Author Kendra Leigh Castle Visits

It’s my pleasure to welcome author Kendra Leigh Castle to Thoughts in Progress today. Kendra has recently released the fourth installment in her Dark Dynasties series, Immortal Craving.

Kendra had been scheduled to visit in February but due to unforeseeable circumstances was unable to. I’m delighted that she stopped by today and has answered some questions about her series and her writing. 

Thanks to Kendra and Jennifer at Forever, I have 2 copies of Immortal Craving to giveaway. Please see the end of the post for the giveaway guidelines. Here’s a synopsis of Immortal Craving:
    Wild, uncontrollable, and powerful, the lion-shifting Rakshasa were hunted down by vicious rival vampires who feared their dark, magical abilities. Somehow one survived, and now, after centuries of hiding, Tasmin Singh reemerges as fierce and fearless as ever at the door of the Lilim queen, seeking answers . . . and sanctuary.
    The human best friend to a vampire queen, Bay Harper traded her quiet, comfortable life for a world filled with immortal assassins, warring werewolves . . . and this hauntingly sexy shifter. Only Bay's gentle touch can subdue Tasmin's inner demons, even as he brings out a passion and sensuality she never imagined she could feel.
    But when a bloody struggle threatens to tear them apart, can Bay risk everything on her faith in him-or will his dark side be stronger than even their all-consuming desire?

If you’re new to this wickedly sexy paranormal series, here’s a brief description of it before Kendra answers questions.

The Dark Dynasties ….. Blood is power. Desire is destiny.
    Welcome to the world of night, where an entire civilization lives and breathes just out of sight of our own. For thousands of years, the great vampire dynasties have ruled the lesser bloodlines with an iron fist, taking what they want, when they want it, and feuding amongst themselves over petty intrigues and imagined slights.  In the roving vampire courts of the powerful, your mark, a physical manifestation of the bloodline you were sired into, is your destiny. Lowblood or highblood, nothing can change a vampire’s place in this arcane society. But change is coming to those who have dominion over the dark….and as new dynasties rise and ancient powers fall, only one thing is certain: nothing will ever be the same again.

The other books in the series include: Dark Awakening (July 2011), Midnight Reckoning (Jan 2012), and Shadow Rising (Aug 2012).

Mason - What was the very first book you remember reading and loving? What made it so special?

Kendra:
The first book I remember reading on my own and loving was the enormous collection of Disney stories. I still have it, though it's pretty beat. I was three, and completely thrilled that I could read it myself. Fantasy, fairy tales, talking animals...it was all right up my alley. Some things don't change! The first romance I remember reading and loving was A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux. This was during the time travel romance heyday back in the 80s, and the whole concept just really captured my imagination. That was my "gateway book," I guess you could call it. I was hooked.

Mason - How did you come to write paranormal romance?

Kendra:
I never really considered writing anything else, honestly. I've always loved magic and fairy tales, and as I got older, vampires and werewolves and various sorts of hot men who go bump in the night. I write what I love!

Mason - Of your books, do you have a favorite or at least a favorite character and why?

Kendra:
Oh, I can't pick a favorite book...they're all different, and I love them all in different ways. It's the same with characters, though some are more fun to write than others. Damien Tremaine, the hero of Shadow Rising, is definitely dear to my heart! His dialogue still makes me laugh, and considering how many times I have to go through a book before publication, that's quite a feat. But I love a mouthy rogue who's only barely redeemable, and he is certainly that. Lyra was probably the heroine I had the most fun writing of the series...she also made me laugh a lot, and I love how confident she is. And mouthy. I think there's a theme here...

Mason - What inspired you to write the Dark Dynasties series?

Kendra:
That was really a combination of a specific request and inspiration! I had an editor (oddly enough, not the one who bought the series) ask if I would try my hand at a vampire romance. I only wanted to do it if I could come up with a unique angle, which is difficult considering how many vampire books are out there. But I kept thinking that a vampire society should be some sort of cross between medieval aristocracy and, say, the mob. With tattoos. It all really gelled, though, when I was pretending I might actually work out one night and instead ended up watching a History Channel documentary on Cleopatra's doomed sister, Arsinöe. I thought, "What if she wasn't actually killed? What if a god or goddess stepped in at the last minute and made her a vampire instead, and she ruled a...a DYNASTY?" That's how the Dark Dynasties were born.

Mason - Have you ever had anything strange or unusual occur at a book signing, author’s event or such?

Kendra:
The only unusual thing that happens at those is that I get dressed up, unfortunately! My lack of sweat pants is bizarre, but not all that interesting.

Mason - What can readers look forward to next from you?

Kendra:
Plenty, I'm happy to say! I have another Harlequin Nocturne coming out March 5th, The Wolf's Surrender. It's a standalone werewolf book, and was a lot of fun to write. Then in April, The Demon's Song comes out from Entangled. It's the first in my Hearts of the Fallen series, and spins off of a book I wrote a couple of years ago that came out through Harlequin, Renegade Angel. It's a series about a bunch of snarky, sexy fallen angels. This is the stuff I live for! There will probably be six books in that series...the second one will come out this summer. I'd also like to finish off the Dark Dynasties series with one more book, and hope to get that done this year. So I have a lot on my plate, which is just how I like it.  

Kendra, thanks for stopping by and answering these questions for me. I especially like the way the Dark Dynasties series came about. ‘What ifs’ can turn into some amazing results.

Kendra was born and raised in the far and frozen reaches of Northern New York, where there was plenty of time to cultivate her love of reading thanks to the six-month-long winters. Sneaking off with selections from her mother’s vast collection of romance novels came naturally and fairly early, and a lifelong love of the Happily Ever After was born. After graduating from SUNY Oswego (where it also snowed a lot) with a teaching degree, Kendra ran off with a handsome young Navy fighter pilot and has somehow accumulated three children, three dogs, and one enormous cat during their many moves.

While stationed in a remote corner of the Nevada desert, Kendra penned her first romance, and a career often spent working in fuzzy slippers and pajamas was born. Her work has garnered both critical praise and award nominations, but the best part has been connecting with readers who share her love of dark romance (not to mention heroes with sharp, pointed teeth). 

Kendra currently lives in Maryland, and can usually be found curled up with her laptop and yet another cup of coffee working on her next book. She loves to hear from her readers, and can be contacted via email or her Facebook page. For more on Kendra and her writing, visit her website.

Now for the giveaway guidelines. To enter, send me an e-mail (mcbookshelf@gmail.com) with the subject line, “Win Immortal Craving.” Your message should include your name and mailing address. The contest is open to residents of the U.S. only and no post office box addresses can be accepted. And, just so you know, I don’t share this information with anyone other than the publisher nor use it for any other purpose. The deadline to enter this giveaway for a chance to win 1 of 2 copies of Immortal Craving is 8 p.m. (EST) on Saturday, March 23.

Thanks so much for visiting today. Do you remember the first book you read and fell in love with? Was it a paranormal, romance, mystery or combination of several genres?

Kendra Leigh Castle's Dark Dynasties Series Continues

If you’re a fan of romantic paranormal books, then I’m sure you’re familiar with author Kendra Leigh Castle’s Dark Dynasties series. If you’re not familiar, then let me introduce you to this intriguing series and this delightful author’s latest book.

The fourth installment in the wickedly sexy paranormal series, Immortal Craving, was recently released. 

    Wild, uncontrollable, and powerful, the lion-shifting Rakshasa were hunted down by vicious rival vampires who feared their dark, magical abilities. Somehow one survived, and now, after centuries of hiding, Tasmin Singh reemerges as fierce and fearless as ever at the door of the Lilim queen, seeking answers . . . and sanctuary.
    The human best friend to a vampire queen, Bay Harper traded her quiet, comfortable life for a world filled with immortal assassins, warring werewolves . . . and this hauntingly sexy shifter. Only Bay's gentle touch can subdue Tasmin's inner demons, even as he brings out a passion and sensuality she never imagined she could feel.
    But when a bloody struggle threatens to tear them apart, can Bay risk everything on her faith in him-or will his dark side be stronger than even their all-consuming desire? 
 
If you’re new to the series, here’s a quick look at what it’s all about: 

The Dark Dynasties - Blood is power.  Desire is destiny.

    Welcome to the world of night, where an entire civilization lives and breathes just out of sight of our own. For thousands of years, the great vampire dynasties have ruled the lesser bloodlines with an iron fist, taking what they want, when they want it, and feuding amongst themselves over petty intrigues and imagined slights. 
    In the roving vampire courts of the powerful, your mark, a physical manifestation of the bloodline you were sired into, is your destiny. Lowblood or highblood, nothing can change a vampire’s place in this arcane society. 
    But change is coming to those who have dominion over the dark….and as new dynasties rise and ancient powers fall, only one thing is certain: nothing will ever be the same again.

The other books in the series include: Dark Awakening (July 2011), Midnight Reckoning (Jan. 2012), and Shadow Rising (Aug. 2012).

If I’ve peaked your interest in this tantalizing series, be sure to drop back by next Wednesday, the 27th. Author Kendra Leigh Castle is scheduled to join us for more fun. You can learn more about the new book, her series and her writing.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. In the paranormal genre, do you have a favorite category (for lack of a better word) you like to follow such as vampires, werewolves, witches, etc.

Forever’s Paranormal Blog Tour And Giveaway

I’m delighted to be a part of Forever’s Paranormal Blog Tour featuring authors Kendra Leigh Castle and Kristen Callihan.

Kendra Leigh Castle is the paranormal romance author of: CALL OF THE HIGHLAND MOON (Sourcebooks, May/2008), DARK HIGHLAND FIRE (Sourcebooks, October/2008), WILD HIGHLAND MAGIC (Sourcebooks, May/2009), and in 2011 she made her Forever debut with DARK AWAKENING. Her current release is MIDNIGHT RECKONING.

Forever Romance introduces debut author Kristen Callihan and the upcoming release of her dark, atmospheric paranormal romance, FIRELIGHT.

Thanks to both ladies and the good folks at Grand Central Publishing, I have 3 sets of books (one MIDNIGHT RECKONING and one FIRELIGHT) to giveaway. Please see the end of the post for the guidelines. 

 
Kendra and Kristen have answered a few questions about their writing.

Mason - What kind of research did you do for the book?

 

Kendra - Fortunately, there wasn’t much research to do for MIDNIGHT RECKONING. I had to do a fair amount for the first book, DARK AWAKENING, because I was building the world, so it was nice to have it already established this time around…I could just jump in! That’s the lovely thing about writing fictional creatures. I get to invent a lot of details. 

Kristen - All sorts. Some mundane (yet fascinating to me), such as researching Victorian London and its culture, finding maps of The British Museum, to many hours looking up types of carriages, Victorian slang, and proper forms of address for peers. And then there were some subjects that had me wondering what an outsider would think if they happened to see my Google searches. Those would be lovely topics such as: what is the best type of knife to slice open a human throat, how to stitch up a knife wound, 19th using century medicine, demons, immortality curses, and pyrokinetics. Erm, those were also a bit more fun to write.  

Mason - What was the best/worst thing about writing?

 

Kendra - The best and worst things about writing this book were the same as they are for all of my books. Worst thing: By the time I was finished, I had been through a lot of late nights and several bouts of writer’s block, and I was exhausted. I spent a week fairly zombie-fied before I felt normal again. Best thing: Holding the completed story in my hands, thumbing through the pages, and falling in love with the characters I’d created all over again. 

Kristen - The absolute best thing about writing is getting sucked into a world of your own creation. When you’re really writing, it’s a natural high, much akin to that giddy, heady feeling of falling in love. It’s what brings me back every time. The worst for me is revisions. This is when everything feels like it’s falling apart, the plot makes no sense, your editor and/or agent is telling you all the things that don’t work, and the characters are sitting there staring at you as if to say, “hurry up and figure it all out, will you?” But getting it right during revisions has its own sort of thrill, so it really isn’t too terrible. 

 

Mason - How would you encourage someone who’s never read your genre to give it a try?

 

Kendra - I usually just tell people that the stories I write, at their heart, are fairy tales for grown-ups. If they’ve ever loved a fairy tale, then it would be well worth it for them to try a paranormal romance.

 

Kristen - An excellent question! :) There is a persistent stereotype that romance is fluffy, sappy, thinly-veiled porn for women. When you combine that with paranormal, you get a lot of eye rolling. Some people like to label it as lowbrow entertainment. Of course, like most notions that spring from ignorance, the solution is to try out something before condemning it. Romance isn’t what most people think it is. Romance writers are penning stories with depth, wonderful character development, and kick-ass plots.

My other standard reaction to anyone who says that they do not want to read a paranormal or a romance is to point out that they probably already have. Many classic literature involves paranormal themes and love stories. Even Shakespeare uses all sorts of ghosts, witches, and sprits in his works. And why not? Love, adventure, and the mysteries of the unknown are highly attractive themes. After all, to paraphrase Shakespeare, there are more things in heaven and earth that are dreamt of in our philosophy. 

Kendra and Kristen, thank you both for guest blogging. I enjoyed learning more about your writing and especially your take on encouraging others to read your genre.

A bit of background on Kendra. She now lives in Maryland with her husband, their three children, two high-maintenance Pekingese, and one enormous Siberian cat.

For more information on her and her writing, visit her website at http://kendraleighcastle.com/. 

Meanwhile, Kristen is a child of the 80's, which means she's worn neon skirts, black-lace gloves, and combat boots (although never all at once) and can quote John Hughes movies with the best of them. A life-long daydreamer, she finally realized that the characters in her head needed a proper home and thus hit the keyboard. She believes that falling in love is one of the headiest experiences a person can have, so naturally she writes romance. 

Her love of superheroes, action movies, and history led her to write historical paranormals. She lives in the Washington D.C. area and, when not writing, looks after two children, one husband, and a dog-the fish can fend for themselves. For more on Kristen and her writing, visit her website at http://www.kristencallihan.com/

Here’s a description of MIDNIGHT RECKONING: In the world that lives by moonlight, vampires aren't the only creatures who create dynasties. The second paranormal romance in the Kendra Leigh Castle's Dark Dynasties series takes readers into a wild world where werewolves--and passion--reign, to share a story of forbidden love.

 

Wild and passionate by nature, Lyra Black is not just any werewolf. She's the future leader of the powerful pack of the Thorn-if she can stay alive long enough to inherit the title. One of the Cait Sith bloodline of vampire cat-shifters, Jaden Harrison has no interest in the wars plaguing the world of night. But when he rescues Lyra from a violent attack, they're both captured by an insatiable desire that threatens to overwhelm them and bind them together for eternity . . . just as ancient enemies prepare to strike. And when they do, the Thorn and the Cait Sith-and Lyra and Jaden's love-may never recover from the deadly blow . . . 

Here’s a description of FIRELIGHT: Miranda Ellis is a woman tormented. Plagued since birth by a strange and powerful gift, she has spent her entire life struggling to control her exceptional abilities. Yet one innocent but irreversible mistake has left her family's fortune decimated and forced her to wed London's most nefarious nobleman. 

  
Lord Benjamin Archer is no ordinary man. Doomed to hide his disfigured face behind masks, Archer knows it's selfish to take Miranda as his bride. Yet he can't help being drawn to the flame-haired beauty whose touch sparks a passion he hasn't felt in a lifetime. When Archer is accused of a series of gruesome murders, he gives in to the beastly nature he has fought so hard to hide from the world. But the curse that haunts him cannot be denied. Now, to save his soul, Miranda will enter a world of dark magic and darker intrigue. For only she can see the man hiding behind the mask. 

Now the giveaway guidelines. To enter this giveaway, send me an e-mail (mcbookshelf@gmail.com). Your subject line should read, “Win Paranormal Romance.” Your message should include your name and mailing address. The contest is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only and no post office box addresses can be accepted. In addition, please be advised winners are subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if you win the same title in two or more contests, you will receive only one copy of the title (or one set in the case of grouped giveaways) in the mail. (Winners here have always be great about letting me know if they have already won the book somewhere else so another winner can be selected. However, this announcement is something that has to be passed along from the publisher). And, just so you know, I don’t share the mailing information or use it for any other purpose. The deadline to enter this giveaway for a chance at one of the 3 sets of from the Paranormal Romance Tour (MIDNIGHT RECKONING (ISBN: 978160941838) and FIRELIGHT (ISBN: 9781455508594) will be 8 p.m. (EST) on Tuesday, Feb. 14.

Do you look to see what genre a book is first or read the synopsis? Thanks so much for stopping by.