Author Spotlight: Arianna Skye

I am extremely pleased to welcome author, Arianna Skye to A Whole Latte Romance today. Her interview is a great one, and as you'll see below, we have some prizes to give away to some lucky commenters. Thanks to everyone for stopping by and without further ado...I give you Arianna Skye.


 Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m not nearly as exciting as my books. LOL. I’m a single woman in my mid-thirties who obviously enjoys writing, as                                                                                                                                                                           well as arts and crafts. I love more than the written word when it comes to creating. I also have a bit of a geeky side too when it comes to computers and technology.

What do you do when you are not writing?

Daydreaming about what I should be writing? To be honest, I enjoy playing video games.  We recently got a Wii. It can be a great stress reliever when things get a little sticky.

Do you have a day job as well?

Currently I am between jobs. The economy kind of sucks right now, but I’m remaining optimistic.       

When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?

My first book? It was a whole 20 page masterpiece about the woes of peer pressure. Quite a feat for a ten year old.

 How did you choose the genre you write in?

I’m not quite sure I chose it. I think it chose me. My first attempt was historical romance (still one of my favorites to read) but fantasy sort of called out to me. I always try to incorporate some form of history into my books though.

 Where do you get your ideas?

Anywhere and everywhere. Dreams, sitting in line at Taco Bell, watching people at the mall. Inspiration has no boundaries.

Do you ever experience writer’s block?

I plead the fifth. Haha. In times of stress, my thoughts and words can sometime get stuck. The best thing to do is just write. I’m not sure where I heard this, but it really hit home. Dreck is better than a blank page, because it can be edited.

Do you work with an outline, or just write?

It varies from project to project. I see myself as a plotting pantser. I start out with a general story idea and let my characters do the walking. They may go off course every so often, but they always end up at “the end.”

Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

I would have to say Johanna Lindsey and Kathleen Woodiwiss really inspired me to explore the possibility of writing romance. Historical romance also helped me explore my love of history.

Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?

Wings of Desire, now being re-released, was my first published novel. Not many publishers were interested in fantasy erotic romance. And the word count—111K was way too long. Most publishers want your book between 80-90K, so options were really limited. 

If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you would change?

To be honest, it was a learning experience. And we grow from our mistakes and bumps in the road. So, in that aspect, I don’t think I would have changed anything.

 How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for your genre?

I tweet, use facebook, and have bought ad space on sites like Manic Readers. I also have made some Romance Trading Cards, which seem to be quite popular with some readers. The best ways I’ve marketed—which is also pretty darn fun—are book signings and reader and author get-togethers. Nothing better than meeting readers face to face.

Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published?

That would probably be my Regency-set historical, A Most Unlikely Match. It’s half-finished and moldering under my bed. Not because it’s bad, but my writing has ventured off in another direction.

Can you tell us about your upcoming book?

My current release is Wings of Desire. It’s a fantasy erotic romance set near Beltane. There’s a lot of Celtic lore in the story.

Here’s a short blurb:

Rhiannon Kinsley's ready to call the men in white coats when an intriguingly sexy man appears and insists she's a faerie princess. Cerne Silverwing has a duty to save his kingdom. He needs Rhiannon to be his consort and help defeat the Dark Faerie Queen. Will these two discover that their true destiny lies together?

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

The idea for the story is based on a  real life what if moment. Ages ago, I used to spend an ungodly amount of time in computer chat rooms. Told you I was a computer nerd, eh? I took a look at the names of people who logged in. Ares, Aphrodite, Osiris, Morrigan, and tons of other godly names. My name, included. It was storming one night, and I wondered what if someone’s computer got struck by lightning? What if someone from ancient  times was trying to summon that particular god, but instead summoned the person in the chat room instead? I clearly have an overactive imagination. I then turned the computer off and went to bed. I didn’t want to get electrocuted after all.

Ten years later, I decided I wanted to write an erotic romance. My muse, ever so helpful friend reminded me of my brainstorm. I realized it wasn’t a “god” at the computer, but a faerie. And she wasn’t just any faerie, she was a missing faerie princess. And that’s how Wings of Desire was born.

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

Every chapter is important to the book, so I can’t play favorites.

Chapter 7 is the most interesting chapter. Dueling Butterflies anyone?

How did you come up with the title?

Part of the plot involves them gaining their wings when they join as one. And the Desire, part… it sort of just fit.

What project are you working on now?

I am working on Sidney Ayer’s Demons Unleashed series right now. I’m putting the finishing touches on Kalli’s story.

 Will you have a new book coming out soon?

A Demon To Die For (Demons Unleashed 3) comes out in February 2013. I may have some short stories in between though.

Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?

I’ve got a kick ass idea for a regency set fantasy series I’d like to get into.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

I was once told in a contest by a judge to “use my burgeoning voice on a plot we can relate to.” Kind of like a backhanded compliment. But that book sold, so obviously someone related to my plot.

The best compliment? “I love your books! I can’t wait to read the next one!” How can you top that?

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

Don’t give up. Keep writing. You’re writing skill develops with every word you write-whether you’ve only written one page or one-hundred books.

 Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?

I love hearing from you all. You can contact me through both  my websites at www.ariannaskye.com and www.sidneyayers.com.

       Also, I’m in a generous mood today. 3 lucky commenters will win a free pdf copy of Wings of Desire. 1 lucky person will win a $20 gift card to Amazon!

Have you ever gone out in public with your shirt on backwards, or your slippers on, and when realizing it, just said screw it?

I have put my shirt on backwards before, but I snuck into the restroom and quickly adjusted myself. What can I say, I’m paranoid like that.

Do you prefer fuzzy or tube socks?

I  don’t have a preference, just that they don’t have holes.

Are you a person who makes their bed in the morning, or do you not see much point?

Why make a bed if all you’re going to do is climb back into it later anyway?

 Be honest, how often do you wash your hair?

Every other day.

Do you get road rage? What pisses you off the most about other drivers?

I will admit I’ve flashed the bird a few times in my life. My pet peeve is people who drive below the minimum speed limit on the expressway. Hello, what part of express do you not understand?

Do you go out of your way to kill bugs? Are there any that make you screech and hide?

It depends on what kind of bug. If it’s an annoying fly that just won’t leave me alone or a spider that just decided to drop in for a visit, then I will swat it. If it’s a grasshopper or a lady bug, I will usually let it live. I’m deathly afraid of bees, hornets and wasps. I’ve done my fair share of screaming when dealing with them.

 Have you ever secretly wished you were a character in a book? If so, which character did you wish you were and why?

Who hasn’t ever wished they were Scarlett O’Hara? She’s a strong character who overcame a lot. You can see her mature as the story progresses. I always wanted to run after Rhett and give them their happily ever after. 

Thanks again Arianna for being here today. It was a pleasure having you and I wish you all the best in your writing career.

All My Best,

Kayla

Review: The Price of Innocence by Susan Sizemore

Publisher: TKA Distribution
Imprint: None
Publication Date: December 12, 2011
ISBN: 9781937776091
Genre: Historical Romance
Received via NetGalley


The Blurb:


Sherrie Hamilton is a woman with a scandalous secret past. When she travels to London for a Season of helping to launch her cousins on the marriage mart, she runs into her past. Literally. In the one place she never expected to find a pirate, she encounters the sensuous rogue who kept her as his lover years before.

Jack PenMartyn, Earl of PenMartyn, seeks to put his wicked past raiding the China Sea behind him. One thing he can't forget is the young woman whose pure innocence he stole; the woman who is the mother of the child he never knew he had.

He knows that with one false word, Sherrie will expose the secrets of his past. But does he dare to hope that she will give in to the temptation of their reckless passion for a future together?


My Take:


I have mixed feelings as I write this review. I'm not sure what I think about it or the characters. It's a mixture of feelings I guess. On the one hand I couldn't stop turning the pages, Ms. Sizemore definitely had me captivated, on the other hand the hero is constantly man-handling the heroine. There's, what appears to be to be forced seduction of the sort that yes she enjoys it but she says "no" and tries to stop him and then there's the revelation at the end that even though the hero, Jack has been beating himself up because of his repeated raping of Sherrie when she was his concubine nine years ago and the one time he raped her in present day, that Sherrie did not believe she had been raped at all and that Jack is mistaken. Rather, all her resisting was foreplay. I'm not sure if I believe that it's true and that Sherrie really believes this or if I believe Sherrie is clearly confused about what defines rape etc. 


I'm mostly confused because it both bothers me and doesn't bother me. I have a feeling a lot of people will not like this story and hate the hero and at times I did too. I particularly didn't like how toward the beginning of the book he called Sherrie a bitch (not to her face and more as internalization) but I feel it uncalled for, regardless of whether he was jealous or not. 


To me, as long as you get past it, you get to see Jack's good qualities particularly with the daughter he never knew he had. You can see his immediate love and caring for the girl and he has these moments when you clearly can tell he loves Sherrie and things do make a little more sense once he reveals some truths toward the end of the novel. Like I said, my mind keeps flip flopping on my feeling for this book. I really liked it and I would read it again, but a lot of it made me mad. Not sure what that says about me :-/ 


All I can say is that clearly, the pair have a very complicated relationship and that while they love each other, I'm not sure that it's a healthy relationship. At least not through most of the book. The ending seemed to clean some things up so that they were able to get a past a lot of their history that was hurting each other and ultimately I did find myself rooting for the couple to make it and so that they could have their little family and make it a bigger family and I adored their daughter and loved that he hardly even questioned whether the child was his when he found out. He just accepted it and started playing the role of father as though he was meant to all along which for me was a big redeeming quality for him. Also, his need to protect Sherri and Minnie redeemed him quite a bit. There were also a lot of small "sweet" moments, mainly of dialogue, toward the end that I very much enjoyed.


I did feel the whole suspense portion of the story with Lord Summer's fell a little flat to me. It could have been amped up to be more action oriented, but I did like how he was ultimately dealt with. 


I guess, even though the book made me mad in parts, it did keep me reading and I did enjoy it and found myself rooting for the couple and I would honestly read the story again so confused on my feelings or not, I think that basically says it all. I just want to warn some readers that they may not be as forgiving on the forced seduction as I was.


My Rating: 3 Lattes 





All My Best,


Kayla

Review: Enraptured by Elisabeth Naughton

Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date: April 1, 2012
ISBN:9781402262128
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Received via NetGalley
Book 4 of the Eternal Guardians Series


The Blurb:


Orpheus may have joined the elite protectors known as Eternal Guardians, but they’ve never trusted whose side he’s really on. And the half-daemon couldn’t care less. Orpheus has only one goal: rescue his brother from the Underworld. He’s not expecting a woman to get in the way, especially not one sent by Zeus to seduce, entrap, and then ultimately destroy him. A woman who will dredge up a past he doesn’t remember, a love that once condemned him, and a dark and deadly secret as old as the Eternal Guardians themselves.


My Take:


I'll admit that while this story intrigued me, I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it when it came time to read it. What I mean by this is, I'm a big fan of Gena Showalters Lords of the Underworld series and being that this series of Ms. Naughton's also deals with Greek Gods, etc. I thought perhaps it would pale in comparison. I was wrong.


This is the fourth book in the series and I found that for the most part it stood alone very well since I personally haven't read the first three in the series. The storyline, though it deals with Greek Mythology, is nothing like the LOTU series by Gena Showalter.


Orpheus is trying to find an orb that will allow him to save his brothers life since Orpheus feels its his fault that his younger sibling lost his life to begin with. On this journey to find the orb, he is followed by Skyla, a siren, who was meant to find the orb and deliver it to her boss Zeus and not let it get into Orpheus' hands. However, in a twist she didn't expect, Orpheus happens to be the reincarnated version of the man she once loved and who's death she feels responsible for. She keeps this from him however. Orpheus isn't sure what's going on, only that he has an intense and unexplainable attraction to Skyla that irritates the hell out of him especially since he knows that she's only with him to take the orb from him once it's found.


There is not one but three Gods after them now trying to get the orb from them as possession of it will make the holder all-powerful so they team up together and Skyla realizes that she can't complete her mission because of her love for Orpheus.


There wasn't really ever a slow moment in this story, it was fast paced and fun and exciting. A tortured hero, a strong as hell heroine and a whole lotta evil ass to kick with extra spicy love scenes. I very much enjoyed the read. Except for a few things...


The use of the word déjà vu due to the hero and heroines past became annoying. I don't mind the whole reincarnated thing and I don't mind the sense of deja vu other that the fact that the term itself was used so often it became annoying to be. 


Also, while I enjoyed he glimpses into their last life together, at times it pulled me from the story and what was happening right that moment for them. 


Finally, SPOILER ALERT I love that they end up together but I've personally never been a fan of second chance at life type endings of this sort. The heroine died and got to choose between going to "heaven" or returning back to her life. Guess what she chose? Don't get me wrong, it wasn't that it wasn't executed wells much as its me not liking that particular type of ending... I feel it's an easy way to rescue things. Let's kill the heroine, but it's okay because I'll just bring her back from the dead so they can have their happily ever after... That's just me though.


Overall I really enjoyed it and I look forward to more of Ms. Naughton's work.


My rating: 3.5/5 Lattes





All My Best,


Kayla

Tundra 37 (A New Dawn Book #2) by Aubrie Dionne

Published By: Entangled Publishing, LLC
Publication Date: February 2012 (available now)
Genre: Sci-Fi Romance
ISBN: 978-1-937044-49-7
Received From: Entangled Publishing, LLC via NetGalley


The Blurb:


Gemme is a hi-tech matchmaker who pairs the next generation of Lifers aboard The Expedition, a deep space transport vessel destined for Paradise 18. When the identity of her lifemate pops up on her screen, she’s shocked that he’s the achingly gorgeous and highly sought after Lieutenant Miles Brentwood—a man oblivious to her existence. Believing everyone will think she contrived the match, she erases it from the computer’s memory.

Just as comets pummel the ship and destroy the pairing system forever.

With The Expedition disabled, the colonists must crash land on the barren ice world of Tundra 37 where Gemme is reassigned to an exploratory mission, led by Lieutenant Brentwood. Only in the frozen tundra does she understand the shape of his heart and why the computer has entwined their destinies.


My Take:


I had the opportunity to read this novel thank to NetGalley. I very much enjoyed it, but while there were parts I did like, there were also parts I didn't. However, the author has intrigued me enough that not only do I want to read the first book in this series, but I also can't wait to read book three in the series.


Aubrie Dionne does a great job with her world-building, creating a science fiction novel that is easily believable is hard work and I found myself really feeling as though this place could exist. Taking place far in the future (and I mean far as in the 2700's) the population of the human species has lived aboard a space shuttle of sorts (think Xenon, Girl of the 21st Century) for centuries as they leave behind the destruction of Earth and attempt to make their way to a new planet Paradise 18. And while most of the people on this very large ship The Expedition won't live to see this planet because of the fact that it takes centuries to get there, they set off in hope of a better future for their offsprings offspring. On the way to Paradise 18, The Expedition is hit by a comet shower and the ship is forced to land on the first available planet capable of occupying life, unfortunately, said planet is currently experiencing an ice age, but with no choice they land and now a team must gather together in search of the proper supplies in this unknown world to keep the ship and it's inhabitant alive so that they can start building a future on this planet. Tundra 37.


Enter Gemme, she was The Expedition's matchmaker, attempting to pair mates together to create the best offspring possible, until she finds her own name matched to the one man she thought she'd only ever be able to dream about being matched to. Afraid that the entire ship will think that she altered the computer system so that she was paired with the ships most eligible bachelor, she deletes the matching and not minutes later, her entire computer system is destroyed in the shower. Without a job, she is placed on a research and exploration team to hunt down minerals that are needed to keep everyone alive on the crashed ship. On his trip she is paired with none other than Lieutenant Brentwood, the very person who she was to be paired with according to the matchmaking system.


Lieutenant Brentwood has never met Gemme before the comet shower but he instantly knows that she is the person he is meant to be with at all costs. However, Gemme's arch rival wants Miles Brentwood for himself and she's also one of the four members of the exploration team. Drama ensues.


What did I like about this story? A lot of things really. The world building was great, and I particularly liked that the story had several different story lines in it concerning other members of the ship and their own personal journey during the crash and subsequent landing. The pacing was great, though at times I did find the constant back and forth of story lines was annoying as I kept wanting Gemme and Miles to have more screen time so to speak, but regardless, the story had me turning the pages.


What problems did I have? I feel that due to the other story lines, the romance between Miles and Gemme was more a secondary plot, than the main focus of the story and also I feel that said romance was a little rushed. I know and love stories of destined lovers, but these two didn't know each other, there was more romance between them when they were recalling their past lives and dreams and I feel the I Love You's came too fast for the development of the relationship. Also, I tend to like my stories on the steamier side, though this is more a personal preference and didn't reflect negatively on the story overall, I just would have preferred to see more than a few kisses etc. and would have liked the sexual tension to be amped up more.


The story end with enough closure that I feel it worked, but it left enough open regarding the future of this group of people to invite the next book in the series so I can't wait for it to come out so I can see what happens.


Even though this is book 2 in the series, the story stood on it own perfectly well and I had no issues following it. I very much enjoyed the story despite my feeling of the romance storyline taking a backseat to the others stories within.


My Rating: 3.5/5 Lattes (*Note: this lower rating is not entirely based on the story itself but rather the fact that this is a romance review site and that the story, while sold as a romance between Gemme and Miles, wasn't enough of a romance in my opinion. If I base my rating on the story being strictly a science fiction with romantic elements then I would likely give this story 4/5 lattes instead.)






All My Best,


Kayla

Review: The Devil of Jedburgh by Claire Robyns

Publisher: Carina Press
Published: February 6, 2012
ISBN: 9781426893162
Genre: Historical Romance

May I just say that I loved this novel. I didn't feel disappointed at any point during it. Claire Robyns' weaves a tale that has you unable to put the book down from the start. She's created vivid and lively characters that complement each other well.

The Blurb:


Raised on rumours of The Devil of Jedburgh, Breghan McAllen doesn't want an arranged marriage to the beast. The arrogant border laird is not the romantic, sophisticated husband Breghan dreams of, despite the heat he stirs within her.


In need of an heir, Arran has finally agreed to take a wife, but when he sees Breghan's fragile beauty, he's furious. He will not risk the life of another maiden by getting her with child. Lust prompts him to offer a compromise: necessary precautions, and handfasting for a year and a day, after which Breghan will be free. For a chance to control her own future, Breghan makes a deal with the Devil.


Passion quickly turns to love, but Arran still has no intention of keeping the lass, or making her a mother. He loves her too much to lose her. But when a treasonous plot threatens queen and country, Breghan has to prove only she is woman enough to stand by his side.


My Take:


Breghan, right from the beginning you can tell she's independent and full of life and imagination and even when confronted with her biggest fear, being married to the Devil of Jedburgh (just one of many names her betrothed has all referring to how evil he is), she takes him on only to find that though he can be infuriating, he really isn't evil and is in fact just what she's been looking for her.

Arran, what can I say about him, he's sexy and kind and authoritative and totally alpha without being too overbearing. You can truly feel his emotions and love for Bree and see his mind and heart tearing him in two different directions as he realizes that because he doesn't want to hurt her or see her killed, he can't bear to be apart from her either.

Both are afraid to fall for each other, knowing that eventually they'll have to part ways and I enjoyed the experience of watching these two grow both individually and as a couple.

This story kept you turning the pages and I don't believe I found a dull moment in it at all. If I did, then all the great parts far outweighed the dull parts so much so that they've left my mind. The author has a gift with words and the perfect voice for a historical romance. Normally, I have a hard time reading historical's that take place in Scotland due to the fact that some authors go a little heavy on the accents of their characters to the point of distraction. Ms. Robyns did not. She weaved just enough of their accents in so that you could hear the voices in you head and still enjoy the story.

The brief side stories of Bree's ladies maids finding their own romances were cute and charming and did not take away from the main storyline at all. I, for one, cannot wait for another story by Ms. Robyns.

My Rating: 4/5 Lattes




All My Best,

Kayla

Review: Love's Prophecy by Brenda Dyer

Publication Date: January 21, 2012
Publisher: Self
ISBN: B00702YWFO
Genre: Paranormal Romance

The Blurb:

Dark warriors of might...

Mel is a vampire warrior sworn to hunt and kill demons in the dark streets of Vancouver. But he's burdened with a new assignment: find the meaning behind the Vampire Prophecy. Having no faith in the gods and their empty words, he believes there's no truth to the ancient legend until he meets Breeana, a human woman who bears the mark of the prophecy and resembles the mysterious woman haunting his dreams. When a vengeful demon spies Breeana in his arms, she is marked for death. He must take her from the world she knows until he can eliminate the threat. But the real danger is the role Breeana must play in fulfilling the prophecy and the intense feelings she brings out in him. Mel is forced to choose between his obligations to his kind, the world, and the woman he loves. Does he have the courage to let the one woman who could heal his wounded heart and soul go, or will he risk her life and bind her to him for all eternity?

Small warriors of light...

Veterinarian, Dr. Breeana Spencer yearns for love and companionship, but the disappointment of failed relationships has left her bitter. She now finds solace in romance novels. But when she meets a mysterious stranger, she's drawn to him by a connection so forceful it shatters all reason, leaving her incapable of resisting him. Yet there's more to him than smoldering good looks and a rock-hard body. As she's drawn deeper into his danger-filled world, she learns she's part of an ancient vampire legend. Breeana fears her future is no longer hers and will not include Mel. As their enemies close in, desperate to destroy them both, she must fight to convince Mel her place is at his side. A  life-altering choice is before her—one that will take all her courage and love to make. 

My Take:

Brenda Dyer writes with a fresh voice and an interesting and original take on vampires as we know them, which is extremely hard to do with so many vampire novels out there for sale nowadays. The pacing in this story will keep you turning each page and the sexual chemistry between Breeana and Mel is hot hot hot. 

Mel has a very sad and painful past that only adds to his overall character arc and you can really see him grow as a "person" throughout the story. Breeana was his anchor, she's strong, accepting, kind, and she loves to have fun and mess around.

There is a lot of action in the beginning and end of the story right down to the final battle which I loved, however toward the middle of the story the action died down a bit and I wish there had been more to it than just Mel and Breeana's relationship (even though that in itself is great) Their relationship did keep me turning the pages but I just wished there was more action leading up to the final battle even if it meant going into the POV of another character. Also at times, while the playfulness between Mel and Breeana was cute, it did feel a little overboard and bordered on a little too lovey-dovey and sometimes felt out of place such as in an emotional scene.

Overall though I don't feel that those couple complaints in the paragraph above don't outweigh the many attributes of the story. The relationships between Kal and Mel as "roommates" is great and fun, you can tell they're really friends and even "brothers." I love that Breeana won't take no as an answer from Mel, she refuses to be a pushover which is great because it doesn't let Mel's "alphaness" get too out of hand and I find that I can't wait to read the next installment when it's available. Brenda Dyer is definitely an author to watch out for and I look forward to reading more of her work. 

Also I want to make a note that this book is self-published and wanted to applaud the author as aside from a few typos (honestly less than I see from many big-named publishers) I didn't feel as though I were reading something self-published. The formatting was great, the flow was great and the whole story was very professionally done, which having seen many self-published disasters, was very refreshing. Bravo to you Brenda Dyer.

My Rating:

4/5 Lattes

All My Best,

Kayla