in wolf form, he shot out of sight, sprinting after the vampire.

I groaned and rolled over, staring into Phoebe’s exhausted face. “You all right?”

She offered me a hand. “Yeah, but shit. I lost him.”

“How’d he do that?” I’d never seen a vampire manipulate her magic before. “It’s like he blocked it.”

“He deflected the spell, and it hit you and Link instead.” She rubbed her temple. “I don’t know how. I’ll need to do some research.”

I nodded. “I can’t sense him anymore, he must be long gone. We better go find Link before animal control gets him again.” The last time they’d picked him up as a wolf, he’d turned back into a Shih Tzu before I could claim him. The paperwork confusion had been a nightmare.

“You go ahead. I’ll grab the car and catch up.”

“Okay. Be safe. I’ll keep an eye out for you.” Smiling, I flew to the nearest rooftop.

I spotted Link within moments. He was racing around the corner at the end of the street, his white coat gleaming in the moonlight. Had he picked up the vamp’s trail or had Phoebe’s magic sent him into a frenzy? I couldn’t feel the vampire, so it must have been the magic.

Or could I? My limbs were weighted as if the air was heavy, and my lungs had to work harder for oxygen. Something was off, though. It didn’t feel the same as the sticky, swimming death I’d experienced earlier. The sensation pressed lightly and then all at once clung to me.

A vampire was close. Really, really close. But why did it feel so different?

My heart picked up as panic set in. Link was blocks away. Phoebe was in the car somewhere, and I was alone on a roof.

Why had I taken off by myself? Stupid, stupid, stupid.

I glanced around at the half-deserted neighborhood. A stone settled in my gut as recognition dawned. I was on vampire property. In the years after hurricane Katrina, the city had swelled with vampires. Drawn to the despair and lawlessness, the vampire population had more than tripled.

At first, they helped the struggling economy by buying up blocks of decimated homes. Unfortunately, they only rebuilt the one they lived in and left the others to rot. The perfect way to discourage neighbors. Vamps had been known to do a lot worse for privacy.

I scanned the streets for Phoebe’s car or a glimpse of Link. If I could find either of them I’d be fine. The silence grated. Alone on a roof with no cell phone and a vampire lying in wait. Now what?

I stretched my wings, fluttering a few feet off the rooftop. Flying always gave me a sense of control. I couldn’t cover a lot of ground, but I could move pretty quickly if I needed to. Faster than sprinting, anyway.

The sticky sensation stayed with me, but as I flew, the intensity lessened. Maybe he was in the building.

The thought didn’t put me at ease one little bit. Vamps were impossibly fast. If one had spotted me… Link reappeared at the end of the block.

“Finally.” I flexed my wings and shot toward the edge of the building.

“Willow?”

I spun. My wings stilled mid-flutter as pleasure heated my insides. I knew that voice and missed it more than I cared to admit. Managing to land gracefully on shaky legs, I peered through the moonlight. “David?”

He nodded.

Relief washed through my body at the sight of him, uncurling the knot I’d forgotten existed in my stomach. I took a step closer and froze.

Thick honey vampire energy clung to me and it was coming from my ex.

~~About the Author ~~

Deanna is a native Californian, transplanted to the slower paced lifestyle of southeastern Louisiana.

When she isn’t writing, she is often goofing off with her husband in New Orleans, playing with her two shih tzu dogs, making glass beads, or out hocking her wares at various bead shows across the country.

For more information and updates on newest releases visit her website at

Website ∫ Facebook ∫ Twitter  ∫ Newsletter 

~Tour Wide Giveaway~

 TO ENTER:  Please click on the rafflecopter link:

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~~Interview with Amanda Bonilla~~

Annie:  Welcome to Booked & Loaded Amanda!  Authors After Dark is fast approaching!

Have you ever visited Savannah before?

Amanda: I haven’t, so I’m excited to be going! My husband lived in Charleston, SC for a few years when he was in the Navy and that’s the only southern city I’ve been to.

Annie:  What event are you most looking forward to at Authors After Dark?  I am super excited about the Elemental Ball and the River Boat Dinner!

Amanda: I’m super excited (and nervous) for the panels! I’m moderating one and I’ve never done that before. But I love talking about books and writing and I can’t wait to interact with other writers and especially readers!

Annie:  Can you tell us a little about the world you created in your Shaede Assassin Series?

Amanda: I wanted my fictional world to be a close to the real world as possible, though in book 2, BLOOD BEFORE SUNRISE, I do introduce readers to the faery realm, a sort of pocket or parallel universe that’s inaccessible to everyone but Darian. In my fictional Seattle, the city is populated with a variety of supernatural creatures: Shaedes, Lyhtans, Fae, Sylphs, Cambion, Shifters, and Jinn. But rather than live out in the open, exposed to humanity, my supernatural creatures keep their true natures a secret.

Annie:  Can you give us a little blurb from your most recent release Crave the Darkness?

Amanda: In CRAVE THE DARKNESS, Darian is dealing with her heartache over her breakup with Tyler. As usual, Xander is busy trying to gain her attention and he keeps her close by hiring her to protect Anya. It’s a prickly situation since the two women don’t get along, but since Anya is pregnant and Shaedes rarely conceive, it’s imperative that she be kept safe. The problem is, Anya is keeping secrets that put a lot of people in danger, including Darian.

Annie:  What has surprised you the most while writing this series?

Amanda: I think what surprised me most was the world-building. It took me a while to realize that I was writing my own world with my own rules and I didn’t have to conform to anyone’s idea of what an urban fantasy world should be. I had to work up the courage to let my imagination roam and just write what I wanted to write without worrying about how others would react to my world. 

Annie:  What characters do you find the easiest to write – the bad?  The good?  The murderous psychos?

Amanda: I don’t know what this says about me, but I find that writing villains comes pretty easily to me. And likewise, I have a hard time channeling my inner alpha male. Heroes are tough for me. When I write Tyler, it’s a struggle. His voice isn’t as clear to me as I’d like it to be.

Annie:  What can fans expect next?

Amanda: The fourth book in the Shaede Assassin series is still untitled, but it will be released in early 2014, and readers will finally get the chance to meet the mysterious Lorik. In the meantime, the first book in my new urban fantasy series VENGEANCE BORNE will be released on September 3rd. I’m really excited about it!

Annie: So I love music almost as much as books.  Do you think your characters or books have theme songs?  What are they??

Amanda:  My characters definitely have theme songs. I think Darian’s is Smack My Bitch Up by Prodigy (Hehe). Tyler’s theme music would be anything by The Fray. As far as the music I listened to while writing the series, I’m sort of a 90’s music junkie. My playlist for the series is heavy on 90’s alternative and grunge.

Annie: If you could compare yourself to any fictional character who would that be? (tv, movies, literature)

Amanda: Oh, I can TOTALLY relate to Liz Lemon. There are times when I watch 30 Rock and think, That is sooooo me. I’m sort of awkward, and clumsy, and weird.

Annie: What is your go-to Monopoly token?

Amanda: The top hat. It’s so classy!

Annie: If you were fighting zombies what would your weapon of choice be?

Amanda: Hands down a katana. I mean, if you’ve watched The Walking Dead, you know no one can take out a zombie like Michonne. Best. Zombie. Killer. Ever.

 ~~About Crave the Darkness~~

Nothing comes easy for Darian. Her heightened powers make her indispensable to the Shaede Nation, but dangerous missions have driven her lover, Tyler, to his breaking point. Darian must salvage their bond, but a new assignment to protect Anya—a fellow Shaede and the first of their kind to become pregnant in centuries—stands in their way.

It doesn’t help that the two Shaedes are longtime rivals and share nothing besides mutual hatred. But when it becomes clear that someone—or something—is bent on destroying the expectant mother and her unborn child, Darian must put her feelings aside and track down Anya’s would-be assassin.

As she probes into Anya’s past, Darian digs up long-buried secrets—and a connection between Tyler and the mission that could destroy everything between them…

Amazon ∫  B&N

Series and reading order information

~~About the Author~~

Amanda Bonilla lives in rural Idaho with her husband and two kids. She’s a part-time pet wrangler, a full-time sun worshipper, and only goes out into the cold when coerced. She loves the outdoors, black clothes, pink appliances and thinks junk food should be a recognized food group. In the summer, she can be found sitting by the lake, enjoying the view from her dock.

Facebook ∫ Twitter ∫ Website ∫ Amazon Author Page

~~~~~~Giveaway~~~~~~

I am giving away one copy (print or ebook) of any Shaede book that is currently available.  You can see the “Series and reading order information” link in the above post.

To enter please use the rafflecopter link below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ends May 13, 2013 and winner will have 3 days to claim prize (email will be sent directly to winner).

Must be 18 to enter.  Open to US/CAN

Book Review:

Wicked as She Wants is the second book in Delilah S. Dawson’s Blud series.  Wicked as She Wants is focused and from the point of view of Casper and Ahnastasia.  Ahnastasia is a true Ice Princess.  Kidnapped and almost drained to death she finds herself out of her element and reliant on others.  Raised as royalty she must change if she is to survive long enough for the chance to take back her birth rite and save her Country.  I have read and reviewed the first book and short stories in this series and I can honestly say this is the first time I had to push my way through to the end.  I had the hardest time relating to Ahnastasia or Casper.   I felt no passion about her revenge.  I am not sure if this had to do with Ahnastasia’s motivations or not.   I don’t think I truly understood or empathized that her only motivation appeared to be returning to royalty status.   It is hard to add more of an explanation without spoilers, so I will just leave it at that.   Delilah S. Dawson does write beautifully and the descriptions she uses are almost poetic, but even with the lovely writing something was just missing.  The world she has created is wicked brilliant and unmatched however, I would have a hard time recommending Wicked as She Wants.

Blurb:

When Blud princess Ahnastasia wakes up, drained and starving in a suitcase, she’s not sure which calls to her more: the sound of music or the scent of blood. The source of both sensations is a handsome and mysterious man named Casper Sterling. Once the most celebrated musician in London, Sangland, he’s fallen on hard times. Now, much to Ahna’s frustration, the debauched and reckless human is her only ticket back home to the snow-rimmed and magical land of Freesia.

Together with Casper’s prickly charge, a scrappy orphan named Keen, they seek passage to Ahna’s homeland, where a power-hungry sorceress named Ravenna holds the royal family in thrall. Traveling from the back alleys of London to the sparkling minarets of Muscovy, Ahna discovers that Freesia holds new perils and dangerous foes. Back in her country, she is forced to choose between the heart she never knew she had and the land that she was born to rule. But with Casper’s help, Ahna may find a way to have it all….

I rate Wicked as She Wants 3 out of 5 Bullets

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To learn more about the author, Delilah S. Dawson, you can check out her:

TWITTER ∫ FACEBOOK ∫ GOODREADS ∫ WEBSITE

I obtained this book from the publisher via NetGalley and personally purchased (oops..LOL) and received NO compensation for this review.

Book Review:

Undone is the 4th book in Sara Humphreys Amoveo Legend series.  Vampires, Shifters, and purists…oh my!  Undone is a great and fulfilling romance with many enjoyable layers.  Sexy and unique accurately sum up Undone in two words.  I love the way the author has entwined the larger conflict in every story of this series and that she does it in a way that every book can truly stand alone.  I reviewed the second book in this series, Untouched, a year ago and was impressed that I skipped a book and still felt a complete understanding of what was going on.  That is talent!  Although, now I have the missing books in my TBR pile under “must read now”.   With clear defined world rules and flawless chemistry Undone is a must read for any paranormal fan!  Pete and Marianna captured my heart with their individual history and chemistry.  I truly cannot wait to see what happens in the Amoveo world next!!

Blub:

Party girl Marianna Coltari is an unmated pureblood Amoveo who wants nothing to do with the ongoing war that took her father’s life and continues to consume her brother Dante’s. But when she is targeted by one of the clans, she has little choice but to run and hide in a cabin with Pete Castro, a retired cop from her brother’s security firm. There, Pete and Marianna explore an intensifying attraction between them until danger is at the door and there’s no escape.

I rate Undone 4.5 out of 5 Bullets!

Amazon ∫ B&N

To learn more about the author, Sara Humphreys, please check out her:

Website ∫ Facebook ∫ Twitter

I obtained Undone as an ARC directly from the publisher, Sourcebooks, in exchange for an honest review.  I received NO compensation for this review.

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