A Wickedly Fun Interview with Author Juliana Stone + Treats!

On Monday, I reviewed the fabulous upcoming new release WICKED ROAD TO HELL by Juliana Stone. If you've never read anything by this author, you should even if you start with her new series the League of Guardians. She is definitely one of the up and coming greatest voices in Romance today. If you'd like to check out my review of this fabulous new Paranormal Romance, just click HERE and then come on back. We'll wait for you!

Juliana Stone is the author of the Jaguar Warrior Series from Avon Romance which is how I was first introduced to her exceptional imagination and ever growing talent. Her new series, the League of Guardians, delves deeper into the world of Angels and Demons. I happen to know that many of you are fans of Angels and Demons because my most popular post to date is the one I did back in October on them. So hold on to your knickers, my friends, and get ready to meet one of the most talented writers to take you to Hell and back without leaving your chair.

First, let me give you the blurb for WICKED ROAD TO HELL so you can get an idea of what we'll be discussing, not that Juliana's going to give away too much because she's a terrible tease but that's what we love about her.

Blurb for WICKED ROAD TO HELL:

With the legions of the underworld gathering and chaos close at hand, Sorcerer Declan O’Hara’s deadly skills will be tested. But nothing will sway him from his duty…

Rescued from eternal darkness, vampire Ana DeLacrux owes her life to a mysterious stranger who asks for only one thing—her absolute allegiance. She serves this master without question until Declan, the one man who can make her forget her vow, returns. His magic is stronger, darker…more compelling than ever. His blood awakens a hunger she must resist, or risk deadly consequences.

As Ana and Declan join forces, the streets of New Orleans become a dangerous place for both humans and the otherworld. And the most dangerous place of all is a road Declan’s traveled before…the wicked road to hell.

                                   *                   *                 *                 *                *

Now that I've set the stage for this author of wickedly intriguing paranormal romance, please join me in welcoming Juliana Stone!

Amy:  Welcome Juliana, it's a real pleasure to have you here with us today. Perhaps you can tell us little bit about yourself for the benefit of those who don't know you yet.

Juliana:  Hello Amy! Glad to be here!  Well, for anyone who doesn’t know me, I’m a Mother of 2, Wife to 1 [LOL] and I have the most precious golden retriever on the planet as well as the cutest cat ever. I live in Canada, love 80’s rock and my girlfriends are like family.

Amy:  Sounds like a happy life and our worlds would be a very different place without our girlfriends to keep us sane.
I once asked you what inspired you to write paranormal and you told me that it was after reading DARK PRINCE by Christine Feehan. What was it about that particular story that sparked your creative juices which then took you in the direction of the sexy, wonderful Jaguar Warriors?

Juliana:  Good question! First off, before I’d read any Feehan, back in my high school days I was a huge Anne Rice fan. Those books aren’t romances really, but they opened my eyes to an entirely new depiction of the vampire.  Christine expanded and brought romance and angst and longing and alpha males and I ate it up! I love the darkness in the characters, I loved the soulmates, and I loved a world where there was no limit except what was in your mind.

Amy:  Wow, well that definitely gives us a deep insight into where your characters come from and totally makes sense.
WICKED ROAD TO HELL is Declan O'Hara's story. We first met Declan in the Jaguar Warrior Series along with Ana Delacrux and of course, "just call me Bill" Askelon!
[That makes me laugh every time I read that.] Had you planned to extend the story into the League of Guardian series from the beginning or did it just evolve?

Juliana:  It evolved. I knew that the Jaguar Warriors would only be 3 books. The story arc that started with the first one ended with the last, HIS DARKEST SALVATION.  But there was still so much to tell and as I started pondering Declan’s book, the idea for the League grew.  I wanted to stay in the same world and feature many supernatural beings and I wanted to be able to have overlap, bringing in characters from the Jag books.

Amy:  I'm sure all the fans of the Jaquar Warriors are very happy to hear that.
Will there only be three in the League of Guardian series as in the Jaguar Warrior Series or will you take it further?

Juliana:  As long as the readers love them, I’ll keep writing them.  There is another novella scheduled for the fall, a continuation of Logan and Kira’s story (WRONG SIDE OF HELL) and then the next full length is KING OF THE DAMNED, which releases in December.

Amy:  So glad to hear that we are going to meet up with Logan and Kira again. So many times, once a couple's story has reached it's HEA, they fade to the back. What made you decide to revisit them?

Juliana:  There were a lot of questions hanging at the end of Logan and Kira’s book, so I’ve decided that the novellas I write will be a continuation of their story.

Amy:  Sounds awesome. I know I had a lot of questions at the end of WRONG SIDE OF HELL.  [Awesome novella, if you haven't read it yet - do so!!]
I love that we meet Nico again in WICKED ROAD TO HELL even though he now sports a blue mohawk and a nose ring. Will he ever get his HEA and will it be in the League of Guardian series or will you ever revisit the Jaguar Warriors series?

Juliana:  As of now I’ve no plans to revisit the Jaguar Warriors, Nico is up to his butt in the League of Guardians and I hope to write his story one day!  If so, it will certainly be within this series.


Teaser of Cover for
KING OF THE DAMNED

Amy:  Great! I know there's a lot of your fans waiting for Nico to get his purr on, so to speak!

You are certainly blessed with some of the hottest covers. I recently spotted the new cover for KING OF THE DAMNED (Book Two in the League of Guardians series) on your website. I know you don't choose them but do you have a favorite?

Juliana:  Ah, yes, as of now this new cover is my favourite.  It’s beautiful and Azaiel looks so incredibly hot and sad.  I just want to hug him.  It’s gorgeous!

Amy:  Can't wait to see the finished cover!
You've been teasing us for some time now on Facebook and Twitter with wonderful lines from your new contemporary romance series, THE BAD BOYS OF CRYSTAL LAKE. I know this is quite a diversion for you as even your first novels were scifi/time travel. What inspired you to go in this direction when you've been so prolific in the paranormal?

Juliana:  It’s weird but I just decided last year to try my hand at something new.  I used to read a lot of contemporary romances but hadn’t lately and the idea of writing a book about a musician appealed to me. Music is an important part of my life and I was determined to do it.  So, the idea was born and I just went for it!  Luckily I found my voice for contemporary as well and can’t wait for you all to read about my bad boys!

Amy:  I know I'm very excited about meeting these bad boys! Perhaps you can tell us a little bit about this new contemporary series without giving away any spoilers.

Juliana:  The series revolves around a trio of boyhood friends.  In the first book, my main character, Cain Black is an up and coming singer/guitarist who is on the cusp of hitting it huge.  He returns to Crystal Lake for the funeral of one of his best friends, a soldier killed in Afghanistan.  He’s not been home in years and decides to stick around, an easy decision especially after he meets an interesting woman and her young son. This first book is a love story straight up and I had a blast writing it! Little tidbit, all of the books have working titles based on my favourite Bon Jovi songs, NEVER SAY GOODBYE, ALWAYS and LAY YOUR HANDS ON ME.

Amy:  Sounds wonderful and a lot of fun. Great songs for inspiration, too. Friends, judging from the teasers she's been putting out, these don't sound like your typical contemporaries - I have a feeling I'll definitely be enjoying these. Since writing is only one of your passions, it seems only natural for you to integrate your love of music into your stories. A series featuring rockers sounds like fun!

Juliana:  Tho the series isn’t all about rockers, my first book does delve into that world and trust me, Cain is hot!

Amy:  Yummy! Sounds like we are in for some good reads about bad boys!
Last question. If you could be ANY character in ANY book, which character would
it be and why?

Juliana:  Wow that’s a hard one.  At the moment I’d have to say Rowan James, my heroine from KING OF THE DAMNED. She’s a witch, a strong witch and she embodies everything I love in a good heroine.  She’s strong but vulnerable and I love that. Plus, she’s got awesome hair!

Amy:  Awesome hair! [LOL!] That's great! Friends, I've read an excerpt from KING OF THE DAMNED and Rowan is ready to kick some ass - our kind of gal! If you'd like to learn more about Juliana and her fabulous books, please visit her website. She's got excerpts!!

Amy:  Friends, Juliana has been kind enough to provide me with five (5) signed coverflats of WICKED ROAD TO HELL, so I'm offering you five separate chances to win!
One of the lucky commenters will also win a copy of Juliana's novella, WRONG SIDE OF HELL, along with that signed coverflat so be sure to enter. That's a lot of prizes, my dears! 
FIVE CHANCES TO WIN, so be sure to comment and include your email address so I can contact you if you're chosen! This Giveaway is open to EVERYONE and runs until 11:59 PM Sunday, April 22, 2012!

Amy:  I am going to ask Juliana to pose the question to you that you must answer in a comment for a chance to win one of these fabulous prizes.
Juliana, your question please.

Juliana: What is your favourite book ever?  The top one in your keeper shelf?

Amy:  Great question, Juliana! Thank you so very much for sharing your busy schedule with us and it's been an absolute thrill to have you here today. I hope you've enjoyed your visit as much as I've enjoyed having you here. Remember everyone, WICKED ROAD TO HELL goes on sale Tuesday, April 24, 2012 in both print and ebook format from Avon. You're going to love it!

If you'd like to read my review of WRONG SIDE OF HELL, please click HERE or go to Juliana's website to read an excerpt but remember to come back and enter for a chance to win a prize.

Happy Reading and Good Luck Everyone!!    GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!

                                              

Unwrapping: A Review of WICKED ROAD TO HELL by Juliana Stone

When I opened this month's goodie box from Avon, I got so excited I literally danced around. Inside, along with other delights, was a print copy of Juliana Stone's upcoming release, WICKED ROAD TO HELL, Book One of the League of Guardian series. WICKED ROAD TO HELL hits the bookshelves and ereaders on April 24, 2012 but I am very glad to give you a little insight into this incredible world created by the wickedly incredible imagination of Juliana Stone.

Blurb for WICKED ROAD TO HELL:

With the legions of the underworld gathering and chaos close at hand, Sorcerer Declan O’Hara’s deadly skills will be tested. But nothing will sway him from his duty…

Rescued from eternal darkness, vampire Ana DeLacrux owes her life to a mysterious stranger who asks for only one thing—her absolute allegiance. She serves this master without question until Declan, the one man who can make her forget her vow, returns. His magic is stronger, darker…more compelling than ever. His blood awakens a hunger she must resist, or risk deadly consequences.

As Ana and Declan join forces, the streets of New Orleans become a dangerous place for both humans and the otherworld. And the most dangerous place of all is a road Declan’s traveled before…the wicked road to hell.

              *                       *                    *                    *                    *                                

For those of you who have read Juliana's Jaguar Warrior Series, you're already familiar with Declan O'Hara and Ana DeLacrux but those who haven't let me introduce you to them.

Declan O'Hara is a sorcerer who has seen his share of trouble. He runs in the company of Angels (Seraphim), Demons, Vampires, Werewolves, Shifters (Jaguar Warriors) and other assorted otherworld creatures. Having spent too long in the depths of Hell, he's back and partnered with Nico, a Jaguar shifter (we met him in the Jaguar Warrior Series also). Declan and Nico have been given a mission by Askelon (a Seraph who insists everyone just call him Bill) to hunt down a person of interest but they've been told nothing more. Their search leads Declan to New Orleans, a city saturated with more magic than any one place deserves. Declan knows retrieving his prey may not be easy since he has learned there's a protector involved - a vampire. After recruiting the help of Ransome, an Alpha Werewolf, Declan zeroes in on the location of this stranger. The last thing he expects is to discover the vampire guarding his prey is a past associate who he had seen killed by his own father two years earlier. The vampire is the one person who could twist his heart in a million directions and leave him panting for more, Ana DeLacrux.

Ana DeLacrux died when Cormac O'Hara plunged a stake into her heart two years ago but Bill had other plans for her and so rescued her from the icy fingers of death. Now pledged to serve Bill, she's been placed in charge of a young teen named Kaden who wears a mark signifying him as one of the Mark of Seven. Her charge is incorrigible and powerful but a sweet kid who has never known a real family. Ana has come to care about him like the son she believes she'll never have since she's in love with a man she can never claim, Declan O'Hara. She's a vampire, he isn't. She's of a royal line, he's not a vampire. She can only mate with a vampire and Declan is not a vampire - yet!

Once Declan discovers what Kaden is, he decides to add his protection to Ana's and enlists Nico, Ransome and his pack of werewolves to join the cause. It's after they discover that the Demon Lord, Samael, has already taken two of the other Mark of Seven into the underworld that another Seraph, Cale, joins the cause. When Samael fails to make an aggressive move at taking Kaden, Declan with Cale's assistance meets with Samael and the Demon Lord makes Declan an offer he CANNOT afford to refuse.

Declan has no choice but to return to the last place he ever wants to see again - Hell. His old nemesis, Lilith, has stolen the two teens from Samael and is determined to gather the remaining Marks, including Kaden. Samael has agreed to give the teens over to the care of the League of Guardians which Declan has just learned exists. He discovers that Cale, Samael, and Bill are members of this group of natural enemies whose sole purpose is to keep the balance between Heaven and Hell. He's told that if the members of the Mark of Seven turn out to be good, so be it, but if they turn out to be dangerous to the world as they know it, the League will see them destroyed. Their greatest fear until that time is that either the Seraphim or the Demon Lords will obtain control of them at which time the fate of the Human world will certainly be at risk.

So Declan returns to Hell only to discover that Ana has followed. Now he's responsible for trying to get the two teens, himself and Ana back out of Hell in one piece. Samael gives him a special magick to mask his signature as a Human in Hell but Ana is unprotected even with her vampire strengths. The only solution is for her to feed on him and absorb some of that magick only she gets carried away because of her insatiable desire for him. With Declan on the verge of death she has no other choice, so against her better judgement for she knows the consequences of turning a Human, Ana turns the only man she's ever truly loved.

Declan has what he wants - Ana - but fears when she learns of his despicable past in Hell that she will not want him, vampire bond or no vampire bond. Ana is terrified that when Declan's turning is discovered by the Vampire Council that the Queen of the Vampires will have him destroyed. What will these lovers face in Hell? Will they succeed in rescuing the teens and manage to escape their dangerous journey into Hell? Even if they succeed and survive the depths of Hell, what does the future hold for them since they have broken the very rules that destroyed Ana's relationship with her own twin brother? Sorry, I'm not telling. I've probably given you more than I should but you're going to have to discover those answers on your own by reading WICKED ROAD TO HELL.

Even if you're not a fan of paranormal, Juliana Stone's writing has developed into an incredible force of which I feel everyone should experience. She's truly come into her own with this series and I expect great things to come. She writes with such depth and imagination that it's like watching an artist paint a portrait with an extensive pallet of colors and then have the portrait come to life. WICKED ROAD TO HELL is a journey into a world where the action is dark, gritty, and never-ending. The taste of the underworld that we were given a glimpse of in WRONG SIDE OF HELL is incredibly expanded and enlarged in such a way that you nearly smell the sulfur emanating from the pages.

I was worried that as a reader it would be absolutely necessary to have read at least some of the Jaguar Warrior series to grasp the complexity of the storyline in WICKED ROAD TO HELL but was happily surprised to find that it works excellently as a stand-alone novel. If you're a lover of all things paranormal or are new to it and wish to give it a try. If you love a dark, gritty, action-packed story, you're going to love this adventure into Hell. WICKED ROAD TO HELL by Juliana Stone is an incredibly well-written, expansively character driven, steamy paranormal romance that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. I highly recommend the wicked, sexually charged, and intense WICKED ROAD TO HELL by Juliana Stone to anyone who loves an action-packed, can't put down once you pick it up, kind of read. I'm eagerly looking forward to the rest of the series which I'm happy to say you get a taste of at the end of the book.

Happy Reading Everyone and please, come back on Wednesday when you'll get to meet the lady herself, Juliana Stone, plus have 5 chances to win in an awesome giveaway!!

WICKED ROAD TO HELL by Juliana Stone, published by Avon, release date - April 24, 2012 in both ebook and print format. Definitely a MUST READ!

                                                              

Unwrapping: Paranormal Romance featuring Angels and Fallen Angels aka Devils

We're getting closer and closer to that bewitching night, Halloween, so it's only appropriate that we explore the stories of angels and fallen angels or as some refer to them, devils and demons. I like to think of them as fallen angels for once upon a time they were in the good graces of the Creator. Don't worry, I'm not going to go all biblical on you but I will have to point out the stories behind fallen angels in order for you to understand how our Romance authors took myths and legends and created their own stories.  Raised as a good Catholic girl, I was taught to trust angels and fear fallen angels but I can't help but be drawn to stories and movies featuring angels of all kinds. One of my favorite movies is DEVIL'S ADVOCATE starring Al Pacino, Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron. If you haven't seen it, check it out ... it's a good one!

    

     Another fabulous one, CONSTANTINE, that also stars Keanu Reeves is based on DC Comics/Vertigo Hellblazer graphic novels, - some great images and demons in this one.

    

     It is said that there was a War in Heaven. Certain angels, some say led by Lucifer who was the highest ranking angel in Heaven, having misused the free will given them by the Creator rebelled against Him and His remaining heavenly angels. After losing the battle, these rebelling angels were banished from Heaven and fell from His Grace thus they became Fallen Angels.

     Now banished to a plane far beneath the glory of Heaven, these fallen angels became even more jealous of the Creator's special pets, Mortals, and set out to demean Mortals in the Creator's eyes.  Labeled as soulless and heartless, these fallen angels, like any bad child, act out in response. Good angel or bad angel, they are still angels and so some Romance writers have created incredible stories that bring forth that hidden heart and soul endearing them to us. 

     Authors such as Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, Meljean Brook, Sharon Shinn, and Terri Garey have created characters that intrigue and capture our attention.

     ANGELS OF DARKNESS is a wonderful collection of tales of alpha angels...from four alpha authors - Ilona Andrews, Nalini Singh, Mejean Brook and Sharon Shinn.

They soar through the night, unearthly creatures of legends and lore. Four masters of urban fantasy and paranormal romance explore the rapture of the heavens above, and the darkness below in four all-new stories of angels and guardians, and good and evil.  

This is a good one for that Christmas list you're making or just for yourself ... a great introduction to four wonderful authors if you're not already acquainted.



But my personal favorite Fallen Angel is Samael from the new Devil's Bargain series by Terri Garey. We first met Sammy in the Nicki Styx series when he tried to win dear Nicki for himself but now he's truly where he wants to be - the center of attention - even if things don't always go his way.

DEVIL WITHOUT A CAUSE is the first book in the Devil's Bargain series by Terri Garey and it's everything you want in a book about a fallen angel. We visit Sammy's domain. We feel his frustration and heartbreak over Nicki. Then watch as he fights back that little bit of humanity that Nicki brought forth as he works his deals with the Mortals. Love that devil, Sammy. Am eagerly looking forward to the next one.


If you haven't met Sammy then let me share an excerpt from DEVIL WITHOUT A CAUSE to help you get to know him.

Dressed and ready, Samael paused before the full-length mirror that stood beside his be, and smiled. No mortals observing him now would realize who they were facing. They would see only what he wanted them to see, a virile, good-looking male in the prime of his life. The ability to blend was a talent he'd mastered long ago, and if he wanted someone's attention, he knew full well how to get it. Running a careless hand through his short blond hair and smiling a grim smile, he left his chamber behind and strode down hallways made of stone toward the cavernous room known as the outer temple.

It was a long walk, but he was in no hurry, despite what he'd said to Nyx. He could've willed himself there in an instant if he'd cared to, but instead he walked, and as he walked, he remembered.

Wind, cool and invigorating, and the glorious sense of weightlessness that accompanied flight. The pinpricks of distant stars against the night sky, the brilliant smear of a million galaxies, like glitter tossed carelessly across the heavens. Innocence, laughter, and joy as he and his brother angels darted in and out among the cosmos, their wings outspread, naked and unashamed as they played, secure in the knowledge that they were loved and protected by the One who created them.

He remembered, too, the shame and fear of that day in the Garden, when he had lost his innocence and angered his Creator. Oh, how he'd wept, how he'd begged to be forgiven - to no avail. He'd been cast down from the lofty heights, stripped of his wings; sometimes, in the night, he felt a faint tingle between his shoulder blades and felt anew the pain of his loss. He'd been blamed for defiling mankind, and bringing an end to Paradise, when it was mankind, and their emphasis on the flesh, who'd defiled him.

Jaw set, Samael kept walking, not noticing or caring that Nyx followed several feet behind, a silent and shadowy figure at his back. After the Fall, he'd made sure mankind suffered, just as he had suffered. Abandoned by the One, shunned by his angelic brothers, he tempted, as he had been tempted. He lied, as he had been lied to. And when they succumbed to lies and temptation - just as he had - he punished them as he had been punished, by everlasting damnation in the pit of despair.

The hallways rang with his footsteps, but he didn't hear them. Another memory surfaced: a young woman with laughing eyes and a kind heart, streaks of pink in her dark hair. He'd lost her, too - lost her to the Light that had already cost him so much. There'd been other women through the centuries, of course, long dead now, but she still lived. She lived, and she laughed, and she'd clutched her pink tulips during her wedding to the man she'd chosen over him, and try as he might, he couldn't bring himself to hate her for it. For she had been the one who'd known him for what he was, and forgiven him anyway - the only one in all these eons who'd shown him an ounce of genuine compassion, despite the blackness that stained his soul.

Light gleamed at the end of the corridor, as unwelcome as the one who brought it. A few steps more and he was in a chamber, huge and vaulted, full of echoes and dust and silence. A man stood waiting at the far end, his features obscured by the brilliance that seemed to emanate from his very pores.

"What's the matter, Gabriel?" Samael asked coldly. "Afraid of the dark?"

"Samael," said the figure, in a voice filled with sorrow. "My long-lost-brother." The light dimmed, fading to reveal a tall man with brown hair, worn long and free, dressed in a white robe and sandals. "My eyes delight in the sight of you, yet my soul will forever grieve over what you've become."

"Spare me your pit," Sammy said, planting his booted feet and crossing his arms over his chest. "The time I could've used it is long past." He raked a scornful gaze over his visitor. "You look like a wandering prophet. This is the twenty-first century, you know; camels and cave markings have been replaced with cars and computers."

Gabriel shook his head, a slight smile lifting one corner of his lips. His garb changed, morphing into plain khaki pants and a blue chambray shirt, long hair clubbed into a ponytail. "Better?" he asked his host.

"No," Sammy growled. Despite his open hostility, a small part of him was pleased to see his old friend and erstwhile brother. He clamped down viciously on the feeling, and trampled it into dust. "What do you want?"

Gabriel was silent for a moment, merely looking into his eyes.

Uncomfortable to find he could not easily meet them, Sammy felt his anger rise.

"Speak and be done with it, damn you," he ground out. "My patience grows short."

"Your patience was ever short," said Gabriel, "as was your humility. Even now you taunt the heavens with your pride and your hubris, establishing yourself within these once hallowed wall" -- he gestured toward the vaulted ceiling -- "built to proclaim the glory of the One."

Samael made a noise of disgust. "Solomon built this temple to proclaim his own glory." He smiled grimly. "His spells and incantations are what keep this temple hidden in plain sight, invisible to the eyes of mortals. He used that same magic to force my demons to build it, so why shouldn't I use it now that he's dead?" He shook his head, smiling wryly. "The mighty King Solomon, keeper of all the world's mysteries, save one - that of death itself. All the treasures he collected in the name of the One now belong to me, including this dusty monument to greed and glory."

Gabriel frowned, looking troubled. "You take such joy in profaning what was intended as [a] house of worship."

"Is that why you're here? An avenging angel, come to smite me with your flaming sword of righteousness?" Sammy spread his arms wide, as if baring himself to a blow. "Go ahead. Oblivion would be a welcome change after all these years in Hell."

Want more? You'll have to get your own copy of DEVIL WITHOUT A CAUSE by Terri Garey.

So - do you believe in angels, good or bad?

Next posting is on Halloween! It will be a little different and I hope you'll find it titillatingly spoooooooky!

Happy Reading Everyone!
 

Unwrapping: Paranormal Romance with Shape-Shifters

I know it's supposed to be Wacky Wednesday but since I took a day with 'My Not So Little Rant' last week, I thought we should proceed with our exploration of Paranormal Romance instead. Don't worry, there will be an excerpt or maybe two to enjoy.  ; )

SHAPE-SHIFTERS

     Throughout the world, there are stories, legends, myths, superstitions - whatever you want to call them - about animals that are able to shift into Human form and vice versa. Real or imaginary?

     The authors of Paranormal Romance have taken that question and developed exciting worlds in which Shape-Shifters and Humans not only collide but fall in love with each other such as in Stephanie Meyer's Twilight Series.

     There are as many Shape-Shifters as there are animals, or at least there seems to be as many legends of Shape-Shifters as there are animals.

     North American Indians tell tales of skinwalkers and windigos - creatures that once were man but now turn into animals.  Skinwalkers generally turn into wolves but can become mountain lions and bears as well. Windigos, it's said were created from an evil Human who turned cannibal and now must transform into a great tall beast akin to Bigfoot in order to hunt for Human flesh on which to dine. There are also tales of great birds called Thunderbirds transforming into Human form.
     European countries abound with tales of Humans that transform into creatures to roam the night in search of victims mostly in the forms of wolves and bats. In ancient Greece, the king of the gods, Zeus, was said to shift into animal forms in order to seduce women without Hera knowing about it. It seems she found out anyway.
     In Asia, there are tales of Humans who shift into various animals. Some can shift at will to which ever animal they wish at the time. There are tales of Humans shifting into great snakes from which we might have developed the tales of dragons. There are tales of werefox and transformations into badgers, racoons and dogs.
     In South America, Humans are believed to transform themselves into coyotes, wolves, and jaguars. In Chile, there is a tale of a chonchon shape-shifter who is a witch that transform into a vulture. Not very inviting but certainly scary!

     The imagination can take any one of these tales and expand them to become good, evil, or both. Combine these stories with magic and you've created a whole new world just as some Paranormal Romance writers have so delightfully and successfully done.
      One of my favorites is Pamela Palmer and her creation of the world of the Feral Warriors. Therian warriors who can transform themselves into the animal spirit that shares their soul. They work exhaustedly battling the Mage to keep them from freeing Satanan from the Daemon Blade. Confused, start with DESIRE UNTAMED and keep reading - soon you'll begin to understand and be irretrievably hooked. Her latest release is ECSTASY UNTAMED which tells Hawke's story and how he's recuperating from his ordeal of having been trapped in the Daemon Spirit Trap.
      Here's a small taste of ECSTASY UNTAMED:

      "Hawke!" Lyon tried to hold his friend, but it was too late. Reason had fled Hawke's eyes, replaced with a snarling, spitting anger. "Hold him down!" he ordered even as Hawke lashed out with his claws.

      But as the three men tried to contain the thrashing, violent warrior, Hawke shifted into his animal in a spray of colored lights. As one, they pulled back. "Kkkeeeeer." The red-tailed hawk took off on a wild flight through the dining room, flying at the windows, crashing through the glass.

      Kougar ran for the window. Lyon followed, certain the bird had shredded his wings. But if Hawke had done himself damage, Lyon couldn't tell. The hawk soared above the treetops and disappeared. When the Ferals shifted, they retained their human minds, able to control the animal bodies as they did the human.
      Hawke wouldn't have taken off like that if he'd been in control. Lyon feared his friend was lost to the wildness inside him.
     "I thought he'd be okay once he came to." Tighe took a step toward the window, glass crunching beneath his boot.
      Lyon shook his head, his expression grave. "He's damaged." The question was, just how damaged? He prayed the answer wasn't beyond repair.

     Want more? Get your own copy of ECSTASY UNTAMED by Pamela Palmer!

     Another favorite Paranormal Romance writer who takes us into the world of shape-shifters is Juliana Stone. She is the author of the Jaquar Warrior Series and if you love big cats, then these books are for you.  Her latest release, HIS DARKEST SALVATION tells the story of a world where two people are on the brink of chaos, passion and where vengeance collides …

    
     After six months in hell, Julian Castille has returned to the world a changed man. No longer the calm, powerful CEO, but a shifter fully embraced by the blood of his clan. Julian has one goal: find the key to the portal that stands between the human realm and unprecedented darkness—and win back the pieces of his soul. The last thing he needs is a distraction like the beautiful, enigmatic Jaden DaCosta.

     Three years ago, a forbidden night of passion left Jaden forever altered: mated to Julian Castille–bound to a man who despises her. But the temptation to trust this darker, more savage—and more captivating—Julian is overwhelming. And as they fight for their immortal souls, their insatiable desire for each other may prove their fatal undoing…

     Double treat today, first you got a taste of Hawke's story and now, I'm going to give you an extra treat and present you with a taste of HIS DARKEST SALVATION:

     Julian bared his teeth. He was on edge, the strange darkness that clung to him rising to the fore. It agitated her cat something fierce and she trembled slightly at the force of it.
     “I mean it,” she said forcefully. “Back off.”
     His hand reached out and inside everything stilled. She heard her heart beating heavily against her chest, felt the pace quicken as warning bells began to explode.
     Her breath hitched and her mouth went dry as his fingers settled over her clan tattoos. She felt them, burning beneath his touch. Another chunk of humiliation to add to her armour of shame.
     “So beautiful,” he whispered harshly.
     Jaden flinched at his tone.
     “So deceptive.”
     She wanted to rip his hand from her flesh but refused to let him know how affected she was by his touch. Instead, she smiled up at him and let her tongue run along her lips.
     “I’m also the best piece of ass you’ll never have again.”
     His breathing changed, slowed, and the air around them stilled. Jaden’s heart leapt crazily and a wave of dizziness circled her brain. She was dancing with the devil and that was always a dangerous game.
     His hand moved up from her neck to grip her jaw. She refused to look away, though the cold glint in his eye left her stomach tight, nauseous. He looked like he wanted to strangle her.
     “You do not want to mess with me.” He smiled, a cold slash of white. “I’m not anything like what you remember.”

     Come on, I know you want more but you're going to have to get your own copy of HIS DARKEST SALVATION by Juliana Stone to finish reading what happens between Julian and Jaden. Purrrrrrr!

     Question: If you could shape-shift into any animal at will, which animal would it be and why?
     
     Next time - Fallen Angels ... oh don't worry, these are sexy little devils.  : )
     Happy Reading Everyone!

                                                                   
                                                              

 Juliana asked if I could plug KC Klein's new release here and I am most happy to do so ... always interested in something new and different! To read what she posted about her new book, click here.

Awakened in the middle of the night by a future version of herself, Kris Davenport is given a mission: go forward in time to save the world—and His life. Of course, her future self doesn't tell her who he is, just sends her into an abyss and straight into an alien invasion.

He turns out to be ConRad Smith, the callous, untrusting Commander of Earth's army and the world's last defense. There's only one way to know for sure if this strange woman is an alien spy—slice her throat. Except, he didn't anticipate the heat he would feel as he interrogates the hot-tempered, warm-blooded woman. For a man whose sole focus has been survival, she's more temptation than he can handle. But a world on the brink of destruction leaves no room for love…and time is running out.

Unwrapping: Paranormal Romance featuring Vampires!

"The fair girl went on her knees and bent over me, fairly gloating. There was a deliberate voluptuousness which was both thrilling and repulsive, and as she arched her neck she actually licked her lips like an animal... I could feel the soft, shivering touch of the lips on the supersensitive skin of my throat, and the hard dents of two sharp teeth, just touching and pausing there." -- Bram Stoker's DRACULA

DRACULA by Bram Stoker, first published in 1897, spawn a new dimension in horror literature. It created a fascination that took hold then and still exists today - that fascination is with the Vampire!

     Books and movies based on either the original Dracula myth or on author's imaginations which have created new and sometimes more frightening vampires now fill the shelves of bookstores, the memory cards of e-readers, the local video stores and movie theaters. My personal favorite of all the movies made based on Bram Stoker's particular vampire, DRACULA, was the 1992 version starring Gary Oldman and Keanu Reeves. It carried close to the original text and made for a very enjoyable scare. 

      With the birth of Paranormal Romance Novels, it seemed only natural that Vampire figures would play heavily in the imaginations of Romance writers.  There are traditional Vampire characters that roam the countryside nightly in search of their victims. There are Vampires that can move in daylight but don't because they shimmer like diamonds in the sunlight. There are Atlantis-created Vampires who drink blood only because they are feeding nanos which give them the appearance and behavior of Vampires but they are, in fact, still Human. There are Vampires that live among Humans, act on stage, work in corporations and blend so easily that few know they are there; and then there are a myriad of Vampires that are far more unearthly as are my particular Vampires who are actually alien but more closely connected to Humans than not.  All of these Vampires have one thing in common - they are all figments of writers' imaginations and many of those talented imaginations belong to none other than writers of Romance.

     Surprised?!

     I'm not.  As I have pointed out so many times, the Romance genre is not what the average reader thinks it is. It's creatively imaginative, it's riveting, adventurous, stimulating, comedic and, in some cases, downright scary. Oh, don't get me wrong, the romance, the love, the sex - if you're reading the right author - is still there but the stories are so much more than boy meets girl, girl ignores boy, boy chases girl, girl catches boy and they live happily ever after. 

     Paranormal Romance gives an author such an opportunity to free their imaginations and explore new worlds, and create new creatures as well as old brought into modern times that the combinations are endless. Vampires have always intrigued modern readers and even with the great variety of Vampire stories available to to us, we never seem to tire of them. Thank goodness. I suspect it's the whole mystique of someone living off the lifeblood of another creature and having virtual immortality as long as they follow the rules, keep their heads and feed their blood hunger. 

     It's the eve of the release of THE BITE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, an anthology written by two of my favorite authors, Lynsay Sands and Jeaniene Frost.  Both of these authors have provided their fans with story after story of imaginative, sexy and adventurous tales of the paranormal that keep us coming back for more.

    In THE GIFT by Lynsay Sands, Katricia Argeneau knows Port Henry's best cop, Teddy Brunswick is her life mate and if there's one thing an Argeneau knows - it's when they've found their life mate. Now she just needs to convince Teddy that it's true and they belong together. Being snowbound in a secluded cabin will make this a Christmas neither of them will forget.

    It's HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS in Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series. Cat and Bones may long to wrap presents and set up a tree, but this Christmas, an evil vampire and long-buried family secrets will threaten to take a bite out of their holiday cheer. 

   Sounds like Christmas is coming at Halloween this year!

      One of my other favorite Vampire creators is Kerrelyn Sparks. Her Love at Stake series is full of humor and never fails to draw a chuckle or two but never fear, there's always danger lurking nearby as well. We're talking Vampires here.  Her latest Love at Stake release,  SEXIEST VAMPIRE ALIVE, features playboy Gregori Holstein who we met in book one, HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE VAMPIRE. Gregori is spoiled and enjoys being the center of attention - he likes to sing, "I'm too sexy for my fangs, too sexy for my cape."   

      

     Well, to get a sense of this Vampire's story, how about an excerpt, normally I would do this on Wacky Wednesday but since Halloween is only a week away, I'll make an exception - may I present Gregori Holstein and company from SEXIEST VAMPIRE ALIVE:  

She moved forward, lowering her hand with a graceful flutter. “I need something new, something rich, robust, and sophisticat-ack!” She tripped on her nightgown and fell flat on her face.

“Cut!” The director cursed under his breath, then leaned toward Gregori and whispered, “Are you sure we have to use her?”

Gregori hid his frustration, like he normally did, and gave Gordon an encouraging smile. “She’ll be fine. She’s the most famous model in the vampire world.”

“Yeah, you’ve mentioned that about five times. But she can’t act. Hell, she can’t even walk.”

Gregori’s smile faltered slightly as he inwardly winced. He thought he’d scored a coup, convincing the famous Simone to star in his commercial introducing the latest creation in Vampire Fusion Cuisine, Blardonnay. But after three hours of shooting, there wasn’t a single successful take.

The director and film crew at the Digital Vampire Network in Brooklyn had already polished off the crate of twenty-four bottles he’d brought as a gift. The mixture of synthetic blood and Chardonnay was no longer strong enough for the director. Gordon tipped back a bottle of Blissky, then gave Gregori a sour look.

“The sun will rise in about ninety minutes,” he muttered. “I’m calling it quits before my tortured crew runs outside to fry themselves in a blaze of glory.”

“It’s not that bad,” Gregori assured him. “With some careful editing, we’ll have—” Zip. “You’ll still get paid for your time.”

Gordon snorted and took another swig of Blissky.

Gregori adjusted his tie while he considered his options. He was the one who would have to answer to his boss for spending a small fortune on a commercial that wasn’t happening. It wouldn’t help matters if he criticized Simone. She might look frail and delicate, but, enraged, she could inflict a massive amount of damage with her superior vampire strength.

There was the time she’d destroyed a dance club in Manhattan when no one had recognized her. Gregori had used a huge amount of vampire mind control to wipe the memory of every terrified mortal who had witnessed her temper tantrum. Unfortunately he hadn’t been around to clean up when a paparazzo in Paris had snapped her photo without her permission. She’d tossed the photographer clear across the Champs Elysées. Le Figaro had speculated that her odd display of strength meant she was high on PCP. She’d retaliated the next night by ripping a street lamp out of the sidewalk and crashing it through the newspaper office’s plate-glass window. Somehow, she thought she’d proved them wrong.

He adjusted his cuff links as he resigned himself to the only logical course of action: playing the role of the kind and sympathetic friend, otherwise known as major suck-up. Sheesh, the stuff he had to do for his job.

He stepped onto the set, which consisted of thick ivory carpet and an ivory satin settee. The male model sat sprawled on the settee, not even attempting to help Simone, who remained tangled in her negligee, wallowing on the carpet like a nearly starved, beached whale.

“Simone, sweetheart, are you all right?” He lifted her carefully to her feet. She was so thin, it was like propping up a broomstick in a strong wind. “It’s not like you to fall down.” Twelve times.

“It is these ridiculous shoes you made me wear. They’re too big.” She raised her voice so everyone in the studio could hear. “You know I wear a size five.”

She wore an eight. Gregori knew because she’d begged him to buy her a pair of Jimmy Choo sandals last Christmas. He’d done it, not out of any special affection for Simone, but for business reasons. As marketing director at Romatech Industries, he knew the value of staying chummy with the most influential personalities in the vampire world.

“Is your gown too long?” he suggested. “We could have it shortened a bit.”

“I like it long. It makes me look taller. And thinner.”

Good God, if she was any thinner, she’d be two-dimensional. “You look beautiful, Simone. But…I’m afraid your concentration is off just a tad. Perhaps if we—”

“It’s his fault!” She pointed a perfectly manicured pink nail at the male model who was busy taking off the shirt she’d ripped. “He’s too ugly to work with.”

Gregori glanced at the model. “He looks fine to me.”

“Why, thank you, handsome.” The male model winked.

Oh shit. “Simone, we can’t keep replacing the guy for you. This is the eighth one. The talent agency is running out of guys, and we’re running out of time, so do you think you could possibly bring yourself to work with this one?”

She stuck out her bottom lip in a pout. “He’s repulsive. I shudder when I have to touch him.”

The male model wagged a finger at her. “It’s not like I’m enjoying it either, girlfriend.”

“It’s called acting, Simone,” Gregori whispered. “You have to pretend to desire him. He could be as ugly as a turnip, but you make us believe he’s stunning.”

“But I am stunning.” The model flipped his long blond hair over his shoulders.

Gregori groaned inwardly. It was impossible to whisper around a bunch of Vamps. They could hear everything. He grasped Simone by her bony shoulders. “Let’s be honest about this, Toots. It’s not the shoes, or the gown, or the guy on the couch—”

“The name is Pennington,” the male model interrupted. “Pennington Langley, the Third. But please don’t call me Penny for short. I would hate to sound cheap.” He gave Gregori a flirtatious smile.

Suppressing a shudder, Gregori smiled back. Sheesh, the crap he put up with for his job. “Simone. I’ve seen you glide down a jillion runways as graceful as a swan. You can do this.”

She ducked her head as she pressed her hands against his chest. “All right, I’ll be honest. I—I’m afraid.”

“Afraid of what? Failure?” He winced when her steel-like nails dug into him.

“I never fail,” she hissed.

“Right. Right, I knew that.” He grabbed her hands to keep her pink claws from ripping through his best suit. “What are you afraid of, then?”

Her bottom lip trembled against her fangs. “The sun will rise soon. I’m afraid of dying.”

“Sweetcakes, we die at every sunrise.”

“I mean real death! La mort finale!" She clutched his lapels with her fists. “I heard Corky’s show tonight. Live with the Undead. She said we’re all in grave danger!”

“You’ll be fine, Simone. You’ll be staying at Roman’s townhouse where we have guards to keep us safe.”

“Then Corky is right?” Simone shrieked and gave him a hard shake. “The mortal world knows about us now?”

He pried her bony fingers loose from his lapels. “Corky ought to know. She’s the one who posted the damned video.”

Three nights earlier, Corky Courrant had filmed the Battle at Mount Rushmore that had climaxed with the death of her lover, the Malcontent leader, Casimir. While Gregori could understand why a woman might be a little miffed over the decapitation of her lover, he still thought Corky had severely overreacted. She’d posted the video on YouTube, claiming it was proof that vampires were real. That was an unforgivable, traitorous act in their world, and yet Corky was still employed at the Digital Vampire Network. Apparently her infamy was good for ratings.

Simone’s eyes filled with tears. “She said the mortals will hunt us down and slaughter us in our sleep!”

“Oh my God!” Pennington sprang to his feet. “Is that true?”

The boom operator glowered at him. “Don’t you watch the Nightly News? Stone Cauffyn said the secret is out, and it won’t be long before the mortals decide to kill us off.”

With a soft moan, Simone sank onto the carpet. Her tears, tinted with blood, left pink streaks down her gaunt cheeks. “La mort finale.”

“It’s the end for us all,” the cameraman grumbled.

“We’re doomed.” The makeup artist sniffed and wiped tears from her face.

“The Vampire Apocalypse,” Gordon muttered, then took another swig of Blissky.

Good God, no wonder the director and crew had jumped on that case of Blardonnay. “Get a grip, guys,” Gregori told them. “Just because Corky posted a video that looks like vampires getting their heads cut off and turning to dust, that doesn’t mean any mortals will believe it.”

“Right,” Gordon sneered. “Because mortals are always making home videos where they cut each other’s heads off.”

“If you look at the comments, a lot of people are calling it a hoax,” Gregori said.

“It only takes one mortal with one stake to do me in,” the boom operator mumbled.

“We’re doomed!” The makeup artist collapsed on the floor, clutching an empty bottle of Blardonnay. “Doomed!”

“No, we’re not! You guys got the official memo from Roman, right?” Gregori asked. Roman Draganesti was not only his boss and CEO of Romatech Industries, he was also Coven Master of East Coast Vampires. “He wants everyone to remain calm and go about your lives in a normal manner.”

“Yeah, we know.” Gordon upended his Blissky bottle, then scowled when he discovered it was empty. “That’s why we all showed up for work today.”

“We should be looking for some caves to hide in,” the cameraman grumbled, then his eyes lit up. “I know! We could hide in mausoleums.”

“Right.” The boom operator scoffed. “Mortals would never think about looking for us in a graveyard.”

“We’re doomed—”

“Enough!” Gregori interrupted the makeup artist. “Chillax, people. It’s going to be all right. Roman’s got a strategy meeting tonight with a bunch of Coven Masters.”

“Do they have a plan?” Pennington asked.

“I’m sure they’ll come up with something.” Gregori didn’t know much about the situation except that Roman and the head of MacKay Security and Investigation, Angus MacKay, had spent the last two nights discussing the matter with Sean Whelan-CIA operative, newly turned vampire, and Roman’s father-in-law. “The best thing for us to do is to behave normally and not bring any attention to ourselves. Just go to work, go home, drink your blood from bottles, and no one will ever suspect you’re a vampire.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” Gordon grumbled. “You and your buddies have security guards to watch over you during the day. We do our death-sleep in apartments that mortals could break into.”

“We’re doomed!” the makeup girl cried.

Gregori loosened his tie as he considered. Corky’s damned video was probably inciting panic all over the vampire world. And the more the Vamps panicked, the bigger the chance that one of them would do something really stupid that made the problem even worse. They needed to feel safe.

He retrieved his smart phone from his jacket pocket. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll ask Angus MacKay to send a day guard here. We’ll turn the building into an emergency shelter. Then Vamps can do their death-sleep here, knowing they’ll be safe and protected.”

Gordon jumped to his feet and swayed a little. “Are you serious? You can do that?”

“Of course.” Gregori smiled. “I’ll make the arrangements, so hurry up and announce it on air.”

“Great!” Gordon dashed out of the studio.

The makeup artist eased to her feet and gave Gregori a shaky smile. “Thank you.”

“Not a problem.” Gregori selected Angus’s number on his Droid while the rest of the crew thanked him. “Let’s get ready for another try at the commercial, okay?”

“Yes, sir!” the boom operator shouted with a grin.

Pennington put on a new shirt, while the makeup girl applied new powder and lipstick to Simone.

Gregori breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe they’d get the commercial done after all. Angus’s phone sent him to voice mail, so he left a short message explaining the need to turn DVN into an emergency shelter for frightened Vamps.

“Excuse me.”

Gregori glanced up from a quick look through his e-mail to see Pennington standing nearby. “Yes?”

“I’d like to thank you for keeping us all safe tonight.”

“Glad to help.”

Pennington shoved his long blond hair over his shoulders. “And I’d like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to star in a commercial.”

“No problem.” Gregori didn’t want to remind the model that he was the talent agency’s eighth choice, and he wouldn’t be here at all if Simone hadn’t sent the first seven guys packing.

Pennington sidled up closer. “What I mean is I’d like to thank you…personally.”

Yikes. Gregori stepped back. “No thanks. Sorry.”

“But you’re gay, right? I mean, you dress so well, and you were so nice and sensitive to…her.” Pennington wrinkled his nose at Simone.

“A straight guy can’t be nice?” Gregori muttered.

Simone snorted while the makeup girl brushed her hair. “Why do you continue with this charade, mon ami? You refused to have sex with me. You must be gay.”

His mouth dropped open. The crew started whispering, latching on to this tasty morsel of gossip. Shit. “Simone, have you been spreading rumors about me?”  ----




Sorry - if you want more, you'll have to get your own copy of SEXIEST VAMPIRE ALIVE by Kerrelyn Sparks. 

Join us next time for .... hmmm, trying to decide between shape shifters or angels? Any suggestions? What's your favorite Paranormal creature? 


Happy Reading Everyone!