Get to Know Multicultural Authors

Get to Know Marcia Colette author of Stricken

August 25, 2015 by ReeseRyan

This week author Marcia Colette stops by to talk about her long-time love of all things horror and her urban fantasy Stricken.

We’ve been Facebook friends for a while. It’s great to get to learn more about you. Tell us three things we should know about Marcia Colette.

I’m an IT Manager in my day job. One of the most interesting places I’ve ever worked was in the nuclear industry.
I was pretty much raised on scary movies, but they range from about the 1940’s to present day. Believe it or not, my all-time favorite movies range from Alien to The Greatest Show on Earth.
I don’t like comedies. The more bodily harm they do, the worse they seem to me because they’re trying too hard to be funny. I didn’t even laugh when I saw Zombieland, which should’ve gotten something out of me, given that it was more like a horror comedy. Nope. Na-dah.

When did you first know you wanted to become a writer?

When I couldn’t find any more Laurell K. Hamilton books to read. That was about 10 years ago. Since I had read everything up to that point, I decided I wanted to write my own to keep myself preoccupied until her next book came out. But, I also found some other authors I liked at that time, but by then, the writing bug had bit me.

What genres do you write in, and what is it about each genre that appeals to you?

I like horror along the lines of Bentley Little and John Saul. They amp up the creepy factor to the point that you know it’s leading to some big reveal at the very end. I just have to know why their characters are acting the way they are or where the trouble that keeps getting piled on top of them is going to lead.

I also enjoy science fiction, but strangely enough, I haven’t read a lot of it. I prefer my science fiction via the movies because it opens my mind up to the possibilities even more. Unless I’m already familiar with the characters, I won’t read it. I’ll read Star Trek and Star Wars novels, but that’s about it. Unless there’s a huge buzz like with The Hunger Games, I probably won’t pick it up.

Tell us about the intriguing premise and heroine of your latest urban fantasy, Stricken.

Stricken is about my female half-werewolf known as Alexa York. She’s been through a horrible tragedy and needs some time away from her husband. So, to keep busy, she takes up the offer to act as a bodyguard for a doctor who services the supernatural world. She has no idea that there are Amazons dying due to some mysterious illness and she’s about to step right into the chaos of trying to figure out if it was a disease by design or due to genetic makeup. Either way, her charge is tasked to find a cure, despite those who would rather see him die trying.

What can we expect from you next?

Right now, I have the next book in my Alexa York series in my editor’s hands, so I’m hoping it’s a “yes”. I’m also working on a follow-up to a YA Paranormal and a Women’s Fiction. Whether or not any paranormal will creep in on the Women’s Fiction is anyone’s guess.

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Learn more about Stricken and connect with Marcia Colette at one of the links below.

Website: www.marciacolette.com

Blog: http://marciacolette.wordpress.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/marciacolette
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MarciaColette

Get to Know Tasha L. Harrison Author of The Lust Diaries Series

August 12, 2015 by ReeseRyan

Today we get to know Tasha L. Harrison, author of The Lust Diaries series. She reveals the first book she was obsessed over, talks about life as an indie publisher, and offers insight into her unapologetic heroine of The Lust Diaries, Yves Santiago.

Tasha thank you for visiting with us. Please tell readers three things we should know about you.

I write filth. I enjoy writing filth more than anything else. I write the stories that I want to read; stories about people of color that are so difficult to find in mainstream romance.
I’m kind of a gypsy. I’ve lived a bunch of places, but I don’t really call any one place home. Home can be anywhere as long as my boys, my hubbie and my boxer pup Cassius are there.
I’m kind of an introvert (aren’t most writers?), but if you give me a beer or whiskey or chicken wings, I will become the life of the party!

Every great writer is also an avid reader. So when did you first fall in love with books? What prompted you to become a storyteller?

The first book I remember being completely obsessed about was Charlotte’s Web. I must have checked that book out no less that fifteen times. I still love that story.

I think I have always been a writer, but I first tried my hand at storytelling in middle school when I drew and wrote a comic strip for myself and my best friend at the time. They were mostly tales of boy crushes and winning the yearly talent show (which we often did. I could dance back then too 🙂 After that I wrote quite a few poems and short stories, but I didn’t begin writing seriously until my late twenties.

Tell us about the premise of The Lust Diaries and your heroine Yves Santiago?

Yves Santiago is a the kind of unapologetic woman who lives her life full out. After being in an abusive relationship, she is just learning what she wants from relationships and how to love again. The Lust Diaries is her journey to finding a love that is the right fit for her.

You’re both the author and the publisher of The Lust Diaries. What do you love most about being an indie author? What do you find most challenging?

I tried submitting my books to traditional publishers and after numerous rejections, I just found that process too soul crushing to repeat again. At the time, self-publishing was becoming more common and I figured I would try my hand at it. The learning curve is steep and things are always changing, but I wouldn’t trade being an indie author for any other form of publishing. Wearing all of the hats is overwhelming at times (especially when it comes to marketing and promotion), but honestly, I like the fact that whatever success I gain is because I did the work. I love being an authorpreneur!

What can we expect from you in the future?

I’m currently working on Having it Both Ways which is book 3 of The Lust Diaries. I have two more novels planned in this “world” and then I plan to write a few standalones because writing a series is EXHAUSTING.

Thanks for being with us today, Tasha, and good luck with the rest of your tour.

Thanks!

Don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter contest for a $100 Amazon Gift Card below:

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Woosah (or How to Dodge Rocks and Keep it Moving)

August 7, 2015 by ReeseRyan

Hope you’re having a fantastic Friday. Mine got off to an interesting start that resulted in a cracked windshield when I failed to dodge the rock that came flying at me from across the highway. An unexpected development that could have easily ruined my day. Instead, I took a cue from Bad Boys II. (Isn’t that where everyone gets their life wisdom?) I woosahed and chose to let it go. No need in allowing a random event to drag down the trajectory of my day when there were so many good things in store.

So, in the spirit of keeping it moving, I went on with my day. I used Rafflecopter random winner selection function to pick the winner in my Summer Reader #Giveaway. I honestly couldn’t be happier about the the name that popped up. Reader, Monica KL deserves this win. (See, sometimes random good things happen, too.) 🙂 I’m excited about creating a jewelry piece from my Sinfully Sweet Handmade shop, just for Monica.

Moments ago, I announced the winner and revealed the cover of Playing It Safe, the first book in the Playing with Bad Boys series, to my VIP Readers. If you’re not on my VIP Reader Mailing List, you can join by clicking the link. You’ll be among the first to hear about book and event news. Otherwise, stay tuned for the cover reveal here on my blog in the coming weeks.

Speaking of blogs, over on the Contemporary Romance Cafe my post Sex, Food and Rock N Roll takes a little walk down memory lane of the role food plays in my stories and the power of having characters share a meal. Here on the Reese Ryan Diaries, I started a series where we get to know authors of color who write in a variety of genres. Be sure to check them both out.

Now it’s time to put my head down and get back to work on Book #2 in the series.

Woosah!

Photo courtesy of Grand Velas–Yoga and Pilates.

Get to Know Erin Ashley Tanner author of Dirty Little Secrets

August 4, 2015 by ReeseRyan

Today we get to know author Erin Ashley Tanner who shares her love of all things Marilyn Monroe, reveals the book that made her want to be a writer, and lets us in on her Dirty Little Secrets.

Welcome, Erin. Tell us three things we might be surprised to learn about you.

I am an amateur genealogist who traced both sides of my family tree. My dad’s to the early 1800’s and my mothers to white ancestors from Massachusetts in 1798.
I am an avid collector of Marilyn Monroe and The Little Mermaid items.
I’m a little bit of everything: Black, Irish, Middle Eastern and Native American.

With such a diverse genealogy, that must be fun. Like solving a great mystery. In which genre(s) do you write?

I’m a multi-genre author. I started off writing paranormal or urban fantasy romance. Currently I’m writing contemporary romance with heavy suspense but I want to try my hand at a little of everything in the future.

What book(s) made you want to become a storyteller?

The novel that made me want to become a storyteller was Jackie Collins’ Dangerous Kiss. At the time I read it, it was the most recent of her Lucky Santangelo series and I fell completely in love with it. I loved her writing style. It was an engaging read. I loved the plethora of characters she had from all races and backgrounds, but most of all I loved that she had written a kick ass heroine that took no mess from anyone.

Seems like that love of kick-ass heroines has filtered into your stories. Congrats on Dirty Little Secrets, your recent release with Samhain. Tell us about the premise of your story and its kick-ass heroine.

The premise behind Dirty Little Secrets is that we meet this beautiful young widow, Ava Hill, who is doing like most women these days, trying to build her own legacy and raising her child. But Ava’s had a rough go of life. Her husband Joseph, was a mob boss who recently died. There is an interesting backstory of how they met, but I won’t spoil that. Now Ava finds herself really free to live her own life and then her comes Dominic Sambarino who claims to be Joseph’s son and he wants his share of everything Joseph left behind. Naturally he and Ava are at odds. She actually attacks him with a baseball bat when they first meet. So you have this two strong personalities going at one another, and we all know where there’s smoke there is fire. The way this two come together is pretty interesting. Needless to say they both soon find themselves having to work together to face their pasts when secrets are revealed.

What was your favorite (or least favorite) scene to write in the book?

My favorite scene in the book to write was the bathroom scene on the yacht. The sexual tension really flowed and when they came together, talk about hot.

What can we expect from you in the near future?

Well at the current moment I’m working on a contemporary romance series with stronger mafia ties and revising a possibly historical romance to send to my agent. I also have another novel with Samhain called Devious Little Lies that will be releasing next year so stay tuned.

Thank you for being with us, Erin. We wish you many sales!

Get to Know Elle Wright author of THE FORBIDDEN MAN

July 28, 2015 by ReeseRyan

Over the past few months of the #WeNeedDiverseRomance campaign I’ve been getting to know multicultural authors that were new to me. During that time I’ve come to the realization that in reality, this campaign isn’t just about blazing a path for new authors of color. There are plenty out there right now that we don’t know about. So periodically I’ll be sharing an interview with authors of all colors. However, I will focus on getting to know authors of color and spotlighting their work.

My decision to add this feature was prompted by an invitation to participate in the promo for Elle Wright’s new release, The Forbidden Man. So it’s fitting that we begin this feature with an introduction to her.

Elle, welcome and thank you for inviting me to help get the word out about your exciting, new Edge of Scandal series. For readers who are new to you, tell us three things we should know about Elle Wright.

I love music. Prior to starting any book, I browse my music library and make a playlist, kind of like a soundtrack for the novel. I feel like it helps me reach my characters. Each character has a theme song and I use it for character motivation.
Fun fact: I am a total Barbie girl—in my own Barbie world. When I was a kid, I used to sit in my room for hours making up stories for my dolls. And they weren’t just your average Barbie meets Ken type of story. Barbie was the star of her own soap opera. When I moved out of my mother’s home, my dolls went with me. I’m a total geek like that. I just can’t bear to part with them.
Most of my story ideas come from weird real life situations or questions posed by friends or acquaintances (ie. What would happen if a woman was torn between two brothers?)

I love the premise of FORBIDDEN MAN. It’s filled with drama and high-stakes conflict. Tell us a little about the story.

The Forbidden Man is the story of a woman (Sydney) who finds out that her fiancé cheated on her while she’s getting fitted for her wedding dress. Devastated, she calls off the wedding and proceeds to get smashed. Enter Morgan, her fiancé’s brother and one of her closest friends.

Initially, Morgan just wants Syd to be okay so he helps her. He offers her a safe haven, away from his brother. Eventually, they cross a line and they can’t turn back.

How would you describe your heroine, Sydney Williams? And your hero, Morgan Smith?

Sydney is an intelligent, ambitious woman. In business, she knows what she wants. She thought she knew what she wanted in her personal life, too. Unfortunately, she ends up being hurt in the process. One of the things I like about Sydney is she’s a planner (like me). She has mapped out her life and when Caden cheats on her, everything screeches to a halt. It’s interesting seeing her try to plan her way out of the situation she finds herself in because there are no rules. And she hates to hurt or disappoint the people that she loves. She’s terrified of losing her core group of friends/family. She’s a protector—loyal, dependable. And she’s done something that is not good in her eyes. At the same time she can’t stop herself. She’s human, flawed. But she’s a survivor and she has the scars to prove it.

Morgan is fine. Ha! Just kidding. Well, he is fine. But what I like about Morgan is he’s real, doesn’t hold punches. He had a horrible childhood, but rose above his circumstances. He’s determined, trustworthy (normally), and generous. But he’s very guarded and stubborn. His biological father was a criminal so he works hard to never be like him. Morgan is a caregiver, just like Syd. He’s practically turned his life upside down to take care of his older brother and has grown tired of it.

Writing is so personal. As writers, we put our heart and soul into every scene. But is there one scene you are especially fond or proud of? Give us a brief highlight of the scene.

There are so many parts that I love because I adore the characters. Sometimes when I read the book or a random scene, I think… WOW, I did that. But there is one scene that I really love. Morgan and Syd have realized there is more building between them. Syd puts the brakes on it and asks Morgan to take her to a hotel. On the way, they hit a patch of ice and end up stranded on the side of the road. At first, they are cool and talking like the friends they always were. But eventually, things take a turn and they have their very first encounter. It completely takes them by surprise which was fun to write.

What can we expect next in the Edge of Scandal series?

The Edge of Scandal series explores the lives of the group of friends introduced in The Forbidden Man. I’m probably biased, but I love these characters. And they are ride or die for each other, which is awesome.

HIS ALL NIGHT (November 24)
Did I mention Sydney has a twin brother? Well, book two is all about Jared and Sydney’s best friend, Cali. Jared is in love (or falling in love) with Cali, but she is not trying to change their current awesome-sex-but-please-no-commitment relationship. Even if Cali does love him, she’d never tell him. Can Jared convince her to let go and take a chance on him?

HER KIND OF MAN (Spring 2016)
Engaged to a prominent preacher, Allina is the envy of Cleveland. But instead of walking down the aisle, she walks out the door and runs back home to Michigan. Instead of seeking solace with her friend, Sydney, she ends up on Kent’s doorstep. One look is all it takes for Kent to know two things: his attraction to Allina is stronger than ever—and there is more to her story than she’s telling him…

Thank you so much to Elle for stopping by today! To learn more about Elle and the Edge of Scandal series, check out the summary and buy links below. Then don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter contest for your chance to win a copy.

THE FORBIDDEN MAN by Elle Wright (July 28, 2015; Forever Mass Market; The Edge of Scandal #1)

In Love With the Wrong Man

Sydney Williams has forgiven her fiancé, Den, more times than she can count. But his latest betrayal just days before their wedding is too big to ignore. Shocking her friends and family, she calls off the engagement. She walks out on Den . . . and into the arms of his brother, Morgan.
Known as a player, Morgan Smith has secretly spent years fighting his feelings for Sydney. When Den’s latest dirty deed leaves Sydney devastated, Morgan can’t stop himself from coming to her rescue. What begins as friendship quickly escalates into all-consuming passion. Despite their intense connection, Sydney would rather deny her desire than come between brothers. But as Morgan is determined to make Sydney his, Den won’t give her up without a fight . . .

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About the author:

Born and raised in Southeast Michigan near Ann Arbor, Elle learned the importance of reading from her mother. It was also her mother who, later on in her life, gave Elle her first romance novel: Indigo by Beverly Jenkins. From that moment on, Elle became a fan of Ms. Jenkins for life and a lover of all things romance. An old journal she wrote back in college became her first book (which she still wants to publish one day).

Connect with Elle on Social Media:

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