Contest & Conversation with ENRAPTURED's Paranormal Romance Author Elisabeth Naughton

ENRAPTURED

with

Award-Winning

Paranormal Romance

Author

Elisabeth Naughton

Why do you write?

EN: Truly? So I can stop hearing voices. My characters never stop talking to me. It’s like having multiple personalities.

Do you have a favorite motto?

EN: Never give up, never surrender. (Yes, that’s the motto from the movie Galaxy Quest…but it totally works for me!)

Do you have a favorite fictional hero? 

EN: Of my own? No, I love all of my heroes. However, I do have to admit that the hero in my latest release, Enraptured, holds a special place in my heart. I’m a sucker for the snarky anti-hero, and Orpheus is that and more.

Which fictional character would you hang out with? 

EN: Orpheus. For the above listed reason.

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

EN: I LOVE the cover for Enraptured. I love the colors and the pose. I really like all of my covers for the Eternal Guardians series, but that one is really eye-catching.

What would readers be surprised to learn about you? 

EN: I don’t always know where things are going. I’m a write-into-the-mist author. When I start a book I know where I’ll end up, I just don’t know how I’ll get there, or what will happen along the way. My characters surprise me as much as they surprise my readers.

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

EN: Back. I’d love to live during the ancient times. Of course, I’d want the modern conveniences like running water and bathrooms. (I’m only just a little picky.)

Elisabeth, please share with us more about Enraptured released by Sourcebooks. EN: Enraptured is the fourth book in my Eternal Guardians series. For those who are new to the Eternal Guardians series, the Eternal Guardians are seven warriors descended from the seven strongest heroes in all of ancient Greece. They defend both their world—Argolea—and the human realm from threats born of the Underworld—specifically, one evil goddess by the name of Atalanta who was herself once a hero but who made a deal with Hades for immortality and the chance to command an army of daemons for a shot at revenge.

Book four is Orpheus’s story. He’s not a guardian by birth, but he finds himself immersed with the guardians in an attempt to rescue his brother from the Underworld. And along the way he meets a Siren—one of Zeus’s elite female assassins—sent to destroy him. But she isn’t exactly what he expects and vice versa…

I noticed that Enraptured is a sexy sensual paranormal romance.  What is it about this genre that piqued your curiosity?

EN: I’ve always been a fan of Greek mythology, and I love playing with the myths in modern times. The paranormal genre gives me the chance to do that, to twist the myths around and turn the tragedies into happily ever afters.

Name one or two fascinating things you learned while researching and writing ENRAPTURED.

EN: Everything I research about Greek mythology fascinates me. Before writing Enraptured though, I didn’t know that Zeus and Persephone had a child together. I always knew Zeus got around, but that one surprise me. (And it was super fun to incorporate into the series!)

Okay, I want to give a warm welcome to, Skyla and Orpheus. (Waving frantically, trying to get the besotted couple’s attention). I know you two have gone through a lot to get to your happily ever after so I will try to be brief. (Blushes scarlet as she catches the intimate glance between the couple, clears her throat). Okay, so you two are still in the honeymoon stage, I see. I would like to know what each of you thought when you first laid eyes on the other.

Was it love at first sight?

Skyla: (snorts) “Not even. He morphed into a daemon right in front of my eyes. Talk about a major turn off.”

Orpheus: “C’mon, Siren. You know you liked that. Why else would you jump my bones only an hour later?”

Skyla: (Looks quickly away and blushes) “Next question, please.”

When you met, did you believe in true love? You can both answer. I’m quite curious to know both of your opinions.

Skyla: “Absolutely not. I thought love was a myth.”

Orpheus: “I’m still not sure I believe in it.”

Skyla: (Smacks him in the stomach)

Orpheus: (Coughing) “Okay, okay. I take that back. Don’t hit me again.”

Skyla, name the one thing about Orpheus that you believe won your heart.

Skyla: (Glancing Orpheus’s way with an assessing look.) “Hm…The love he has for his brother.”

Orpheus, name one thing about Skyla that you believe changed your outlook on love.

Orpheus: (Rolling his eyes.) “She mistakes guilt for a lot of things. The Siren’s the only one who gets the L word out of me.”

Skyla: (This time rolling her eyes.)  “Always the smartass. I have a feeling that will never change.”

Now back to Elisabeth.

Elisabeth, what is more difficult to write: an intense sexual scene or a heart-wrenching emotional scene? Why? 
EN: Hm…that’s a hard one. I would have to say the intense sexual scenes. I’m always working hard to make the love scenes different and unique. However, the heart-wrenching emotional scenes are the hardest for me to read in revisions. Every time I read the last few scenes in Tempted I get choked up (still!), and there’s one in particular in Enraptured that’s downright painful for me to look at, even now.

When you were writing Enraptured did you have music playing in the background?  If yes, what type?  Does music play an intricate part in your writing? 

EN: I love music. I make entire playlists for my books – music that inspires me, makes me think about my characters, their journeys etc. The playlist for Enraptured can be found here: http://c.itunes.apple.com/us/imix/enraptured/id499167620

When I’m writing, however, I can’t listen to anything that has words, because I find myself singing along and it kicks me out of the scene. So when actually writing, I listen to movie scores. My favorites are Lord of the Rings, Gladiator, Last of the Mohicans, and the score for the TV show Spartacus.

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

EN: Probably voice. Story can fall flat without a really great voice. Anyone can come up with a cool idea for a plot. It’s how a storyteller tells that story that gets readers excited.

Elisabeth, please share with desperate readers where they can connect with you in cyber world. :)

EN: I love hearing from readers! You can find me in the following locations online:

Website: www.elisabethnaughton.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elisabeth.naughton1

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/elisnaughton

Rock*It Reads website: www.rockitreads.com

RIR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RockItReads

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? 

EN: My auto-buy authors include Joan Swan, Elizabeth Lowell, Judith McNaught and Susan Elizabeth Phillips

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

EN: Next up is book five in the Eternal Guardians series. Enslaved will hit store shelves November 6, 2012. I also have a new paranormal trilogy starting in May about three djinn warriors imprisoned by a wicked sorceress.  Readers can find more information about Bound to Seduction, the first book in the series, on my website.

Elisabeth thanks so much for stopping by and chatting with Over the Edge readers and myself; it has really been a blast getting to know more about you and your books.

Thanks so much for having me!

ENRAPTURED BY ELISABETH NAUGHTON – IN STORES APRIL 2012

Orpheus—To most he's an enigma, a devil-may-care rogue who does whatever he pleases whenever he wants. Now this loose cannon is part of the Eternal Guardians—elite warriors assigned to protect the human realm—whether he likes it or not.

Orpheus has just one goal: to rescue his brother from the Underworld. He's not expecting a woman to get in the way. Especially not a Siren as gorgeous as Skyla. He has no idea she's an assassin sent by Zeus to seduce, entrap, and ultimately destroy him.

Yet Skyla herself might have the most to lose. There's a reason Orpheus feels so familiar to her, a reason her body seems to crave him. Perhaps he's not the man everyone thinks... The truth could reveal a deadly secret as old as the Eternal Guardians themselves

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A former junior high science teacher, Elisabeth Naughton traded in her red pen and test-tube set for a laptop and research books. She now writes sexy romantic adventure and paranormal novels full-time from her home in western Oregon, where she lives with her husband and three children. Her work has been nominated for numerous awards, including the prestigious RITA Awards of Romance Writers of America, the Australian Romance Reader Awards, the Golden Leaf, and the Golden Heart. Her recent release, Enraptured, was recently named one of Publisher Weekly’s Top Ten Romances of Spring 2012. When not writing, Elisabeth can be found running, hanging out at the ballpark, or dreaming up new and exciting adventures. Visit her at www.elisabethnaughton.com to learn more about her and her books. Her next book in the Eternal Guardians series, Enslaved, will be in stores in November 2012. 

~ CONTEST~

Over the Edge, RCJR eZine along with Sourcebooks are proud to present the next enticing installment in paranormal romance author, Elisabeth Naughton's The Eternal Guardians series, ENRAPTURED which released earlier this month.  I'm sure after getting know more about Elisabeth and her work you will be come a devoted fan. 

THE PRIZE: Two (2)  eCopy of ENRAPTURED is up for grabs.

To enter:  Please leave a comment for Elisabeth Naughton, including your email address

(ALL entries must have an email address for contacting the winner)

*Connect with RCJR eZine at:

 

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Contest is open to ALL

It will runs until April 30,2012

I will contact the winners directly on May 1, 2012

HAPPY READING! =)