AAD Featured Author Interview: Selena Blake

Welcome Authors After Dark 2014 featured author Selena Blake!

So Selena, this is your first year attending AAD, right?
It is! I’m an AAD virgin.

What made you want to come to AAD?
I’ve heard so many great things about AAD and my friend Eliza Gayle’s been prodding me to attend for a few years. I’ve got to see what all the fuss is about and I can’t wait to meet new readers and finally put faces to the names I’ve known for years.

So where will attendees be able to find you at AAD? Do you hang out in the bar? The lobby? Or are you the one who throws parties in their room?
I’ll be around. Look for me hanging out in the halls or perhaps in the lobby when my feet give out. In the evening I wouldn’t be surprised if you found me at the bar. I’m on the hunt for the perfect martini!

If you were to suggest one of your books to the AAD attendees, which book would it be?
I would say Games Demons Play (http://bit.ly/GamesDemonsPlay). So many readers are shy about reading a “demon” book but this isn’t your traditional demon. He’s drop dead gorgeous and in my Mystic Isle series, demons are simply practical jokers. They’re not evil. So it’s not a traditional demon book by a long shot. It’s actually as sweet as it is sexy (and trust me, it’s sexy!) My demon’s also tender and protective when he’s not putting blue food coloring on your tooth brush. I think it’s one of my best books to date.

If an adoring fan wanted to buy you a drink at the bar, what’s your poison?
Well, like I mentioned, I’m on the hunt for the perfect martini. I tend to try things in waves. One year, I sampled a few hundred chocolate bars, the next I sampled margaritas. This year I’m on martinis. I had an incredible Key Lime martini in the Florida Keys a few months back so it’ll be hard to top that. I haven’t had a chocolate martini yet, but I’m looking forward to it.

SWAG. We all love SWAG! What cool stuff are you bringing?
I love romance trading cards and the ones for my Stormy Weather series are seriously gorgeous. So I’ll have a bunch of those on hand. I’ll also have some of my famous I Like My Werewolves Cajun t-shirts!

We’re all excited about the book signing. What books will you have on hand to sign and sell?
Things may change but I know I’m bringing Ask For It, my New York Times bestseller. If steamy contemporary romance (including sinfully handsome former NFL superstars) are you thing, you’ll want to check this out.

Where can readers find you?
My cyber door is always open at: http://www.selena-blake.com
Subscribers of my mailing list get access to 5 free reads: http://members.selena-blake.com/signin.html

Readers can always find me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/selenablake
and Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/SelenaBlake
and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorSelenaBlake/

Busy Busy Busy

How does the 25th of the month keeping coming and going and slipping my mind? Seems we all have busier than ever lives these days. I'm going to have to talk to the DH about a vacation soon I think. :)

But keeping busy means that there's lots of writing going on and lots of new books to share.






I've got my next contemporary book, Fire & Desire, coming out any day now. This story is the fourth book of my Purgatory series, which is a lot of fun to write and allows me to mix things up when I'm not in the paranormal mood. (although that's not often.)

April brings all kinds of fun. Like Stella, I'm busy preparing for RT. Her and I were just talking about costume make up last night. Luckily she talked me down from the ledge and make up that would stain my skin. lol I'm making my own costume for the fairy ball (call me crazy)and I'm considering on going all out. Maybe medium out would be better.

April also brings two more new releases. The long awaited book 2 of the cougar series, Kane. I cannot wait for this. Looking forward to hearing what readers think as the trilogy continues.

Also, Dirty Deeds, my demon novella will be out at the end of April from Loose Id. My AC/DC loving sex demon was one of my favorite heroines to write. I just got the cover this week and am fascinated by the artists talent for painting. (Christine Griffin)

Sexy Shifter Time!

It's the dead of winter and we're all tired of the cold weather outside. Even in the South where I am we've had more snow than we've had in many years and the cold days keep on coming.

Thankfully us readers have our books to warm us up even on the coldest nights and I'm so excited that this month I am celebrating the release of Lucas, the first book in my Black Cougar trilogy.

Here's the blurb:

Kira MacDonald is in trouble. Plagued by false visions and erotic dreams of a man she’s never met, she fears losing both her psychic powers and her sanity. The cure? Finding and bonding with her mate. The stubborn red-haired warrior might not want one, but fate has other plans, plans that include her rescuing Lucas Gunn.

As the Guardian of his shape-shifting clan, Lucas Gunn lived a quiet, solitary life. Until he was kidnapped, examined, and tortured. Now imprisoned, his only tie to the outside world is the memory of his dreams and the passionate woman who appears nightly in them. He thought she was nothing more than a vision. Then she came for him.

An uneasy alliance, a mating call that won’t be denied, rituals that must be honored, and unrelenting enemies who will stop at nothing to get what they want. It all comes together in the first of Eliza Gayle’s sensational Black Cougar Series. Passion and Pride. Duty and Danger. In the end, there’s really only one choice…for Lucas.

The Black Raven Reviews had this to say. "Lucas: A Black Cougar Novel is gripping; adventure packed, and will have you on the edge of your seat from page one…”

For an excerpt you can go to the book page of my website here. There are more reviews and excerpt and even a behind the book feature at the end of the excerpt.

Lucas is currently available in eBook and will be available in print early March. You can purchase Lucas at all your favorite etailers. Amazon, All Romance eBooks, Fictionwise and more.



And just because I love to tease. For those of you who may have already picked up Lucas, I leave you with the brand new cover for Kane, the second book in the trilogy and available at the end of April.

Have a good one!

Eliza

A Little Taste of RT!

Now that I am back and settled from the RT Convention, i'm busy getting back into the groove of writing and working along with the unpacking and downloading of a gazillion pics. (although so many are blurry)

It was great to connect with some of the Authors After Dark authors and many readers and booksellers as well. I'm feeling really geared up for the Authors After Dark Convention this fall and can't wait to attend. It's going to be a lot of fun. If you haven't already I hope you will check out the website and consider this fun event. Authors After Dark Weekend.

Now that the convention dust has settled here are a few pics to enjoy.



Jacki being interviewed for the What's Hot In Romance radio show with host Cat Johnson.



The lovely Larissa Ione at the Vampire Ball on friday night.



Stella looking fantabulous in her gorgeous sari!



Me and author Cat Johnson waiting in line to get inside the Fairy Ball on Thursday night.

Somehow the super talented Bianca managed to evade my camera but she was in attendance as well. Maybe next time we can get a group photo.

I'm off to write lots and prepare for the Book Expo of America in New York City on May 28th and The Lori Foster Readers and Authors get together beginning June 5th.

Enjoy and see you next month!

Eliza

Vacation from Vacation...

Ever feel like when you get home from vacation that you need a vacation from the vacation? I returned home from a 4 day whirlwind vacation in Las Vegas earlier in the week and have been going non stop since trying to catch up. And as much fun as we had I can't help but think I need a quiet day or two alone to recover. LOL

A lot has happened this month so far including two new releases that I am so excited to tell you about. On January 15th my new Black Cougar series debuted at Linden Bay Romance with the release of Lucas. Here's a little info on that one.



Kira MacDonald is in trouble. Plagued by false visions and erotic dreams of a man she’s never met, she fears losing both her psychic powers and her sanity. The cure? Finding and bonding with her mate. The stubborn red-haired warrior might not want one, but fate has other plans, plans that include her rescuing Lucas Gunn.

As the Guardian of his shape-shifting clan, Lucas Gunn lived a quiet, solitary life. Until he was kidnapped, examined, and tortured. Now imprisoned, his only tie to the outside world is the memory of his dreams and the passionate woman who appears in them. He thought she was nothing more than a vision. Then she came for him.

An uneasy alliance, a mating call that won’t be denied, rituals that must be honored, and unrelenting enemies who will stop at nothing to get what they want. It all comes together in the first of Eliza Gayle’s sensational Black Cougar Series. Passion and pride. Duty and danger. In the end, there’s really only one choice…for Lucas.

This one is available for purchase in ebook now at http://www.lindenbayromance.com and will be out in print in the next couple of weeks.

I have to admit that writing this first trilogy has been so much fun i'm tempted to continue. I guess it will all depend on how you the reader like them.

Also new from me this month is my contribution to the Love's Immortal: Pantheon anthology from Tease Publishing titled Dark Bond. I could resist the lure of a Goddess and especially when it gave me another chance to write a hot vampire menage.



When tragedy strikes and Darken is faced with the death of his lover, Ezra, he does the one thing he swore he never would to save him.

Summon the Goddess of Night to turn him...

But her service always comes with a price. A bargain that is set on her terms...her desires.

How far will Darken go to save the one he loves now from the one he loved then?

Dark Bond is available now in eBook at http://allromanceebooks.com/product-lovesimmortalpantheondarkbond-14034-146.html with the print anthology coming soon.

I'd also like to invite you to visit my myspace blog this month and next to check out the latest contests. I am converting my entire To Be Read library from paper to electronic so I am giving away dozens of books on the blog. http://blog.myspace.com/elizagayle

Have a great month and a Happy Valentine's and I will see you next month!

Eliza

New Year, New You?

Sorry I missed my post on Christmas Day, it's been a little hectic around here. With the kids out of school and the husband underfoot as well i'm a little stressed out.

As December rushes by and the New Year is almost here I am trying to ignore the automatic desire to start planning and making goals for next year. I made some goals for December that I am still trying to meet so 2009 can start fresh. For weeks people around me have been talking about their New Years goals and i've been doing my best to ignore it. Can you picture it? I've got my fingers in my ears walking around going la la la la la

But the compulsion to plan for a New Year will not die. In the back of my head little things are forming despite my good intentions and I guarantee before that clock strikes 12 on New Years Eve, I will have goals for 2009. Ack I just can't seem to resist the temptation.

How about you? Do you make New Year's resolutions or goals every year. Do you start creating new goals before the old ones are completed?

On a different subject...I had a new free read come out last week that is available at both Linden Bay Romance and All Romance eBooks. It's a short, HOT story to introduce readers to my new shapeshifter series coming out next month at Linden Bay Romance.



Restless and alone on Christmas Eve, Niki decides it’s time to scratch the itch and heads into a nearby town for some action. Once there, it isn’t sex she finds, but a fight instead, that is until tall, dark and handsome intervenes...

Dean recognizes the stunning but surly Cougar for what she is the minute she gets close. Now it’s up to him to show her just how far a night of passion can go.

Enjoy and see you next year!

Eliza

Getting in the Paranormal mood

This week I find myself shoulder deep in the business of being an author that doesn't include the actual writing of a book. Editing, website updates, promo mailings, blurb writing, etc., etc. You get the picture.

Ok, so it's not really that bad but I think you can imagine the chaos I am in. No biggie, we all do what we have to. But the deal is this. I have a book deadline in less than 3 weeks and quite a bit of word count to go. I'm finishing up the last of the Pentacles of Magick: The Healing which is Book 3 in the series and coming out this fall. So I need to have witches, empaths, prophecies and evil villains on my mind. lol

I think my mistake was this. I didn't make a playlist for this book! *gasp* Now I don't normally need music to get me in the mood to write but with chaos reigning around the house I think it would have helped.

For Book 2 it was all about my Pink CD. The heroine of that story is a brash motorcycle riding firestarter, so the music was perfect.

Sometimes to get in the paranormal mood i need only look at the pictures and knick knacks I keep around my desk. Spike, Angel, Faeries, Gargoyles, Dragons, etc. And other times I watch movies. I'm a bit of a movie junkie so I have quite a few. I watched this one today.



I'm ready to write but I need a playlist for focus. So, what music gets you in the paranormal mood? Is it a favorite movie soundtrack? I have bunches of those. I've been surfing through itunes and have found a few but I need more. Got any suggestions?

There used to be this really cool video on YouTube that could really get you in the sexy paranormal mood but well, it was a bit racy and YouTube took it down. The song was Predator by Front Line Assembly and the video was from a vampire movie I think. It was erotic.

So I will leave you with a couple of videos from the now cancelled Moonlight. You don't even want to get me started on that rant. LOL And please if you have some suggestions for my playlist I would REALLY love to hear them.

Eliza

Eliza waves to all

Oh! Oh! Oh! I am so excited to be here. This is the place where I get to come and talk about all the dark and twisty thoughts in my mind right? haha Just Kidding. Maybe.

Stella did such a wonderful job designing the blog and as I perused everyone's covers I started making a list. Read it, read it, read it, ooh gotta get it, read it , read it, must have it and so on. You see I love covers and I am easily influenced to buy based on one and Yowsa there are some awesome authors here!

As for myself, I write a lot of paranormal and fantasy romance on the super spicy side of things but occasionally like to shake things up with a contemporary here and there. I currently have 5 titles available with 4 more due this year so i'm pretty much hiding in my writing cave all the time.

My new paranormal witch series, Pentacles of Magick debuted last month and Book 2 will be coming out in June with 3 and 4 following in the fall. I love writing about the metaphysical with a special interest in Tarot, so you'll notice quite a few books in that area.

I look forward to some fun and fascinating conversation here and if you ever have any questions feel free to contact me anytime, I love to chat.

Eliza