Unwrapping an Interview with Annabel Allan, author of RIGGED, a Goode Pain novel with #excerpt

Hi everyone! I’m so glad you’re with us today because I’ve got a special guest visiting - Annabel Allan, author of the Goode Pain series from Black Velvet Seductions. 

She has a new release coming soon, RIGGED, book 3 of the Goode Pain series, an erotic romance. RIGGED is releasing August 13, 2020.

Available for pre-order at Amazon

You can find other vendors at Books2Read

Blurb for RIGGED:

Ava Goode’s life is getting into a normal groove, entering the spring and over a month after her run in with the mob. She’s ready to throw away the past and embrace the future, which seems to come with the mysterious, albeit sexy, Gideon Shaw, a known rigger and Rope Bunny’s dream man. Little does she know that he has more in store for her than just tying her up and making her submit to him, a blackmailer entering the picture—who is Gideon Shaw, really?

Today also happens to be Annabel’s birthday so feel free to wish her a Happy Birthday. Now, without too much fanfare, please join me in welcoming Annabel Allan, author of RIGGED, to Unwrapping Romance …  

Unwrapping Romance: Welcome Annabel, it's an absolute delight to have you here with us today, and I'd like to thank you for taking time out of your busy day to join us. 

Annabel Allan: Thank you so much! I’m so happy to be here. I appreciate it when blogs take the time to interview me. 

Unwrapping Romance: We love having authors visit us. Perhaps you'd like to tell us a little bit about yourself for those who don't know you yet. 

Annabel Allan: Sure! I’m a full-time indie author under a few pen names—Annabel Allan, R. M. Draven, and my birth name of Stephanie Douglas. Annabel Allan writes my sexy romances, starting in vanilla with the Smoke Chaser series and branching into BDSM when I got into the lifestyle with Goode Pain and the first book, EDGEPLAY. 

Unwrapping Romance: How wonderful! So, my lovely readers, there is a lot to choose from this amazing author. Here at Unwrapping Romance, authors are rock stars, which is why I can get kind of nosy when I get a chance to talk to them. I’m always interested in what lures someone to be a writer. You have been writing for many years, but was there someone or something that inspired you to write and why did you choose romance, especially erotic romance?

Annabel Allan: I would say what lured me into writing was my going to film school. I wanted to get into directing, but I found out by my fourth term that I just wasn’t very good at it. I knew I enjoyed writing and got into writing my first novel on a stormy July day. For some reason, romance came easily to me; I just knew I wanted to write love stories. The erotica came later, when I wanted to try writing something that would appeal to publishers and readers—cause sex sells, you know? I just ended up really enjoying writing it! 

Unwrapping Romance: You’re very right, Annabel, sex does sell – in books as well as movies. Directing is creative but nothing beats creating the world for someone else to direct. RIGGED is book 3 of the series, did you have all the books planned out from the start and how many do you see the series having when complete? 

Annabel Allan: I knew there would definitely be a series, but I didn’t have them planned out until I finished writing HARD LIMITS. I kind of knew where I wanted to go with it after that and then planned out the remaining installments. Of course, in regards to how many installments there will be, I don’t know. I’m hoping for an Anita Blake (by Laurell K. Hamilton) type of deal; just keep going as long as a good story is there. 

Unwrapping Romance: Totally understand that, Annabel. Sometimes we have to do what our characters tell us to do. Speaking of your characters, what was your inspiration for the Goode Pain series, and where do your character inspirations come from? 

Annabel Allan: In the beginning, EDGEPLAY was actually titled The Wilder Side & was a male Dominant and female submissive. I submitted it to Black Velvet Seductions, but it really wasn’t very good, and I was rejected. I was going to abandon the project, but a friend of mine wanted me to write short stories for his BDSM business and I had just gotten into the lifestyle. I was asked to write about a Domme. So, I sat down and thought about what I could possibly do as a story. Then the song “Thrills In The Night” by KISS came on. It asks, “Do they really know her?” and it just made my head spin with an idea of a Dominatrix that was working in an office by day. So, all that put together conceived EDGEPLAY to what it is now. A series just seemed to make sense because I wanted to see more of Ava and what trouble she’d get into! 

Unwrapping Romance: Love it when inspiration comes out of the blue! What do you have planned next beyond the Goode Pain series? 

Annabel Allan: I have several installments that are within the Goode Pain universe, but Ava will not make an appearance. It’s secondary characters that I found too interesting to let go unnoticed and wanted to tell their stories. I’m also writing a standalone D/s story on Wattpad, titled Submissive Tendencies. It's my first that’s exploring a female submissive with a male Dominant. 

Unwrapping Romance: Wonderful. I agree that secondary characters sometimes endear themselves to both the author and the readers so much that they just need to have their stories told too.
Readers, if you’d like to check out Annabel’s story at Wattpad, SUBMISSIVE TENDENCIES, you can find it by clicking HERE. 

Annabel, if you're like every other writer (myself included), I have no doubt you're also a prolific reader. Who are your favorite authors and have any inspired your writing? 

Annabel Allan: I’m a BIG Anne Rice fan—anything she writes, I read. I actually started out in paranormal romance and that’s what R. M. Draven writes. But I do love reading the steamier stuff too! Shayla Black is a favourite, her Wicked Lovers series. I cannot put those books down! I’m also becoming a huge fan of fellow BVS author, Patricia Elliot! Her writing is so relatable and makes me actually laugh out loud. I’m starting on Her Lovers Face this weekend. 

Unwrapping Romance: Love paranormal! I will definitely have to check out your books under R.M. Draven as I’m sure my paranormal readers will do too. My last question for you, and my personal favorite – if you could be ANY character in ANY book, not necessarily your own - who would it be and why?

Annabel Allan: I think if I could be any character, I would probably choose Sookie Stackhouse from Charlene Harris’ Southern Vampires. I relate to her so much and she has those sexy men! And vampires, of course, vampires are kinda my thing! 

Unwrapping Romance: Love it! Just think of the adventures to be had. Wink! Wink!

Thank you again for joining us today, Annabel, and I hope your new release brings you much success. You’re always welcome back at Unwrapping Romance. 

Reminder, readers, RIGGED is releasing on August 13^th but is available for pre-order now at Amazon and also today is Annabel’s birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Excerpt from RIGGED: 

  I strutted over to the spot where the demo was held, all the submissives and their Dominants, as well as a few solos, started to scatter. I walked up, seeing Gideon’s girl for the evening, Ruby, packing up his stuff.

  I was confused, a gruff sexy voice coming from behind me. “You missed it tonight.”

  I turned, seeing Gideon, who was clean shaven, like usual. The grey spots in his short-clipped hair was a little more obvious in the lighting, but it was a sexy grey. I knew he was forty, but that seemed a little young for grey hair. It didn’t matter. It made me think of him as an animal, a wolf; he was definitely wild and unknown to me.

  “Oh,” I said, trying to keep my cool, though I could feel the warmth spreading in my thighs as I thought of being his willing submissive. “I guess there’s always next week.”

  “I could do a private show for you,” he said with a shrug.

  “Oh, that would be nice, but I don’t think I could afford you,” I said with a laugh. It wasn’t true, I could afford it. I just didn’t want that private show…well, not true, I wanted it pretty bad.

  “Free of charge,” he said.

  “Oh…”

  He eyed me with his smoky blue eyes. “Can’t think of a way out of that one, huh?”

  I frowned. “Gideon—”

  “Why not give me a chance to show you your submissive side, Ava?” he asked.

  “Because I don’t have one,” I said.

“Bullshit,” he said. “You know it as well as I do. It’s there, under the surface. Let me awaken you.”

  He walked closer to me, his cologne circling around me. I could feel my heart pick up speed, my breathing intensifying, the smell of his cologne making me feel dizzy. It was woodsy, strong, and pure male. He was so close, but he hadn’t touched me, though my body craved him. It was intense, the heat from the closeness of his body making my knees weak.

  “I’ll admit I’m curious, but I don’t think I can handle it,” I said, pushing him back gently.

  “Let me try,” he said, taking my hand, our first real touch. It was electric, making me almost swoon. “You’ll have a safe word. I honor your safe word.”

  “I have a boyfriend though,” I said, pulling my hand away as I realized the affect he had on me.

 “But also a secondary slave,” he said. “Your boyfriend obviously has no problem with him. You’re making excuses. What are you afraid of?”

  I thought about it, getting angry, but it melted away when I looked into his soft blue eyes. “I guess losing myself,” I said, finding myself being incredibly honest.

  “Or maybe you’re more frightened of what you’ll find,” he said.

  “Maybe,” I said with a nod. I took a deep breath. “I can’t. It’s not me.”

 “You don’t know that,” he said passionately. “You could be so much more. Don’t you want to experience subspace? I know you haven’t experienced the euphoria of Dominating someone.”

  My brow furrowed. “How would you know?”

  “Because you do your job well, Ava, but you’re missing a piece of yourself. I promise that if you let me train you, let me be your Dom, I can bring you both to subspace and top space.”

  I pursed my lips together, unsure of what to say or do. I shook my head. “I’ll…I’ll think about it.”

  He nodded. “That’s all I can ask.”

About the Author: 

Annabel Allan is the pen name of author Stephanie Douglas. 

Her SMOKE CHASER series is now available through Headline Accent! 

Her GOODE PAIN series, books one & two (EDGEPLAY and HARD LIMITS) are also now available from Black Velvet Seductions!

Don’t forget to check out the other books in this series, and if you’d like to learn more about Annabel and her books, feel free to visit her at: 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Books2Read

 

Unwrapping an Interview with Debut Author, Estelle Pettersen plus an #Excerpt from LESSONS ON SEDUCTION

Hi Everyone! I’m so glad you’re with us today because I’ve got a special guest visiting, Estelle Pettersen, debut author of LESSONS ON SEDUCTION, a soon to be released erotic romance novel, published by Black Velvet Seductions. Release date is set for July 30, 2020 and it’s available now for pre-order at Amazon.

Blurb for LESSONS ON SEDUCTION:

When college student Sapphire Blake finds herself fresh out of a breakup, she is ready to embark on a new journey in her life. A dark, sensual journey.

Freeing herself from the expectations set by her family, friends, and church, an innocent and unworldly Sapphire begins experimenting with her new casual lover, Vera Richland.

Vera’s brother, Julian, is ridiculously handsome, smart, and intimidating. This university professor finds himself enthralled in a sensual relationship with a woman willing to pay top money for his time in the bedroom. To pay off his debts and continue leading his lavish lifestyle, Julian discovers the world filled with sex, drugs, and lies may not be for him as he first thought.  With his contract almost up, Julian has his sights set on a new endeavor.

When Vera introduces Sapphire to Julian, sparks are ignited as Julian sees past the conservative stigma Sapphire believes the world has placed on her. Instead, he sees a sexy vixen– and he can’t help but admit he wants her.

As the couple begins a dangerous, passionate relationship, secrets become exposed and lives are threatened. Will Julian be able to save his relationship with Sapphire and rekindle the fiery flame they share? Or, will fate have another ending in store?

So without too much fanfare, please join me in welcoming Estelle Pettersen, debut author of LESSONS ON SEDUCTION, to Unwrapping Romance … 

Unwrapping Romance: Welcome Estelle, it's an absolute delight to have you with us today, and I'd like to thank you for taking time out of your busy day to join us. 

Estelle Pettersen:  Thank you so much for having me. I’m delighted to have the opportunity to be here!

Unwrapping Romance: I adore talking with debut authors. You’re experiencing a first that rivals most any other you experience over your lifetime. Perhaps you'd like to tell us a little bit about yourself for those who don't know you yet.

Estelle Pettersen: I’m Estelle Pettersen and I’m an Australian married to a Norwegian and living in Norway. I love the simple things in life, such as coffee and going for walks in nature. I’m an animal lover and I feel at home when I’m near the ocean. I started my passion for reading and writing at a young age, and I’ve been an avid romance reader since I was fifteen.

I tested my fiction writing on a writers’ platform called Wattpad in 2019 and found my voice there, thanks to the support of other readers and writers. I plucked up the courage to submit the manuscript of my erotic romance novel, LESSONS ON SEDUCTION, to Black Velvet Seductions, and was thrilled when they accepted my work.

Unwrapping Romance: Estelle, congratulations on being signed by Black Velvet Seductions. Wattpad is a wonderful writer’s platform for getting feedback and encouragement. Here at Unwrapping Romance, authors are rock stars, which is why I can get kind of nosy. I’m always interested in what lures someone to be a writer. What, or who, inspired you and why did you choose the romance genre and in particular, erotic romance?

Estelle Pettersen: My mother and my high school English teacher are two people who inspired me to become a writer. My mum was incredibly tough with grammar and spelling when I was in school, and tested me if I understood the stories I read. Being an introvert, I spent many lunch breaks in the library to get away from the ‘noise’ and escape to the world of books—I remember my friends finding me there and pulling me away from the books. My English teacher encouraged me to pursue a career in writing, which was why I studied journalism later on.

I chose the romance genre because I’m a big romantic at heart. I adore love stories, especially when the protagonist has a strong voice. As for erotic romances, a few people challenged me to write something on the steamy side, so I dared and pushed the boundaries with my writing.

Unwrapping Romance: As a former English teacher, I’m delighted to hear yours had such encouragement for you. I had an English teacher who did the same for me and I’m so grateful to her. It’s extra nice to have your mom in your corner. J Your friends are obviously very supportive and you’re awesome for taking such a challenge.
What was your inspiration for LESSONS ON SEDUCTION, and where does inspiration come from for your characters?

Estelle Pettersen: I wanted to read a steamy romance novel where the protagonist dared to step away from her comfort zone and project her strong voice. At the same time, I wanted the protagonist’s lover to be smart and sexy, yet strong and masculine. I was tired of reading stories about a possessive alpha male character and submissive female character, which I didn’t think portrayed healthy relationships, so I wrote LESSONS ON SEDUCTION.

The protagonist, Sapphire breaks away from societal expectations to find her strength, and to have courage both in and out of the bedroom. Her lover, Julian gives her both independence and empowerment, and their relationship is a balanced one. All in all, I was inspired by the concepts of freedom, equality, and empowerment; both Sapphire and Julian personify that in their own ways.

Unwrapping Romance: They sound like a wonderful couple and have the type of relationship I think we all seek, especially in romance stories. What do you have planned next?

Estelle Pettersen: I’m working on a short story, an Australian cowboy romance for Black Velvet Seductions. After that, I’ll continue working on book two in the Seduction series, which is Julian’s sister Vera’s story. She is also Sapphire’s best friend (and love interest early on) in LESSONS ON SEDUCTION. My beta readers cheered for her, asking if I could write her story, so I decided to do it. She’s sassy, daring, and more outspoken than her brother, Julian, who is an introvert.

Unwrapping Romance: Sounds like fun. We love sassy heroines. An Australian cowboy sounds especially intriguing. Estelle, if you're like every other writer (myself included), I have no doubt then that you're also a prolific reader. Who are your favorite authors and have any inspired your writing?

Estelle Pettersen: I love literature, especially the classics. One of my favorite books is Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë; in my teen years, I had a crush on Heathcliff, who gave me some inspiration for my male character Julian in LESSONS ON SEDUCTION. I’m a fan of the poets W.B. Yeats and Sylvia Plath—I love poetry and experiment with literary tropes such as metaphors and allegories in my writing. My taste varies: one day I could be reading The Twelve Caesars by Suetonius and another day it would be Violin by Anne Rice.

I’ve just finished reading Mystic Desire, an anthology of supernatural romance stories published by Black Velvet Seductions. I’m a big fan of the authors at Black Velvet Seductions, who have been my rock of support. As a romance reader, I was already familiar with some of the authors’ previous work.

Unwrapping Romance: Ahh…the classics…I totally understand your love for them. Your eclectic taste in reading makes me a huge fan. I believe we can learn so much from both past and present authors. Storytelling has been happening since the caveman and I hope it will continue far into the future. Books are our greatest means for time travel.

My last question for you and my personal favorite – this is one I ask every author when I get the chance. If you could be ANY character in ANY book, not necessarily your own but any book at all - who would it be and why? 

Estelle Pettersen: I would love to be in Nick Carraway’s shoes just for one night in The Great Gatsby; to be at one of Jay’s decadent parties. Plus, I like Nick—he comes across as relatable and intelligent.

Unwrapping Romance: What a wonderful answer, Estelle. I think you might be the first to choose a male character and such an interesting one too. That would be a fun night indeed. Thank you so very much for spending some time with us. I am very excited about your upcoming release, LESSONS ON SEDUCTION, as well as your future projects. I wish you great success and a long career writing wonderful stories.

If you’d like to sample a steamy bit of LESSONS ON SEDUCTION, Estelle has graciously shared an excerpt from her upcoming erotic romance. I hope you’ll enjoy it and pre-order your own copy which is available at Amazon.

Excerpt from LESSONS ON SEDUCTION by Estelle Pettersen:

I turned left, headed toward the direction of bedrooms, and stopped when I reached the main en suite bedroom. This must be Julian’s room. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it wouldn’t get the better of me, so I dared.

I dropped my bag on the floor and walked into the master suite, which featured two dimly lit lamps and a king-size bed with a charcoal duvet and matching pillows. The unmade bed was the only untidy element in this otherwise clean home, indicative of either his most recent sexual activity or his forgetfulness to make the bed up. I doubted that it was the latter. As I walked past the bed, I noticed leather handcuffs on the crumpled duvet. The soothing sound of water running in the shower caught my attention, enticing me to take a sneak peek in the bathroom.

The bathroom door was left open at a forty-five-degree angle, and the pull of temptation gravitated me toward it. I was curious. I usually did not pry into the privacy of others, but I had never seen a naked man in real life, and I was ready to find out.

Oh, my lord! There he was in the shower, a beautiful man in all his splendor and glory. Julian was wet and naked, reminding me of the marble statue of the biblical, nude David by Michelangelo. Droplets of water ran down his hard, taut, body, all the way to the curve of his muscular back and firm buttocks, then along his sturdy legs. He rinsed the soap off his broad shoulders, chest and slim waist. His body tapered down like a perfect V, and delicate veins ran along his muscular forearms. His penis was thick and admirable, even in its relaxed state, and his testicles hung below. Eyes closed, he lifted his head to absorb the streaming water, and ran his long fingers through his hair, washing out the remaining shampoo foam, which flowed downward.

The heavenly sight of Julian in his nakedness, together with the fresh scent of the citrus body wash, triggered my nipples to harden and the inner walls of my vagina to clench, eliciting a wetness that coated my labia.

Julian’s eyes opened and fluttered rapidly, making direct contact with mine. “OH, FUCK!”

“Oh shit, I’m so sorry! I was looking for a spare toothbrush and didn’t realize you were here!” I babbled in a flustered state. I was a bad liar.

He turned off the shower faucet, grabbed a towel, and started to dry himself slowly.

“Did you enjoy the show, Sapphire?” Julian smiled smugly, emphasizing my name when he spoke.

“I, uh, I’m staying over with Vera tonight, as we’re heading out for a girls’ night. I hope that’s okay with y-you,” I stammered.

“Oh, it’s more than okay with me, love. However, you haven’t answered my question.” Julian’s mischievous eyes dangerously twinkled with devilish delight.

“I like what I see,” I admitted, gazing at the towel, which he now wrapped neatly around his firm torso.

“Good. Now, come here, baby. Touch me.”

I took one step closer to Julian and stroked the blade of his left shoulder with my right hand. My fingers traveled down his chest and stomach, drawing him to release a groan of pleasure.

“That’s it. Lower.”

“Lower?” I gasped.

“Yes. Further down south, if you get my drift.”

My fingers traveled below his navel and down to where the towel met his skin.

“Stop.”

“Stop?” I raised my eyebrows.

“Yes, stop,” he commanded.

Julian’s hands swiftly reached around my neck and untied my halterneck top, exposing my bare breasts to him.

“You’re exquisite.” His long, dark lashes lowered as he gazed at my topless body. I sucked in the citrus-flavored air as he began rubbing my nipples in circular motions with his rough thumbs.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Estelle Pettersen is an Australian author and former journalist whose romance stories explore empowerment, freedom, and finding one’s strength. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Journalism and Psychology, from the University of Queensland, Australia. Her second degree is an MBA from Queensland University of Technology, Australia. She is a member of Romance Writers of Australia and is passionate about history, languages, cultures, traveling, food, and wine. She is happily married and living in Norway these days.

If you’d like to learn more about Estelle and her debut romance, feel free to visit her at the following:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon | Blog

Instagram | MeWe | Pinterest | LinkedIn

Available at Amazon

Q & A Promo for THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTO by Mary Hogan

THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTO

by Mary Hogan

Available now from William Morrow at

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobobooks

IndieBound | GooglePlay | iBooks

From the author of the critically-acclaimed Two Sisters comes THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTO, a compulsively-readable historical novel of two young women--one America’s Gilded Age, one in scrappy modern-day California--whose lives are linked by a single tragic afternoon in history.

1888: Elizabeth Haberlin, of the Pittsburgh Haberlins, spends every summer with her family on a beautiful lake in an exclusive club. Nestled in the Allegheny Mountains above the working class community of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, the private retreat is patronized by society’s elite. Elizabeth summers with Carnegies, Mellons, and Fricks, following the rigid etiquette of her class. But Elizabeth is blessed (cursed) with a mind of her own. Case in point: her friendship with Eugene Eggar, a Johnstown steel mill worker. And when Elizabeth discovers that the club’s poorly maintained dam is about to burst and send 20 million tons of water careening down the mountain, she risks all to warn Eugene and the townspeople in the lake’s deadly shadow.

Present day: On her eighteenth birthday, genetic information from Lee Parker’s closed adoption is unlocked. She also sees an old photograph of a genetic relative-a 19th Century woman with hair and eyes likes hers-standing in a pile of rubble from an ecological disaster next to none other than Clara Barton, the founder of the American Red Cross. Determined to identify the woman in the photo and unearth the mystery of that captured moment, Lee digs into history. Her journey takes her from California to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, from her present financial woes to her past of privilege, from the daily grind to an epic disaster. Once Lee’s heroic DNA is revealed, will she decide to forge a new fate?

Q & A with Mary Hogan, author of

THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTO...

What’s the story behind THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTO?  How did the book come to be?

I first had the idea for this book 24 years ago! I’m not kidding. In 1992, my husband, actor Robert Hogan, was in an off-Broadway play called On the Bum, also starring Cynthia Nixon and Campbell Scott. The play was set in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, several years after the epic flood. The characters talked about a “lake in the sky” which piqued my curiosity. A few days later, I went to the library to read about such strange geography. That’s when I read the real story of the Johnstown disaster. Wow. I was blown away. What a great story! I held my breath for 24 years worrying that someone would write my book before I got a chance to. There are other books out there about the flood, but nothing like mine.

How did you conduct your research for the book?  Are any of the characters in the book inspired by real-life people?

While on book tour in Pittsburgh for my first young adult novel, THE SERIOUS KISS, I had a free afternoon. So, I rented a car and drove two hours to Johnstown to see it for myself. I could have stayed there for two weeks. There was so much of interest for this Californian girl. Over the years, I would visit twice more. Generously, the President of the Johnstown Heritage Association gave me a day-long tour of everything I needed to tell a compelling tale, including access to the inside of the private Clubhouse which is still standing! Aside from the very real members of the exclusive club: steel titans Andrew Carnegie and Henry Clay Frick, bankers like Andrew Mellon, U.S. Senator and Attorney General Philander Knox, all the characters are fiction.

How was the writing experience for THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTO different from your experience writing your previous novel, TWO SISTERS?

TWO SISTERS was a process of opening up my heart and spilling its contents onto the page. Inspired by the early death of my older sister, I told a tale of family secrets that I knew all too well.  Writing THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTO was a completely different experience. First, I read a gazillion historical novels. Then, I read every book I could find about Johnstown. I even read a novel called, ANNIE KILBURN that was written in 1889 to get a feel for the language of the day. Research, research, research. I was told that women who read historical fiction are fiends about accurate detail. So, my biggest fear about creating a main character who was an upper class woman of the nineteenth century was getting her many corsets right.

Both THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTO and TWO SISTERS center around female relationships.  Why do you think readers are so fascinated by the bonds between female family members?

Ah, yes. Those bonds are complicated, indeed. I have yet to meet a woman who didn’t have a knotty relationship with her sister or her mother. Even when they are smooth, they are bumpy. In my case, my mother and I were very much alike, and my sister and I were very different. So there were a lot of crossed wires. We hurt each other even when we didn’t know it. My dad and my brothers sort of kept their heads down and watched sports. :-)

For me, the best characters are flawed, striving, loving, selfish, feeling, reacting, deep, curious, furious, and worried—mostly—about their hair. In other words: women. 

Is there a particular message you hope readers will take away from THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTO?

One of the themes of this novel is: Is DNA your destiny? Are you born to be who you are? Or, can life itself mold you? I would love for readers to finish THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTO with the sense that we are all on this earth to be kind to one another. To live together. Even on bad hair days.

***My thanks to the folks at William Morrow for permitting me to share this interesting Q & A with the author with my readers, and to Ms. Hogan for allowing us a peek into the inspiration behind the story and the mind of the author - thank you, Mary. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nappa Award-winning author of seven Young Adult novels, Mary Hogan’s first adult novel, TWO SISTERS, tells the gripping, emotional story of a family, sisters and secrets. Mary lives in New York City with her husband Bob and their dog, Lucy.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

PRAISE for THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTO:

“Mary Hogan expertly uses the tragic story of the Johnstown Food as background for a fascinating tale of two women, generations apart, who defy expectations to find their own paths to happiness and purpose. Awash in historical detail, this book is a real page-turner.”

—Melanie Benjamin, New York Times Best Selling author of THE SWANS OF FIFTH AVENUE and THE AVIATOR’S WIFE

“A fascinating snapshot of two women separated by time—each compelling in her own right - who together make for a novel so appealing you can’t stop reading. Well-researched history and modern intrigue, original and heartfelt....a thoroughly captivating novel”

—New York Times Bestselling author, MJ Rose

“Mary Hogan tells a wonderful story of two young women coming into their own…A beautiful work of historical fiction that pulls you into a distant time and place and makes it feel like home. Hogan does a brilliant job at weaving their two stories together to make one fabulous novel about growing up and discovering who you are in more ways than one.”

—NY Daily News

“…An excellent piece of historical fiction…” —Library Journal

“A great historical selection…with relatable and charming characters and an interesting historical event” —Booklist

***Having been to Johnstown, Pennsylvania and seen the monuments and tributes to those who lost their lives that fateful time in history, and for someone like me who has seen her face reflected back in old pictures of relatives generations long gone, this sounds like an exciting and intriguing read. I hope to fit it into my reading schedule soon and bring you my thoughts. - Amy

Happy Reading Everyone!

Promo Stop on the Tasty Virtual Book Tour for Chanukah anthology, BURNING BRIGHT with Q & A +#giveaway

BURNING BRIGHT

Four Chanukah Love Stories

by Megan Hart, KK Hendin,

Stacey Agdern and Jennifer Gracen

Releasing December 1, 2015 from Avon Impulse

This December, take a break from dreidel spinning, gelt winning, and latke eating to experience the joy of Chanukah. When you fall in love during the Festival of Lights, the world burns a whole lot brighter.

It’s definitely not love at first sight for Amanda and her cute but mysterious new neighbor, Ben. Can a Chanukah miracle show them that getting off on the wrong foot doesn’t mean they can’t walk the same road?

Lawyers in love, Shari Cohen and Evan Sonntag are happy together. But in a moment of doubt, he pushes her away-then soon realizes he made a huge mistake. To win her back, it might take something like a Chanukah miracle.

When impulsive interior designer Molly Baker-Stein barges into Jon Adelman’s apartment and his life intent on planning the best Chanukah party their building has ever seen, neither expects that together, they just might discover a Home for Hannukah.

All Tamar Jacobs expected from her Israel vacation was time to hang out with one of her besties and to act like a tourist, cheesy t-shirt and all, in her two favorite cities. She definitely was not expecting to fall for Avi Levinson, a handsome soldier who’s more than she ever dreamed. 

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About the Authors:

Megan Hart is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than thirty novels, novellas and short stories. Her work has been published in almost every genre, including contemporary women’s fiction, historical romance, paranormal and erotica. Learn more at www.meganhart.com

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Jennifer Gracen hails from Long Island, New York, where she lives with her two young sons. After spending her youth writing in private and singing in public, she now only sings in her car and has fully embraced her lifelong passion for writing. She loves to write contemporary romance and romantic women’s fiction for readers who yearn for better days, authentic characters, and satisfying endings. When she isn’t taking care of her kids, doing freelance copy editing/proofreading, reading, or talking to friends on Twitter and Facebook, Jennifer writes. She’s shocked her family hasn’t yet staged an intervention for her addiction to social media. But the concerts she gives in her car and the dance parties she has in her kitchen are rumored to be fabulous.

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Stacey Agdern is an award winning former bookseller who has reviewed romance novels in multiple formats and given talks about various aspects of the romance genre. She also a romance writer. You can find her on twitter at @nystacey. She’s a proud member of both LIRW and RWA NYC. She lives in New York, not far from her favorite hockey team’s practice facility.

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KK Hendin writes books where people flirt awkwardly, make out, dish out a whole lot of sass and ridiculousness, and live happily ever after. She’s the author of many books, including the TWELVE BEATS IN A BAR series and the upcoming UNDERCOVER series. She also writes books as K. Hendin, where people aren’t as nice and Happily Ever After isn’t a guarantee. KK is currently writing way too many books, and is still waiting for the subway to run on a regular schedule. When she’s not playing book Tetris in an attempt to fit everything onto the bookshelves in her tiny NYC apartment, she’s probably wandering her neighborhood with her camera or drinking yet another cup of coffee.

Chanukah Fun with KK Hendin—

Favorite Chanukah Memory or tradition:

My favorite memory is from the first year I lived in Israel. I was in school there, and we had the afternoons off that week. A bunch of us wanted to do something fun before lighting the menorah in the evening, but we were all too poor to do anything that really cost money. So we split up into two groups and wrote a ridiculous list of things to do. The goal was to see which group could do more things on the list, with picture evidence to make sure nobody lied. By the end of the afternoon, we had done things like decorate a public bathroom, confuse the heck out of a bunch of soldiers, ask random strangers both silly questions and very serious questions, and hired ourselves to work at people's restaurants. And all for the price of a bus ticket. 

My favorite tradition...hmm…lighting the Chanukah candles every night is really nice, because we do it as a family. Everyone gets together in the living room, and we all light our menorahs together, and sing. And laugh when my dad reminds us not to go near the candles, because when it comes to menorahs, he seems to forget we're all perfectly capable of taking care of ourselves near fire.

Favorite Chanukah Dish/Dessert:

It's traditional to eat both dairy products and fried food on Chanukah, which is the greatest possible combination of foods to eat. One Chanukah night every year, we ignore the concept of a balanced meal for dinner and have latkes, homemade french fries, and a bunch of different kinds of cheese. It is a ridiculous overindulgence, and the next day everyone just eats salad as a recovery food. (I eat my latkes with cottage cheese, not applesauce. I don't understand the appeal of latkes and applesauce. I'm sorry.)

(When I called my mother to make sure I got the latke recipe correct, I mentioned eating latkes and cottage cheese. Her response was something along the lines of, "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?? WHO EATS LATKES AND COTTAGE CHEESE??". When I reminded her that I have ALWAYS eaten latkes and cottage cheese together, she told me she probably blocked the memory.)

The recipe we use for potato latkes is our potato kugel recipe tweaked.

Potato Latkes (Or Potato Kugel)

5 pounds potatoes

1 large white onion

(You can substitute a zucchini for a few of the potatoes if you want for the potato kugel.)

6 eggs

(1/2 cup oil-for kugel)

1 tablespoon Salt

Pepper

LATKES: In a large mixing bowl, mix together the eggs, salt and pepper. Use a food processor to shred the potatoes and onions, then add to the mixing bowl. Form into patties, and fry them in oil. Serve with applesauce, sour cream, or–to quote my family—if you're irrevocably broken somehow like KK, cottage cheese. Makes a lot of latkes. 

POTATO KUGEL: In a large mixing bowl, mix together the eggs, oil, salt and pepper. Cover the bottom of a 9x13 pan in oil and place it an oven set at 450. Use a food processor to shred the potatoes and onions, then add to the mixing bowl. Combine all ingredients together, and the take the mixing bowl directly to the oven, and pour the mixture into the pan without taking the pan out of the oven. Cook for an hour and a half, or until the potato kugel is at the consistency and texture you'd like. Serve hot with anything at all, because potato kugel, and if you have extras somehow, potato kugel is delicious cold with a bit of mustard on top or dipped in humus. Makes one delicious pan of potato-y goodness. 

(Alternative, if you're feeling fancy: instead of baking the kugel in a 9 x 13, you can bake it in cupcake tins for fanciness and extra crispy bits. Adjust temperature and cooking time accordingly.)

Do you have any real life experience with finding love during Chanukah?

I think I really and truly fell in love with Israel on Chanukah- I finally was settled in, I knew how to get places without taking the bus, and there were an abundance of cheerful soldiers. It was finally sweater weather, and every person, regardless of religious observance, was excited about Chanukah, and about sufganiyot. 

Also, as a New Yorker, getting to go to the beach in December without freezing your face off is pretty cool. 

What was your favorite scene to write for ALL I GOT?

Besides the ending? Probably the rain. I've done my share of dance parties in the rain in Israel, and it was so much fun to write one for Avi. 

One line that describes your holiday romance.

Sometimes you can meet the love of your life at a bus stop. 

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