Destiny Calling ~ An Interview with Maureen L. Bonatch ~ @mbonatch #amreading #NewAdult

Hi Everyone!

Let’s welcome author Maureen L. Bonatch to XtraOrdinary Romance. She’s going to tell us all about her new release Destiny Calling as well as a little bit about herself.

Tell us about your latest book, including its genre. Does it cross over to other genres? If so, what are they?

Destiny Calling is the first of the Enchantlings series. The story follows Hope as she struggles to accept the extraordinary about herself and find the family she never knew. It’s laced with humor and light suspense. It is a Paranormal with Romantic elements that cross over into New Adult.

What were you doing the last time you laughed out loud?

Today when I was reading Chuck Wendig’s blog about the Holiday Hellidays. I find him hilarious.

What is your favorite curse word? Why?

Currently? Don’t laugh. Dag-nabbit! I’m not even sure how to spell it but it’s my current go to word. You have to consider that I’ve never been one to curse a lot and try to curb it even more around my 13 year olds. When they were younger, I tended to use ‘tarter sauce’, courtesy of Sponge Bob.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I’ve always considered myself a writer, because I’ve always been writing something. Short stories, journaling, you name it. But I didn’t consider myself an ‘author’ until my first full book was published. 

What inspired you to write that first book? Why?

It depends on how you define ‘first book’. My first book, was more of an ongoing work in progress short-story when I was in Junior high, but I don’t think you’re referring to that. My first published book was for a writing assignment in a class I was taking and it was inspired by one of my favorite television shows, Charmed.

Leather or lace? Lace

Satin sheets or Egyptian cotton? Egyptian cotton

Ocean or mountains?  Ocean

City life or country life? Country

Hunky heroes or average Joe? Hunky heroes

Party life or quiet dinner for two? Quiet dinner for two

Dogs or cats? Dogs

Favorite dessert? Chocolate torte

Favorite city? Pittsburgh

Favorite season? Fall

I love pizza with green peppers and onions.

I'm always ready for dancing.

When I'm alone, I write.

You'd never be able to tell, but I’m a back seat biker girl.

If I could find a way to clone myself, I'd finally get caught up.

I can never quit writing because writing brings me peace.

Buy Links: Amazon Kindle   Amazon Paperback  The Wild Rose Press

Price: $5.99

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Release Date: December 22, 2014

Log line

Hope doesn’t know if the man she can touch is a dream come true, or A Nightmare Just Beginning.

Blurb

Hope only wants to find out if her ability to infuse euphoria or despair with her touch makes her the devil's spawn, or his exterminator. But when the woman who raised her is murdered by something not human, she loses the only family she knew and discovers one she might wish she hadn’t.

Drawn back to the hometown she vowed never to return to, her ability is seen as an asset to everyone but Hope, and she doesn't know who to trust. Her family wants her to help them overcome an enemy oppressing the human population, while the man of her dreams is courting her for the Underworld.

Time is running out, and Hope’s choice may be made for her, as she discovers she’s a pawn in a bigger game played by a merciless ruler who doesn't lose.

Excerpt

I strained to release my arm from Griffith’s vise-like grip while scanning the surrounding trees, trying to determine which was less of a threat, the beast of a man holding me or those who might be waiting for me in the woods.

“You will come inside, now.” Griffith spoke slowly and deliberately as if I were a small child.

I batted at the hand Griffith placed on my head. “I’m not a puppy, quit petting me.”

“I will protect you.” Griffith’s warm breath caressed my ear. “If for no other reason, to find out what I’m giving up and why she wants you so badly.”

I inhaled his masculine scent, like musky earth. It washed over my face, and the tension in my jaw released. I stopped struggling. “Are you the devil?” My tongue was thick and heavy so the words came out slurred.

“Not even close.” His words soothed and comforted, like having a weighted blanket cocoon me. Each movement was an effort. It wasn’t the same as the thing in the woods. This was more like the feeling after a long massage or bubble bath.

“It’s not safe.” Griffith wrapped his arms around me, and I rested against his broad chest.

“It’s not safe.” I nodded. My muscles relaxed and my eyelids grew heavy.

“It’s cold. We’re going inside.” Griffith kept his arm supporting me as he steered me toward the house.

“We’re going inside.” I parroted and walked up the steps, leaning heavily on him.

Out of the corner of my eye, something was cautiously moving at the edge of the woods. Branches snapped as whatever was observing us crept closer.

Where can your readers find you?

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mbonatch

Blog: http://www.maureenbonatch.com/blog/

Website: http://www.maureenbonatch.com

Newsletter:  http://eepurl.com/1AV4L

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/maureenbonatch/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maureenlbonatch

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3103486.Maureen_L_Bonatch

Where’s your favorite place to hang out online?

Facebook

About the Author:

Growing up with four siblings had Maureen familiar with escaping into a good book, or the recesses of her mind. She realized later in life everyone didn’t have characters telling stories in their heads, or weren’t envisioning magic and mayhem within the everyday. This, and long walks in the beautiful state of Pennsylvania spawned a love of writing.

Since her desire to become a Solid Gold Dancer was thwarted when the show was discontinued, Maureen opted to pursue other paths. Attempting to conquer new endeavors proved fruitful with her first novella, while other attempts, such as challenging a fear of heights with parasailing, were unsuccessful.

Therefore she’s chased other interests, though none-the-less-daring, but closer to the ground, such as belly-dancing, becoming a self-proclaimed tequila connoisseur, fulfilling her role as biker babe to her alpha hubby and surviving motherhood to twins (so far).

Penning stories boasting laughter, light suspense and something magical in the hope of sharing her love of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary world.

Thursday's Tidbits with Nina Croft ~ @Nina_Croft #XOThurTB

Thursday’s Tidbits is about sharing an author sharing an exciting tidbit of information to help other authors.

Today we have Nina Croft talking about When is an Alpha hero is too Alpha…

Callum, the hero of my latest release, Death Defying, gave me a few problems when I was writing the book. And a lot of attitude. I kept trying to tell him to be just a little bit nicer, that people have to love him or they won’t read my book. And he’s like: “You’re mistaking me for someone who gives a…”

It’s not entirely his fault. He was born with a predisposition to arrogance, and it’s not been improved by the fact that for the last four hundred years, Callum has been leader of the known universe. He’s got used to everyone doing what he says, the moment he says it, and not worrying too much what people think about him.

That got me thinking about just how alpha an alpha hero should be. I know this is subjective, and one person’s alpha hero is another’s arrogant asshole, but personally, I like my heroes to be very alpha. Even so, maybe there are a few rules I should know about. Is there some lines that even an alpha hero shouldn’t cross? Just what is it that tips him from loved and lusted after to hated and despised?

Back to Callum—here are a few facts:

• Callum is around a thousand years old, but five hundred of those were spent in Cryo on the journey out from Earth. 
• Back on Earth, he was a hero and heartthrob to thousands. An ace fighter pilot with more kills than anyone else. 
• He’s the most powerful man in the universe and has been since he discovered the secret of immortality five hundred years ago. 
• He’s the oldest of The Collective, the group of telepathic immortals who rule the world. 
• He’s fed up with being in charge—in fact the job sucks big time and he’s bored out of his mind. 
• Recently, Callum sprouted wings. He’s beginning to realize he’s no longer entirely human, and he wants to know what he is. 
• With that in mind, Callum has just employed the crew of El Cazador to help him hunt for the truth. He’s ready for an adventure. 

Which is just as well… 

So yes, I would say Callum is a little on the arrogant side, but luckily, for him, there’s someone on hand to deal with his condition. My heroine, captain Tannis, of the star cruiser, El Cazador, is used to dealing with arrogant assholes. After all, her best friend is Ricardo Sanchez: space pirate and vampire. Tannis is going to knock Callum into shape, hopefully quickly, before the rest of the crew get fed up with their new client and toss him out the airlock without a spacesuit.

Callum thinks he’s going to find out all about being an alien. In fact he’s about to rediscover what it’s like to be human. And it’s going to be a painful process.

So all you alpha lovers out there—what tips you over the edge from love to hate? What are the things that even an alpha hero isn’t allowed to do?

Buy Link: Amazon|Barnes & Noble
Price: Kindle - $0.99 Paperback - $5.39
Genre: Accessible Science Fiction
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC
Release Date: 2/24/14

Excerpt: 

He released his hold on her and stepped back. Tannis pushed her heavy lids open to find Callum watching her, head tilted to one side. His expression was blank; she had no clue what he was thinking. Then he gave a slow smile, and her heart rate picked up. Her legs were shaking, and she locked them. She’d never known her body could feel like that, could react like that.

He remained silent, and she bit her lip. Then coughed, opened her mouth, and closed it again. She had no clue what to say. Tearing her gaze from his, she peered around and realized they were still in the corridor outside her cabin. She’d lost all track of where they were.

If anyone caught her canoodling with their client, she would never live it down. Luckily, the corridor was deserted.

She licked her lips and took a deep breath. “Would you like to come in?” She nodded at her door.

He shook his head. For a moment, she didn’t understand, and then he took another step back as though distancing himself.

“I honestly never meant for anything to happen tonight,” he said.

“You didn’t?”

“I just meant to make sure nothing happened with anyone else.”

Her eyes narrowed, and his lips twitched.

“I was trying to give you some space.” His hand came up to touch his lip and he winced as though at a memory. “I decided you needed time to forgive me, before I tried again.”

“I’ll never forgive you.” That was the goddamned truth, but she wasn’t sure forgiveness was what mattered anymore.

“Well maybe not forgive but at least see past what happened. Then I thought a kiss wouldn’t hurt, and we both got carried away. But I’m guessing this whole sex thing is new to you, and I don’t want you coming back later and claiming I took advantage of your innocence.”

“I am not innocent.”

“No? Maybe not innocent in some things, but I’m guessing that’s the first orgasm you’ve ever had.”

She so didn’t want to be here right now. Her hands fisted at her side as she fought the urge to punch him in the nose.

Been there. Done that.

She was supposed to have moved on. But he was infuriating, and she wasn’t used to holding back. “Look, if you’re not coming in, maybe you’d better piss off. Go practice your Mr. Nice Guy disguise on someone else.”

“I will. If I practice enough maybe it will sink in. Anyway…” He nodded at her door. “When this is over, ask me again.”

Where can your readers find you?

Website

Facebook
Twitter

I grew up in the north of England, and after training as an accountant, I spent four years working as a volunteer in Zambia which left me with a love of the sun and a dislike of 9-5 work. I then spent a number of years mixing travel (whenever possible) with work (whenever necessary) but have now settled down to a life of writing and picking almonds.

I share the farm with my husband, four dogs, three cats, a horse, two goats, a three-legged Vietnamese pot-bellied pig, and a handful of chickens. It’s a perfect place to indulge my two great passions, reading and writing.

I write lots of different things, but mainly paranormal and science-fiction, usually with a strong element of romance.

Thursday's Tidbits with M.S. Kaye ~ @mskosciuszko #XOThurTB

Thursday’s Tidbits is about sharing an author sharing an exciting tidbit of information to help other authors.

Today we have M.S. Kaye to tell us what she did during her research for her latest book.

Writers Google the oddest things. It’s a wonder we’re not all on the government’s watch list. But then…maybe we are.

1.   Chicago (the city, not the musical)

2.   Types of gambling

3.   District attorney’s office

4.   The art of tattooing (Nope, I don’t have one of these.)

5.   1990s Mercedes body style

6.   Standard police sidearm

7.   How bail bonding works

8.   How to spell blowjob(Who’d have thought that was one word?)

9.   Jail booking procedures

10.  How to break a neck

Okay, I’m probably on a watch list somewhere—but it’s worth it to have this much fun writing books.

Buy Link: www.LSBooks.com

Price: $5.99

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Liquid Silver Books

Release Date: 9/2/13

Excerpt:

Things aren’t what they seem. Don’t get involved.

Celisse is too headstrong to listen. Her best friend’s boyfriend is dead, and she does not heed Cullen’s warning, slipped to her in a note as he’s being arrested for the murder.

Cullen tries to keep Celisse out of danger and also tries to avoid her, both unsuccessfully. He can’t deny his feelings for her anymore, but he knows he can’t have her. If she ever discovered the truth about his past, she’d surely hate him.

While struggling with her intense feelings for Cullen, Celisse uses her skills as an ex-prosecutor to investigate, all while continuing to fight for Ogden, the organizer of an underground fight ring. She eventually realizes things are connected—the ring, Ogden, Cullen, the murder, and herself. She races to uncover the truth before she’s arrested or becomes the next victim—or perhaps, the next culprit.

Where can your readers find you?

Website

Facebook

Twitter

M. S. Kaye has won several writing awards and has been published in literary journals. She is a 4^th-degree black belt and certified instructor of Songahm Taekwondo. A transplant from Ohio, she resides in Jacksonville, FL with her husband, Corey, where she does her best not to melt in the sun.

Wednesday's Writer with M.S. Kaye ~ @mskosciuszko #XOWedWri

Today we have the wonderful M.S. Kaye with us. Please join me in welcoming her to XtraOrdinary Romance.

Tell us about your latest book, including its genre. Does it cross over to other genres? If so, what are they?

Fight Princess is a romantic suspense novel about a high society princess who fights in an underground ring.

What can we expect from you in the future?

Once is under contract with Jupiter Gardens Press. It’s an inspirational women’s novel about a young woman who falls for a man about to enter the priesthood.

How do we find out about you and your books?

http://www.BooksByMSK.com has a page devoted to each book.

Why did you decide to write romance novels?

That’s the genre the stories that pop out of my head fit into.

How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?

Quite a bit, actually. Sometimes I don’t even realize it until my husband points it out. He especially loves all the little inside jokes (In Once the male pov character teases that you can’t trust women whose name ends in Y. He gives several names as an example, including Missy. I HATE to be called Missy.)

When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first manuscript?

I started writing one night when I was watching a writer interview where she was talking about how she’d come up with the idea, and I realized I had an idea, that I’d had it for a while. I grabbed a notebook and started writing, and I haven’t stopped for four and a half years, every day.

Generally, how long does it take you to write a book?

Depends on the length, but a 3-4 months, generally.

Where do you start when writing? Research, plotting, outline, or...?

First, I have to find that one tidbit about the story that will drive me. For Fight Princess, it was the concept of a polished, educated young woman who beats the hell out of people in an underground fight ring. I had only the character, nothing else. Then I built the story around her.

How do you come up with ideas?

I see or think of snapshots of unique people or circumstances and build a story around that.

What are your thoughts on love scenes in romance novels? Do you find them difficult to write?

Sometimes I find it difficult to decide how far to go with them. I generally keep from being too graphic and focus on the sweetness, rather than all the “bits.”

What kind of research do you do?

Google is the most wonderful invention.

What does your husband/wife/significant other think of your writing?

He’s always supportive of everything I do.

Do you ever ask him/her for advice?

When I’m writing a male character, I’ll ask what’s realistic from a man’s perspective.

Do you have a favorite author? Favorite book?

Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre

Who are some of your other favorite authors to read?

John Steinbeck and J. K. Rowling

Are you a member of any author groups - RWA, critique groups, etc.?

Florida Writers’ Association. I also run the FWA Clay County Critique group.

What do you think of critique groups in general?

Love them, as long as the atmosphere is correct—be open, leave your ego at the door, be supportive, and remember it’s all advise (ignore it if you wish).

How many books have you written, how many have been published?

Ten. Two are under contract.

After you've written your book and it's been published, do you ever buy it and/or read it?

I love to read my own books—because I love the stories and characters.

What are the elements of a great romance for you?

A strong woman and a strong man who wants to protect her, even though she doesn’t need to be protected.

Are you in control of your characters or do they control you?

Both.

Have you experienced writer's block? If so, how did you work through it?

I believe writer’s block is a myth. It’s just a combination of exhaustion and lack of passion.

What do you enjoy most about writing?

Writing those moments that make your heart race, make you cry, or make you go “holy sh**!”

If you weren't writing, what would you be doing?

Something much more boring.

Are there any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?

Write for yourself, not everyone else. If you’re passionate about the story, your readers will be as well.

A biography has been written about you. What do you think the title would be in six words or less?

Many Tales from Few Travels

If you came with a warning label, what would it say?

I’m quite until you get to know me. Then I say the craziest, most random sh**.

What is your secret guilty pleasure?

If I tell you, it won’t be a secret anymore.

If you were stranded on a tropical island, who would it be with? You can choose any living, deceased or mythical figure.

My husband.

Can you describe the funniest thing that ever happened to you?

Too many to choose from—I taught kids for almost 15 years.

Tell us about the scariest thing that ever happened to you.

I had to tell my husband that his father had died in a car accident.

If you were on a reality show, what one would it be?

I’m too much of a control freak to be on a reality show.

What question would you love to answer that I didn't ask?

You asked a lot of questions—I can’t think of any more. :)

Leather or lace? lace

Black or red? black

Satin sheets or Egyptian cotton? cotton

Ocean or mountains? either

City life or country life? either

Hunky heroes or average Joe? Hunky Joe

Party life or quiet dinner for two? quiet

Dogs or cats? cats

Dessert ~ cheesecake

City ~ Koln, Germany

Season ~ winter

Type of hero ~ hunky Joe

Type of heroine ~ kick-ass sweetheart

Buy Link: www.LSBooks.com

Price: $5.99

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Liquid Silver Books

Release Date: 9/2/13

Excerpt:

Things aren’t what they seem. Don’t get involved.

Celisse is too headstrong to listen. Her best friend’s boyfriend is dead, and she does not heed Cullen’s warning, slipped to her in a note as he’s being arrested for the murder.

Cullen tries to keep Celisse out of danger and also tries to avoid her, both unsuccessfully. He can’t deny his feelings for her anymore, but he knows he can’t have her. If she ever discovered the truth about his past, she’d surely hate him.

While struggling with her intense feelings for Cullen, Celisse uses her skills as an ex-prosecutor to investigate, all while continuing to fight for Ogden, the organizer of an underground fight ring. She eventually realizes things are connected—the ring, Ogden, Cullen, the murder, and herself. She races to uncover the truth before she’s arrested or becomes the next victim—or perhaps, the next culprit.

Where can your readers find you?

Website

Facebook

Twitter

M. S. Kaye has won several writing awards and has been published in literary journals. She is a 4^th-degree black belt and certified instructor of Songahm Taekwondo. A transplant from Ohio, she resides in Jacksonville, FL with her husband, Corey, where she does her best not to melt in the sun.