Release Day Review: HellFire

HellFire
The Demonslayer #2
Author: Kate Douglas
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Zebra
Released 8/31/2010
Available in Paperback and Kindle Format

Summary: A new, more dangerous vortex has opened in the besieged Earth and the innocent souls of animals are being invaded by the malevolent strength of a powerful demon. For Ginny Jones, there can be no greater wrong - and to make it right, she joins forces with the Lemurian, Alton, a hard-bodied hero not of her world. Under a black moon, pitched battles for the survival of all that is good will be fought once more. The heat of their sensual passion emboldens the two warriors...but such passion may well betray them...Yet Alton is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice - life itself - for the human woman he loves. But time is fast running out...and time, like fire, devours all...

I won an ARC of HellFire by Kate Douglas during one of her Facebook contests. I'm still amazed I hadn't read any of Kate's books until this one. She's a prolific author of paranormal romance and erotica that has written something for everyone. Don't miss the interview and contest with Kate below the interview.

HellFire is the second book in The Demonslayers series. The first book, DemonFire, introduced us to the Lemurians, who are peaceful and nonviolent, though a tad apathetic towards earth and humans. This paranormal romance series is set in a world where other dimensions exist, including one where demons live and one that is much like Atlantis. The author has created a world accessed by portals in our world, that is fascinating with it's political intrigue, history, and magic.

Ginny Jones, our heroine, unexpectedly decides to visit family and ends up in Phoenix dealing with a group of possessed animals, including her cousins huge, shrieking cat. She can't get her mind off the odd thoughts she's been having of a good-looking guy with a sexy voice she can't forget, though they only met once. Things just keep getting stranger.

Alton is not from our world, and he's oddly attracted to a woman who is nothing like the females where he comes from. I love his awkward way of dealing with Ginny. He means well, but just can't grasp how to handle an independent young woman, who doesn't feel she needs taking care of or rescuing.

HellFire is gritty and a little complex at times, yet it's also sexy and fun. Urban fantasy mixed in with sensual paranormal romance makes for a great read. The ongoing plot of political unrest and intrigue in this series is complex, but never confusing or strung out. The author blends that part of the plot with the romantic elements perfectly. Discoveries are made that impact both characters and make for some kick butt fight scenes and soul searching on both their parts.

Kate Douglas has developed rich characters with depth and substance. The plot is well thought out and fascinating. I think this series will only get better as it continues, and I hope we have many more books to read and enjoy.

Demonslayers Series
DemonFire (2010)
HellFire (August 2010)
Crystal Dreams (in Nocturnal 9/7/10)
StarFire (Spring 2011)

You can find out more about Kate Douglas on her website at http://www.katedouglas.com. The first two books in the Demonslayers series, and the Nocturnal anthology are available in paperback, and also on the Kindle.

Interview & Contest With Kate Douglas

After I read Hellfire, and realized what a talented and prolific author Kate Douglas was, I couldn't resist asking for an interview. I thought everyone would enjoy picking her brain along with me:) P.S. Don't miss the contest at the end of the interview. ~Brenda

You have written an amazing number books including erotic and paranormal romance. Did you start out writing erotic romance or was it something you felt would appeal to readers, so you gave it a shot? Were you nervous the first time you wrote a steamy sex scene?

I actually started out writing contemporary romance and have four books with Hard Shell Word Factory that were published in 1999-2002. They’re still available, and continue to sell—the bestseller of all of them is Cowboy in My Pocket, which is a romantic comedy that sort of makes fun of category romances—it’s got the cowboy hero, marriage of convenience, amnesiac heroine...it’s really fun. My original goal was to write for Harlequin, but I didn’t have any luck with them, which is why I started writing for the early epublishers. I heard about Ellora’s Cave and, since I’d always liked the sexy stories, decided to give it a try. My first erotic romance, Lionheart, was submitted in 2001 and I got an email from the editor about an hour later telling me they wanted the story. I still have a number of stories with EC, including my StarQuest series. Lionheart was the first one in that series.

I’ve always loved the steamy stories and have never been at all nervous writing them. In fact, I was on a panel years ago at a Romantic Times convention up in Reno where we were asked to read some of our erotic writing. I read an extremely graphic, über-explicit oral sex scene, first person from the woman’s point of view—you could have heard a pin drop in the room, but I got my point across—if you’re not comfortable with the words, the language or describing the sexual acts themselves, you can’t write it effectively.

Hellfire is a paranormal romance but it's rather gritty like urban fantasy as well. I loved the characters, and your world building. How did you start developing the story at first? Did you take detailed notes, and fill in as you went, or did the entire world "pop" into your head?

I’m a true panster. I don’t plot. I did have a brief synopsis for HellFire, since I’d had to write one to sell the series to my publisher, but once I signed the contract I tossed the synopsis and just wrote what came to me. The original series began with a conversation with my agent:

Agent: Kate, you need a big book if you’re going to move beyond the erotic market.

Me: (to myself: big book? What the HELL does she mean by a big book...big theme?) Okay, how about good vs. evil? (said with a snicker)

Agent: Great! Send me a synopsis!

For some reason, the idea of demons infesting garden gnomes got stuck in my head, and that’s about all I had when I started writing the first book in the series, DemonFire. Oh, and I knew I wanted a dog—LOL! I loved giving away stuffed wolves with my Wolf Tales books, so I wanted a dog so I could give away stuffed dogs, and that’s how I ended up with Bumper, who’s a cross between a pit bull and a poodle. HellFire grew out of the first book—Ginny Jones was merely a secondary character who felt terribly real to me, and once I started writing Alton the Lemurian, I wanted to keep him around for awhile, so they became my hero and heroine for HellFire. That’s how I do a series—when I connect with a character in a book, I generally carry them over to the next story. The hero in StarFire is the veterinarian who appears in HellFire. Dawson Buck was not meant to be a main character, but I really liked him and decided to give him his own book...and the stars of the final book in the series, CrystalFire, are Taron the Lemurian, and Willow, who finally gets her own body so she doesn’t have to continue hitching space with Bumper:)

I once ran across a blogger that was "creeped out" when she found out some authors were her parent's age, because they shouldn't be writing sexy stories. I laughed at that because I was turning 50 at the time. Do you feel there is an age boundary for romance writers? Would it matter if the writer was 20, 50 or even 70?

Good lord—I’m sixty. If that creeps my readers out, that’s their problem! I didn’t even sign with NY until I was 55, and I fully intend to keep writing for a lot longer. Author Anne McCaffrey, who writes absolutely wonderful science fiction, is 84and still writing—and she’s a Wolf Tales fan, which I absolutely love, because I’ve been a serious fan of hers for a long time. If that blogger thinks people her parents’ age aren’t having sex, she’s got her head buried in the sand. You have to remember—those of us in our sixties were young during a pretty unique time in our nation’s history—after The Pill (yes, in all caps!) and before AIDS and herpes. Sex was not scary for us—it was just a lot of fun. Age doesn’t slow you down in the bedroom—attitude might, but luckily I don’t have that problem, and neither does my spouse.

Writing sexy stories isn’t limited by age—only by imagination. I can’t imagine not writing—I love what I’m doing and really enjoy the fact that my readers look forward to my new stories as much as I look forward to writing them. It’s a wonderful life and I’m very lucky to be doing what I do.

Thank you so much for your time. I loved Hellfire, and can't wait to read the rest of the series!

Thank you! And for readers who are enjoying the series, there’s another story coming out September 7 in the NOCTURNAL anthology with Jacquelyn Frank—Crystal Dreams is connected to the DemonSlayers and is about a young woman named Marigold Moonbeam Schwartz who not only discovers she’s a witch, but that the sexy guy who’s just saved her life from demons—which can’t POSSIBLY exist—is from the mythical world of Lemuria. It’s a fun story and one I think readers will enjoy—plus it’s packed in with great stories by Jacquelyn Frank, Jess Haines and Clare Willis.

KATE'S GIVE AWAY
Kate is graciously giving away a book to TWO readers who can choose from Demonfire, book one in the Demonslayers series, Hellfire, book two or Nocturnal, the new anthology she mentions above.

Please leave Kate and I a comment, which book you would like if you win, and IF your email is not associated with a Google profile leave that in the comments. I will randomly choose the winner on September 7th. Thanks everyone!

You can learn more about Kate and her books on her website at http://www.katedouglas.com.

It's a BIG Week at Wayfaring Writer!

This week we have so many cool things going on that I'm literally giddy to the point of people looking at me like I've snapped. I can't wait!

Tuesday: I have a special interview with author Kate Douglas. It's Release Day for her book, Hellfire and the anthology Nocturnal, which includes her novella, Crystal Dreams. She has graciously agreed to giveaway two books. The winners can choose from DemonFire, Nocturnal or HellFire!

Wednesday: My First Blog Anniversary Giveaway begins today. Four winners will win four books each in four genres. It's very cool.

Thursday: TWO blog tours will be going on today!

Kelly Gay, who was my FIRST interview on this blog, is back with her second kick ass book, and I interviewed her again, reviewed her book, plus I'm giving away a copy of The Darkest Edge of Dawn.

Karen Hawkins, author of Much Ado About Marriage, is also on tour with this fun Elizabethan historical romance. This is a first for me as a reader and reviewer. I'll be giving away a copy of this sexy story as well.

Friday: Today I will share something movie related, possibly involving pictures of heroes, or anti-hero, as the case may be, brought to life from a graphic novel. I've been saving up something I think you will enjoy:)

~Brenda

Blog Tour & Contest: Teresa Medeiros

The Devil Wears Plaid
Author: Teresa Medeiros
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Pocket

Summary: Emmaline Marlow is about to wed the ancient patriarch of the Hepburn clan to save her father from debtor's prison when the Hepburn's sworn enemy Jamie Sinclair bursts into the abbey on a magnificent black horse and whisks her away. Jamie is everything her bridegroom is not--young, handsome, virile...and a perilous temptation for her yearning heart. Jamie expects Emma to be some milksop English miss, not a spirited beauty who will defy him at every turn. All of his plans to use her as a pawn in the centuries old Highland feud begin to go awry when passion flares between the two of them. A man can kidnap a bride, but is it possible for him to steal her innocence without losing his own heart?

If you've been reading my blog for long you know I love dark urban fantasy, and kick ass heroines. Historical romance is a fairly new genre for me, and I discovered something while reading The Devil Wears Plaid. I have a soft, girly side that was reduced to tears by the end of the book. Tears. I was weepy, like a beauty pageant winner fanning her face "Oh my Lord, give me a tissue." *swoon* Who knew?

This is my first Teresa Medeiros book, sent to me by the publisher after I requested to join the blog tour. I was captivated from the first page, and read until 2:30 a.m. because I needed to know what was going to happen next. Emmaline, our heroine, is spunky, stubborn, compassionate, courageous and she can dish out the insults with the best of them. I loved her from the first chapter, and cheered her on throughout the entire book. I dare readers to not love her as much as I do.

Jamie, our Highlander hero, starts off brooding and bitter, seeking revenge for a feud that's been going on for 5 generations. We first meet him as he charges in on his "towering black horse" speaking with a "Scots burr so deep and rich it sent an involuntary shiver down Emma's spine". "Slap me silly" I thought to myself, "I am not getting any work done until I finish this book." Seriously folks, The Devil Wears Plaid, is a fast paced romantic adventure with just enough of a twist, and plenty of action to keep the reader entertained until the wee hours of the morning.

I would be remiss not to mention the steamy scenes in The Devil Wears Plaid. The author makes the reader really want those scenes before she gives them to us. The main characters don't throw down with a lusty vengeance until they both are good and ready. The scenes are steamy, emotional and light hearted. They will evoke sighs aplenty from readers.

Teaser Words:
dirt and rock
pistol
ransom
forest ghosts
wooden tub
bell tower
betrayals
dreams

Teresa Medeiros lives in Kentucky with her husband and her cats Willow and Buffy the Mouse Slayer. Her next novel, Goodnight Tweetheart, the story of a man and woman who meet and fall in love on Twitter, will be released in January of 2011. You can join her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/teresamedeirosfanpage, follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/teresamedeiros and visit her website at www.teresamedeiros.com.

WIN A COPY OF TERESA'S BOOK
The publisher is allowing me to give one copy of The Devil Wears Plaid to a random person who comments on this post by answering the following question:

What is the first romance you remember reading?

The contest will end on September 9th, 2010. Please leave your answer plus your email IF it's not associated with your google profile.

~Brenda

Teresa's Top 20 WRITE RIGHT Tips

Teresa Medeiros has graciously allowed me to repost these great writing tips. She used a cool vintage graphic on her blog, so I dug up one of my own that I've been dying to use:)

Teresa's WRITE RIGHT Tips

1) Don't give characters unpronounceable names. Unless you're German, umlauts are not your friend.

2) Almost any sentence except "I am born" can be improved with revision.

3) Don't fear adverbs but actions verbs are always better. Not "He walked slowly" but "He trudged..."

4) It's the 1st sentence of your book that sells that book to the editor or reader. It's the last sentence of your book that sells the next book.

5) A creative silence may be your subconscious saying, "Hush, child. I'm working on a better plan."

6) Characters don't have to be perfect from the first page. Character growth is the hallmark of good fiction.

7) Writing is part talent and part craft. The craft part can be improved with practice.

8) You don't learn how to play the piano by reading books about playing the piano. You learn by practicing.

9) If you can stop writing, you probably should.

10) If you're stuck, go for a walk. Moving forward moves the brain forward. (Thanks to the Dog Whisperer for this tip :)).

11) If you're stuck, go back and do a read-thru from Chapter 1 to pick up the thread of the story.
12) The key to a truly successful romance novel is foreplay--not just physical but emotional.

13) There will come a time in every book when you will hate the story, hate the characters, wish they were dead, wish you were dead...just keep writing and you'll love them and yourself again.

14) Expect some resistance when finishing a book. Your subconscious knows it's the end of a great love affair.

15) Don't foreshadow your characters' every action by revealing their every thought through introspection.

16) If you're stuck for a phrase or word, insert [TK] or something else easily searchable and move on. Return later to fill in.

17) To preserve the sanctity of your imaginary world, consider writing on a computer completely cut off from the internet.

18) Dialogue is the hardest thing to write but the easiest thing to fix.

19) Protect your creativity as if it's a small defenseless child entrusted to your care.

20) When the story is over, shut up and write THE END.

Teresa originally shared these tips on Twitter. Be sure to follow her at http://www.twitter.com/teresamedeiros. You can also join her Facebook fan page at

Kindle Review: Under the Magnolia

Under the Magnolia
Author: Moira Rogers
Format: Kindle Edition
Available on Amazon

SUMMARY: Adelaide has a secret: she can see the future. The visions are always unpleasant, until she catches a glimpse of herself engaged in the hottest sex imaginable with hunky police chief Wesley Saxon, a man she's had a crush on for the past year.
Wes has been watching out for Addie for years, even if she did break his heart in high school. But when his attempt to rescue her from an oncoming hurricane leaves them stranded in the basement of an island resort, Wes will face a danger more terrifying than any criminal: falling in love with her again.

Moria Rogers has captured my attention again with this novella. I'm amazed that they continue to come up with new locations, characters and plots that suck the reader in and take them on a roller coaster of emotion. Under the Magnolia has mystery, romance, suspense and witty banter, which many of you know is my favorite element in a good story. Make me cringe, gross me out, scare the crap out of me if you will, but make me chuckle and I'm a fan forever.

I love the characters in Under the Magnolia. Adelaide is quirky, precognitive, caring and she's a magnet for trouble. Wes is the town Chief of Police with a secret or two. I loved him from the beginning of the story. I could just picture him, shaking his head, driving like a bat out of hell to find Addie. Sigh. What a guy.

I also loved all the side characters in Under the Magnolia, especially Addie's grandmother. I want to be her when I grow up.

Under the Magnolia was written as a serial story on the authors' blog, but I bought it for .99 on Amazon for my Kindle and it was money well spent, just so I have it all in one place, and can read it again and again.

~Brenda

Five Reasons I Love The Losers

This weekend I watched The Losers on DVD twice, and I will be buying it because it's so kick ass. Why, you ask?

1. It's based on a graphic novel written by Andy Diggle, who is a British writer. You can follow him on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/andydiggle . A download of the first issue of The Losers is available free from Vertigo here. He has a cool name, and does snark so well, he could be the King of Snark. He's my hero. This is the description of the comic:

The Company thought it had taken care of the Losers. After they saw a little too much at the wrong place and time, their chopper went down in flames with no survivors and plenty of deniability - and the Losers went down in the records as just another team of black ops foot soldiers tragically lost to one of the CIA's shadow wars.

But the Losers were just playing dead - and now that they've seen what the Company is really up to, they're through with games. Now it's time to take the fight back to its source.

Time for some payback...

2. The main artist for the graphic novel is Jock. Yes, you read that correctly. Jock. How cool of a name is that? According to Wikipedia, Jock is actually a pen name for Mark Simpson, a British comics artist. Cool pen name, dude.

3. Jeffrey Dean Morgan: Who says a man has to be 20 to be sexy? J.D. has it covered in spades:


4.Óscar Jaenada's plays Cougar in the movie, and he rocks. He doesn't have a lot of lines, but the man has it going on. He's tough, mysterious, good looking and he needs his own story.


5. Witter Banter and Cool Explosions: There are more witty lines than I could count and enough cool stunts to please hardcore action fans. The movie rocked.

Have you seen The Losers? What did you think?

~Brenda