Welcome Special Guest: author Erin Sinclair

I know this was scheduled to come out on the 15th, but since I love her work, she's a good friend of mine and in celebration of her Valentine's Day story, Cupid's Folly, making #6 on the top 10 list at Devine Destinies (http://www.devinedestinies.com) I decided to post it a little early & say "Congrats on being in the top 10!"
Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Please welcome author, Erin Sinclair, who weaves superb, beautifully written tales. I had the privilege of a sneak peek of The Betrothed, book 2 of the Fallen Angels series, and I must say it’s a wonderful story that drew me in and kept me within its world throughout its duration.

I enjoyed her philosophical insights into reincarnation and relationships and how love can withstand the tests of time and humanity’s free will. Today she’s sharing a look into her Fallen Angel series and her life as a writer.

Erin’s Bio: Writing is my obsessive joy.  I want to draw the reader in, totally immerse them in the worlds I create and help them lose themselves.  The best compliment I’ve ever received from a reader is that I took them there. That’s when I know I’ve done my job.
So Erin, What inspired you to become a writer?
I can’t say I was inspired, more like driven, given a gift and “told” what to do with it.
When did you attempt your first story?
Depends on how you look at it.  I was eight when I started creating stories, but the first “real” story I wrote with the intention of publication is called Snow King.  It was started about ten years ago.  I wrote four chapters of it. Looking at it now, after what I’ve learned about the craft of writing, it is awful! LOL  I will re-write it.  The premise will stay the same, but I guarantee the quality of the writing will improve.
What length was it?
It was/is going to be a full-length stand-alone novel, roughly 75-80K words.
What's become of it?
It is waiting, patiently, in my writing cabinet.
How many stories did you complete before you sold your first?
None, all of them have ended at four chapters.  The first novel of my trilogy the Fallen Angel series (Twilight’s Son) was written in four months after acceptance on spec.  Everything else I had written prior to that is in various stages of creation and have never been submitted, at least, so far.
What genre(s) do you write in?
My alter-ego Erin Sinclair writes primarily paranormal romance, romantic comedy often with a paranormal twist, and romance.  My romance is all sensual PG-13, sometimes R rated.  The emphasis in my stories is on character study with the romance as an additional bonus, but not the be all, end all of the story.
What drew you to write in it/them?
Seems to be the way the stories wanted to be written, honestly.  My favorite aspects of any story, no matter the genre, are the characters and their experiences, how they develop because of their paths drawn out in the novel.  I want to read a story that reveals a character bit by irresistible bit. I’m writing in romance because it is a genre that is people driven, it is about how they fall or rise to the occasion within the context of their storyline.
What’s your favorite genre of all to write in?
I have no favorites, but I am partial to literary fiction, sci-fi, young adult and fantasy.  Love a good mystery/thriller, too.
What are the best and worst pieces of writing advice you ever received?
Can’t say I’ve ever received bad writing advice because I listen to the message I’m receiving not the vessel delivering it as I like to say.  Everything I’ve learned has been appropriate to the art form I’m studying.
How do you celebrate/deal with acceptance/rejection letters?
Oh, I’m still celebrating the acceptance of my first novel Twilight’s Son,

so that’s been about 2 ½ years so far.  As for rejection, I defy anyone to deal with it well.   ;-D If I ever receive a rejection, it will be treated with a generous dose of junk food, more than likely accompanied with chocolate.  If it is in the summer, definitely ice cream followed by or along with a good cry ‘cause Mama’s gonna need it.
In regard to the books in your Fallen Angels series, which actor and actress do you envision playing the roles of your hero and heroine? If there’s a villain or other characters who are pertinent to the story, who would play those parts?
That’s easy.  Shade-Alex O’Laughlin (played Mick on Moonlight) closest to how I envision Shade; Lt. Detective Brie Carter-Tricia Helfer (played Six on the new Battlestar: Galactica).  As for supporting characters, Sergeant Sam Wells-Mitch Pileggi (played Skinner on X-Files); Uriel-Kristanna Loken (played the Terminatrix in Terminator 3); Father Kenny-Ian Holm (played Bilbo Baggins in Lord of the Rings movie trilogy).  Yes, I’ve given this much thought! Hahaha
In regard to the book you’re promoting, is it a stand-alone story or part of a series? What sparked the idea for the story/series? If it’s part of a series, please list the order the books need to be read in for maximum reading enjoyment.
The Fallen Angel trilogy can be read as stand-alone stories however, each succeeding story builds upon the last, so I suggest reading all three.  The Betrothed is Book 2 of the Fallen Angel series.  The novels are written in this order:  Twilight’s Son, The Betrothed and Garden of Eden.

  Pure inspiration created the Fallen Angel series, that and a grumpy customer I was dealing with at the time.  In order not to argue with the man, Shade popped into my mind, told me his story and I scribbled away as the customer harangued me.  Sounds rude I know, but better that than allowing my temper to get the best of me.  I’m a redhead, so I’m sure you can picture my reaction had I followed through…hahaha.
Now for some fun facts…
Would you/have you own(ed) a snake or some other exotic pet?
I would own a parrot, definitely a horse, maybe a pet rat as long as it was laid back and wanted to cuddle.
Are you a morning person or night owl?
When I wasn’t working full time, I was a morning person.  I’m back to night owl now that I’m working again.
If you were stranded on a desert island and were only allowed to have five modern conveniences with you, what would they be?
Water purifier, fishing pole, a bar-b-que grill, a computer and a cast iron frying pan/cooking pot.  Most are obvious for survival, need the computer to journal my experiences.  If I’m rescued by a gorgeous male hunk of a naval or coast guard officer, I’m thinking that could be a whole new book, how about you? LOL.
About The Betrothed and the other Fallen Angels books…
My research into the idea of angelic beings consorting with we humans comes from different mythos, various spiritual belief systems, plus a few of my own ideas of how those concepts may have developed.  In this trilogy, though, Roman Catholic mythology plays a large part in the story created as I’ve been fascinated by that religion’s legends for a long time.  This trilogy is my take on one of endless possibilities involving the idea of angelic interaction with humanity.
Vengeance lasts forever.
Book 2 of the Fallen Angel series revolves around revelations. Brie and Shade’s relationship ignites and the intensity of it takes Brie’s breath away. She reveals herself in ways to Shade never before exposed to any man she’s loved. Shade is ecstatic that the love of his life is returning his love for her. He knows beyond any shadow of doubt the doorway to her heart is now open for him to enter. Trust is established and Shade begins to hope he can reveal who he is to her.  In the meantime, Brie takes on a baffling murder involving famous local artist, Maggie Norris. Maggie’s slaying makes no sense to the Detective, as her best friend had no enemies, knew no conflict in her life. Brie teams up with veteran Denver Metro homicide detective, Rachel Lopez, who has been placed in charge of the Norris case.  Together the pair find dead-end after dead-end in their investigation, until they realize someone is attempting to stop Brie from finding answers at all costs.  When Shade discovers Brie’s life is in danger, he becomes terrified, then enraged at the thought of losing her. As the pressure mounts on the beautiful couple, the kind and gentle angel of the first novel takes a backburner to the fearsome warrior who will protect his hard fought for love at all costs. Shade draws the line, who will be the first to cross?  He refuses to yield the one gift both lovers received when they were born— the gift of choice/free will.
Excerpt:
Shade could not shake the apprehension wrapped around him, a blanket of shadows despite the bright day, since he heard the news of Maggie’s death. A fog rolled in, the mist blocking his ability to see farther than a few feet in front of him. He couldn’t read the jumble of disjointed emotions forming a dark mass darting back and forth, daring him to identify what he was catching in his mind’s peripheral vision…As Shade stepped onto the front porch, he reached out with his senses. Wave upon wave of empathy extended from his mind as he attempted to center himself, sort out why such trepidation filled him. Having been in human form for a few months now, he had a better understanding of why a human could allow the unknown to stir fear. It was difficult to fight off the urge to succumb to it. Truth told, as he became more ensconced in his humanity, he preferred to maintain some angelic awareness using internal disciplines learned throughout the eons. It was becoming too easy to focus on the physical, the most impermanent of all states of existence. In learning about love from the human perspective, Shade discovered that with great love, there was also great worry. It was a challenge to keep the gentler aspects of his emotional nature in harmony with the less rational side of his humanity. He realized, though, he underestimated the power of human emotion and knew he would need to find balance within the experience.
Down, down, down he sank into a mild trance, absorbed the atmosphere around him. He tried to deny it, but couldn’t—the specter of impending peril was close. A dark thought swift and sure swooped upon his consciousness. Danger, Brie’s in danger.
Shade’s eyes ignited and he pulled himself from his meditation, stumbled from the porch in confusion. He gasped, his ancient language spilling from him as he tried to understand the tide of fear mixed with anger washing over him. “No, this can’t happen!”
The familiar drone of the Jeep’s engine as it moved toward the house brought Shade to his senses. He turned toward Brie as she pulled into the driveway and she called to him. “Shade, what’s wrong?”
He ducked his head to prevent her from seeing the light of his soul shining through his eyes. When he opened them again, he knew they were their usual green-gold. Brie’s face had the telltale signs of the unsure and he dipped his mind into hers to determine if she had seen anything. Sorrow and concern were the only emotions he felt and he grasped her to him, happy to see her.
“What’s going on?” Her voice was calm, but Shade knew she had been crying.
Shade cupped her face in his hands and braced his forehead against hers, closed his eyes, breathed in her scent. “Just had a bad feeling, love, glad your home.”
“Must have been some feeling.”

“I think Maggie’s death is finally sinking in.” Shade, in essence, spoke the truth, although he knew there was much more to his reaction and resolved to find out why Brie was in danger. He couldn’t lose her. He had just found her. How could he be without her? Who was he without her? Once more, he sent out questing tendrils of empathy, every sense on full alert. Shadows gathered force, pushed him back. It only strengthened his resolve to discover what was happening.
The novel released on February 1, 2011 through Devine Destinies (www.devinedestinies.com).  You won’t be disappointed, and once read, you’ll certainly crave more of our lovers as they continue on their journey—apart and together! Check out the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vswN-i5rGTA
Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog, CR, it has been so fun!
Sincerely,
Erin Sinclair
http://www.erinsinclairauthor.com/

It was a pleasure having you here, Erin. Thank you for taking the time to do the interview and sharing your stories with us.
Blog Readers: Comment & be put in February's drawing! Details here: http://crmoss.blogspot.com/p/contests-free-books.html

Welcome Special Guest: author RM Sotera

Please welcome author, RM Sotera! R.M. Sotera is a romance vixen stuck in the body of a prim and proper woman. A transplant to Las Vegas, by day she is a wife, mom, taxi driver, counselor, and psychologist to her wild and, at times, crazy friends. But when the family goes to bed and the house is dark, she seeks refuge in her office where her deepest and sometimes darkest desires take hold. And…ultimately a story is born. She’s here today talking about her life as an author and her recent release, Dirty Valkyrie, the third book in her Viking/Vampire series of books.

I’ve had the pleasure of reading the stories and found RM has a talent for adding humor and sploshing in her tales making them fun to read. Gods, Goddesses, Vampires…Immortality has never been so sexy!

So, RM, what inspired you to become a writer?
My imagination needed a place to come alive, thus on the pages of a book I can make this happen.  I’ve always kept diaries and journals, so for me writing has always been a part of my life.
When did you attempt your first story? What length was it? What's become of it?
My first book was over 100,000 words, and I attempted and finished it while attending graduate classes.  I needed something else to concentrate on besides academic journals and books, and I had a story that was itching to be told.  The book has been revised and edited several times, and sent to several agents. As of the time of this interview the manuscript has over 60 rejection letters to its name.  And I’m damned proud of them!
How many stories did you complete before you sold your first?
Many.
What genre(s) do you write in? What drew you to write in it/them? What’s your favorite genre of all to write in?
I write paranormal romance with erotic elements.  I also have a humorous streak to my work.  I’ve written contemporary, however, I’ve found that manuscript extremely hard to sell. I’ve always loved vampires, witches, and things that go bump in the night, which is why paranormal romance is my favorite. It totally suits me.  I am working on a young adult that I hope to finish by the end of the summer. My favorite genre is paranormal, hands down.
What are the best and worst pieces of writing advice you ever received?
Let’s see…the best advice I received was to never give up on the dream if it’s what you really want to do, and to grow a thick skin. Also, to make time everyday to write, even if only for a short amount of time.  And, don’t quit my day job hastily, wait to see what transpires.
The worst piece of advice…
I’m still waiting for the worst advice.  To be honest, I hope it never comes.
How do you celebrate/deal with acceptance/rejection letters?
I’ve become quite the connoisseur with rejection letters.  I can honestly say that at first, they devastated me.  However, I started to get pissed after the 10th letter and decided that for every rejection I received I would send out 3 more query letters. Yeah…I’ve grown some thick skin and I keep moving forward. How did I celebrate when my first book, Dirty Dancer, was published by eXtasy?  I jumped up and down in the privacy of my office, then had lunch with two of my favorite people. Seeing my words and name in print has been a dream come true. And I can honestly say…it keeps getting better. I love being optimistic, so I believe the best is yet to come!  Every night before I go to bed, I hum the words to Don’t Stop Believing by Journey; it’s this writer’s lullaby. :)
Which actor and actress do you envision playing the roles of your hero and heroine? If there’s a villain or other characters who are pertinent to the story, who would play those parts?
Dirty Valkyrie:  If I had to envision the actor to play Laurent Bovier, vampire extraordinaire, it would have to be Ian Somerhalder who plays Damon Salvatore on the Vampire Diaries, and for Brandi Lui it would be actress Katie Holmes.
Is Dirty Valkyrie a stand-alone story or part of a series? What sparked the idea for the story/series? If it’s part of a series, please list the order the books need to be read in for maximum reading enjoyment.
Dirty Valkyrie is part of a series, and the third installment.  My love for Norse mythology and vampires sparked the idea, and it pretty much snowballed after that. After writing the first book, Dirty Dancer, I found it impossible to keep the characters that I created silent.  They kept me up all hours of the night, and woke me all hour hours of the morning until I got the stories they wanted to share on paper.  

I can honestly say that each time I’ve finished with one of the books, a sadness has passed through me because I can’t say goodbye to these characters. Jett, Laurent, Sophia and Brandi have many more adventures ahead of them.  I can feel it in my bones. :) The books should be read in the following order:   Dirty Dancer, Dirty Deed, Dirty Valkyrie
Now for some fun stuff…
What’s your favorite color?
My favorite colors are red, black and grey.  I like black the best even though it’s not considered a color.
What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?
Say what? Forget the ice cream I’ll take the jar of cherries instead. And I’d like to place them all over… ;)
Are you a morning person or night owl?
I am a morning person. And sometimes a night owl.  I’m up by 5 am daily, and I can usually be found at my computer typing away at some story.  I do my best writing in the early, early hours of the day.  My muse, Styxx, loves to wake me at 2 AM.
About RM’s latest release and where to find her online
Dirty Valkyrie is the love story between Norse Valkyrie demi-goddess Brandi and vampire Laurent Bovier.

Two different types of immortality equal one unique love affair.
Brandi Lui has come to terms with her Valkyrie demi-goddess heritage and she’s all right with it.  But when it comes to falling in love, she’s determined to have a man with a mortal pulse. That is until she re-unites with a Frenchmen from New Orleans with an appetite for everything Valkyrie.
Laurent Bovier, a breathtaking Master vampire, sets his sights on Brandi only to have his uncontrolled passion for her cause him problems. He commits the worst discretion known to the vampire community, taking the life of a Sire-Guardian’s property. For his crime, the Sire-Guardian wants Laurent to kill Brandi. Will love conquer all or will an immortal hunger change their lives forever?
This book should be read after Dirty Dancer and Dirty Deed.

Dirty Valkyrie and her other titles can be purchased through www.extasybooks.com
Readers can learn about RM Sotera by checking out her website at www.rmsotera.com, her blog at http://rmsotera.wordpress.com/ and facebook at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=100000770194028

Thank you so much RM for taking the time to do the interview and sharing your stories and writing life with us!
Blog Readers: Comment & be put in February's drawing! Details here: http://crmoss.blogspot.com/p/contests-free-books.html