2.02.2013

Interview with Catherine Bybee



I first "met" Catherine Bybee last month when I did a review of one of her contemporary romances Not Quite Dating.  I pretty much fell instantly in love!  So I'm thrilled to be able to do this interview today!!



1. Tell us a little bit about your book.


It’s three books actually. Binding Vows, Silent Vows and Redeeming Vows. A true trilogy where the same bad guy…or in this case bad witch…is throughout the series. The MacCoinnich’s are a large tight-knit family who have been entrusted with guarding a set of stones used for time travel. The story begins with the journey of Duncan and his brother Fin, coming to the 21st century to keep a vengeful witch from regaining power. Toss in a snarky 21st century woman, kilts, and plenty of sparks…and a trip through time…and you have the makings of a trilogy.

Each of these books stand alone as their own love story, but the books are woven together with twisting plots and loveable characters.

You had me at kilts!  Honestly, after reading the blurbs (below the interview, peeps!) I am ready to sink right into this trilogy! 

2. What inspired you to write this story?


I’ve always loved time travel romance. Every time I read one I want to slip into the pages and experience life in a different age. Of course those thoughts fade when I consider a time without plumbing or health care. LOL

I also love time travel romance but agree, it's always the lack of plumbing that makes me feel relieved that I'm only doing the traveling in a book and not real life.  I would not do well in a time w/o indoor plumbing. 
 
3. What is the main lesson that your book is trying to teach?


That love transcends time. And that family bonds are the glue to life.


4. Moving on to your writing career, how long have you been writing?


I’ve been writing seriously for about five years now. Before that I’d never even finished a book.


Checking out your website- you have gotten a lot accomplished in five years! Congrats!! 
 
5. Did you always dream to become an author?


No. I wanted to be an actress. Once I started writing, however, I realized that creating worlds was much more entertaining a profession than ‘pretending’ to be in a different world.

 Isn't an actress every little girl's dream?  I always wanted to be one but I have horrible stage fright and when I get nervous I talk reallysuperfast.  Alas, most of my parts on stage in school were non-speaking parts. lol.
 
6. I’m always curious whether or not authors read the same types of books that they write.  So tell us, what book genres do you love to read? to write?


Reading romance is why I write romance. Yes, I’ve read and still read other genres, but I always gravitate to romance novels.


7. What are you reading right now?


Hmmm…well, I can’t really tell you since it’s a book entered for the RITA. It’s quite good. I will say it’s Romantic Suspense. Yum.


8. Have any particular authors  inspired you to write? If so, can you name one and what you like about their style?


I can’t say that any one author inspired me to write. I like the diversity of so many authors and how they play within the romance genre.  Sure, some authors write the same kind of books all the time. But others, Nora Roberts, Christina Dodd…these ladies have explored cross genres and came out on the other side better writers. That’s what I’m aiming for. 

 I have been branching my author list quite a bit since starting this blog.  Nora Roberts is one of my all time favorites.  I own way too many of her books (also her JD Robb writings) and love how she has grown so much over the years.  I also LOVE Christina Dodd :)  You have some great authors that you are aiming towards!
9. Do you have any upcoming projects?


I have several titles coming out in the coming year. Montlake is re-releasing my New York Times Bestseller, Wife by Wednesday next month along with Married by Monday the following month. Not Quite Mine, the second book in that series is coming in April. Fiancé by Friday, book three in the Weekday Bride Series is coming in the summer.  Those are the next handful of books that have actual release dates. 

And of course I’ll be working hard on Book 5 of my MacCoinnich series which I want out sometime in 2013. No date yet on that one, however.  
I really need to get ahold of your Weekday Bride Series! Especially with the third book coming out this summer!  And Not Quite Mine-- oohh, I loved Not Quite Dating :) Can't wait!  You have definitely gained a fan in me !
 


 Wow that was great!!   I love doing these interviews!!  Check out more on the Vows Trilogy below, as well as ways to stalk..err... follow Catherine.  And don't forget the giveaway at the bottom :)



Binding Vows 

Duncan MacCoinnich’s task… Travel to the twenty-first century Renaissance Faire, deflower the Druid virgins, and go home. Only his job is not so easily accomplished with the virgin in question, Tara McAllister.

Time is running out. The evil is closing in on them both.

Tara finds Duncan irresistible after what was supposed to be a mock Hand-fasting binds them.

When Duncan whisks her to his home in Scotland she could accept that. But, can she forgive him for taking away her modern life when she finds herself in the sixteenth century?

And is it love they feel? Or something else?

$2.99 (limited time at this e-book price) - Print Amount TBA

Silent Vows

Myra, a medieval virgin druidess, flees five hundred years into the future to escape death at the hands of a cursed witch and lands in the arms of a handsome but cynical twenty-first century cop.

Officer Todd Blakely knows Myra is hiding something , but can't resist her innocent charms. Destiny throws them both into a world of intrigue and mysticism. Can Todd be the true white knight she needs? Or will magic and the winds of time tear them apart?
$3.99 e-book - Print TBA





Redeeming Vows 

For her own safety, modern day, single mom, Lizzy McAllister is forced to bow to the medieval men who surround her when she's thrust back in time to the sixteenth century against her will. When Lizzy finds herself trapped in time with Fin, the one man she finds both irresistible and maddening, she agrees to combine forces with him to rid Scotland of the evil witch, Grainna. Finlay MacCoinnich's attraction to Lizzy sizzles the very air they breathe.

Tearing down the solid walls the woman has built around her won't be easy, but he's willing to do anything to keep her by his side. When a spell cast by their deadliest foe throws them forward in time, will they manage to find their way back in time to save their family from peril?

And will Lizzy willingly stay in his time, or abandon him altogether?

$3.99 e-book - Print TBA




About the Author : 


New York Times bestselling author Catherine Bybee was raised in Washington State, but after graduating high school, she moved to Southern California in hopes of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full-time and has penned the novels Wife by Wednesday and Married by Monday. Bybee lives with her husband and two teenage sons in Southern California.




Giveaway : 
  Today's giveaway is for a $10 Amazon GiftCard.  Imagine all the yummy books you can buy with that! Especially if you catch them on sale!   To enter, fill out the rafflecopter form below!   Good luck! *Note- Reviewing in Chaos is not responsible for choosing the winner as this giveaway is tourwide.

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2.01.2013

A Song for Julia ~ Blast & #giveaway



Friday, at last!!  This week has went by at a snails pace for me :)  How about you ?  Today's stop is part of Promotional Book Tours  Blast for A Song For Julia.   I hope you enjoy it !


A Song for Julia (Thompson Sisters)

Everyone should have something to rebel against.

Crank Wilson left his South Boston home at sixteen to start a punk band and burn out his rage at the world. Six years later, he's still at odds with his father, a Boston cop, and doesn't ever speak to his mother. The only relationship that really matters is with his younger brother, but watching out for Sean can be a full-time job.

The one thing Crank wants in life is to be left the hell alone to write his music and drive his band to success.

Julia Thompson left a secret behind in Beijing that exploded into scandal in Washington, DC, threatening her father's career and dominating her family's life. Now, in her senior year at Harvard, she's haunted by a voice from her past and refuses to ever lose control of her emotions again, especially when it comes to a guy.

When Julia and Crank meet at an anti-war protest in Washington in the fall of 2002, the connection between them is so powerful it threatens to tear everything apart.  

The Thompson Sisters  

A Song for Julia is part of a series of novels centering around the Thompson sisters. Though the books center on the same family, they are standalone novels and can be read in any order. From the author of the Amazon bestselling author of Just Remember to Breathe, A Song for Julia has garnered more than 350 five-star reviews on Goodreads and been described by reviewers as "EXQUISITE. Best book of 2012," "Absolutely breathtaking story," and "Absolutely heart wrenching."

Purchase A Song for Julia for only $2.99 on Amazon

About the Author

Charles Sheehan-Miles served in combat with the 24th Infantry Division during the 1991 Gulf War, and was decorated for valor for helping rescue fellow tank crewmen from a burning tank during the Battle at Rumayla. He is a former President and co-founder of the National Gulf War Resource Center and later was executive director of Veterans for Common Sense.  

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Giveaway : 
Tour Prize $50 Amazon gift card open where ever you can use an Amazon GC.
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1.31.2013

Eternal by Kristi Cook ~ Cover Reveal & #giveaway

Today's stop is for a cover reveal of Eternal by Kristi Cook!  Enjoy !!


THERE’S NO HIDING FROM DESTINY…

In the final book of the Winterhaven trilogy, Violet McKenna and her friends find themselves right in the middle of a vampire war. The stakes have been raised, the danger unavoidable now. As the Warriors’ senior year draws to a close, not everyone makes it out alive. Who will be left standing at the end of it all? Will Aidan be a part of Violet’s future, or is he just a specter of the past?



Be sure to check out the first two books in the trilogy :

Haven (Winterhaven Trilogy, Book 1 )  and  Mirage (Winterhaven Trilogy, Book 2)





About The Author


YA author Kristi Cook is a transplanted southern gal who lives in New York City with her husband and two kids. Her YA debut, HAVEN, was released in Feb. 2011 by Simon Pulse.

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1.30.2013

Review : Forbbiden Forest (The Legends of Regia, bk 1) by @TenayaJayne

Today just happens to be my birthday.. No, I'm not revealing how old I am. Just remember, I have a 17yr old daughter and I've been 29 for a few years now.. lol.  So as a present to all of you, I saved one of my favorite Fantasy/Paranormal books this year to share with you today :)  You are welcome! 



Forbidden Forest (Volume 1)

Tenaya Jayne

Publisher: Cold Fire Publishing LLC (September 26, 2012)

Pages: 234 (paperback)


Book Blurb :


Born in shame. Cast from society. Shape Shifter/Elf hybrid, Forest must fight for any respect she can get. Targeted in her youth by a vampire noble who placed an illegal slave mark on her, she is forced to obey him, no matter what. Slipping the grip of her master and abandoning the prejudice of Regia, her native world, Forest takes a job on Earth, guarding the portal, using her skills as a warrior to enforce Regia's laws. Now, called home for a black ops mission, Forest must put aside her own prejudice to transport the vampire prince, Syrus, through enemy territory in a time of war. & Prince Syrus, mage and master of the Blood Kata, wants Forest more than he's ever wanted anything. In spite of their mutual mistrust, their attraction cannot be denied. Through the danger of their mission, and the secrets they both keep, it doesn't matter what they feel. Forest is forbidden.

Buy it :  Paperback  / Kindle


My Thoughts: 

When I first received this book and request from the author, I thought - hmm, this looks good, and promptly put it in the pile (figurative pile since  I mainly review ebooks *sigh*) to be read in the future.  That was my first mistake.  If I had known what an excellent writer Tenaya was, I would have cracked that baby open immediately and sunk deep into the world of Regia!!  I have heard many other reviews say it, and I agree- look at the cover art!  If an author takes the time to get a decent cover, you know you're going to want to read it.. Honey, this cover is awesome!   Now I admit that if I'm reading an ebook, I don't tend to read the book blurb (hello- not freely available, another reason why I prefer paperback.. lol) so I tend to go into my books completely blind.   With that said, I'll give you my actual thoughts.. lol.

Forbidden Forest begins on Earth where Forest (Shape Shifter/Elf halfling) is guarding a portal from Regia making sure only those allowed pass thru.  Fairly quickly we are introduced to the reason Forest loathes vampires - Leith, a vampire noble who placed a slave mark on her- forcing her to obey him.  There isn't a ton of back story on Leith & Forest initially and I felt a tad bit lost. This was cleared up more over time, but I fumbled a little initially.

Once Forest was called back to her native world (Regia) for a mission, I fell deeply into the story.  Forest is tasked with escorting the blind vampire prince , Syrus, to a wizard who can restore his sight.  Despite her animosity towards all vampires, Forest finds herself pulled by a deep attraction to Syrus.   Syrus is intrigued and frustrated that he cannot see her face and does not understand her anger towards his race.  They must travel together , while each keeping their own secrets and try to get thru it all alive.  With Ogres, Vampires, Shape Shifters, Elves and Werewolves all ready to start war, Regia is a hostile environment.   Despite it all, Forest and Syrus seem to keep forgetting that they are in a war zone and are involved with only each other.  I absolutely loved the bantering between the two of them!   Forbidden Forest is definitely fast paced with some twists and turns to keep you hopping. Just when you think you know the ending, it's continued into book 2 (not out until Summer 2013 -- *crying*)

Tenaya did a wonderful job not only with developing great characters that you fall in love with, but with describing Regia in such a way that I could see it easily in my mind.  I am more than a bit distraught that I have to wait MONTHS until I can find out what happens..   5 Stars +++ !


About the Author :

Hello. My name’s Tenaya and I’m an addict. I mean author. When I was growing up, writing was just something I played at from time to time. I knew I wanted to be a writer, but I was one of those people who could never finish anything. When my eldest son was diagnosed with Autism, I began to write seriously. Writing became a necessity for me in the midst of my heartbreak. It was either that or take up drinking. I ‘m thankful I chose writing as my escape because I discovered it truly is my thing. I want to be swept away when I read. That’s what I want my books to do for you.The main goal of my writing is to entertain you. I want to help you escape everyday life for a little while. I hope you enjoy my stories as much as I enjoy sharing them with you!
I have a wonderful husband and two beautiful sons. I’m an advocate for Autism awareness, and women trapped in abusive relationships. I try to always look on the bright side and help others do so too. I’ve lived many places but I currently reside in Missouri. I love reading, indie and foreign films, gardening, and moody music.

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*Disclaimer - I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. *

1.29.2013

The Agreement by @CamiStark1


Today's stop is part of a Bewitching Book Tour's - Release Day Blitz for The Agreement by Cami Stark!   Enjoy!!






All She Craved - The Agreement
All She Craved Book Two
Cami Stark

Genre: Erotica

Number of pages: 22
Word Count: 6,220

Cover Artist: Hotdamdesigns




Book Description:

Trisha had never met a man like Michael before, a demanding sexy billionaire with an insatiable passion. Faced with the decision of having to enter into an exclusive agreement, Trisha is pondering with the idea of trusting him completely and exploring her darkest desires.

Enticed by a position as a Nurse Liaison under CEO Michael Strauss, Trisha Saul must make the choice to sign her body over to him—agreeing to satisfy his every sexual craving. With the possibility of being Hawaii bound, she fantasizes of delighting in the caviar dreams of the ultra-rich, and above all Michael.

Michael has no intention of enforcing this contract on Trisha; his only interest is in her complete submission. In contemplating the daunting decision, Trisha realizes that the price she may have to pay could be something she has been secretly craving all along.





About the Author:
My name is Cami Stark. I’m a wife and mother with a very creative imagination. I have always enjoyed storytelling and character development. Creative writing became a career when I decided I had too many stories in my head to ignore. I haven’t quit my “day job” just yet; but, I hope to soon. My dream job is to be to a writer full-time. When I’m not writing, I enjoy spending time in the North Woods, swimming, boating and hanging out with friends. This new venture is bound to be a wild ride and I’m honored that you will be there with me. I feel that romance readers and writers are very passionate and I cannot wait to meet you all!

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