Posts Tagged ‘paranormal romance’

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A Harlequin Winter Vampire Sneak Peek

November 26, 2008

by Amy Wilkins, Digital Production Coordinator

As part of author Lori Devoti’s 30 Days of Vampires blog bash, I’m guest-blogging again about the vampire books coming out this winter from Harlequin! Head over to Lori’s blog to get the scoop on the following books:

Are there any paranormal books you’re looking forward to this winter?

~Amy

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Introducing Free Read Weekends: Demon Seduction, Chapter 1

November 20, 2008

Who doesn’t need a little extra reading material over the weekend? So starting today, and continue every Friday, Harlequin’s Paranormal Romance Blog will be posting a chapter from a paranormal story right here! First up is Demon Seduction by Pat White:

Ash Demon Marcus has been dispatched from the dark realms to find and seduce Elizabeth Burke. He is to learn what she knows about PCell, a top secret division of the British Secret Service intent upon eliminating creatures of the paranormal—and use that information to destroy PCell!

But Marcus has felt a connection to Elizabeth for a long time, ever since he rescued her from being ravaged by his cousin ten years ago! Can he go through with a plan that calls for him to do essentially the same thing—without falling in love with her?

Click the link to read Chapter One!

Read the rest of this entry ?

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Debra Cowan’s Paranormal Romance Debut

October 6, 2008

Debra Cowan has written romantic suspense and historical romance — and now she’s taken the plunge into paranormal! Read about her new novella “Seeing Red” in the Aftershock anthology from Silhouette Nocturne and her free online read at eHarlequin.com!

by author Debra Cowan

Hi, everyone! I’m Deb Cowan and I’m excited to be guest blogging on Harlequin’s Paranormal Romance Blog. My October release, “Seeing Red” in the anthology titled Aftershock, marks my debut in paranormal romance. Typically, I write contemporary romantic suspense and historical romance so I was excited to try a different romance sub-genre. I really enjoyed it!

“Seeing Red” was a blast to write. In part, because this project was one I worked on with two longtime friends, Sharon Sala and Janis Reams Hudson. The three stories stand alone with the connecting thread being that all the heroines have recently cheated death. As a result of their experiences, they now possess a paranormal gift and must learn not only how to use it, but accept it.

My heroine, Cass Hollister, is a firefighter who dies on the table after fighting a blaze and is resuscitated. Not only does she survive, but she suffers no ill effects after more than ten minutes without a pulse and with no oxygen to her brain. As mind-blowing as that is, it’s nothing compared to learning she came back to life with an eerie special talent: an ability to see fires before they happen.

Fires that could be the work of the vengeful ex-con brother she sent to prison for arson. Fires she must report to Ben Wyrick, the sexy fire investigator she walked away from eight months ago because she was too afraid to trust her feelings.

Now she has to convince Ben to trust her about something she has a hard time believing herself.

I enjoyed writing the paranormal novella so much that I’m doing another one. 🙂 Pop over to eHarlequin.com if you’d like to check out my weekly online read about Ben’s brother. The Ledoux Curse runs Sept 22 – Nov 16.

Happy Reading,
Deb Cowan

Read an excerpt of “Seeing Red” at Deb’s website: www.debracowan.net

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Urban Fantasy Vs. Paranormal Romance

September 22, 2008

by Amy Wilkins, Harlequin Digital

Confused about the line between Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy? Romancing the Blog has a fun quiz to determine just that!

So if these areas of difference are true, which genre would you prefer?

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Win Autographed Copies of Kelley St. John’s Current Sexth Sense Trilogy!

September 3, 2008

The red-hot passionate romance of Harlequin Blaze comes with a paranormal twist in The Sexth Sense series from Kelley St. John. Kelley fills us in on Live and Yearn, the sixth book in her series — and offers readers a chance to win her latest 3 books!

by Kelley St. John, author of Live and Yearn

I’m so excited to be guest blogging on Harlequin’s Paranormal Romance Blog! I’m Kelley St. John, and I write sexy, sassy paranormals for Harlequin Blaze. My September release, Live and Yearn, marks the final installment of The Sexth Sense, a series about six Cajun cousins who happen to have an interesting family legacy – helping ghosts find their way to the other side.

Live and Yearn is the much-anticipated story of Nanette Vicknair and Charles Roussel. This book was extremely rewarding to write, not only because of my desire to see Nan battle her attraction for Charles with her usual headstrong mentality, but also because I knew I was giving my readers something they wanted—the true story behind Nan’s loathing (and her heated attraction) for Charles. Often with my stories, I receive letters requesting additional information about secondary characters; however, when it came to Nan and Charles, I didn’t receive requests; I received demands. Nanette and Charles have that effect on people, and I couldn’t be more pleased.

I also received questions about how their story would fit within the paranormal theme of the series, since Nan and Charles both reside in the land of the living. See, that’s the thing about living on this side, we’re all going to leave at some point, and a bizarre car accident (one that Nanette believes she instigated) sends the sexy parish president propelling at warp speed toward that beckoning white light.

A few additional questions I’ve been asked:

What makes your books(s) different from other paranormal romances?

The books are Blazes, which means they’re hot and sexy, and in The Sexth Sense, it isn’t merely the mediums that are hot. The ghosts are quite sultry too. And when they get together…well, let’s face it; if you knew that it might be your last time to have sex with the person you want more than life itself, you’d sure want to make it count!

What are the previous books in the Sexth Sense series?

KISS AND DWELL
GHOSTS AND ROSES
SHIVER AND SPICE
FIRE IN THE BLOOD
BED ON ARRIVAL
LIVE AND YEARN

Although the books compose a six-book series, each book does stand alone (but naturally, I’m hoping you’ll want to read them all 🙂

Have you got a book trailer for the series?

Sure! Check it out…

Now, if you have any additional questions about the Sexth Sense (or about anything in general), fire away. I’ll gladly do my best to answer. Oh, and while you’re at it, you can help me with my love of paranormal books and movies by telling me your favorites. What’s your favorite paranormal movie, television show and/or novel?

And don’t hesitate to comment. ONE COMMENTER WILL WIN AN AUTOGRAPHED SET OF THIS YEAR’S SEXTH SENSE BOOKS (Fire in the Blood, Bed on Arrival and Live and Yearn)!

Happy Reading…and Blogging!

Kelley St. John

www.kelleystjohn.com

Update: The contest is now closed. Thank you to everyone who entered!

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Author Brenda Joyce’s Tempting Time-Traveling Warriors

August 26, 2008

Are the Masters of Time dangerous… or desirable? Bestselling author Brenda Joyce tells us about these fierce time-traveling heroes and what readers can look forward to in Dark Embrace, the third book in her Masters of Time series from HQN Books

by Brenda Joyce , author of Dark Embrace

Everyone fears the shadows of the night. No one likes walking down a deserted street after the sun goes down, not in 2008—and not in 1508. Of course, we think we’re being silly to start at every little sound we hear—when we know nothing is lying in wait for us out there in the dark. And violence and crime is on the upswing because our society has broken down—and not for any other reason….right?

Welcome to the world of the Masters of Time.

The Masters of Time are Highland warriors sworn to protect Innocence through the ages. They do not choose their destiny—it is chosen for them. The Masters are medieval men to the core—savage in war, ruthless in outlook, totally sexist in nature, and impossibly powerful—after all, they are descended from the old Celtic gods. And one of their greatest powers is the power to leap through time…

And then along comes a very modern and independent woman…

The romantic conflict is instantaneous. Imagine turning your street corner and coming face to face with the medieval hunk of all time—a Highlander who has more power than any mortal, a mandate to save the world, the knowledge he’s a cut above—and he wants you, big time! Passions arise, worlds collide, cultures and ideas clash! This is romance the way it should be!

Dark Embrace is the third book about the Masters of Time, following Dark Seduction and Dark Rival. Aidan of Awe has fallen. Once a Master, he is furious with the gods and he has forsaken his vows, abandoned the brotherhood, turning his back on everyone—family, friends, and mankind. He walks alone and wars alone, lusting for power and revenge. He is a Highlander without a clan, feared by all and trusted by none. And the evil that he is hunting, the evil that destroyed his son, is now trying to destroy him…

By day, Brianna Rose fights evil from the safety of her laptop on the basement of CDA, a government agency. But she is a Rose, and the Rose women have been fighting evil with their gifts for generations. By night, Brie wages the war on evil with her two cousins, Tabby and Sam, using her vision to defend and save the innocent. But Brie has a little secret. She met Aidan once briefly, when he was a Master, and has had a mad crush on him ever since. Which is fine with her—a crush is really safe. Because Brie is a computer geek with no interest in a real relationship—men never look at her and she doesn’t expect them to. Brie is also highly empathic. And then one night she wakes up consumed with Aidan’s pain, hearing his screams of anguish—in spite of the gulf of centuries which separate them. And she knows he is in danger.

Brie is instantly obsessed. She has to find him, help him, and when she does, she is unprepared for the near immortal facing her—a man so dark, so heartless, he doesn’t think twice about using her. And it doesn’t matter. Brie finds a courage she never knew she had, and she will do anything she has to in order to redeem him.

Dark Embrace is a story of fury, desperation, loss, and revenge—and love, and the redemption that can come from it. It is a story of faith—Brie never loses her faith in Aidan. It is also Book One of the Rose Trilogy, because every Rose woman has a destiny, and Sam and Tabby have their destinies, too, and their destiny is not exactly what either woman is expecting! Dark Victory is on sale in March 2009, followed by Sam’s story in September, Dark Lover.

Welcome to the Masters of Time!

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Brenda Joyce’s Dark Embrace Book Trailer!

August 25, 2008

Dark Embrace, the third book in Brenda Joyce’s Masters of Time series and book 1 in The Rose Trilogy, is in stores tomorrow! Can’t wait until then? Watch the video Brenda had made for a taste of what to expect in Dark Embrace:

Find out more at www.mastersoftimebooks.com. And check back on the blog this week for a post by Brenda about her new book!

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A Sexy Sea-Inspired Short from Nancy Holder

August 18, 2008

Author Nancy Holder continues to fill us in on the inspiration behind her series The Gifted. This time, Nancy tells us about her new Nocturne Bite, Son of the Sea

by Nancy Holder, author of Son of the Sea

I love writing about my Gifted families so much that I jumped at the chance to write a Nocturne Bite, titled Son of the Sea. Erik, Guardian of the North Sea and a merman, must protect a beautiful Greek-American named Nia from death as they race to seize the magical Jar of Naxos. Erik has cut himself off from all loving contact, after his human fiancée drowned herself a hundred years before.

As the daughter of a Navy doctor, I have lived near the sea almost all of my life. While working on Son of the Sea, I remembered the hours I spent pretending to be a mermaid in my parents’ black-bottom pool here in San Diego. I still remember the lull of the waves and the cries of the seagulls during my year on a houseboat in San Diego Bay.

I created a play list of sea sounds and songs to listen to while I wrote Son of the Sea. I included two versions of Smetana’s theme from Die Moldau, When I saw the cover image for Son of the Sea at Comic-con, I immediately heard that piece, and returned to Erik’s domain beneath the cold, tumultuous North Sea. I can’t wait to go back there again.

Son of the Shadows and Son of the Sea are my first two stories for Nocturne. I hope to write many, many more…and to chat about them at Comicon next year.

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Author Nancy Holder’s Dark Magic and Mayhem

August 11, 2008

Nancy Holder’s series The Gifted delivers steamy dark fantasy, complete with an ancient feud, dark magic, sizzling sexual tension, and a tortured — literally — hero. Nancy fills us in on the world of The Gifted and what readers can expect from the third book in her series, Son of the Shadows….

by Nancy Holder, author of Son of the Shadows (Silhouette Nocturne)

I met a couple of hundred thousand of my closest friends during the San Diego Comic-Con, and a lot of them love paranormal romance! So I was able to talk in depth with fellow romance fans about my world of the Gifted—long-lived magic users who exist under the radar of us normal, Ungifted folk.

In my Nocturne novel, Son of the Shadows, three ancient magical families go to war with each other—the House of the Flames, the House of the Blood, and the House of the Shadows. The soul of the hero, sexy French-Canadian Jean-Marc de Devereaux, is mangled by Lilliane, the mad twin sister of his beloved Isabelle de Marco, known as Izzy.

All three Houses are descended from French noble families that rose to power during the Hundred Years’ War, when Joan of Arc fought against the Dauphin’s enemies, lost, and was burned at the stake for heresy. St. Joan has always favored Izzy’s House of the Flames, until one terrible day, Izzy must use dark magicks to save the lives of those she loves. In response, Joan abandons her.

Jean-Marc, Lilliane, and Isabelle are the Guardians of their Houses—fierce protectors and the first line of defense against rival Gifted factions and Supernaturals alike. Vampires and werewolves hunt in the dark shadows, and it is up to those who have sworn to protect the innocent to hold them in check.

After his torture at Lilliane’s hands, Jean-Marc’s soul is filled with dark impulses he can barely control. Izzy has been stripped of all her magical powers as well as her memory. Yet the two must travel to Haiti to stop Lilliane from unleashing unspeakable evil on the world. Their sexual tension and Izzy’s fear of Jean-Marc torment them both as they face death, and worse…and are changed forever by love.

While talking to Nocturne fans about the Gifted, I relived my trips to France and Montreal, two of the important homes of the Gifted. I’ve walked the streets of Carcassonne, the ancient French medieval walled city, and slept in a fourteenth century farmhouse near Cahors. I’ve lit candles to St. Joan at Notre Dame, and found her in a tiny village chapel, where one of the devout had laid fresh roses at her feet. I’ve ridden in a horse-drawn carriage through Old Montreal, and dined in an ancient wine cellar while the rain pounded the slate roof. France and Quebec are two magical places, surely.

Check out the first two books in the Gifted series, Daughter of the Flames and Daughter of the Blood, now available as eBooks at eHarlequin.com. Or download the entire series — including Nancy’s Nocturne Bite, Son of the Sea — in The Gifted Bundle.

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More Seductive Shifters from Karen Whiddon

August 1, 2008

Author Karen Whiddon gives us a tantalizing look at what’s to come in Dance of the Wolf, the latest book in her sexy miniseries The Pack from Silhouette Nocturne…

by Karen Whiddon, author of Dance of the Wolf

Shape-shifters being murdered. An upscale male strip club, for women clientele only (even though some of those women might be shape-shifters or vampires). A doctor on forced medical leave due to the drug addiction he’s recovering from, who also happens to be a shape-shifter looking for his best friend, who’s disappeared from this very same club, where he was working on the side.

Interested?

I sure as heck was. When the story for DANCE OF THE WOLF occurred to me, I was understandably confused. I didn’t see how any of this fit in the world I’d created for my Pack. But Elena was insistent, as was Dr. Jared Gies, and as I wrote their story, they managed to surprise even me. Fun, for both the author and the reader. I hope you enjoy reading it.

I’ve written 8 Pack stories for Silhouette now and the people in The Pack continually take the stories in new directions. My Nocturne Bites MATE OF THE WOLF had a vampire hero. DANCE OF THE WOLF features the female owner of a male strip club and a wounded shape-shifter hero who’s more animal than he realizes.

The next book, tentatively titled WILD WOLF, is written and will be out in 2009. The heroine of this books is a feral shifter, and the hero has been sent to either rehabilitate her or exterminate her.

`Til next time!

–Karen Whiddon