Giveaway & Interview with "OUT OF THE SHADOWS" NAL Trade Author, Joanne Rendell

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: NAL Trade (NAL Accent Novels)

Released Date: September 7, 2010

Format: Mass-market Paperbacks

Read excerpt.

Order Now!

From Booklist
Clara Fitzgerald has been deeply affected by the recent death of her mother and has lost interest in her stalled career as a college professor. She can only watch as her fiancé Anthony’s career as a scientist, researching a new anti-cancer drug, is quickly ascending. Clara’s mother always told her they were related to Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, and at a loss with what to do with herself, she throws herself into researching Mary Shelley and is stunned to find out her mother was right. Spurred on by this discovery, and aided by Kay, an elderly Shelley scholar, Clara begins to search through boxes of Kay’s old papers, looking for Shelley’s long-lost childhood letters and journals. As she gets deeper into her research, Anthony begins acting strangely, appearing to become lost in his work, and Clara begins to worry even as Mary Shelley’s papers create a link between Clara’s past and her future. Out of the Shadows is a clever novel that smartly intertwines literary fiction with modern science. --Hilary Hatton

Product Description
A woman's unexpected connection to a nineteenth-century writer changes her life in the new novel from the author of Crossing Washington Square

Clara Fitzgerald's recent losses have set her adrift, personally and professionally. Remembering the stories her mother used to tell her, Clara decides to research her ancestry-only to uncover an extraordinary link to Frankenstein author Mary Shelley. With her sister in tow and the help of Kay, a retired Shelley scholar, Clara embarks on a search for the author's long lost journals and letters. As a bond among the three women grows, and as the profound connection between the past and present deepens, Clara comes closer to realizing where her heart truly belongs.

Author of the Day

Over the Edge Book Reviews

Questions with

Paranormal Romance

Author

Joanne Rendell

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

I love the craft of writing and how, as I go along, I’m learning more and more about the way writing works and how I can try and make my writing better. It must be how a carpenter feels when he or she is working on a new table or door or joint in a window and they see how their craft has evolved and how their sanding or joining or finishes are improving day by day. They may still have a lot to learn, but they are proud of their craft: what they have labored over and achieved so far. I feel like that about writing. And the worst part of writing? Spending too much of my life sitting on my backside!


2. Why do you write?

I write so that I can tell all the stories kicking around in my head! When I watch my seven year old son and his friends, I see how much kids love their own stories and how they enjoy playing out these stories and bringing them to life with toys and play. When we grow up we’re socialized into not voicing our own stories anymore…except if we are writers.

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

Out of the Shadows is about Clara Fitzgerald, a contemporary woman who thinks she’s related to Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein. The book goes back and forth between Clara’s story and the story of young Mary Shelley before she wrote her most famous novel. I had to do a lot of historical research and early on I was surprised to discover that, although Mary Shelley’s adult life is well documented, all Shelley’s childhood journals and diaries were lost when she eloped to France with Percy Shelley. This discovery prompted one of the main plots in Out of the Shadows. Like the protagonists of A.S. Byatt’s Possession, my protagonist goes in search of those lost documents.

4. Do you have a favorite motto?

Be. Here. Now.

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

I recently read Jerry Spinelli’s teen novel, Star Girl. For those who haven’t read it, Star Girl is a story about the beauty, trials, delicacy, and profound potential of non-conformity. It’s a modern fable that celebrates difference and being-out-of-the-box (and being a little crazy too!). Star Girl, the main character, is so great in her strength, her unconditional love, and the example she sets. She’s a modern day Lizzie Bennet, with a more colorful wardrobe!

6. Which fictional character would you hang out with?

Star Girl (see above) and Lizzie Bennet (see above)!


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

As many people know, authors don’t get a whole lot of say in their covers these days. But I have been blessed by the cover gods, I have to say. The cover for Out of the Shadows is my favorite of all three of my books. It seems other people are really loving the cover too and I was recently interviewed by Melissa Walker about my cover for her Barnes and Noble blog. (link: http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Unabashedly-Bookish-The-BN/Cover-Stories-Out-of-the-Shadows-by-Joanne-Rendell/bc-p/659924)

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

I gave birth at home watching Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator movies – and then I wrote about it for Mothering magazine! (link http://mothering.com/pregnancy-birth/a-homebirth-with-the-terminator )

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

Google myself? Whoever heard of such a thing? Okay, I’m kidding. Of course, I’ve googled myself. I haven’t found anything too strange, as yet. What is amusing is looking at what images are thrown up when you put my name into a Google Image search. Of course, it’s mostly pictures of my books and author shots. But I love that this picture of Starsky and Hutch comes up too. I used the image in an old blog entry and it makes me laugh that my name is now forever tied with the oh-so-hot seventies cop duo!

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

One of the things I always loved about Frankenstein is how Mary Shelley dared to ask “what if?” She looked around at the emerging technologies of her time and she considered their darker sides and how they could turn monstrous (and even make monsters!). She was basically looking in to the future and imagining where the advancements of her day would take her society. I’m similarly fascinated with where our world might be headed and the “what if?’ questions about our future (Out of the Shadows, in fact, asks what happens when modern science becomes increasingly mixed up with the pursuit of profit). I’d love to get a glimpse of the world in 20 years time or the world my son will live in in 50 years time and to see where all today’s scientific and technological advancements are going to take us.

11. Joanne, please tell us about your recent release, “OUT OF THE SHADOWS” by NAL/Penguin.

Booklist did a great job summing up my book, so I’ll hand over to them: “Clara Fitzgerald has been deeply affected by the recent death of her mother and has lost interest in her stalled career as a college professor. She can only watch as her fiancé Anthony’s career as a scientist, researching a new anti-cancer drug, is quickly ascending. Clara’s mother always told her they were related to Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, and at a loss with what to do with herself, she throws herself into researching Mary Shelley and is stunned to find out her mother was right. Spurred on by this discovery, and aided by Kay, an elderly Shelley scholar, Clara begins to search through boxes of Kay’s old papers, looking for Shelley’s long-lost childhood letters and journals. As she gets deeper into her research, Anthony begins acting strangely, appearing to become lost in his work, and Clara begins to worry even as Mary Shelley’s papers create a link between Clara’s past and her future. Out of the Shadows is a clever novel that smartly intertwines literary fiction with modern science.”

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

For me, voice and story go hand in had. At least, they do in the book I enjoy the most. A great voice with no story doesn’t work for me, and vice versa. But when you have a crackling, unique, and endearing voice combining with a compelling story then the author has hit the jackpot!

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

You can find me at www.joannerendell.com and also on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/people/Joanne-Rendell/503756646 ) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/joannerendell ). Please friend me or follow me or just drop by my website and say hi!

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?

My TBR pile is reaching the ceiling at the moment. Between my own writing and homeschooling my son, it’s hard to find time. However, I read whenever chance, a fully charged ipod (I listen to books too) and a sleeping child allow. On my current to-be-read pile I have, One Day by David Nicolls (I loved Starter for Ten so am itching to read this book), Room by Emma Donoghue (the premise is dark but I’m curious nevertheless), and Accidental Family by Rowan Coleman (I love so much of the women’s fiction that comes out of the UK and Coleman is one of my favorites).

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

I just finished a middle grade book, co-written with Dina Jordan. Children’s fiction is new for me, but it has been great fun writing the book and figuring out the tricks and conventions of the middle-grade genre. The book is about a twelve year old girl who must save her best friend, and the world, from a fallen angel. I’m currently working on a new women’s fiction book idea too. The book is in its embryonic stage at the moment, but I will say this…Emily Dickinson!

It has been a blast getting to know more about you and your books, Joanne. Thank you for spending time with me and my readers. :)

**GIVEAWAY**
Two randomly selected commenters will win a copy of NAL Trades author Joanne Rendell's September 2010 release, "OUT OF THE SHADOWS".. To enter here are a few simple rules.

* +2 Leave a comment for Joanne Rendell including email.
* +2 Spread the Word! ( this means go out into cyber world and post it on any network 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.)
*Follow me on Twitter. (+5) already a follower--GREAT!+10
* Friend me on Facebook. (+5)- already a follower-AWSOME! +10
* +5  Connect with me at NING.
* Become a follower of Over The Edge! (+3 Already a follower--You ROCK! +2 Become a follower.)

The giveaway is open to All and will be running until October 31, 2010. I'll be picking and contacting the winners directly on November 1, 2010. Please make sure to include your email with your comment. Happy Reading!

Giveaway & Interview with Epic Fantasy Author, Helen Lowe

Series: The Wall of Night series, Book One

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

Publishers: EOS/Harper Collins

Released Date:  September 28, 2010

Format: Mass-market Paperbacks

Read excerpt.

Order Now!

“A richly told tale of strange magic, dark treachery, and conflicting loyalties, set in a well realized world.”
—Robin Hobb, author of Dragon Keeper




An award-winning poet and acclaimed author of Young Adult fiction, Helen Lowe now brings us The Heir of Night—the first book in her four-volume Wall of Night series, a brilliant new epic fantasy saga of war, prophecy, betrayal, history, and destiny. A thrilling excursion into a richly imagined realm of strife and sacrifice, where the fate of a dangerously divided world rests in the hands of one young woman, The Heir of Night is a fantasy classic in the making, sure to stand alongside the much beloved works of J.R.R. Tolkien, Robin McKinley, and Guy Gavriel Kay.


Book Description

If Night falls, all fall . . .

In the far north of the world of Haarth lies the bitter mountain range known as the Wall of Night. Garrisoned by the Nine Houses of the Derai, the Wall is the final bastion between the peoples of Haarth and the Swarm of Dark—which the Derai have been fighting across worlds and time.

Malian, Heir to the House of Night, knows the history of her people: the unending war with the Darkswarm; the legendary heroes, blazing with long-lost power; the internal strife that has fractured the Derai's former strength. But now the Darkswarm is rising again, and Malian's destiny as Heir of Night is bound inextricably to both ancient legend and any future the Derai—or Haarth—may have.

Author of the Day

Over the Edge Book Reviews

Questions with

Epic Fantasy Author

Helen Lowe

Author Photo by PJ Fitzpatrick

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

For me, the best part is that I’ve had all of these stories and worlds and characters in my head, just about forever, and now I’m finally making it my priority, not just to sit down and write them, but to share them through the books. The worst part is probably that I am actually on my own quite a lot and even the people I “work with” most, my agent and editor, are at a considerable distance.


2. Why do you write?

Because I have to—the stories kept waking me up at night until I gave in and wrote one of them seriously! In terms of what keeps me going, I just can’t imagine stopping. But reading stories I love makes me happy, and so I’d like to think that by writing stories I love and getting them out there for others to read, I may be adding just a little to the world’s net happiness.

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

I was doing some research into the Burgundian knights, as part of my background research for “The Wall of Night: Book Two” (Working title: The Gathering of the Lost) and I was awed to find out that they were trained to vault onto and off their horses in full armor!

4. Do you have a favorite motto?

I do rather like Sherlock Holmes’s phrase: “Game is a-foot”; and one of the Scottish clans has the motto “Be Mindful”, which I’ve also always liked.

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

I don’t have an absolute favorite, but I have always really liked Faramir in The Lord of the Rings novel (I didn’t really care for the film portrayal of his character.) In the novel he is actually a really strong character, but in a quiet way through “knowing himself”, rather than flamboyant show—although in fact, when the chips are down he does everything he needs to do, and more. And although he is just a “normal man”, as opposed to a great hero and king like Aragorn, Faramir refuses the temptation of the ring. So for all these reasons he has always been one of my favorite fictional heroes.

A fictional heroine I really love—again, there are so many, but I really like the mage Tattersail in Steven Erikson’s first Malazan novel, Gardens of the Moon. One thing I really like about her is that she is literally a big woman, but she is seen as desirable by men and has lovers who are desirable men. And although Tattersail is a powerful mage in a cadre of fighting mages, she always travels with her “wardrobe chest” (the soldiers make jokes about it)—and is proven to be both brave and smart. The only shame is that she hasn’t really come into the later books much.


6. Which fictional character would you hang out with?

Lyra Belacqua, from Philip Pullman’s novel The Golden Compass—not so much the movie because I felt they made her character insipid, but in the book she is brave and smart, loyal and resourceful, with a knack for making good friends.


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

I do love all my book covers—I feel that they all very much “speak” to the books. (I even did a post recently on the Out of this Eos blog on “Cover Love.” But I love just about everything I’ve seen by Kinuko Craft and one of my all time favorite covers is the Del Rey paperback cover by Steven Youll for George RR Martin’s A Game of Thrones. His cover spoke to me so strongly of the story—and I was not disappointed!


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

You know, I’m really not sure … perhaps that, despite loving martial arts and weapons, which I wrote about here, I also love clothes and make-up and jewellery (like Susan, in the Narnia series, which is worrying, given her fate …) and baking, almost as much as Sunshine, the heroine of Robin McKinley’s book of the same name.

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

How common it really is! There are so many “Helen Lowe’s” out there doing so many different things—but I am starting to stand out a bit amongst the crowd now. :)

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

Backward, because at least then I would know what I was in for—and could maybe prepare a little. There are so many events in history which it would be interesting to see/experience for yourself (something Connie Willis explores so well in Doomsday Book and Blackout.) But imagine seeing Michelangelo unveil the sculpture of the Boy David, for example, or hearing Chaucer read from The Canterbury Tales … or taking tea with Jane Austen!

11. Helen, please tell us about your first installment in you’re, “The Wall of Night” series, “THE HEIR OF NIGHT” by EOS Books.

The Heir of Night is about a world of shadow and conflict where the alien Derai people are locked into aeons-old conflict with an ancient enemy—but have been divided by civil war with its legacy of prejudice, suspicion and fear. The first book is about Malian, the Heir to the warrior house of Night, who must discover both the full bitterness of that legacy and begin to resolve it, and Kalan, a young man thrust into a hateful life who is striving to break free. But it is also a story about love and friendship as well as what Robin Hobb, in her cover quote, describes as “strange magic, dark treachery, and conflicting loyalties.”


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

I think they are both equally important. There needs to be an unfolding story, one with action and pace; but it is also really important to me that the characters are authentic and that they are affected by the action in the story, i.e. that they change and grow. For me, the interaction between the characters is as much a part of the story as the events that take place.

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

I have a website, here: http://www.helenlowe.info/

I also have my own blog, Helen Lowe on Anything, Really and I blog on the first of every month on the Supernatural Underground.

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?

I am really keen to read Jo Walton’s Lifelode, which won the Mythopoeic Award this year, and I’ve also heard really good things about Gail Carriger’s steampunk “Parasol Protectorate” series, which starts with Soulless. And whenever George RR Martin’s next “A Song of Ice and Fire” series novel comes out … I’ll definitely be reading that!

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

I am currently working very hard on finishing The Gathering of the Lost, which is the second in “The Wall of Night” series—and it is scheduled to be in the bookshops next fall. And as soon as Book 2 is finished, I will be getting straight on to 3 and 4.

It has been a blast getting to know more about you and your books, Helen Thank you for spending time with me and my readers. :)

Thank you, Christine.

**GIVEAWAY**
Two randomly selected commenters will win a copy of epic fantasy author Helen Lowe's first installment in her The Wall of Night series  series, "The Heir of Night", book two by EOS/ Harper Collins. To enter here are a few simple rules.

* +2 Leave a comment for Helen Lowe including email.
* +2 Spread the Word! ( this means go out into cyber world and post it on any network 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.)
*Follow me on Twitter. (+5) already a follower--GREAT!+10
* Friend me on Facebook. (+5)- already a follower-AWSOME! +10
* +5  Connect with me at NING.
* Become a follower of Over The Edge! (+3 Already a follower--You ROCK! +2 Become a follower.)

The giveaway is open to All and will be running until October 31, 2010. I'll be picking and contacting the winners directly on November 1, 2010. Please make sure to include your email with your comment. Happy Reading!

Giveaway & Interview with Author of Dark Paranormal Romance, Juliana Stone

Series: The Jaguar series, book two

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: EOS/Harper Collins

Released Date: October 26, 2010

Format: Mass-market Paperbacks

Read excerpt.

Pre-order now!

A solitary hunter with no regard for the human world, Jagger Castille is a shifter living on the edge. It will take the woman who calls him enemy to give him a reason to live.

Jagger is a creature of the night—Skye Knightly soars in the sun. Natural adversaries, they have been joined by destiny in a mission entrusted to Skye’s family centuries ago: Nothing less than the salvation of the Earth.

Wounded and bitter, Jagger sought escape in the solitude of the jungle, driven by a need to disappear forever… until a mysterious shifter who calls to his soul and feeds a yearning long forgotten, pulls him from his dark path. A courageous warrior, Skye’s passion is equal to Jagger’s own—but can she trust a man on the edge? A man whose secrets are as devastating as her own?

Each is the other’s sole hope for survival. But a dark and twisted truth is leading them toward the ultimate sacrifice for a love they may never live to claim.

Watch Book Trailer!


Author of the Day.

Over the Edge Book Reviews

Questions with

Paranormal Romance

Author

Juliana Stone

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

Hello Christine and thanks for having me! The best part of being a writer is having the opportunity to write all the stories and thoughts that exist in your head. I don’t think I can describe the thrill I get in being able to create a world with all sorts of diverse and interesting characters, and be the one in charge—the director! It’s amazing.


As for what’s the worst…for me it’s the fact that when I’m on deadline my family sees very little of me. And what they do see? Well, it ain’t pretty! LOL


2. Why do you write?

I write because I have to I guess. I think some people are born storytellers. That’s me. I’ve always enjoyed living in my head and it’s a great thing to be able to share it with readers.

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

When I was researching more deeply into the Aztec Culture—the jaguar warriors and eagle knights were taken from them—I was shocked at how violent some parts of their culture was. Human sacrifice was everything to them and they would sacrifice hundreds, thousands to their gods. It was slightly disturbing.


4. Do you have a favorite motto?

Not really. If I had to choose one, it would be something like Do unto others…..you know, treat people with respect and they will reciprocate.

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

I love the X-men and Wolverine is my favorite. I love everything about him. He’s alpha, filled with a lot of pain but is tender as well. Ficional heroine would be Buffy, hands down. I love her. Loved the show and there will never be another like it.

6. Which fictional character would you hang out with?

Again, it would be the entire crew from Buffy the Vampire Slayer or…..the crew of the Starship Enterprise!

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

I love my covers of course! But I think a lot of cutting edge covers are in the Young Adult genre and I adore the covers for Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Intruments series….they rock!

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

That I’m shy. It can be painful sometimes.

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

I don’t think I’ve come across anything strange when googling my name, but I can tell you when I peek at the google terms people have used that’s directed them to my site it’s hilarious. Any given day there will be someone wondering how tall Jon Bon Jovi is, or how much he weighs! Weird…I’ve had a blog post with his picture so I get a hit.

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

Backward for sure. I’d love to hang out with Jim Morrison and The Doors, Janis Joplin….all of those cool acts from the 60’s.

11. Juliana, please tell us about your latest installment in you’re ‘Jaguar series’, “HIS DARKEST EMBRACE” by Avon Books.

This book continues where His Darkest Hunger left off—about three months later. I think the blurb does a good job!


A solitary hunter with no regard for the human world, Jagger Castille is a shifter living on the edge. It will take the woman who calls him enemy to give him a reason to live.
Jagger is a creature of the night—Skye Knightly soars in the sun. Natural adversaries, they have been joined by destiny in a mission entrusted to Skye’s family centuries ago: Nothing less than the salvation of the Earth.
Wounded and bitter, Jagger sought escape in the solitude of the jungle, driven by a need to disappear forever… until a mysterious shifter who calls to his soul and feeds a yearning long forgotten, pulls him from his dark path. A courageous warrior, Skye’s passion is equal to Jagger’s own—but can she trust a man on the edge? A man whose secrets are as devastating as her own?
Each is the other’s sole hope for survival. But a dark and twisted truth is leading them toward the ultimate sacrifice for a love they may never live to claim.


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

Honestly both. You can have a great ‘voice’ which is your own unique way of telling a story but if your story sucks, or you don’t have the tools to put it together properly, than you’re in trouble. Writing a great book involves both of these things…

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

I love twitter and facebook. I try to blog as well! But I am on twitter every day….probably way too much, LOL, but I love the instant interaction I have with a lot of great people I’ve met online. I also blog at Supernatural Underground which is a blog consisting of paranormal and urban fantasy authors under the HarperCollins umbrella which is Avon and Eos.

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?

Christine Feehan, Sherrilyn Kennyon, Keri Arthur, Kim Harrison and Lisa Kleypas

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

Next up is Julian’s story, His Darkest Salvation and it will be released next July, followed by Wicked Road to Hell which is Declan’s book in the fall. His book leads into something new and exciting for me and when I know more I’ll let you all in on it!

It has been a blast getting to know more about you and your books, Juliana Thank you for spending time with me and my readers. :)

Thanks again Christine! This has been a lot of fun!

**GIVEAWAY**
Two randomly selected commenters will win a copy of paranormal romance author Juliana Stone's latest installment in her Jaguar Warriors series, "HIS DARKEST EMBRACE", book two by EOS/ Harper Collins. To enter here are a few simple rules.

* +2 Leave a comment for Juliana Stone including email.
* +2 Spread the Word! ( this means go out into cyber world and post it on any network 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.)
*Follow me on Twitter. (+5) already a follower--GREAT!+10
* Friend me on Facebook. (+5)- already a follower-AWSOME! +10
* +5  Connect with me at NING.
* Become a follower of Over The Edge! (+3 Already a follower--You ROCK! +2 Become a follower.)

The giveaway is open to All and will be running until October 24, 2010. I'll be picking and contacting the winners directly on October 25, 2010. Please make sure to include your email with your comment. Happy Reading!

Giveaway & Interview with NY Times Bestselling Author of "ETERNAL KISS OF DARKNESS", Jeaniene Frost

Series: Night Huntress World, book two. July 27th, 2010

Genre: Paranormal Romance/ Urban Fantasy

Publisher: AVON BOOKS/ Harper Collns

Format: Mass-market Paperback

Released Date: July 2010

Read excerpt

Order Now!

An immortal war has been brewing in the darkness…and now one woman has stumbled into the shadows. Chicago private investigator Kira Graceling should have just kept on walking. But her sense of duty refused to let her ignore the moans of pain coming from inside a warehouse just before dawn. Suddenly she finds herself in a world she’s only imagined in her worst nightmares.

At the center is Mencheres, a breathtaking Master Vampire who thought he’d seen it all. Then Kira appears—this fearless, beautiful…human who braved death to rescue him. Though he burns for her, keeping Kira in his world means risking her life, yet sending her away is unthinkable.

But with danger closing in, Mencheres must choose between the woman he craves, or embracing the darkest magic to defeat an enemy bent on his eternal destruction.

“If Frost keeps this up, fans will need to build more keeper shelves!” — Jill M. Smith, Romantic Times, Top Pick!

Watch Book Trailer.



Author of the Day.

Over the Edge Book Reviews

Questions with

New York Times Bestselling

Author

Jeaniene Frost

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

The best part is being able to share my stories with other people. Writing is, in essence, storytelling, and stories are most fun when they’re shared and passed on instead of being hoarded by one person.


The worst part of being a writer is the business aspect of it. Writing is a creative effort. Being published is a professional one, and that comes with all the headaches of running your own small business. I’ve worked full time in various jobs since I graduated high school, but I’ve never worked as hard as I have while being a full-time author.

2. Why do you write?

Because it keeps the voices in my head from taking over! Seriously, it goes back to the storytelling aspect I mentioned earlier. Ever since I was twelve, I would create stories in my head about people, places, or dreams I’d had. The ones I wrote down, I didn’t finish because I’m a procrastinator by nature, but I always wanted to write an entire novel from that first nugget of an idea. I finally accomplished that goal when I was thirty and wrote HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE. Typing “the end” on that book was the culmination of almost two decades of wishing and dreaming.

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

Every time I do research, I learn at least one fact that surprises me. For example, when I looked up crimes with the sentence of deportation in 18th century England to fill in Bones’s backstory, I was stunned at how things that would net you a slap on the wrist in today’s justice system were cause for hanging or decades of penal colony hard labor back then. In researching M-theory and dimensions when fabricating my world of Nocturna in the Haunted By Your Touch anthology, I learned that some physicists hypothesize that the reason why gravity is so “low” here on earth is because it’s only being derived from leaks in another dimensional layer. I researched voodoo and learned some interesting things about it to flesh out a character in Destined for an Early Grave. My books might be fiction – and paranormal fiction to boot – but you have to build from a framework of fact before you can turn those facts on their head to fit your stories, and research is the key to that knowledge.

4. Do you have a favorite motto?

Yes: the only difference between a writer and a schizophrenic is a paycheck.

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

I love many fictional heroes and heroines, so my opinion changes based on my mood, but right now I’d say Erik Northman from the Southern Vampire series for hero, and Claire from the Outlander series for heroine.

6. Which fictional character would you hang out with?

There are so many awesome fictional characters I’d love to hang out with, it would be impossible to narrow it down to only one. Of course, since most of my favorite fictional characters are usually neck-deep in trouble, if I hung out with any of them while in my frail human state, I probably wouldn’t last long, heh. So it’s safer just to stay home and read about them, right?

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

I love my book covers, but picking one of those would seem narcissistic. So I’ll go with Melissa Marr’s cover for DARKEST MERCY, the upcoming finale novel in the Wicked Lovely series. Donia, the Winter Queen, is portrayed on the cover and I think they captured her etherealness and the hint of winter perfectly in that image.

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

Hmm. Probably that I while I love horror movies, I refuse to watch demon ones. You’d think since I wrote a story with demons and partial demons, they wouldn’t bother me, but movies like The Omen, Exorcist, Amityville Horror, and Paranormal Activity scared the crap out of me. I won’t watch more demon movies because of them.

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

I really try to avoid Googling my name. Googling myself feels like eavesdropping on other people’s conversations, and everyone knows an eavesdropper will overhear something they don’t like sooner or later. It’s my job to write books and make myself available to readers as much as I can (and hopefully not more than they want ; ). It’s not my job to dissect what other people think about me because that way leads to madness.

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

Backward to correct mistakes. I wouldn’t want to know the future or then I’d ruin the present obsessing over it – especially if I couldn’t change anything about it. Even if I couldn’t change anything going backward in time, at least I’d get a wry laugh watching some of the dumb things I did while thinking, “Boy, are you going to regret that in the morning!”

11. Jeaniene, please tell us about your latest installment in your Night Huntress World series, ETERNAL KISS OF DARKNESS by Avon Books.


This is book two in the Night Huntress world novels and it’s the story of Mencheres and Kira. Existing readers of the Night Huntress series know that Mencheres is one of most powerful vampires in existence, but he recently lost his ability to see the future. Now that he’s at his weakest, an ancient enemy is out to destroy him.


Kira interrupts what she thinks is a regular mugging only to find herself in the middle of a feud between creatures that aren’t supposed to exist. She knows too much for Mencheres to let her go, but the last thing he needs is to keep watch over a stubborn private investigator. Keeping Kira with him soon proves to be more dangerous than her knowledge of the undead, however, because she stirs emotions in Mencheres that he hasn’t felt in centuries.


The first 20% of the novel and book trailer are available here: http://www.blogger.com/goog_789094318

12. In the upcoming HAUNTED BY YOUR TOUCH anthology that includes you and authors Shayla Black and Sharie Kohler, please tell us about your story, “Night’s Darkest Embrace”.

It’s set in contemporary times under the premise that partial demons and gateways to alternate dimensions exist side by side with unsuspecting humans. The heroine, Mara, is a Partial who keeps returning to a dimension called Nocturna in search of the pureblood demon that kidnapped her cousin. It’s always night in Nocturna, and there’s no electricity, so the dimension is like a cross between the Wild West and the Victorian age. It’s ruled by the sexy and enigmatic Raphael, who Mara suspects of being in league with the Purebloods that steal away Partials to feed off them. To get her proof and avenge her cousin’s death, Mara has to get close to Raphael, which would be easy if she wasn’t so attracted to him.

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

Neither, actually :). To me the most important thing, as a reader and a writer, are the characters. If I’m not connected to the characters, a book could have the most scintillating plot, the wittiest voice, or the most startling conclusion, and I won’t give a damn. When I start to outline a book, I always start with everything I know about the characters, even before I begin to brainstorm a plot or determine the voice I’ll be writing in. Likewise, when I finish reading a book I love, it’s the characters that will linger in my mind, not the events or tone of the story.


Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying characters should be the most important thing to all readers and writers. I’m just saying they are for me, but variance in style and preference makes for a vibrant range of books in fiction.


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

I’m in a lot of places. You can find me on my website blog, Livejournal , MySpace , Twitter , Facebook , Goodreads , YouTube , Frost Fans chat forum , HarperCollins micro-site , and Supernatural Underground .

15. 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?

You had to mention my looming TBR pile, didn’t you? *wink*. I warn you – I have a long list of authors who are on my auto-buy list (which would explain why one day, you’ll hear that I was found trapped under a stack of books!). Here are just a few of my favorites: Melissa Marr, Ilona Andrews, Charlaine Harris, Yasmine Galenorn, Kresley Cole, Lara Adrian, Vicki Pettersson, Nalini Singh, Adrian Phoenix, Kelly Armstrong, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Diana Gabaldon, Thomas Harris, and Dean Koontz. For a complete list of my favorites, you can check them out broken down by genre on my website: http://jeanienefrost.com/links/

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

HAUNTED BY YOUR TOUCH containing my “Night’s Darkest Embrace” novella comes out October 28th. Then on February 22nd, THIS SIDE OF THE GRAVE, book five in the Night Huntress series, releases. I hope readers enjoy my new world of fallen angels, demons, and partial demons in HAUNTED BY YOUR TOUCH, plus get a kick out of seeing what trouble Cat and Bones are up to in THIS SIDE OF THE GRAVE.

It has been a blast getting to know more about you and your books, Jeaniene. Thank you for spending time with me and my readers. :)

Thanks for having me on your blog, Christine! And thanks to everyone who stopped by to read the interview.

**GIVEAWAY**
Two randomly selected commenters will win a copy of NT Times bestselling author Jeaniene Frost's latest installment in her Night Huntress World series, "ETERNAL KISS OF DARKNESS", book two by AVON BOOKS. To enter here are a few simple rules.

* +2 Leave a comment for Jeaniene Frost including email.
* +2 Spread the Word! ( this means go out into cyber world and post it on any network 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.)
*Follow me on Twitter. (+5) already a follower--GREAT!+10
* Friend me on Facebook. (+5)- already a follower-AWSOME! +10
* +5  Connect with me at NING.
* Become a follower of Over The Edge! (+3 Already a follower--You ROCK! +2 Become a follower.)

The giveaway is open to All and will be running until October 24, 2010. I'll be picking and contacting the winners directly on October 25, 2010. Please make sure to include your email with your comment. Happy Reading!

Giveaway & Interview with National Bestselling Author of the "ANNA STRONG CHRONICLES", Jeanne C. Stein

Series: Anna Strong Chronicles, Book Six

Publisher:  Penguin Group/ ACE

Genre: Paranormal Romance/  Fantasy

Released: August 2010

Read excerpt.

Order Now

It's been almost a year since bounty hunter Anna Strong became a vampire, but as she's about to discover, her greatest powers have yet to be unleashed...

Though Anna has become accustomed to the fact that she’s now a vampire, she still enjoys the illusion of being human. So when she suddenly notices that her primitive urges are getting harder to control, she’s worried. Then, she’s attacked, narrowly escaping with her life. The only person with enough motive to want her dead is her old foe—Warren Williams. But another more dangerous enemy lies in wait.

What Anna doesn’t know is that she’s far too valuable to kill. For she’s been chosen to shape the destiny of the vampire race—and all of mankind…

“Anna Strong lives up to her name: equally tenacious and vulnerable, she’s a heroine with the charm, savvy, and intelligence that fans of Laurell K. Hamilton and Kim Harrison will be happy to root for.”—Publishers Weekly


“There are more books about young female vampires...but it’s safe to say Anna Strong is contending for leader of the pack.”—The Denver Post

Author of the Day

OVER THE EDGE BOOK REVIEWS

QUESTIONS WITH

NATINAL BESTSELLING

AUTHOR

JEANNE C. STEIN

1.  It fascinates me, the different paths writers take to publication. Will you tell us about your journey as a writer? When you started were there any big milestones? What was your first book?

I suppose the biggest and most important milestone on my journey as an author was meeting the people who became my critique partners. It was right after I moved to Denver from San Diego. I attended a local conference and connected with a half-dozen aspiring writers who, like me, were serious about learning the craft. Most of us are still together and, incidentally, most of us are published. We meet every week. My first book(s) were straight mysteries. It wasn’t until I switched to Urban Fantasy and came up with the Anna Strong series that I sold!

2. Why do you write?

I love it. I’m thrilled to be making a living at it. It’s the best job I ever had and the hardest.

3. What is a typical work day for you?

I’m an early riser, so I’m at my computer by 5:30 or 6 (up at 4:30 or 5.) I work first on answering email, marketing stuff, any “business” that needs to be done. Then it’s onto my work in progress. My goal is 2000 words a day whether I’m working on a book, novella or short story. During the day I also work in time for exercise and running errands. It’s a full day, usually wrapping up around 5:30 or 6 in the evening. By then, my brain is fried!!

4. For some writers research is a pain they’re forced to endure, and for others it’s their favorite part. What about you?

It’s both a pleasure and a pain. A pleasure because the web offers so much available so easily that there’s no subject too obscure. It’s a pain because I often get lost in research and spend too much time on it. There’s always one more thing to check out. :)

5. Are you a creature of habit, needing a routine to write? Or are adaptable to write when and wherever the mood strikes?

I wish I could be adaptable. But basically I’m lazy and if I don’t stick to a schedule, I’ll likely spend the entire day watching Buffy episodes (a secret passion of mine.) Whenever I try to write on the road, I find I’m either too tired or want to spend my off time catching up with friends. Routine is important to me.

6. Do you have any advice for new writers—maybe things that you’ve learned through trial and error?

The most important thing is to learn the craft, write everyday, write the book of your heart and NEVER give up.

7. Other than writing, what do you love to do?

Read, kick-box, watch the birds and the bunnies in my yard.

8. Please tell us more about your latest paranormal romance, “CHOSEN: An Anna Strong, Vampire Novel”, by ACE.

In CHOSEN, Anna comes fact to face with her destiny. It’s the completion of Anna’s first year as a vampire and her journey brings her to a new understanding of her place in the world. Of course, before that happens, there are one or two unpleasant detours she’s forced to make. Nothing is ever easy in Anna’s world.

9. What was your inspiration for “CHOSEN”?

It’s the next logical step in Anna’s tale. The first five books lead up to this one.


10. While writing CHOSEN: An Anna Strong, Vampire Novel did you find you had had a favorite character? Did you notice that there was a stand out character other than the hero and heroine?

Secondary characters do play an important part in Anna’s life. Daniel Frey plays a major role in CHOSEN. And David is here, too. He has a funny adventure of his own.

11. What’s up next for you and when can we look forward to seeing it out in our bookstores?

I finished the seventh Anna book, CROSSROADS, and am at work on the eighth. I also completed a novella for Penguin that features Anna in a story called Cloud City. That anthology, entitled HEXED, will be out next year.

Thank you, Jeanne, it was a delight to have you drop by and chat with me and my readers here at Over the Edge. :)

Thanks for asking me!!

You may contact Jeanne at the following sites:

My website: http://www.jeannestein.com/
My Blog: http://www.biting-edge.blogspot.com//
My facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/profile.php?id=100000177556968

Jeanne loves hearing from her fans so drop her an email at :
Jeanne@jeannestein.com

**GIVEAWAY**
Two randomly selected commenters will win a copy of National Bestselling author Jeanne C. Stein's last installment in her Anna Strong Chronicles, "CHOSEN", book six by ACE. To enter here are a few simple rules.

* +2 Leave a comment for Jeanne C. Stein including email.
* +2 Spread the Word! ( this means go out into cyber world and post it on any network 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.)
*Follow me on Twitter. (+5) already a follower--GREAT!+10
* Friend me on Facebook. (+5)- already a follower-AWSOME! +10
* Become a follower of Over The Edge! (+3 Already a follower--You ROCK! +2 Become a follower.)

The giveaway is open to All and will be running until October 17, 2010. I'll be picking and contacting the winners directly on October 18, 2010. Please make sure to include your email with your comment. Happy Reading!

Giveaway & Interview with Berkley Historical Fiction Author, Laurel Corona

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Berkley Trade

Released Date: October 5, 2010

Format: Mass-market Paperback

Order Now!

"Laurel Corona brings Homer's epic to life in this spectacular novel of the ancient world. Populated with a rich cast of characters—from Helen of Troy to Odysseus—this is a novel you won't want to put down."Michelle Moran
best-selling author of Nefertiti

Odysseus goes off to the Trojan War unaware he has left his wife, Penelope, pregnant with her second child, a daughter she will name Xanthe. The teenaged queen of Ithaca is ill-prepared to manage the palace, and leaves Xanthe's upbringing to servants and slaves, who introduce the young girl to life on the harsh but beautiful island. Xanthe's world constricts as the years pass and her father does not return. By nineteen, when Penelope's Daughter opens, Xanthe lives barricaded upstairs in the palace to keep her safe from the rapacious suitors who want to become king by murdering her brother and abducting her as their bride.

She passes the time by weaving the story of her life. The colors, textures, and designs that emerge on her loom serve as the framing device for each chapter in her narrative. We come to know Penelope, grown strong and wily by necessity, Telemachus, weak and self-impressed; Helen, sensual, fragile, and conflicted; Menelaus, broken and befuddled in the aftermath of war; Hermione, daughter of Helen and Menelaus, vengeful and bitter at her parents' abandonment; Antinous and Eurymachus, predatory and unscrupulous in their plot to rule Ithaca; the swineherd Eumaeus; the servant Eurycleia; and the rest of the characters in Homer's Odyssey through Xanthe's visual and tactile artistry.

Most of all, we come to know Xanthe herself. As a child she is imaginative, brave, resourceful, and a bit too nosy and stubborn for her own good. In her teens, disguised for her protection, she comes to Sparta to live with her mother's cousin, Helen of Troy. Now approaching forty, Helen is a complex, powerful combination of queen, priestess, goddess, and tormented soul. From her, Xanthe learns about womanhood through the pleasures of female friendship, the ecstasy of goddess worship, and the passion of her sexual awakening in the arms of the man she loves.

As she tells her story, from time to time, Xanthe's attention is distracted by the sounds of battle and the cries of dying men. The tattered man who appeared in the hall of the palace the day before is her father, home after twenty years. A fight to the death has raged all day between Odysseus and the suitors. Xanthe stands with us before her loom, waiting to see whether a suitor she loathes, a brother she cannot respect, or a father who does not know she exists will be the one to decide her future.

Author of the Day.

OVER THE EDGE BOOK REVIEWS

QUESTIONS WITH

HISTORICAL FICTION

AUTHOR

LAUREL CORONA

Laurel, it is really great to have you visiting Over the Edge and all its readers. I am so thrilled to be showcasing you and your recent release, PENELOPE’S DAUGHTER released by Penguin. I am so excited that you are here so let’s jump right in and get to know more about you and your writing.

Why do you write?

I think it was Sir Edmund Hillery who, when asked why he climbed Mt. Everest, said, “because it’s there.” I write for the opposite reason, because it’s not there. I want my ideas and stories to be more than phantoms rattling around in my head, and I can’t think of any other way to accomplish that.

It fascinates me, the different paths writers take to publication. Will you tell us about your journey as a writer? When you started were there any big milestones? What was your first book?

I honestly can’t remember a time when I didn’t write. I recently ran across an old shingle from the roof of the house I lived in as a child, on which I had written in crayon to a neighbor named June something as articulate as “Your nice not mean. Your good.” Actually I don’t remember her being particularly nice or even interested in me, but I guess I was mad at everybody else that day. Anyway, the awful handwriting and the misuse of “your” tells me I was pretty young, because I “got” grammar and spelling pretty easily. My point is that even at that age I was writing what I thought, not just saying it aloud. I wrote plays for my friends and news stories about the life of my dolls. I even wrote a letter to President Eisenhower and got a reply (from a secretary) on embossed White House stationery, which impressed my mother enough to save it for half a century.


I fell into being an English major because I loved to read and I could crank out essays on literature without too much trouble. I ended up getting a Ph.D. in English from the University of California at Davis, mostly because I kept at the reading and writing, and they liked me well enough to let me come back year after year. I never gave much thought to writing after I finished my dissertation because I decided I didn’t really want the life of an academic. I then spent years raising a family and teaching writing, which would have left me no time to write anyway, so I guess it’s lucky I didn’t feel terribly driven.


Eleven years ago I did experience something I could call a milestone. The husband of a colleague of mine at San Diego City College was an editor for Lucent Books, a company that produces non-fiction for middle and high school libraries. He would share with me what he called “howlers,” sentences from the books he edited that were unintentionally hilarious for one reason or another. I decided I wanted to try to write a book for Lucent myself, and he got me the gig. I wrote a book on Kenya and got hooked on the challenge of writing about important things for people reading at the eighth-grade level—not to mention the fact that I was being paid to learn things that interested me anyway. I ended up writing seventeen books for Lucent before I moved into trade nonfiction with my first book for general audiences, Until Our Last Breath (St. Martin’s 2008). I realized from writing that book that I would be happier writing historical fiction, which I now do exclusively.

What is a typical work day for you?

I have a list of five things near my computer screen: writing, promotion, exercise, life maintenance, and R&R. I have a deal with myself that I must spend one hour each day on each of these, and after that I can divvy up the rest of my day (which by the way I count from when I get up around 6AM until happy hour around 6PM) however I want. Throughout the day I take stock of the balance of activities so far and make whatever adjustments are appropriate. I started doing this at the beginning of this summer because I am in the middle of writing novel number 4 (number 3 will be out from Simon and Schuster in May 2011), and I knew that I would get overly absorbed in my novel once school was out, to the detriment of my health and overall well being. With this way of doing things, I tell myself, “time to exercise,” or “time to go to the store,” and it feels different--not like a diversion from my true task but another completely legitimate thing I must find time for. I am mentally and physically healthier this time around than I have ever been when I was in the middle of writing, so this method of balancing my days is really working for me. For some writers research is a pain they’re forced to endure, and for others it’s their favorite part. What about you?
It’s definitely not my favorite part. I love the storytelling most of all, and quite frankly I think having a compelling story and interesting characters is by far the most important thing even in research-based fiction. I do some research before I start, but mostly I study up as I go, stopping to understand the details of a particular historical event, for example, at the point I need to write about it. I read the Odyssey several times, and pored over my key sources before I started writing Penelope’s Daughter, but I learned what chitons and himations were when my characters needed to get dressed, and not before.

Do you have any advice for new writers—maybe things that you’ve learned through trial and error?

The way I got started as a writer is a very good path for others to consider, especially if they are having trouble getting published or are just getting going at writing for publication. Lucent Books are done on contract. They had a list of topics they wanted books about, and I chose what interested me from that list. I got paid a specific amount (a pittance, really) for producing the book, but I didn’t have to market my work, have an agent, or deal with any of the stress of writing on spec. I came out of it with a sense for how publishing works, how to work with an editor, how to accept good advice about my writing, and many other things that have made it easier for me to work effectively with the major publishing houses. There are many YA publishers focusing on producing library books, and thus a lot of options for writers to consider.


Other than writing, what do you love to do?

I love to play tennis and manage to do quite a bit of traveling. The one thing that I really don’t do is waste time. I discovered that there’s plenty of time for everything I want to do, as long as I don’t fritter any away. I don’t even know what shows are on television, other than the news (well, and the Padres when they’re winning, and the major tennis tournaments), and I’m afraid that in my five categories of time I listed above, the only one that often doesn’t get done is R&R. I’m not happy about that, but I love what I am doing and am not really trying to change.

Please tell us more about your September 2010 Penguin release, "PENELOPE’S DAUGHTER".

I think of it as “how the Odyssey would be told if Homer were a woman.” I loved the Booklist review, which really nailed what I was trying to accomplish. “This novel revisits the story of the Trojan War and its aftermath. As it opens, the war has long ended, and the family of the missing Odysseus is still awaiting his return. Daughter Xanthe is left under the care of servants. She has barricaded herself in her room as a protection against unwanted suitors, passing the time by weaving. The story unfolds as she works at her loom, the designs serving as a framework to her tale. As Xanthe shares her history of ancient Greece, a complex picture emerges. Though the war has ended, the people of Ithaca are still immersed in a battle for their future. In Homer’s saga, women who once wept for their lost men are given the voice and power they deserve. In Corona’s tale, women turn a tragedy into opportunity, finding a way to thrive in a world full of men. Penelope’s Daughter provides new insight into the lives of Homer’s women while giving voice to the inventiveness, creativity, and ingenuity of all those left behind.”

I am curious as to what was your inspiration for the “PENELOPE’S DAUGHTER”? Was there a stand-out character?

Of course I am completely in love with Xanthe, the protagonist, but both Penelope and Helen surprised me with their complexity and dynamism. As soon as I put a daughter in the story, the Odyssey broke open for me in the most amazing ways. First, the suitors who plagued Penelope wouldn’t be after her. They would want her daughter, for she has Odysseus’ blood in her veins. For a suitor to murder Telemachus (Odysseus’ son) and have Xanthe bear his children would ensure his future. For this reason, Xanthe is the potential target for abduction and rape, and Penelope’s efforts to keep her children unharmed becomes one of the central ways she grows into a true queen from the child bride Odysseus left behind. Helen has now been home from Troy for a number of years, and she would be in her mid- to late thirties at the time of my story. Thinking through how a woman of such experiences would change as she matured gave me insight into one of the most awesome and complicated characters in the book

What do you hope your readers will take away from your books?

Two phrases really pleased me in the Booklist review because they are truly the theme and the motivation behind all my work. I write about strong, functional people who strive to live in healthy community with others. The dynamic and tension in my stories sometimes comes from people who don’t feel the same way, but more often than not the struggle for my women is to achieve the voice and power they deserve, and to find a way to thrive in a limiting and sometimes downright threatening environment. My books are positive and optimistic, and I hope that readers find them empowering.

Readers are always desperate to know how they can stay in touch and get all the latest news about their favorite author. Laurel, where would we find you?

I have a website, http://www.laurelcorona.com/, where readers can find out about my upcoming appearances, invite me to book clubs and other events, and follow my experiences through my online diary. I also maintain a blog I hope readers will check out. I dedicated Penelope’s Daughter to “all the children left behind when father s and mothers go off to war,” and my blog “Xanthe’s World,” at www.pensdaughter.blogspot.com, gives me an opportunity to share information and stories about issues impacting the lives of military children whose parents are deployed fighting our own wars.

What’s up next for you and when can we look forward to seeing it out in our bookstores?

My third novel is not far behind Penelope’s Daughter. It will come out in May 2011 from Simon and Schuster’s Gallery Books. It’s going to have a change of title, so there’s no point in identifying it by the old one, but I can give you a little information about the subject. It’s set in Enlightenment France and is based on the real-life story of the brilliant mathematician and physicist Emilie du Châtelet, who was also Voltaire’s mistress for many years. It focuses on the same themes I always stress—finding one’s voice and thriving in a difficult environment, and I think I have given readers some more smart, courageous, and resourceful women to cheer for.

Laurel, it has been a blast getting to know more about you. Thank you so much for dropping by spending the day with my readers and myself. I wish you all the best in everything you do.

Readers, make sure to stop by Penguin and read more about Laurel Corona’s’ wonderful books. Trust me; just one book is not enough. You’ll be hooked from the moment you open the cover and escape into a world of decadent desires. Happy Reading!

**GIVEAWAY**
Two randomly selected commenters will win a copy of Award-winning historical romance author Laurel Corona's'upcoming October 2010 Berkley Trade release,"PENELOPE'S DAUGHTER". To enter here are a few simple rules.

* +2 Leave a comment for Laurel Corona including email.
* +2 Spread the Word! ( this means go out into cyber world and post it on any network 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.)
*Follow me on Twitter. (+5) already a follower--GREAT!+10
* Friend me on Facebook. (+5)- already a follower-AWSOME! +10
* Become a follower of Over The Edge! (+3 Already a follower--You ROCK! +2 Become a follower.)

The giveaway is open to All and will be running until October 10, 2010. I'll be picking and contacting the winners directly on October 11, 2010. Please make sure to include your email with your comment. Happy Reading!