In the Spotlight #2

 

Who's in the mood for a little kink this morning? *jumps up from chair* Oh me! Pick me!

Today In the Spotlight is author Renee Rose. Renee's newest release is Deathless Love, a
paranormal erotic romance. I'm getting hot just thinking about my three favourite genres put together.

(from Goodreads)
Kate has always had a crush on Dominic, the handsome owner of the club where her band plays. When she finds out one night that he is a vampire, her interest only grows, and when he sniffs out her need for spanking and brings her deepest fantasies to reality, she falls head over heels. The trouble is, Dom is allergic to relationships, or so it seems.

Dom loves knowing how to turn Kate on and taking her in hand comes naturally to him. But he believes he likes Kate much more than is good for either of them. In his mind, he can never be the man she needs, and the best thing he can do for her is to stay far away. But when a powerful vampire targets Dom, Kate gets tangled in the dangerous web and Dom finds himself prepared to sacrifice his own life to save hers. Can he get her back alive? If so, will they find a way to be together?

This book contains some sexual scenes along with consensual spankings.

If you're anything like me then you're going to want to know where you can pick up this sizzling little number. Deathless Love can be found on Amazon, and don't forget to check out Renee's fucktastic website Renee Rose Romance.

Now, on with the interview! I'm pretty sure I'm in love with this woman. Just sayin'.

About the Book

Tell us a bit about your novel.

Deathless Love is about a young woman who finds a man who can fulfill her sexual fantasies of being spanked.  The trouble is, he's a vampire, which seriously complicates things. 

What gave you the idea for your book? How long did it take you to write?

I got the idea from an experience I had when my husband and I owned a nightclub.  Ironically, that scene was cut at the last minute from the book because it detracted from the attraction between the two main characters.  It took me four months to write.

Which character was your favourite to create? Why?

I loved creating Dom, the sensitive new age vampire who cares about Kate's orgasm. 

 If you were asked to make a soundtrack for your novel, what songs would be on it?

The book actually names a lot of songs, because the main character Kate is a singer in a band.  She sings No Doubt's “Don't Speak”, the 80's hit“Tainted Love”, and a punk version of “You're the Inspiration” by Chicago.  There's some more mellow moments too –  :Uncle John's Band” by the Grateful Dead, “For Emily” by Simon & Garfunkel and “Marry Me” by Train.  Oh and the Talking Heads's “Stay Up Late”.

If your book was turned into a movie, who would you choose to play the leading characters?

Ooh, that's such a great question.  Do you remember the cute blond who played Eminem's girlfriend in Eight-Mile?  She'd be Kate.  Dom...might be Viggo Mortensen, if he'd grow his hair long again. 

What’s your writing process like? Was there a part that was difficult to write?

I wrote this in spurts-- I wrote a couple other novellas while I was in the middle of this one.  I wanted to really give it the time to develop, since it's my first full-length book.  The most difficult part for me was the dramatic action scene-- I kept feeling like I needed a suspense writer consultant to make sure it was working. 

Do you ever use real life experiences in your books?

The real-life experience scene was cut, so there are no other experiences from my life, but the setting and a lot of the background details about the characters-- their habits, likes and dislikes-- come from my life. 

About the author

What is a normal day for you? Take us through your usual routine.

I drop the kids off at school if it's a school day and then try to write as much as I can while the house is quiet, or between appointments, if I'm seeing clients.  Then I write again after the kids go to bed. 

When you’re not writing, what else do you like to do?

I'm a modern dance teacher/performer, a Feldenkrais(R) practitioner, a PTA Board member and a mama.  I also help my husband with his business. 

How do you balance real life (work, kids, getting prepared for the zombie apocalypse) with being an author? 

I just work in snippets when I can.  I think I'm developing A.D.D.

Tell us about the day you found out your book was going to be published. How did you react?

Getting published the first time as a spanking romance author was the impetus to come out of the closet as a spanko to my husband, so it's more memorable to me as to its effect on my sex life :)

Is there a certain book that has made a lasting impression on you?

So many...Mary Stewart's Merlin Trilogy rocked my world as a teenager as did The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley.  Tom Robbins' open treatment of sexuality was pretty important to me, also.  I read a ton of literary fiction for years until I realized I preferred the HEA endings. 

 If you were stranded on a desert island, what five things would you want to have with you?   

My husband always says he would have the Beastie Boys's song “Girls” with him if stranded on an island, which is the silliest thing I've ever heard.  But this is one of those questions I can never answer...I don't know-- my family?  A fully charged cell phone with reception?  Food and water?  A pop up tent?  (see, I'm no good at this one...) 

Going back to your high school years, what were they like? Do you think they shaped the person you are today?

Oh my goodness, that's a funny question.  If you asked anyone who knew me in high school what I was going to become, they would've said a writer or a dancer, so it wouldn't surprise anyone to hear that's what I'm doing (except the erotic spanking element of the writing!).  It's been a circuitous route here though-- if you told me two years ago that I'd be writing spanking romance, I would've said “that's absurd!”   

Bonus Questions

Favourite movie/TV show/food/season?  

Shakespeare in Love, Glee, Chocolate, Spring

Red or white wine?  Red, all the way.

Worst fear?  Fear.  

Thank you, Renee, for stopping by!

Wellesley Wives by Suzy Duffy

Title: Wellesley Wives
Author: Suzy Duffy
Publication Date: September 27, 2012
Source: Net Galley
Summary (from Goodreads):

Popsy Power - a Boston society-wife and her best friend, Sandra seem to have it all with billionaire husbands and beautiful daughters. But things change.

From Bollinger to basic-wage, it's a roller coaster for the ladies who lunch. When the daughters land in a heap of trouble too, it's hardly surprising that their mother should worry about the next generation of Wellesley Wives.

Life can't always be fun in the sun, but that's why there's fur!
Sit back, relax and enjoy the wonderful world of the Wellesley Wives.


                                 Review

What first caught my attention was how much the summary (from the publisher's website) of this book sounded like a Jackie Collins novel. Multi-character point of views by rich, over the top drama queens. If you’re a JC fan, then you know what I’m talking about. And that’s not a complaint, I actually like the trashy romances Collins spits out and that’s one reason why I wanted to read Wellesley Wives. Turns out the two authors are very similar in their story telling—minus the trashiness on Duffy’s part.

Wellesley Wives follows the lives of four women: Popsy, Sandra, Rosie and Lily. If you read the summary of this book from the publisher's website then you’ll get the gist of the plot. Popsy and Sandra are best friends, Lily is screwing Sandra’s husband and Rosie is trying to do everything in her power to keep her marriage together and give her husband what he wants—even though it’s not at all what she wants. See? A Jackie Collins book!

That being said, I really enjoyed this story! I wasn’t expecting it to be as heartwarming and hit at my emotions like it did. The story of Popsy and her husband Peter was a surprise that I didn’t see coming, honestly, and it broke my heart. It was their story that I feel really made the book shine. It made it more than just about spoiled, rich women learning how to live without money.

I like the strength Sandra had and her loyalty to her best friend. At first I wasn’t really into her because of her plans to trap Jack with a baby. She was manipulative and selfish. But as the story went on and her marriage crumbled I really enjoyed seeing a different side of her—one that wasn’t this needy, pathetic, devious, neglected wife.

Rosie and Lily were my least favourite characters. I wanted to slap them both for different reasons. Lily blamed herself for all the horrible events that happened to her family because of her affair with Jack, and because of that she was willing to stay in a relationship she really no longer wanted to be in. Stupid girl! I know that there are so many couples who do this and I want to scream! Forget the whole don’t judge people without knowing their story bullshit. The truth is if you’re not happy no one is going to be happy. There is no saying more real than that.

And Rosie! Ugh! I hated, really hated, the way she let her husband convince her into something she was not at all comfortable with. I have no problem at all with the swingers lifestyle if that’s what you’re into, but it is a lifestyle that affects BOTH people in the relationship and because of that BOTH people should want it or else it’s basically just cheating on your spouse. The fact that she went along with it even though it made her sick to think about infuriated me! This is not okay! This is not what two people in a marriage should do to each other! You should not have to put yourself in this kind of position! Yes, I’m still pissed thinking about it. I hated that Rosie didn’t have the backbone to tell her husband there was no way in hell she was going on that kind of vacation. Because she wasn’t at all okay with this, I have no idea how she could look at it as him not cheating on her. And by him telling her he was going with or without her? Yeah, that’s blackmailing your wife into letting you cheat with her permission. She just gets the choice whether or not to witness it. There is no way, NO WAY I would be able to stay in that kind of marriage. I don’t care if Marcus did see the error in his ways at the end, the damage was already done. If I was Rosie I would never be able to get over the fact that he was so eager to touch someone else. I wouldn’t be able to stop wondering just how many women he had kissed, just how many eager legs had spread for him. I would be D.O.N.E. Gone.

Can you tell that was the real low point in the book for me? I’m surprised I didn’t ditch it just because of that.

But still, I’m giving it 4 stars because, aside from Rosie and Marcus, I really did enjoy everything else. I loved the three minor roles of Shane, Sven and Matt. Those three really are the “heroes” of the book because they saved Popsy, Sandra and Lily from one thing or another—emotionally, physically and literally. Especially Shane. We didn’t get to see very much of him but he’s the best by far in this book because of what he symbolizes.

Even though ¼ of the plot made me so furious, Wellesley Wives is a delightful read. And really, when an author can evoke that much hate from me, she’s done her job well.

Author interview with Brian MacLearn

Morning, all! 

A couple of days ago I reviewed Brian MacLearn's novel Remember Me. Today, find out where in time Brian would travel to in my interview with him.

About the Book

Tell us a bit about your novel.  "Remember Me" is much more than a story about time travel.  When asked, I describe it as my "morality story."  We are shaped by the events in our lives.  We also spend a fair share of time wondering "What if."  The story is wrought with intrigue and sub-plots, but at its core is love and commitment.  I wanted to explore the emotional aspects of what reliving a time in the past might feel like.  Andrew doesn't magically revert in age; he is still fifty and a total outsider.  He can live a new life of wealth, abandoning all those cherished people in his life, or he can test time by trying to help them. 

What gave you the idea for Remember Me? How long did it take you to write?  I have always been fascinated with the idea of time travel.  It is one of those topics that never has a right answer.  After the emotional side of "Our Heart", I wondered what it would be like for a man to live twenty-five years over again. He wouldn't get the benefit of reverting in age; this effectively makes him an outsider.   I wrote the story over a year...got to pay the bills too.  If I could have sat at the computer for 4 hours a day...2 months.

Which character was your favourite to create? Why?  Tom.  Every good story needs a hero and a villain, and Tom is a very hateable villain.  I wanted people to picture a guy just like him in their lives.  The more personal you become with the story the more meaningful it is. 

 If your book was turned into a movie, who would you choose to play the leading characters?  I believe that Kyra Sedgwick would make a good Amy.  Andrew/Peter is a lot tougher.  My first thought is Edward Norton.

What’s your writing process like?  A process...if you could call it that?  My mind has been cluttered with ideas my entire life.  It is only getting fuller.  I seriously wanted the first novel done when I turned 30, didn't happen for 20 more years, lol. Over the past 30 years, I've started several books, only to set them aside.  My first complete novel was "Our Heart."  (Pure Nicholas Sparks type story.)  It originated as song lyrics.  A young man comes home after several years. He traces the names, which he once carved into a heart on a tree, with his fingertips.   My fiancée suggested that the lyrics would make a good Hallmark movie, or book.  After thinking about it for a few days, I shut down the story I was working on.  I opened a new page, typed "Our Heart," reread the lyrics, and let the feeling that I experienced in writing the song take over.  In all truth, I never knew where that story would go, or what character would enter next.  The best analogy that I can use is this.  Like the r sculptor who says that it was always there, all they had to do was chip away the parts that didn't belong, so is my writing style.  I'm just the messenger; the characters write the story.  With "Remember Me" I knew the beginning and the end, the rest I let them tell me what would happen.  

The book is about time travelling. If you could go back (or forward) to any time, what year would you choose?  Great question.  It stabs at the heart of the story.  It would be easy to list all the great events in history that you could witness, or the moments of regret in our personal lives.  The chance to erase regrets is a powerful elixir.  The future might show hope, or bring utter despair.   In the story, Andrew was faced with the events of 9/11, it became a moral issue for him to overcome.  I'm sitting in the DeLorean, my hand is on the dial, I turn it to... one of the happiest days in my life.  I let it fill me once again with hope and love.  Life chips away at the good.  My well is generally more than half-full, but what I wouldn't give to have it completely filled. 

About the author

What is a normal day for you? Take us through your usual routine.  Get up, make coffee, and check my emails.  I'm also a financial advisor by trade...I know...analytical verses creative--I am effectively a "quandary."  I love solving puzzles, and that's where the financial planner comes from.  I solve the issues of the day, spend an hour on the treadmill, and then...  It might be whatever needs to be done, and sometimes it could be 1-7 straight hours of writing.  I'm always writing in my head regardless.  Some days, weeks, its more.   I work from home so I have the freedom to take on whatever moves me.

When you’re not writing, what else do you like to do?  Read, sing, watch movies, bowl, golf, go to Iowa Hawkeye football games, canoe the wilderness of the MN boundary waters, hike the Appalachian trail, fish, camp, babysit my granddaughters, and travel when possible. 

Tell us about the day you found out Remember Me was going to be published. How did you react?  With "Our Heart" I was on top of the world.  "Yes...I did it!"  "What if nobody likes it." The emotions were all over the place.  When I finished "Remember Me," I was already moving on to the next story.  I'd been through the process and understood that I am now a writer...good or great...yet to be seen.  I do know that each story I write will get better.  I am where I am supposed to be.  It took me a long time to get here.  I need to write, and tell the stories that fight for prominence within my head.

Is there a certain book that has made a lasting impression on you?  The first book that I ever read more than once, I read when I was in third grade.  It's one of only a few that I can say that about, "Where the Red Fern Grows."  I even read it aloud to both of my daughters.  It's extremely difficult to read when you can't see the words through your tears.

What made you want to become a writer?  I don't think you become, you just are.  I'm overly empathetic.  Hallmark card commercials get the best of me.  I needed to find a way to express all of those emotions...poetry, song lyrics, stories.  I knew in 7th grade that it was going to be a part of my life.  The English teacher assigned a short fiction story of at least 4 pages.  Mine was over 20. His comment was, "What an imagination. Maybe someday you'll be a writer." 

If you were stranded on a desert island, what five things would you want to have with you?  Duct tape,  matches, knife,  water, and a companion.

What’s next for Brian MacLearn? I'm well into the next novel entitled "Ridicule."  It's a psychological take on domination, not the sexual kind, but the manipulative kind.  Instead of a husband-wife scenario, it is about two boyhood (friends?) that still have manipulation 20 years later.  An event triggers the latent hero and he rises up.  The story will be intense and powerful...with a surprise ending...I think--the characters haven't yet told me what is going to happen.  There will also be a love interest, and the story will happen over a two-day period.  My goal is always to put real emotion into all of my characters.  It starts fast and keeps building throughout.  Three or four books down the line, I will have to revisit "Our Heart," and finish what was left unsaid. (fan requests also) 

Bonus Questions

Favourite movie/TV show/food/season?  Too many to mention.  I rarely watch a movie over again.  Some of my favorites are: Terminator, Rocky, Remember the Titans, Sleepless in Seattle,  Lord of the Rings, the list goes on and on.  TV: Fringe, Supernatural, The Voice, True Blood, Lost, Storage Wars. (lol). Food: I go nuts if I don't have a hamburger once in awhile.  Season: Fall

Watching or playing sports?  Both; I bowl and golf, my basketball and football days are long behind me.  I watch college football and the Olympics. 

1980s or 2000s? 1980's. They still offered promises of wonderful things to come.  People still talked live with each other, manners were still used.  Most people took responsibility for their actions.  It's scary knowing everything you say or do could show up on a report or YouTube somewhere.  I love technology, just not the coldness that comes with it.  Sometimes it feels like embitteredness and chaos have become the new normal.

Worst fear?  Losing my mind and not being able to write all of the stories in my head. Living the rest of my life alone.

In the Spotlight #1

Welcome to the first addition of In the Spotlight! This post will run every Thursday...for as long as I have interested parties, anyway ;) I'm spotlighting both authors and bloggers, so if you want to participate or know someone who might, send me an email (in contact info) and we'll set up a date.

Today, I welcome Ashtyn from Wonderland's Reader

About the blog

Tell us about your blog.

 

My blog, Wonderland's Reader, is themed after Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, a book that I absolutely fell in love with after reading!  I feature mainly Young Adult book reviews, author interviews, guest posts, and a couple weekly memes.  I try my best to post every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday!

How did you come up with your blog name?

It actually took me a while to come up with my blog name.  I went through two different blog names before finally settling with Wonderland's Reader which I am so happy with. 

How long have you been blogging?

I started blogging on June 11, 2012 so I'm still a baby blogger.  I've learned so much since starting though!  The reading/writing/blogging community is so welcoming and nice.  It's really been a blast.

What made you want to review books?

My love for them, of course!  But I also really wanted to make a blog so I could share my thoughts and feelings about what I had read.  Not many people I know in "real life" are passionate about books as I am so I figured I could share my love with people over the internet instead! 

What is the most enjoyable thing about blogging? The hardest?

The most enjoyable thing about blogging for me is the community.  I've made so many awesome friends and met a lot of great people that have introduced me to new books and welcomed me with open arms.  Before starting my blog, I had no idea how large the reading community really was.  It's also pretty awesome being able to talk to some of my favorite authors for the first time!

Who has been your favourite author to interview/guest post so far?

I've only done a few interviews and gust posts but my favorite has been of Hannah M. Davis, the author of Voices of Angels.  She was my first interview and it was so cool learning more about her books and her as a person!

What advice would you give to others who are just starting out?

Don't be afraid to ask questions.  This is something I struggled with when I first started out.  I didn't want to come off as someone who had no idea what was going on so it took me a while to really learn the best ways to do things.  Older bloggers are always willing to help out newer ones (at least, that's what I've discovered).  Also, be social!  Get a twitter, comment on other blogs, make some friends!  Not only is it really fun, it will bring in more views and followers to your blog!

About the blogger

What is a normal day like for you? Take us through your usual routine.

Right now it's pretty boring since I have school.  I wake up, die a little as I crawl out of bed, get ready, suffer through my classes, go back home, read, read, read, do some homework, write a review, read.  Cut out the school part and it wouldn't be all that bad! 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Read, obviously :) But also am working on my own story, so I write a lot, too.  I hope to be published some day and I'm enjoying practicing and learning more about the publishing industry. 

Is there a certain book that has made a lasting impression on you?

Yes!  Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.  I loved the creativity of the book and the wonderful world and characters.  It was really like nothing I'd ever read.  Another more modern book that made a big impression is Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins.  That book pushed me to make my blog and was the first review I posted on it! 

Other than your own, what blog do you think totally rocks?

I really love The Story Siren blog!  Not only does Kristi (the blogger behind the blog) write some wonderful reviews, she also was a big help to me when I was just starting out.  She has a section of her blog reserved for blogging tips and I read those posts so much, I practically have them memorized! 

Is there a certain genre of book you will not read?

I tend to stay  away from horror.  My over active imagination just can't handle that imagery. 

If you could choose one book to turn into a movie, what would it be and who would you cast?

Would it be cheating to say The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare?  Yes, the first is already being made into a movie but this is one series I've always wanted to see as a film.  With a plot like it has, that movie is sure to be pretty awesome.  And I would keep the cast the way it is, even though I think that Alex Pettyfer would've made a better Jace than Jamie Campbell Bower.  

If you were stranded on a desert island, what five things would you want to have with you?

My Laptop, my nook, my cell phone, a map, and a tent.  I'm just going to pretend that all those electronics would have unlimited battery charge :)

Bonus Questions

Chocolate or potato chips?

Chocolate WITH potato chips.  Don't knock it till you try it!

Cuddling in front of a fire or under the stars?

Under the stars! 

Favourite book/pizza toppings/TV show

Book: Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Pizza Toppings:  Pineapple, Olives, Sausage.  And cheese, obviously. 

Coffee or tea?

Tea.  But when I make it, it turns more into milk and sugar with a tea-ish undertone. 

Paperback or ebook?

Paperback!  Nothing beats the feel of an actual book in my hands! 

Thank you, Ashytn, for participating! Make sure to check out her blog for some great reviews!