Giveaway and Interview with Bestselling Author of Dark, Sexy, Historical Paranormal Romance Donna Grant

Series: Dark Sword Series, Book 2

Genre: Historical Paranormal Romance

Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks

Release Date: May 25, 2010

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A DANGEROUS SECRET…

Fallon MacLeod has gifts any warrior would covet - fierce strength, unmatched skill, even immortality. But those gifts come at a price that puts everyone he loves at risk. Only when his brother, Quinn, is taken captive does Fallon leave the seclusion of his Highland home to seek the king's aid. And though every women at court would gladly be his for the asking, one alone causes desire to roar to life within him: beautiful, mysterious Larena Monroe.

A WILD DESIRE…

Rumors swirl around the castle about "The McLeod" but Larena knows the truth. Like Fallon, Larena is searching for a way to vanquish the evil Druid who wants to wreak havoc on earth. Drawn to Fallon in spite of her fear, she surrenders to a passion that shocks them both with its raw intensity. But Larena dares not hope for more - not when she holds a secret that could turn her fiery Highland love against her forever…

Read excerpt.

Get to know the Author of the Day.

1. What is the best part of being a writer? What is the worst?

The best part of being a writer is being able to share my worlds and characters with other readers. There’s nothing like getting an email or letter from a reader and hearing how much they enjoyed my book.


The worst part of being a writer. . . there’s not one for me. I love everything about writing from discovering new characters to the times when getting words onto a page is the most difficult thing. It’s all a process, and though sometimes it can be painful, when I get to write “The End” when a book is done, it’s a time to celebrate.

2. Name one eye-opening thing you learned from your book research.

I’ve researched Medieval Scotland for so long, yet every time I open one of my research books, I find something new. I think the one thing that gave me an “ah, ha!” moment was when I began research druids about five years ago.


There are so many differing stories as to what/who the druids were. It really depends on what book you pick up for your research. Some say druids were evil and committed thousands of human sacrifices.


Others say that the druids were people of peace who used their wisdom and knowledge to help those around them.


No one may ever know what the druids truly were, and the conflicting accounts allow writers to make the druids what the author needs them to be in the story. For me, that means they get to be both good and evil. :)

3. Do you have a favorite motto?

“Everything happens for a reason.”
It’s not always easy to follow, but I do believe it’s the truth.

4. Do you have a favorite fictional hero? Favorite fictional heroine?

Without a doubt, Aragorn, from Lord of the Rings (books and movie). The fictional heroine would have to be Larena from my book FORBIDDEN HIGHLANDER. She makes her way in a world dominated by men, and does it with such grace and style.

5. Which fictional character would you hang out with?

Hmm…that would be any of the Warriors from my Dark Sword series. Or Dean Winchester from Supernatural. :)

6. What is one of your favorite book covers, your own or someone else’s?

DANGEROUS HIGHLANDER is one of my favorites because it’s the first in the series, which makes it special.


I recall the first time I saw Karen Marie Moning’s Kiss of the Highlander cover in the book store. I had to have that book based on the cover alone. There was something so compelling, so utterly engrossing about the hero’s strikingly gorgeous face on the cover. You couldn’t see his eyes, but then you didn’t care when you had such a lovely mouth and jaw line to look at. Even to this day, that cover (and the ones that followed in that series) makes me stop and stare.

7. What would readers be surprised to learn about you?

Before I was a writer, I was an accountant. Before that I was a ballet dancer and taught dance.

8. What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever learned by Googling your name?

Apparently there’s an actress named Donna Grant.

9. If you could go backward or forward in time which would you chose? Why?

The past is the past. I’ve lived it, made the mistakes, and learned from them. Those mistakes and decisions (good or bad) made me the person I am today. If I changed anything in the past, who knows how it would change me.


By the same token, I don’t want to know what the future holds. Oh, there’s a part of me that would like to know, but if you know, what fun is it to live and see how life turns out?


No, I think I’ll pass on time traveling. I’d be too afraid I’d mess up everything in the universe to even try. 

10. Question: Donna, please tell us more about your recent release by St. Martin’s, “FORBIDDEN HIGHLANDER”?

FORBIDDEN HIGHLANDER is the second book in my historical paranormal series, Dark Sword. It picks up right where DANGEROUS HIGHLANDER left off with the three MacLeod brothers and their struggle to live with the primeval gods inside them that give them immortality and unimaginable powers.


Those powers, however, allow them to fight Deirdre, the Druid bent on ruling all. Just as there are Druids both good and evil, there are Warriors who give into the evil of their gods and align with Deirdre. There are also other Warriors like the MacLeods who will take a stand about Deirdre.


FORBIDDEN HIGHLANDER is Fallon’s book, the eldest MacLeod. He has to get past the mistakes of his past to look toward the future. Fallon, next in line to be laird of his clan, has drowned himself in drink for three hundred years. Now, he must be the man he was meant to be and lead the Warriors against Deirdre.


But there is something Fallon never counted on – a woman. Larena Monroe grabs Fallon’s attention from the first moment he lays eyes on her, and he’s powerless to resist her pull. They give into the fiery attraction between them, but Larena holds a secret that could destroy the love that’s building between them.

11. If you could compare “FORBIDDEN HIGHLANDER” to “DANGEROUS HIGHLANDER”, how would you say it’s different?

In DANGEROUS you get your first glimpse of the MacLeod brothers and their world of Warriors, Druids, and magic. You got to see a lot of the brothers, watch as Lucan and Cara learn about her Druid magic and fall in love, but there was so much more out there in their world I wanted to explore. And just the tip of the series.


In FORBIDDEN, Fallon, the eldest MacLeod, takes us away from their castle for a time. You get to see a slice of medieval life, and better yet, you get to meet more Warriors as Fallon discovers the one woman who understands him as no one else can. And, we get to see more of Deirdre, the evil Druid who wants to conquer the world with the Warriors at her side. She’s got her sights on the MacLeods and she’ll stop at nothing to have them.


12. Which do you find is most important to you as a writer, voice or story? Why?

Hmm…interesting question. I’d have to say the story. Though an author’s voice is important in connecting with readers, in the end, it’s the story that hooks the readers and keeps them coming back for more. At least that’s what gets me when I find an author I enjoy. I continue to buy his/her books because I want to be taken away to the world’s they’ve created.

13. Donna, please tell us where we can find you out in cyber world. For desperate readers like me... we just need to know…:)

There are several places you can find me:
My website – http://www.donnagrant.com/
My blog – http://www.donnagrant.com/blog
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Donna-Grant/27841130699
Twitter – www.twitter.com/donna_grant
Danger: Women Writing – www.DangerWomenWriting.com


14. I know this is a difficult question with there being so many amazing authors out there to choose from but who are some of the GOT-TO-HAVE authors in your TBR pile?

There are so many great authors out there. If there’s a Midnight Breed book by Lara Adrian, its mine. :) I’m also a huge fan of Lisa Kleypas, Shana Abe, JR Ward, Christina Dodd, and Larissa Ione.


And entirely too many more to list.


15. What’s next in the works for you? When can readers expect to see it out on shelves in their local bookstores?

Next for me is another Dark Sword book, WICKED HIGHLANDER. This is Quinn’s book, the youngest MacLeod, and will be on the shelves November 2, 2010.


I’ll be concentrating on writing more Dark Sword books in the coming months. Books four, five, and six (UNTAMED HIGHLANDER, SINFUL HIGHLANDER, and DARKEST HIGHLANDER) have already been contracted and will be out every six months.


You can find out more about the Dark Sword series (characters, glossary, FAQ, quizzes, wallpapers, etc…) at: http://www.donnagrant.com/darksword


I’d like to thank Donna Grant for stopping by and spending time with us, it’s been a blast getting to know more about you and your books. I wish you all the best and much success in everything you do. :)

Thank you for having me. I very much enjoyed my time here!


*Giveaway*
Joining us today is bestselling author of historical parnormal romance Donna Grant. Donna is here chatting and giving away a copy of her latest release in the Dark Sword Series, "FORBIDDEN HIGHLANDER".
 To enter hear are a few simple rules.

* +2 Leave a comment for Donna Grant including email.
* +2 Spread the Word! ( this means go out into cyber world and post it on any netwok sites that your are a member of, or on your blog or website. +2 Then come back and leave a link so I can verify the post.)
* Become a follower of Over The Edge! (+3 Already a follwer--You ROCK! +2 Become a follower.)

The contest is open to all and will be running until May 30, 2010. I'll be picking and contacting the winner on June 1, 2010. Please make sure to include your email with your comment. Happy Reading!