Showing posts with label Cravings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cravings. Show all posts

Author Laura Kaye's Sources of Inspiration & Replenishment

Woot! I'm so glad to welcome Laura Kaye to the blog.



I met Laura two different ways: on a loop for Harlequin Nocturne authors (we were both relative newbies to the Cravings line) and also through book recommendations on twitter. So, she's not only a sister scribe, but also an author I really enjoy reading. Her stories are emotional, and her men are sooo delicious!

Another thing (out of many) that impressed me was Laura's so very prolific. She seems to always have a book coming out. Actually right now she's got two new stories available. Check out the covers:




So I asked what we all want to know: what keeps you going day after day? Here's her answer:


Thanks to Mina for hosting me here today to talk about what inspires me, keeps me going, and gets me excited about life and writing. Here’s what I came up with:

Time to myself. I find that I am replenished by having time to myself without anyone else’s needs, demands or expectations needing to be considered. I don’t mean this in a selfish way—I love my two girls (ages 8 and almost 6) and have tons of fun with them—but sometimes I just need to be me—not a mom, not a wife, not a professor—just me doing what I love on my schedule and according to my own whims. Maybe this need for a little quality alone time comes from being an only child and spending a lot of time by myself growing up (we were way poor, and my mom had to work two and three jobs to make ends meet—I admire her greatly for that, but I spent a lot of summer days and weeknights by myself).

Girl time. Time with my girl friends is also energizing and inspiring. First, because women just rock, and it’s easy to be inspired to be better by the other women in your life. Second, because your girl friends just get you, they understand and support you in a completely unconditional way. They act as a sounding board, let you vent, and cheer you on.

Family. There are a lot of ways my family inspires and motivates me. I want to be a good provider. I want to be a good role model for my children. I want to teach them they can follow their dreams, as I’m following mine as a writer. I want them to be proud of me.  All of these push me and make me want to do more, be more. The support of my family can also replenish my spirit when things aren’t going well or I hit roadblocks in my path.

Music. I have always been inspired and replenished by music. I have always felt I could lose myself in it, purge myself of feelings through it, and have my mood changed by it. A life without music would be a much less inspired place, for me.

How about for you? What inspires you, picks you up, and keeps you going?

Thanks for reading! ~Laura

To celebrate Laura's stories, I'm giving away book one of her Vampire Warrior Kings Series.


All you have to do is answer Laura's question and leave your E-Mail in the comments section so I can contact you if you win the giveaway!



Want to know more about Laura?

About Laura Kaye:
Voted Breakout Author of the Year in the 2011 GraveTells Readers’ Choice Awards, Laura is the bestselling and award-winning author of over a half-dozen books in paranormal, contemporary and erotic romance. Hearts in Darkness is the EPIC eBook Award Winner for Best Novella and HOLT Medallion Award of Merit Winner for Best Romance Novella, Forever Freed is the NJRW Golden Leaf Winner for Best Paranormal of 2011 and is a finalist for two GDRWA Booksellers’ Best Awards, and North of Need, the first book in the Hearts of the Anemoi series, is a finalist for a FF&P PRISM award, was named GraveTells’ Best Book of 2011 and won their 5-STAR Gold Heart Award, and won Sizzling Hot Read of the Year at Sizzling Hot Books.

Laura lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

3 HQN Authors Dish about Overcoming Fear & Writing Sexy

Woot! I'm excited to bring not one, but THREE super-awesome-califragilistic Harlequin authors with stacks & stacks of wonderful published stories under their belts to visit. Harlequin romances can be sweet and sensual, but also HAWT & spicy! Today on the blog, sharing what makes them nervous in terms of sexy writing, are:



Stephanie Draven is a multi-published award-nominated author of myth-inspired paranormal romance. Writing for HQN Nocturne, Stephanie’s Mythica series asks the question: What if the monsters of ancient mythology still walked the earth...and what if you found out that you were one of them? Currently a denizen of Baltimore, that city of ravens and purple night skies, Stephanie lives there with her favorite nocturnal creatures–three scheming cats and a deliciously wicked husband. And when she is not busy with dark domestic rituals, she writes her books.






Laura Kaye Voted Breakout Author of the Year in the 2011 GraveTells Readers’ Choice Awards, Laura is the bestselling and award-winning author of a half-dozen books. Hearts in Darkness is a finalist for the EPIC eBook Award for Best Novella, Forever Freed won the NJRW Golden Leaf Award for Best Paranormal of 2011, and North of Need, the first book in the Hearts of the Anemoi series, was named GraveTells’ Best Book of 2011 and won their 5-STAR Gold Heart Award, and won Sizzling Hot Read of the Year at Sizzling Hot Books. Laura lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.





&



Leia Rice is an avid lover of everything Parisian, Ancient Grecian and Ancient Roman. She wishes that women would still wear the pretty dresses and petticoats that they did back in the 18th century, but she’s well aware how much of a pain they must have been. Leia writes historical fiction, romance and erotica in these  areas, because she cannot get enough of each respective time period.



Stephanie, Laura & Leai share the one thing that they are little afraid to write & seek feeback & encouragent from you! SO, come weigh in on what YOU think makes or breaks a sexy story!


Resolve Not To Fear Your Fantasies
Three HQN Author Confessions


Laura: I’m chuckling at Leia’s answer! Wait til you see it! :P Hmmm...while I do use it, I’m always a bit shy of using the ‘c’ word. No, not that one, the other one. LOL I’ve lost you, I just know it. Mkay, I’ll give you more of a hint. The second letter is ‘u’. Aha! Now you’re with me! Erotic writers are encouraged to use the blunt terms, and euphemisms are roundly discouraged and even made fun of (throbbing member, anyone???). But, while I have no problem talking about and writing about a guy’s ‘c’, using the ‘c’ word for a woman’s nether regions always gives me pause. Usually, I plow on through the hesitation if I think the story calls for it, but what’s your thinking on one or both ‘c’ words? Full disclosure: In the Service of the King totally called for both ‘c’ words - this is one hot, full-on, in-your-face story. Yum-my.

Stephanie: My hero inThe Fever and The Fury is totally unafraid to drop the f-bomb. In fact, Lieutenant Luke Lazaros keeps using the naughty word because it embarrasses my otherwise bad-ass ancient demi-goddess of a heroine. But I’m afraid to write a hero who likes to call my heroine names. This happens all the time in real life sexual situations and I think it’s part of healthy dirty talk. However, so much of what goes on in bed is shrouded with shame and taboo that I’m terrified readers would hate any hero who used a word like slut, even if I otherwise made it very clear that he has nothing but the most profound respect for her. What do you think? Would you be able to handle a hero who had a filthy mouth?

Leia: I’m afraid of writing about anal sex. It really squicks me out when I find it in books. Especially when I don’t have any warning that it’s coming, and then BAM! Surprise anal sex. It’s just not pleasant! That’s why I’m afraid to write it. Should I?
 

Anyone dressing up as a djinn/genie for Halloween?

Happy Halloween! I'm all about djinns & genies right now...because tomorrow my debut paranormal romance, THE DJINN'S DILEMMA, is coming out. Thank you Harlequin Nocturne! So thrilled to be part of the new Cravings line :D And, I just turned in my second djinn story to my agent. Woot!

So, I thought I'd dress the DH & myself up as genies and looked up some costumes.


(These first two costumes are available at Fantasia Wear)

Erm, a bit too daring for me...though the DH was game. What can I say, the Joan Wilder character in Romancing the Stone comes pretty close to me -- bold on paper, but not always in day-to-day life.

Then I found some tasteful possibilities that I could go for:


(These next two costumes available from Mr. Costumes)

Then I saw the prices tags...and we decided to fall back on the tried & true. The DH is dressing up as Indiana Jones & I get to be buxom Earth Witch babe :)

Hope y'all have fun & festive plans for today :) So what's everyone else dressing up as?

Monster Mash-Up Party!


I'm talking about why I write djinn stories at fellow Cravings author Katie Reus' blog. Come join her Monster Mash Up!



Katie by the way has a fabulous Cravings story, DESTINED MATE, available now. Check out the very nice cover:

How about some HOT inspiration to sizzle up your Monday?



Check out my first cover! Is that not inspiring?

WooHoo! Happy dancing in West Texas!

 The Djinn's Dilemma is coming to an ebook reader near you in November. :)