Kylie Griffin's Blog

Month of Hot Heroes - Heat 2 winner

2012-03-16T09:15:00.000+11:00

This week's winner by an absolute landslide is...

Hero #2

He'll join last week's winner in the final! Thanks for voting everyone. :-)

GUEST BLOGGING...over at Writers Gone Wild!

2012-03-13T22:51:00.000+11:00

What do you think about tormented heroines? Do you like reading about them? Does the idea of a tormented heroine interest you or turn you off reading a story?

I'm a guest over at Writers Gone Wild and we're talking about this topic - care to join me and go into the draw for a signed copy of VENGEANCE BORN?

See you over there! :-)

TOPIC: An Author's Life...with Paula Roe

2012-03-13T01:00:00.092+11:00

In PAULA ROE’s former (non-writing) life, she’s worked as a PA, office manager, software trainer and aerobics instructor and is an active RWAustralia volunteer and long-standing member (holding the positions of Secretary, Vice-President, Contest Co-ordinator, Conference Co-ordinator and Hearts Talk editor).

Her writing won and placed in various (MANY various!) US and Australian contests and as a published author she’s a RBY Award and Colorado RW Award of Excellence finalist. Her books have been voted Favourite Category Romance of 2009 and 2010 and she’s also been nominated for Favourite Romance author of the Year with the Australian Romance Readers Association.

A Borders Books bestseller and Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice nominee, Paula is currently published with Harlequin Desire and designs websites on the side.

Author Facts
Pseudonym or Given Name on the cover? Why a pseudonym? For my straight romances, my real name. For my erotic medieval/fantasy stuff, an aka. Why? Well, I have a small child and there are some weird people out there...

Blue Mts. - Australia

Location: I live near the gorgeous Blue Mountains, west of Sydney.
Published Genre/s: Currently published in category fiction and non-fiction.
Website: www.paularoe.com and the coming-soon www.pollyarcher.com for all the naughtier bits :-)
First published in: 2007 for books. Before that, I had a bunch of articles in Romance Writers of Australia’s monthly newsletter.
Number of books published: by the end of 2012, I’ll have 7 books out, but I’m aiming for another 2 novellas in addition to that!

The Nitty Gritty
List up to 5 significant events in your journey to publication.

Reading my first hard-core historical romance, Captive Bride by Johanna Lindsey. Up until then, I was strictly a cats-and-horses kinda gal.
When my best friend and I decided we should actually write an historical romance. It was very basic, filled with masses of clichés and was never finished, but it got me hooked on writing.
Getting rejected by Harlequin Temptation in my early 20s. Of course, I can now see exactly what was wrong with that manuscript but at the time I was gutted. But it also meant I was determined to get better.
Joining Romance Writers of Australia after years of tinkering with writing but never actually doing anything about it, and subsequently meeting this amazing bunch of writers who were working towards the same things I was.
The first writing contest I won – it meant I didn’t totally suck and other writers thought so too!

What resources/techniques/events did you find useful to develop your writing skills/craft?
The internet – great for researching stuff you have no clue about!

Without a doubt, contests. Not just RWA ones, but the US chapter-run ones, because I was targeting the American market.

I think it’s important to understand that not all judges’ suggestions should be followed. I was, for a time, a big crowd-pleaser – if one judge suggested a change, I’d immediately change it without understanding why or if I should.

I think as time went on, and as more people read my stuff, I got more confident with my voice and if any changes to my writing was needed. That was certainly a big deal for me and, I think, for a lot of writers starting out.

When it comes to feedback, suggestions should always be a buffet, not a la carte - it’s ultimately up to you to chose what’s right for your story.

Can you share the special moment when you received THE CALL/THE EMAIL?
It was an email :-) I’d spent the first part of 2006 entering all RWA’s contests, some finalling, some winning and I’m pretty sure people were sick of hearing my name come up at the awards ceremony!

As a result of my Opening Chapter win and RWA Emerald final, my mss landed on the desk of Desire’s Senior Editor, Leslie Wainger. After our conference – scattered with a lot of “why aren’t you published yet?'s Keziah Hill encouraged me to email Demetria Lucas, the Desire editor who was reading it. A week or two later, on the 9th September, I got an email that started with “great news!”

And you know, as much as having a child is a joyful, life-changing event, the actual pushing one out into the world and the moments after where you’re completely out of it, in pain and just want to go to sleep really sucks. I have to say, a “we want to buy your book!” email was a much more pleasant process ;-)

Looking back over your writing career, how have you grown as an author?
I have learned A LOT since 2006 (wow, that’s six whole years!!) First I’ve learned lots about the industry as a whole, which is always the first step in a writing career (“knowledge is power”!).

I’ve gotten better at plotting and discarding stuff I know won’t work for my line. I’ve understood writing techniques and why/when to use them to greater effect.

I’m getting better at editing – removing the scads of adjectives when one (or none!) will suffice. And I can write really, really quickly when a deadline is looming :-)

How important is it to set career goals? Can you give an example of one you have for yourself?
I’m ashamed to say I haven’t done the career goals thing, just year-by-year ones, which I regularly list on my blog.

I really should, right, considering I’m writing different stuff and this year will be my 7th published Desire..? But I can tell you this year I am DETERMINED to at least flesh out this medieval fantasy tome that’s been languishing in plot form for the last (ahem!) years.

Can you describe your writing process/timeframe from when you start a new book to handing it in at deadline?
Usually the first meeting between my characters is fully formed in my head, and of course, I’ve had the go-ahead on a complete story synopsis, so my deadline is generally 6 months from initial submission to handing it in. So now the fun begins – lots of daydreaming, going through old notes, scouring the internet for ‘character’ photos, then writing, writing, writing.

Then I get bored, then I complain about how much I hate the story, then I watch more TV/surf the internet. I discuss some things with my writing group, the plot begins to take shape and I get those little sparks of insight into my characters and their actions/reactions.

Then suddenly, it’s 4 weeks until deadline and my boy gets sick, or has issues with school, or SOMETHING. And then I finish the book, reread it a billion times, then send it at midnight on the due date.

By this time I know there’s an issue or two still to be ironed out, and I call on my fabulous editor to “help me!! Tell me what’s wrong with this - arrrghhh!!”

By the time I get his feedback we’re pretty much on the same track and there’s another bunch of edits to be done... Lovely, eh?

One of the things I found challenging about being a published author is the constant juggling of tasks ie. writing a book, editing another, planning promotion, writing the proposal for another (and usually this all happens while holding down another job or dealing with family/life etc.).

What do you enjoy the most in the publishing process?
The final edits! Knowing that throughout the process, the story has vastly improved and you’ve given it your all. That and seeing the cover for the first time... as long as it’s a good one (and thank the Gods, I’ve been fortunate so far...)

I also love writing down dates on a nice clean calendar. Is that odd? Release dates, deadlines, weeks I’ve blocked off for writing, guest blogging. I love my Day Planner and my Mont Blanc pen :-)

What do you like least in the publishing process?
I’m not much good at waiting – for edits, for a cover, for the release date...

What's the most memorable fan-mail you've received?
Actually, it was a response on a loop I’m on – a simple “you’re an idol of mine...” Made my entire week!

Is there anything you think pre-published writers need to know about the business/industry before they're published?
Knowing what to edit out of your writing and knowing what to leave in is a fine art that only comes from writing, submitting and assessing feedback.

Rejection can get very disheartening - that whole, “thanks but we’re going to pass on this” without knowing EXACTLY what you need to fix really sucks. So if there’s any way you can give up writing, then do it. If not, then understand there are many paths to publishing and sometimes it’s one step forward, one step back. Some editors will love your stuff, and some will hate it.

Oh, and reviewers have the right to their opinion as much as you have the right to ignore it :-)

A Bit of Fun
Favorite color: blue.
Hunkiest hero ever: Hmmm... I ADORE the character of Seeley Booth in Bones. So complex! And you can’t go past Mal Reynolds (Firefly). ::swoon:: Oh, and Vin Diesel’s voice just sends me to pieces...
Most daring thing you've done in your life: That’s legal? ;-) backpack around Europe. Live in another country. Or possibly, ask a guy on a date.
Greatest love: My boy, my cats, that new-release rush, handbags.
Timeout/relaxation for me includes: Surfing the internet and watching TV.
Special quote/saying you like: There’s two: “A goal without desire is just a meaningless dream” which I have over my computer. And one I made up: “Stop complaining, put on your big girl pants and deal with it.”

Review from Jenny Schwartz

2012-03-10T14:16:00.001+11:00

Jenny's taking part in the Australian Women Writers Challenge 2012.

She recently read VENGEANCE BORN and posted a lovely review on her blog. I'm chuffed she compared the book to some of the late 20th century fantasy novels she'd read, as I also devoured many and was influenced strongly by these books.

I grew up reading fantasy and I have a weakness for the fantasy books of the 1980s and early 90s written by women. Books like The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley. These were fantasy adventure quests with a spice of romance. Vengeance Born fits into this tradition but adds a touch more romance.

You can read her review in its entirety here.

Month of HOT Heroes (Heat 2)

2012-03-10T01:00:00.027+11:00

Here's Heat #2 in the HOT Heroes poll.

Examine and judge the pictures of the guys and picking your favorite - a difficult chore, I know, but if you really tried, I'm sure you'd be able to force yourself to complete it. :-)

We'll have a list of finalists for the HOT Hero final round in no time.

So, without further ado, here's the second heat of candidates. Place your vote over the next few days (by quoting the Hero's number in the comments section), and I'll post the rankings so you can see which heroes proved popular in what order.

Finalists will be announced at the end of the month - so make sure your vote counts!

Hero 1

Hero 2

Hero 3

Hero 4

Hero 5

Hero 6

GUEST BLOGGING over at Dark Faerie Tales

2012-03-09T23:41:00.000+11:00

Dark Faerie Tales has invited me to take part in their Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Romance Reading Challenge in March.

I'm guest blogging about "How real is the paranormal?" and there's a giveaway!

Come join me and have some fun. :-)

Month of Hot Heroes - Heat 1 winner

2012-03-09T18:00:00.009+11:00

The voting last week was tough and for a while it was hard to separate the contenders in the poll. Thank you to everyone who took on the onerous task. But now, the votes have been counted, and you have decided.

The winner of Heat 1 is...

Hero #2 & #6 came a dead heat for second in the voting, followed by #1, #3 & #5 in that order.

Email from a Reader

2012-03-09T09:51:00.000+11:00

Have you ever sent an email or letter to an author when you were touched by their work so much that you just had to let them know?

I've done it several times but it wasn't until the other day that I realised how much an author appreciates this type of letter.

A friend (who rarely reads any sort of fiction book) sent this one to me.

Hi there, dear Kylie,

I have reached chapter 21 [in VENGEANCE BORN]. Chapter 20 was a great reminder of a special moment many years ago. Thank you for taking me back.

It's hard to explain such a personal subject but since my back pain has been such a problem, moments like those are a memory, feelings that is. Your words stirred them up again.

I haven't read any further as yet as I'd like the feeling to remain in my mind awhile and not get re-lost in life's problems.

I do hope I've made sense. It's my way of saying a big thank you. So when I see you again in person you may just have to get a major big hug. ♥ :)

To know that something you wrote evoked such powerful memories and feelings is one of the reasons why I love to write.

TOPIC: An Author's Life...with Sue McKay

2012-03-06T01:00:00.099+11:00

SUE MacKAY lives with her husband and a retired hunting dog named Boss in the beautiful Marlborough Sounds at the top of New Zealand’s South Island where she can indulge her passions for the outdoors, the sea and cycling.

As a medical technician she’s worked in haematology and biochemistry laboratories in Auckland and Nelson. Combining this medical background with a love of the romance genre, it is no surprise that she writes medical romance stories. An avid reader all her life she wrote her first story at age eight, about a prince of course. In 2000 she submitted her first book to HM&B. Ten years later she finally sold them her sixth submission and has gone on to sell five more so far.

Author Facts

Marlborough Sounds, NZ

Pseudonym or Given Name on the cover? Why a pseudonym? Sue MacKay. I don’t use a pseudonym.
Location: I live in the Mahau Sound, Marlborough Sounds.
Published Genre: Mills & Boon Medical genre.
Website: www.suemackay.co.nz
First published in: 2010
Number of books published: 4

The Nitty Gritty
List up to 5 significant events in your journey to publication:

My very first rejection would have to be the most significant thing that’s happened in my writing career to date. That rejection was a huge shock. Being told my book wasn’t good enough made me very determined to do whatever it took to write a selling story.
I discovered Romance Writers of Australia and through them Romance Writers of New Zealand. Wow. What an eye opener those first newsletters were. Until then I didn’t know anyone else who wrote books and suddenly I had access to people and information. Unbelievable.
My first RWNZ conference blew me away. Everyone I met was so friendly and willing to share information. The speakers and workshops were fantastic. I didn’t sleep much for fear of missing out on something. Every conference I’ve attended since in New Zealand and Australia has still held that magic and excitement of being with like-minded people dedicated to their careers.
Getting a revisions letter for the second book I submitted. At the time I thought if you got one of these you’d made it as there’d just been a succession of writers who’d sold fairly quickly after revisions. My excitement was huge. I didn’t sell, instead I got a second revisions letter – did they really do that? Yes, and they still rejected me.
My husband rolling his eyes and asking if I was going to join him watching boring TV whenever I told him I was giving up writing after yet another rejection from the publishers.

What resources/techniques/events did you find useful to develop your writing skills/craft?
How-to books, courses and conferences were helpful as I learned more and more about my craft.

But I think my biggest asset (at times) is my determination to succeed and my pig-headedness whenever things got tough as they seemed to do with monotonous regularity.

Looking back over your writing career, how have you grown as an author?
Apart from my expanding backside from sitting too much, I guess my writing has improved heaps with every book I’ve written. After that first rejection I found the more I read about writing the less I seemed to know, but finally it all came together. Not that I’ve stopped learning. No way.

How important is it to set career goals?
I set daily, weekly, yearly and five yearly goals. Without them I doubt I’d be published. Goals keep me focused and on track. If I’ve got a year to write a book then I’ll take a year, but if I’ve given myself a six month goal then I’ll do it in that time.

Can you share the special moment when you received THE CALL/THE EMAIL?
February 2010. After three lots of revisions on my current story I was beginning to despair of ever selling when my husband said early one morning that there was an email from my editor. Did I really want to get out of bed to find it was another rejection? Of course I did. Hope never completely disappears. And the hope scale shot through the roof when I read that the editor would be phoning at ten pm that night. What a long day.

I desperately wanted to tell my writing friends but a part of me kept whispering, What if the editor feels bad after all these revisions so is phoning to tell me ‘Thanks, but no, thanks.’ As if. I was so relieved to hear her say that HM&B wanted to buy my book it took a moment to realise she’d actually said they wanted to offer me a two book contract.

My husband had had no doubts about what the call was about and brought out the expensive bottle of bubbly he’d apparently bought eons ago. It had to have been a long time ago because when he cracked it open it had gone off. Never fear, we had a back up.

What a moment, what a night. Well worth the wait. It was everything I'd dreamed of and yet better – because it was for real.

Can you describe your writing process/timeframe from when you start a new book to handing it in at deadline?
My story ideas usually begin with a very clear opening scene. Then I work on characters to suit the situation and grow the story from there. I spend a lot of time on my hero and heroine’s conflicts, backgrounds, needs and careers. Nowadays I do a very basic plot outline which does my head in as by nature I’m a pantser, but I got tired of writing myself into a corner about the middle of the story so try to have some idea of where I’m going.

My writing day starts with a ten kilometre walk which is great for nutting out plot problems and thinking through the scene I intend writing that day. I do four hours writing in the morning, aiming for 2000 words minimum. Afternoons are taken up with all the other things connected to a writer’s life – proofs, ironing, blogs, dinner, revisions on the previous book as per my editor’s comments. Once the book is written I then spend almost as long on revising – again and again and again.

I’ve made my deadlines on my latest contract tighter than previously in an attempt to stop wasting time. I’m a great procrastinator. Since when did vacuum cleaning seem so attractive?

One of the things I found challenging about being a published author is the constant juggling of tasks ie. writing a book, editing another, planning promotion, writing the prosposal for another (and usually this all happens while holding down another job or dealing with family/life etc.).

What do you enjoy the most in the publishing process?
I love the whole publishing process, though opening the carton and taking out that first copy of my book is always the most thrilling.

What do you least in the publishing process?
The only area of this business I struggle with is the internet side of things. Blogging still gives me nightmares. But thanks to some very patient women at the Love Cats DownUnder blog I’m getting there.

What's the most memorable fan-mail you've received?
Most memorable fan-mail is one I’ve had often. Apparently I made the readers cry. I love that I’ve touched people’s emotions.

Is there anything you think pre-publishers writers need to know about the business/industry before they're published?
Pre-published authors need to know that selling your first book makes all the hard yards, the rejections, the “I’m going to give up days”, the many lonely hours spent in front of computers well worth it.

The other side of receiving the call is another learning curve but, hey, it’s a lot of fun and more hard work. But the reward is that you get to see your book in print. What can be better than that?

A Bit of Fun
Favourite colour: red.
Hunkiest hero ever: Sean Connery's Bond. The voice gets me every time.
Most daring thing you've ever done in your life: first solo airplane flight.
Greatest love: my man.
Timeout/relaxation for me includes: reading, being with close friends, travel.
Special quote/saying you like: What would you do if you knew you could not fail? (Don't know who wrote this)

Month of HOT Heroes (Heat 1)

2012-03-03T01:00:00.009+11:00

One of the really fun things about publishing a book is that I get to send my editor ideas for the cover - descriptions of the characters, lots of pictures of clothes, weapons, backgrounds, male & female models etc.

What a legitimate way to spend time on the internet! I particularly enjoy the search for my hero. Looking at pictures of hot looking guys - a hazard of the job...damn, this it's tough at times being an author but someone's got to do it. :-).

Anyhow, I've completed quite a few searches now for heroes for my books and collated a collection in a file on my laptop. They inspired the idea for this post.

Readers, how would you like to participate in a HOT Heroes poll?

It would require you to undertake the onerous task of examining and judging pictures of some guys and picking your favorite - a difficult chore, I know, but if you really tried, I'm sure you'd be able to force yourself to complete it. :-)

I'm thinking we might have a few heats - it's hard to narrow down the field! - and come up with half a dozen or so finalists for the HOT Hero final round.

So, without further ado, here's the first heat of candidates. Place your vote over the next week (by quoting the Hero's label in the comments section), and I'll post the rankings so you can see which heroes proved popular in what order.

Finalists will be announced at the end of the month - so make sure your vote counts!

Hero 1

Hero 2

Hero 3

Hero 4

Hero 5

Hero 6

GUEST BLOGGING over at Riverina Romantics

2012-02-28T16:20:00.000+11:00

Where has February gone?

This blog tour has sped by and today the train stops at Riverina Romantics where we're discussing what makes a hot, sexy hero! I've shared my opinion, with a few snippets from VENGEANCE BORN, and you're invited to share yours.

So don't miss out on the chatter, come join us, and go into the draw for a copy of VENGEANCE BORN.

TOPIC: An Author's Life...with Yvonne Lindsay

2012-02-28T01:00:00.126+11:00

Auckland, NZ

Published Genre/s: Contemporary Series romance with Harlequin Desire.
Website: http://www.yvonnelindsay.com
First published in: October 2006.
Number of books published: By end of 2012, 20 books and 1 novella plus 2 online titles with eHarlequin.

The Nitty Gritty
List up to 5 significant events in your journey to publication.

Hearing Susan Napier speak at a local community centre guided me toward joining RWNZ in it’s first year or so. After that,
Robyn Donald influenced me to finish a book when she spoke at an RWNZ conference back when I was a three chapters and synopsis queen.
Fiona Brand then influenced me to enter competitions with that finished book, which won the RWAustralia 1999 Emma Darcy Award and led to the opportunity to submit directly to an editor for four years.
During that time I benefitted hugely from the mentorship of Bronwyn Jameson, and the friendship of Trish Morey who I’d finalled in the Emma Darcy with, and both of them kept me sane when I didn’t make it with that editor and through more rejections after winning the 2004 RWNZ Clendon Award.
The combination of the years of advice and support all helped to make me and my writing stronger, which eventually led to my first sale in 2005.

What resources/techniques/events did you find useful to develop your writing skills/craft? Competitions were a huge help when I was also working and busy raising a, then, young family. They gave me a chance to write sections of a book, rather than a whole book when I just couldn’t find the time to devote to a complete manuscript.

As to events, conferences in New Zealand and eventually in Australia as well. The richness of the experience of an intense weekend with likeminded people and learning from other writers and specialists in their fields is priceless for any writer.

Can you share the special moment when you received THE CALL/THE EMAIL?
In early February 2005 I’d had an email, followed by a phone call, from the editor I’d been working with and submitting to for four years after I won the 1999 Emma Darcy award.

During the phone call the editor said she felt that no matter which way we tried to push my work, I just didn’t quite fit in with either of the category romance lines they published at the time and she suggested looking elsewhere. Totally devastated, I felt as if all the work I’d done up until then had been a waste of time.

To me, my dream was dead. I gave up writing altogether...for two whole weeks. But, as many people know, you can’t just give up something that has been a driving goal for a good part of your life.

Bronwyn Jameson had been prodding me for some time to query Silhouette (now Harlequin) Desire—so I did. To my shock, I very quickly received a letter back in response to my query letter and synopsis, requesting my full manuscript. I was lucky enough to attend a weekend at Kara School of Writing with Robyn Donald and Daphne Claire where they gave me guidance on how to improve the work.

I posted that manuscript on the 31st of March 2005 and on 21 April 2005, while I was halfway through putting my makeup on before heading out the door to my day job, the phone rang and on the end of the line was my new editor offering to buy my book.

It was magical—the moment I had waited for, for what felt like forever. I had always thought myself prepared for such an eventuality and even had a checklist of what I should ask and information I should know next to every phone in our house should “The Call” ever eventuate. I always thought I could be cool, calm, collected and professional but I was soooo wrong.

I cried, I gushed, I cried some more, I told my editor that it was the happiest day of my life. I felt like I’d finally, finally, reached an incredible milestone—something I’d actively strived for, for thirteen years. It was amazing.

How important is it to set career goals? Can you give an example of one you have for yourself?
For me it’s important to set career goals on a regular basis, otherwise I feel like I’m a bit of a gerbil running on a wheel. My current goal is to complete a single title manuscript that’s been ticking away in the back of my mind for several years now. Personally, I want to write this book to prove to myself that I can. Professionally, I’d like to widen my horizons and my readership while still writing for Desire.

Is there anything you think pre-published writers need to know about the business/industry before they're published?
I think people need to remember this is a business and you need to behave professionally with everyone you deal with—all along the road to publication. Respect is hard-earned and easily lost, so once you’ve earned that respect, hold onto it and treasure it and nurture it for all you’re worth.

A Bit of Fun
Favorite color: Blue, no, purple, no, blue, no, purple. Purply blue? :-)

Hunkiest hero ever: Black Niall in Linda Howard’s book, SON OF THE MORNING.
Most daring thing you've done in your life: White water rafting. I’ve done it, now I don’t ever have to do it again.
Greatest love: My family.
Timeout/relaxation for me includes: Reading and not having to cook or do dishes.
Special quote/saying you like: "Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least." – Goethe

Helen Lacey Giveaway Winner announced!

2012-02-26T22:05:00.000+11:00

Thank you to everyone who visited and made Helen feel welcome!

She's placed all the names of those who commented into a hat and drawn out a prize winner.

Congratulations goes to:

Tina C.

If you could contact me - kyliegriffn71 (at) optusnet (dot) com (dot) au - and I can put you in touch with Helen to claim your prize!

Riverina Romantics Swag!

2012-02-26T20:38:00.000+11:00

Ooops, I'd totally forgotten about this bit of exposure over at Riverina Romantics (*hanging head in shame* but I'm going to use the excuse I have been uber-busy!).

They have a Sunday Swag feature and this week there's some Light Blade series swag up for grabs - seven different prize packs consisting of a variety of things.

Good news is that the contest is open internationally! So head on over there, check out the swag and enter.

VENGEANCE BORN - Cross Genre Appeal

2012-02-26T09:40:00.000+11:00

One of the most exciting things about finally seeing your book out there is getting that first fan email. Reading the letter gave me the weirdest feeling of "holy gwok, I'm really an author" (I said something else but I'm not repeating it here *grin*).

The letter started with:

My copy of Vengeance Born arrived yesterday from Rosemary’s (Romance Books – I couldn’t believe how quickly I got it! And of course I devoured it last night and am suffering from lack of sleep today!

Hoo-yah! I kept her up late into the night. Now that's something an author likes to hear!!!

But then the same reader sent me this email just yesterday.

Hi Kylie,
My Dad is here staying with me for a few days. He’s voracious reader and in recent years has been reading many romance novels from people I know and to his initial amazement, thoroughly enjoying them (he thought romance meant category and didn’t realise the ST [single title] involvement).

So I gave him VB. I could hardly get any sense out of him yesterday as he got swept up in your story. He finished it late last night and is eagerly awaiting Book 2 – he wasn’t happy that it’s not until July!! He was amazed at how much action there was in your story and how well developed your world.

So another convert...

Double hoo-yah!!!

This isn't the first bloke to have read VENGEANCE BORN - and I have to admit I've felt some trepidation on hearing that they're reading the book, especially considering that VENGEANCE BORN has been promoted as a fantasy romance novel.

I anticipated derogatory remarks about it being a romance, or worse, "porn for women" sort of comments (yeah, I know I shouldn't have thought so negatively but some of these guys aren't known for reading romance novels!).

So, it's been a pleasant surprise, and unexpected bonus, to find outthey've thoroughly enjoyed reading the book, and, like this reader's father, they're wanting to know when the next one comes out.

I love it when a book has cross-gender appeal. :-)

VENGEANCE BORN round up

2012-02-25T01:00:00.037+11:00

It's been one manic month but an exciting one.

I've covered some territory, from home soil (Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia), to across the ditch to New Zealand, north to the Phillipines, and then over the Pacific Ocean to the USA.

Most of it has been via cyber space to guest on blogs, and I've had a ball of a time being interviewed, meeting readers and giving away prizes.

To all the wonderful hosts who made me feel so welcome - THANK YOU! - but most especially, a huge hats off to everyone who dropped in to comment or participate in the contests.

Lots of VENGEANCE BORN copies and other goodies are winging their way to destinations as varied as the blogs I visited.

So, thank you again to everyone - and I hope to see you next blog tour (sometime in July/June!).

Review from My Book Chatter

2012-02-23T15:13:00.000+11:00

A lovely 5 star review from My Book Chatter today.

My favorite line (and imagine me with a huge grin on my face) - "Not only will Vengeance Born be sitting on my keeper shelf but author Kylie Griffin will be added to my list of favourites along side the likes of Nalini Singh and Jeanine Frost."

O.
M.
Goodness!

What a HUGE compliment!!! (for those who don't know, NS is the author I most want to be like when I grow up! So, sitting beside her on anyone's bookshelf is amazing!) :-)

GUEST BLOGGING over at My Bookish Ways

2012-02-23T09:47:00.007+11:00

My second to last official guest blog - I'm over at My Bookish Ways talking about the fantasy romance genre, firefighting, my favorite places to travel, & what my students think about me being an author!

There's also another short snippet from VENGEANCE BORN and a giveaway copy up for grabs!

Visting Dear Author

2012-02-23T09:41:00.000+11:00

I'm visiting the DEAR AUTHOR blog as part of Jane's Debut Print Book Feature.

There were some great questions asked about what inspired me to write VENGEANCE BORN, the characters, books used for research & my writing process.

Do you have time to drop in and say hi?

GUEST BLOGGING over at Minxes of Romance

2012-02-22T22:25:00.001+11:00

Procrastination, honeymoons, BISFOK and, of course, VENGEANCE BORN discussed.

Drop in at Minxes of Romance and join in! Would love to see you there.

Review from Heart to Heart:The B&N Romance blog

2012-02-21T06:12:00.000+11:00

I'm over the moon with this review of VENGEANCE BORN from Marissa, a reviewer for Heart to Heart:The B&N Romance blog.

A snippet:

It’s wonderful to find a new voice in romance, and author Kylie Griffin has a great voice. Her new paranormal/fantasy romance, Vengeance Born, is the start of an exciting new series. With a terrific mythology, clever world building and fully developed characters, this one has all the makings of a series that will become an addiction.

Thank you, Marissa!

TOPIC: An Author's Life...with Karina Bliss

2012-02-21T01:00:00.015+11:00

Peter and Barbara Clendon - The Clendon Award aka Finish The Damn Book for unpublished writers. As Kylie knows, a great success rate with picking writers who go on to publication.
The Kara School of Writing, a romance workshop run by Daphne Clair and Robyn Donald in Northland, NZ.
The Writegals, my critique group, made up of Abby Gaines, Tessa Radley and the late Sandra Hyatt.
My partner, Trevor, who is still patiently waiting to be a kept man. And in the meantime keeps me.
Winning the Golden Heart®. The manuscript never got published but it didn't matter. Enough to be queen for a night.

What resources/techniques/events did you find useful to develop your writing skills/craft?
I'm a recovering craft book junkie.

The books I keep going back to are: STORY by Robert McKee, WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL by Donald Maass; TECHNIQUES OF THE SELLING WRITER by Dwight Swain, and SAVE THE CAT by Blake Snyder.

Can you share the special moment when you received THE CALL/THE EMAIL?
All I can remember six years on is wishing Victoria Curran would quit with the small talk and get straight to the "We want to buy your book" part!

Funnily enough when she did say those magic words, it still took a couple of days before I really truly beleived it and started celebrating.

Looking back over your writing career, how have you grown as an author?
I think I get better with every book - and worse - which isn't the contradiction it sounds. Craft improves hugely under the guidance of an editor, but it's also a case of the more you know the harder it is to let go through the first draft. Voice is there from the beginning but I also think it evolves and deepens with every book.

How important is it to set career goals? Can you give an example of one you have for yourself?
I have mixed feelings about setting career goals. One, I think they're important, two I think you should always be open to revising them.

The only personal goal that has never changed is to write keepers. Whether I acheive that or not is decided by the reader, the particular story resonating with me as I write it, and lots and lots of fairy dust. But I'd rather fail big than win small.

Can you describe your writing process/timeframe from when you start a new book to handing it in at deadline?
Let's take the last book I turned in as it's fresh - BRING HIM HOME, out June 2012.

I have an initial idea - A guy falls in love with his army buddy's widow. And I push that idea to the nth degree. What if he had to make a Sophy's Choice (lesser of two evils) in the ambush that killed his buddy? What if his buddy was complicit in that choice? What if he's so scarred emotionally he turns his back on his friends, the only family he has?

What if his best friend's widow forces him to come home because his signature in a family trust is required in order for her sell the home and invest in a business? What if she hasn't forgiven her late husband for something and the hero has to act as go between?

What if his own redemption is increasingly tied to reconciling the widow to her late husband at the same time he falls in love with her?

I also look at genre conventions and try and twist them. Let's have a widow who adored her husband. Let's have the late husband a major character in the book. Let's have the love triangle about the hero's loyalty to his best friend as much as his love for his best friend's widow. Let's have a woman who's moving on and a hero who can't. Let's explore the idea of a soulmate against the backdrop of a happy marriage to someone else.

How will I make a reader believes that this man and no other is the 'one' while still developing an affection for the heroine's late husband?

That's a story evolution that takes a few months to write myself into. And all the time I'm studying facts looking to ground the story in reality which is necessary for SuperRomance. For this book, the SAS, sportsfishing, family trusts and working as a bodyguard were all areas that needed researching. Not to mention how people process grief.

The first draft is torturous. A crawl of four to six pages a day. If I write ten I can guarantee I'll delete five. I'm not a born writer but I'm an excellent reviser :) and I'm totally committed to doing my best work.

One of the things I found challenging about being a published author is the constant juggling of tasks ie. writing a book, editing another, planning promotion, writing the prosposal for another (and usually this all happens while holding down another job or dealing with family/life etc.).

What do you enjoy the most in the publishing process?
I love the beginning - coming up with ideas and the end - line edits and AA's when all the hard work is done and you're tweaking.

What do you least in the publishing process?
Everything after page three until three pages to the end.

What's the most memorable fan-mail you've received?
Every reader email is special. I still find it wondrous that strangers read my books.

Is there anything you think pre-publishers writers need to know about the business/industry before they're published?
The quality of the book is the only thing you really have control over. Know what you want out of being published - fame, fortune, critical acclaim and keep that as your touchstone when you're making decisions that affect your career.

A Bit of Fun
Favorite color: Money.
Hunkiest hero ever: Brad Pitt in Legends of the Fall. (And then he cut his hair and I went off him...so shallow).
Most daring thing you've done in your life: I was a broke Kiwi travelling through the States and ran out of money. I slept on a friend's floor for a month, working in a card shop, until I could fly home. That friend lived in a frat house at Stanford University where he was studying! I was little sister to thirty guys. An amazing experience, Animal House meets The Sound of Music.
Greatest love: My husband and son.
Timeout/relaxation for me includes: Reading on an exercycle. I'm magically getting fitter while I'm lost in a book.
Special quote/saying you like: "I can't stand Willy Wet Leg, can't stand him at any price. He's resigned and when you hit him, he lets you hit him twice." - D. H. Lawrence. It just makes me laugh.

GUEST BLOGGING over at The Book Bordello

2012-02-20T16:17:00.000+11:00

My blog tour is beginning to wind down but there are still some great prizes up for grabs.

I'm talking VENGEANCE BORN & first kisses with Xandra James over at The Book Bordello. What's your favorite part of a romance novel? Leave a comment and go into a draw for a giveaway!

CAST OF CHARACTERS: Secondary characters

2012-02-18T01:00:00.001+11:00

While the Light Blade series has an ever growing cast, here are just a few of the main players in VENGEANCE BORN.

Light Blade warriors - male and females who have the skill to channel kinetic energy through weapons. They defend human territory against the Na'Reish, patrolling the border between human and demon territory to stop Na'Hord raiding parties from taking humans as blood-slaves.

Na'Reish - a race of demons. They possess superior physical strength, night-sight and hearing. They rely on and consume human blood to survive. The Na'Rei is their king, his rule is a dictatorship. The culture implements a caste system and within Na'Reish society power and might earns respect. Most Na'Reish believe in purity of their bloodlines and revile any mixed blood unions (ie. between humans and demons).

Na'Chi - a half human, half demon race who possess similar physical characteristics to the Na'Reish. They have a less heavy build & height, no pointed teeth, violet eyes with flecks that reflect their mood and emotions, and paler spotted marking on their skin. They rely on drinking blood to survive, just like the Na'Reish. Discrimination and misconceptions abound because of their half-breed heritage. Demons kill them on sight, humans believe them to by a myth.

The Lady - revered goddess of the humans. Also a religious figurehead for some of the Na'Chi.

The Lady's Light Blade amulet with sun symbol

Arek Barial - a Light Blade warrior, Kalan's best friend and his Second-in-Command. He lost both his parents (who were also Light Blade warriors) at a very young age. He was raised by his maternal grandfather, Davyn.

Kymora - as I imagine her

Kymora - the Temple Elect, religious leader, of the humans. As a child she caught a highly contagious fever and lost her sight, one of the less severe side effects. She's Kalan's sister. Kymora is the heroine in ALLIANCE FORGED, Book #2 in the Light Blade series.

Varian - leader of the Na'Chi

Varian - leader of the Na'Chi who follow Annika from her father's fortress in Na'Reish territory. Both respected and feared by those in his group. Varian is the hero in ALLIANCE FORGED.

Lisella - one of the Na'Chi who follow Annika from her father's fortress in Na'Reish territory. Outspoken and a devout follower of the Lady.

Davyn - Arek's grandfather, member of the Blade Council (the ruling body for humans). After losing his daughter and son-in-law to the Na'Reish he passed on his need for vengeance against the demons to Arek.

Candra - Master Healer and councilor on the Blade Council. Supporter of Kalan.

Review from Rabid Reads

2012-02-17T15:38:00.001+11:00

An awesome, comprehensive critique of VENGEANCE BORN over at Rabid Reads.

If you'd like to know some of the story, Carmel has done a great job of giving you the flavor of it without any massive spoilers.

Thanks, Carmel! :-)

GUEST BLOGGING over at Get Lost in a Story

2012-02-17T09:25:00.000+11:00

Angi Morgan is my host today over at GET LOST IN A STORY.

We're talking favorite fairytales, cartoons, villains and scenes from VENGEANCE BORN - there's also a signed copy of VB to giveaway!

Come join us!!!

Review from All About Romance

2012-02-16T09:50:00.000+11:00

All About Romance has posted a review for VENGEANCE BORN.

"The first entry in Kylie Griffin’s new series The Light Blade was a breath of fresh air. In the world of paranormal romances where a lot seem to follow the same pattern, this one was unique, creative, and I just couldn’t put it down."

Yes, I am :-) 'ing!

GUEST BLOGGING over at the Dark Side DownUnder

2012-02-16T05:27:00.000+11:00

It's Magic Thursday over at the Dark Side DownUnder, and yes, that's where you'll find me this morning!

Flights of Fantasy (romance, that is!) is what I'm chatting about - daydreaming, coming up with plot ideas, characters and scenes, and there's a snippet from VENGEANCE BORN that hasn't been seen before (unless you've already read the book :-) ).

And speaking of VENGEANCE BORN, there's a copy up for grabs! Come and join me - I'd love to see you over there.

Review from Reader To Reader Reviews

2012-02-15T20:53:00.000+11:00

And they keep coming!

This time VENGEANCE BORN receives the nod from RTR Reviews.

Griffin's characters are multifaceted and...[the] plot was exciting as the author enticingly reveals secrets and the truth changes Kalan and Annika’s future forever. Absolutely wonderful!

Thank you, RTR!

Review from The Window Seat on a Rainy Day

2012-02-15T08:04:00.000+11:00

Aimee's review of VENGEANCE BORN on her blog - The Window Seat on a Rainy Day - brought a smile to my face this morning, especially the comment;

"Griffin's writing reminds me of a mix of Kresley Cole and Lynn Kurland."

Wow, what a compliment.

Thank you, Aimee! I think my smile will last most of today.

Review from A New Kind of Ordinary

2012-02-14T22:35:00.000+11:00

This time the review is from Melanie from A New Kind of Ordinary.

She gives VENGEANCE BORN a 4 star rating with a tag of "a unique blend of paranormal romance & pure fantasy". :-)

TOPIC: An Author's Life...with Valerie Parv

2012-02-14T01:00:00.037+11:00

Already a successful writer of non-fiction, Valerie has made love and romance a career, with over 60 novels to her name.  (See Valerie's booklist for a complete list of her books) Valerie’s short fiction is also regularly featured in national magazines.

A qualified trainer and counsellor, Valerie conducts seminars and workshops on creativity and all aspects of the writing craft based on her best-selling guides for writers: Heart and Craft, (Allen & Unwin, 2009) How do I Love Thee (Valerie Parv editor, Allen & Unwin, December 2009), The Art of Romance Writing (Allen & Unwin 1993, 2004) and The Idea Factory (Allen & Unwin 1995).

Valerie held Australia’s first romance writing workshop in 1988, which led to the founding of Romance Writers of Australia, and she has been a member ever since.

In 1994 the State Library of New South Wales, Australia, began to acquire Valerie’s papers for their collection and continues to acquire material from her.

"These papers detail the author’s career as one of Australia’s most successful writers in the romance genre and include manuscripts of her works and correspondence." [The State Library Collection, Annual Report]

This year Valerie moved to country NSW from Canberra where she was a volunteer guide at the National Zoo and Aquarium for 11 years. She draws on this and other aspects of her life for many of her novels, having spent almost 38 years happily married to her romantic hero, Paul, a former crocodile hunter in Australia’s tropical north, later a cartoonist and illustrator of many of Valerie's nonfiction books.

Valerie continues to write her page-turning novels because they affirm her belief in love and happy endings. As she says ...

"Love gives you wings, romance helps you fly".

Author Facts

Location: Country NSW.
Published Genre/s: romance and romantic suspense, non fiction, short stories and articles.
Website: www.valerieparv.com
First published in: 1979.
Number of books published: over 70, 50 are romance novels. Sales last estimated 29 million.

The Nitty Gritty
List up to 5 significant events in your journey to publication?
Writing a book about doing your own plumbing made me resolve to write something closer to my heart. Fortunately, my voice turned out to suit romance writing. I don't think a writer should try to change their voice to fit a market, but for me, this was a very natural fit.

Another major milestone was the passing of my husband and soulmate, Paul, in 2008, which knocked the stuffing out of me for some time. My writing has changed, as well. My Harlequin Superromance, WITH A LITTLE HELP, took my romance writing in a new direction, and I'm experimenting with others including flash fiction and possibly screenplays.

What resources/techniques/events did you find useful to develop your writing skills/craft?
There were almost no resources and groups when I started out, so I reinvented a few wheels without knowing it. The upside was not knowing how many romance manuscripts publishers were receiving, so I had no idea of the odds against acceptance.

Like the bumblebee which is not designed for flying, and flies anyway, I flew, thank goodness. My wings sag now and again, but basically I'm still flapping away. The idea is to keep learning, experimenting and growing.

Can you share the special moment when you received THE CALL?

Again, editors didn't respond by email when I was accepted. I got a snail mail letter which I picked up from reception where I had my office. I was the only person in the entire building. I remember my knees going week and the print blurring, then I called Paul from the switchboard. I had a deadline for The Changing Face of Australia, so I went to my office and wrote. The champagne came later.

How important is it to set career goals? Can you give an example of one you have for yourself?
As I say, I try to keep learning and growing all the time. No writer can ever know everything about the craft.

These days my goals are to use my blog, Facebook page and Twitter as effectively as I can. The great benefit is the amount of social interaction compared with the solitary life of a writer pre-social networking days.

My next goal is to publish a spec fic novel and write a successful romantic screenplay.

Can you describe your writing process/timeframe from when you start a new book to handing it in at deadline?
I gather you don't want the procrastination, the frustration, the conviction that every book beforehand was a fluke? They're regular parts of every writer's life.

The rest is what Bryce Courtenay calls "bum glue" - apply seat of pants to chair and get on with it. Talking about writing isn't writing. Research isn't writing. Putting one word after another, even when you think it's total drek, is what finally gets me there.

One of the things I found challenging about being a published author is the constant juggling of tasks ie. writing a book, editing another, planning promotion, writing the prosposal for another (and usually this all happens while holding down another job or dealing with family/life etc.).

What do you enjoy the most in the publishing process?
Without doubt the best part of the process is holding your new baby in your hands. You forget all the struggles, frustrations and fears, and just admire this wondrous thing you've created.

Any author who tells you they don't sneak peeks at the book to make sure it's real, and even read a few pages and marvel that they actually wrote those words is a dirty rotten liar. :-)

What do you least enjoy about the publishing process?
Least enjoyable is having to the work read over and over and over through the various editing and proofing stages until every bit of joy has evaporated.

These days that feeling tells me the book is ready to be released into the reading world.

What's the most memorable fan-mail you've received?
It was more a fan comment made at a Romance Writers of America book signing.

As I signed my latest for her, the buyer said she was stockpiling my books because she was having surgery soon, and they were her treat during recovery. Knowing you've helped someone through a tough time is amazing and humbling.

I also had many emails asking when Cade, the "fourth brother" in my Code of the Outback series, would have his story told. He finally had his day in a novella in "How do I Love Thee" an anthology published by Allen and Unwin.

Is there anything you think pre-publishers writers need to know about the business/industry before they're published?
Having a book published isn't the end of a road, but the start of a whole new journey.

A Bit of Fun
Favorite color: hot pink.
Hunkiest hero ever: Hugh Jackman in Paperback Hero (sigh).
David Tennant comes a close second, the perfect Doctor Who IMO.
Most daring thing you've done in your life: Playing with the cheetahs at the National Zoo & Aquarium, Canberra, where I was a volunteer guide for 11 years.
Greatest love: Without question, Paul, my love and muse for 38 years.
Timeout/relaxation for me includes: Watching real estate porn, reading just about anything, collecting dolls house pop-up books and vintage paper dolls, and indoor/carpet bowling.
Special quote/saying you like: "I shall pass this way but once. If there is any good that I can do, or any kindness I can show, let me do it now and not defer it, for I may never pass this way again." I read this on a poster when I was a teenager, and have tried to live by it ever since.

Unseen snippet of VENGEANCE BORN!

2012-02-13T10:04:00.000+11:00

That's What I'm Talking About has a snippet of VENGEANCE BORN up on their blog - one I haven't ever posted here on the blog or anywhere else! :-)

GUEST BLOGGING over at Romance Book Paradise

2012-02-13T10:01:00.000+11:00

I'm in Fiji today, folks!

Well, in cyber-space Fiji at the Romance Book Paradise blog pimping my recipe for a fantasy romance. Yes, an actual recipe!

Would love to see you there as there's another chance to obtain a copy of VENGEANCE BORN - lots of fun, so come join me!

GUEST AUTHOR: Helen Lacey

2012-02-13T01:00:00.001+11:00

HELEN LACEY grew up reading Black Beauty, Anne of Green Gables and Little House on The Prairie. These childhood classics inspired her to write her first book when she was seven years old, a story about a girl and her horse. Although, it wasn’t until the age of eleven when she read her first Mills & Boon, that she knew writing romances was what she wanted to do with her life. Her parents’ love of travel meant she saw much of the world in those early years and she feels fortunate to have had a diverse and interesting education over several continents.

She continued to write into her teens and twenties with the dream of one day being a published author. A few years and careers later, including motel operator, florist, strapper, dog washer, and retail manager, she got the call from Harlequin Special Edition. She loves writing about tortured heroes, both cowboys and CEO’s, and heroines who finally get the love of the man of their dreams. She now works part time in her sister’s bridal shop, where she gets to meet fascinating people, some of whom might one day end up being in one of her books.

From Welsh parents and a large family, she lives on the east coast of Australia in a small seaside town at the southern most point of The Great Barrier Reef, with her wonderfully supportive husband, many horses and three spoiled dogs.

About the book...

Title – MADE FOR MARRIAGE

Setting – Queensland in a small seaside town at the southern most point of the Great Barrier Reef.

Hero – Noah Preston.

Heroine – Callie Jones.

Scene you would never cut – Where the heroine goes to the heroes home for dinner and spends time with him and his children.

Something your hero or heroine would never do or say – That’s a tough one …. I think my hero would never say ‘it’s over’, because he fought so hard to get her.

What's one quirky thing about your hero/heroine? My hero hates green vegetables. And my heroine – well, she can’t hold a tune, but that didn’t make it past the final round of edits.

What do you think the readers will like about this book? I hope they like the sense of family and the small town setting. And the horses, of course.

MADE FOR MARRIAGE

Equestrian Callie Jones was used to difficult parents at her riding school. But Noah Preston took the cake.

How dare he question her teaching abilities, after his headstrong daughter paid no heed to rules—her teacher's or her father's?

Single dad Noah was ready to apologize for overreacting. But he wasn't sorry for the way the stunning American riding instructor made him feel. And he soon learned that there was more to Callie than her smarts, sass and fire: a shattered heart that threatened to splinter even further. Could he make her see that he—and his family—were for keeps?

Buy Links

Amazon Harlequin Amazon UK The Book Depository

What's next for you? I’m just about to submit book four and five to my editor, so am polishing up both at the moment. I’m also looking forward to the release of book two later this year and book three in early 2013.

About you...

Favorite movie of all time – Rebecca, Man From Snowy River, Shawshank Redemption (I can’t pick only one!).

Favorite fairytale – Beauty and The Beast.

Favorite story to disappear into – Black Beauty.

Favorite TV program – At the moment, Big Bang Theory. Ever? Probably Deadwood and Star Trek Next Gen.

First book you remember reading – Black Beauty.

Dog or cat person (or other) – Horse (but I do have three dogs).

Author (living or dead) you'd most like to meet – Jane Austen, of course!

A romantic retreat for you would be...well, I live in an idyllic place by the sea, so for something different maybe a weekend in the country, in a cabin, cold weather, log fire . . . or a week in Tuscany would be good too.

What do you do to unwind or relax? I like to spend time with my horses and dogs. And I have a large family so it’s always great to catch up with them and close friends.

I’m also a bit of a sci-fi nut when it comes to movies, the more aliens and ray guns the better, so I like to watch DVD’s to unwind, and stories that are different to the romances I write every day. Although, I do like the sci-fi that has a little romance in it to.

What era would you like to time travel and visit? And why? I think I’d like to go to the future, maybe five hundred years and see what they’re up to. I’d love to be able to say, “beam me up” and actually have it happen.

What does love mean to you? Consideration and honesty. The one thing I love about my husband is his innate integrity, and I think that’s an important part of a good relationship.

For more information on Helen's MADE FOR MARRIAGE Blog Tour, check out this link.

You can also find out more about Helen on her website, blog, Facebook page, her RomanceWiki page and on Twitter.

Lynne Marshall prize-winner announced!

2012-02-12T13:00:00.005+11:00

Congratulations to...

Cathy Shouse

You've won a 2012 Affair de Coeur wall calendar and Lynne's going to throw in a few more goodies as a bonus!

If you could contact Lynne - lynne (at) lynnemarshall (dot) com- she can arrange for your prize to be sent to you!

Thank you to everyone who dropped by to welcome Lynne!

GUEST BLOGGING over at Paranormal Haven

2012-02-12T10:20:00.000+11:00

It's been a busy morning already over at the Paranormal Haven.

Come join us and learn more about the Light Blade series and check out who my ultimate fantasy hero is! :-)

Oh, and did I mention that there's a giveaway copy of VENGEANCE BORN up for grabs? :-)

GUEST BLOGGING over at the Qwillery

2012-02-11T04:36:00.000+11:00

Today I've wandered over to The Qwillery for my second visit, to take part in their 2012 Debut Author Challenge.

Lots of great questions followed by a VENGEANCE BORN giveaway - care to join us?

CAST OF CHARACTERS: Rissa

2012-02-11T01:00:00.231+11:00

To continue the introduction of the characters from VENGEANCE BORN, today you find out more about Rissa, one of the secondary characters.

Name: Rissa

Race: Human

Age: 10

A younger version of Rissa.

Background & Skills: An orphan, Rissa grew up on the streets in Sacred Lake in an area called Coppertown - the place where the poor, destitute and law breakers reside.

As a trainee healer - her Gift is being able to sense when someone is in hurting on an emotional level and help them recover.

Her instructor is Healer Danna is her instructor although she is tutored by Master Healer Candra who has a soft spot for the talented, young girl.

Interesting Facts:

Rissa was found on a search for Gifted potentials by Light Blades when she was 7 years old.
She's one of the first people at Sacred Lake to befriend Annika and not judge her for being Na'Chi.
Her mentor, Healer Danna, labels her a chatterbox.
Having been teased when she first started to learn to read, she hates people who bully others.
She takes on the role of tutor, helping Annika to learn to read and write.
Her nickname is Bit.
Master Healer Candra describes her as precocious, bold, vivacious & talented but easily distracted and mischievous.

Review from TWITA

2012-02-09T08:25:00.000+11:00

Thank you to Gikany and Una from That's What I'm Talking About! for this review of VENGEANCE BORN:

This new Light Blade series and more importantly, this book, Vengeance Born is outstanding, and you just have to pick it up. If you are paranormal fans, paranormal romance fans, heck, if you just love fantasy, you need to jump on this ride now!...

(We)... both found this new world to be mesmerizing. It is a mixture outstanding fantasy and sizzling hot romance. The flow of Vengeance Born is seamless and gripping; it was incredibly difficult to put down. The balance between the storytelling, the creation of the mythology, and the development of the relationship between Kalan and Annika was impeccable. The overarching themes of the struggle people have accepting others that are different and feuds that have lasted so long that no one really knows why, just that they are supposed to hate, are tackled by the author in a gentle but determined way. Although Annika and Kalan’s stories are fairly well resolved in the end, so much more is left open with other characters.

As we’ve said before, the sign of a well-written book is that it lingers in your thoughts days or even weeks later. Vengeance Born is one of them, the characters and world followed ...(us)... for days, even into our dreams. We cannot wait until the next novel in this incredibly rich world.

To read the full review click here.

Review from Bookaholics Romance Book Club

2012-02-08T22:00:00.000+11:00

Steph from Bookaholics Romance Book Club has this review for VENGEANCE BORN!

Vengeance Born by Kylie Griffin
Paranormal Romance –Feb. 7th, 2012
4 ½ stars

Vengeance Born is a spectacular fantasy series that I could not stop reading!!

Annika is part human and part demon or Na’Reish. Raised in the brutal Na’Reish world, she is only kept alive because she is the daughter of the current Na’Reish leader who hopes to use her as a tool of vengeance. Annika is reviled and constantly in danger- mocked for her weak human blood. When a human, Light Blade warrior is captured, she heals him in the dungeon and makes him a bold bargain. She will help him escape if he will help her leave to find a chance at a real life. She hopes to find acceptance in the world of human. Although the Light Blade name Kalan does not trust Annika, he realizes he needs her help. So they embark on a journey that will test each person’s trust and a growing but tentative love and respect that will bring many changes to a world filled with prejudices.

This is fantastic story anyone for anyone who loves a good fantasy yarn with some solid romance. I can’t wait for the next book to come out. The world building in this world feels very authentic and genuine, and many readers will easily relate to the prejudices that Kalan and especially Annika must deal with. Both are very noble characters with great integrity and good intentions who form an unlikely and touching relationship. The journey together challenges Kalan and Annika, and I loved how they grew to slowly admire and care for each other. There are also some surprises and touches of deep humanity which readers will find themselves quickly caught up in the story.

This is a riveting read with genuine and worthy characters that find unlikely love, challenge prejudices and strive to save humanity.

To check out the review on their website, full review please click this link.

VENGEANCE BORN - It's RELEASE DAY!

2012-02-07T01:00:00.001+11:00

Today's the day!

Happy Release Day,

VENGEANCE BORN!

There is no mercy in the demon realm. No escape. In this place of desperation and conflict, anyone who is not pure bred is virtually powerless. Until an unlikely champion is born…

Annika, half-blood daughter of the Na’Reish King, longs for more than her tormented life among her father’s people. Conceived in hatred and bred as a tool of retribution, she’s gifted with a special talent that can heal as well as destroy.

With the Na’Reish vastly outnumbering them, Kalan, a Light Blade warrior, knows the future of humankind depends on him alone. Incursions into human territory and raids for blood-slaves by the Na’Reish Horde have increased. As Chosen-leader, he faces the task of stopping the demons—and convincing the Council of aging Light Blade warriors that change is necessary for survival.

When Annika learns Kalan is a prisoner in her father’s dungeon, her dream of escape seems within reach. She agrees to free him in exchange for his protection once they reach human territory. Now, marked for death for helping him, Annika must learn to trust Kalan as they face not only the perilous journey to the border but enemies within the Council—and discover a shocking truth that could throw the human race into civil war…

* * *

VENGEANCE BORN available from Berkley Sensation:

"Peopled with intriguing characters, the world of Vengeance Born is unique and filled with compelling mystery." – Nalini Singh, NYTimes best-selling author

“Vengeance Born is a great debut novel; Kylie Griffin has me hooked... It's not only good on the first read, it's still good on the second; this is definitely one for my keeper shelves.” – Jean Johnson, author of the Sons of Destiny series

"Kylie Griffin builds a compelling and fascinating world that pulled me right in!" – Joss Ware, author of the Envy Chronicles

“In Vengeance Born, Kylie Griffin spins an intriguing story...The book has solid world building, sympathetic characters and a twisty story line. I'm looking forward to the next in the Light Blade series.” – Robin D. Owens, RITA award winning author

"A complex plot involving the Na’Chi freedom struggles keeps the taut and intricate narrative moving as Annika and Kalan slowly develop their emotional connection. Readers will look forward to future installments in a potentially long-running series." – Publishers Weekly

"Enter a bold new series, the Light Blade, where a longstanding war between the demon and human realms rages. Promising new talent Griffin’s characters face danger and hidden secrets that threaten to change the world as they know it. A terrific debut!" – Romantic Times Magazine

GUEST BLOGGING over at Mel Teshco's blog!

2012-02-06T16:53:00.000+11:00

The VENGEANCE BORN blog tour continues.

We're talking tattoo's, milestones, writing companions, bk covers and a few other things over at Mel Teshco's blog - there's also a giveaway up for grabs - would love to see you there!

GUEST AUTHOR: Lynne Marshall

2012-02-06T01:00:00.041+11:00

Today my guest is LYNNE MARSHALL, please make her feel welcome!

Lynne used to worry she had a serious problem with daydreaming, then she discovered she was supposed to write the stories in her head. A late bloomer, Lynne came to fiction writing after her children were nearly grown. Now she battles the empty nest by writing stories which always include a romance, sometimes medicine, a dose of mirth, or both, but always stories from her heart.

She is a Southern California native, married for almost thirty years, has two adult children and is super proud of them, is a dog lover, a cat admirer, a power walker, and fellow traveler on this wild road called life!

She writes Medical Romances for Mills & Boon, and contemporary romance for Harlequin Special Edition and The Wild Rose Press. The first book in the Grady family trilogy, COURTING HIS FAVORITE NURSE, is a March 2012 Harlequin Special Edition. Also coming in March in e-book only is, AN INDESCRETION, a contemporary romance with strong medical elements, from The Wild Rose Press.

About the book...
Title - COURTING HIS FAVORITE NURSE (Harlequin Special Edition, March 2012 #2178)
Setting - Southern California – rural Ventura County.
Hero - Jack Lightfoot, a math teacher and voluntary firefighter, and the big crush of Anne Grady’s life since the time she was sixteen.
Heroine - Anne Grady, an R.N., and the oldest sibling in the Grady family. She is the rock of the family who is occasionally blunt to a fault.
Scene you would never cut - The hot air balloon scene where the Jack and Anne share their first kiss.
What do you think the readers will like about this book? It’s a reunion story full of complications, twists and surprises, where you really want this couple to finally admit they can’t live without each other.

COURTING HIS FAVORITE NURSE
(Harlequin Special Edition, March 2012 #2178, US)

Anne Grady knew better than anyone that love was complicated. When she’d left her hometown, she thought she was leaving her past heartbreak behind for good, as well. But practically the moment she returned to care for her injured parents, she stumbled headlong into their confidant—her first love, Jack Lightfoot.
Jack had been unable to deny his feelings for Annie when he was a teenager dating her best friend, and he certainly couldn’t muffle the spark twisting between them now—even if memories of the past kept threatening to push them apart. This time Jack wasn’t going to let history repeat itself—he was going to show Annie that the two of them were meant to be much more than best friends!

Buy Links:
Amazon Amazon UK B&N Book Depository

What's next for you? I have an e-book, AN INDISCRETION, from The Wild Rose Press available beginning March 2012 – it is a contemporary romance with medical elements.

AN INDISCRETION
A doctor… A nurse… An indiscretion…
Paul Valverde is stretched to the limit, caring for an elderly relative while running a business and maintaining a fulltime medical practice at St. Stephen’s Hospital—with no time for a relationship.
RN Carrington Hanover leaves her money-hungry fiancé at the altar and moves on to a new job at St. Stephen’s Hospital in Los Angeles. The next man in her life must love her, not her money.
All Work and no play has made Paul an unfulfilled man, and the resurrected redheaded crush from his youth is driving him to distraction. Can their complicated past become untangled by their newfound attraction—or will their love be doomed by mistrust and long-held resentment?

About you...
Favorite movie of all time – The Wizard of Oz.
Favorite fairytale – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Favorite story to disappear into – anything by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.
Favorite TV program – Currently – Modern Family (sitcom).
First book you remember reading - I read a lot as a child, but I distinctly remember my 12th summer when I read To Kill a Mockingbird. I woke up every morning eager to get back into that book, to see what Scout would be up to, and to solve the mystery of the carved toys in the tree stump.
Dog or cat person (or other) - I’m a dog lover and a cat admirer (how’s that for diplomatic!).

Author (living or dead) you'd most like to meet - Mark Twain and C.S. Lewis.
A romantic retreat for you would be... A rustic lodge in any of several US National Parks surrounded by pristine vistas of mountains, lakes and rivers.
What do you do to unwind or relax? Walk, read, cook with a glass of wine close by, laugh – that’s the best way to relax of all.
What era would you like to time travel and visit? When dinosaurs roamed the earth.
And why? There is so little we really know about them. I’d really love to see them from a Jurassic Park standpoint, though in a safe, absolutely-no-chance-of-harm-to-me way. ☺
What does love mean to you? 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says it best for me.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

In keeping with the theme of Lynne's book - two friends who become lovers - can readers share a favorite movie or book where this happens? Barring that, a movie with a love story that brought you to tears or gave you that *sigh* factor.

Everyone who answers will go into a draw - Lynne has a 2012 Affair de Coeur wall calendar to give away to one lucky person. Share your answer by midday, Sunday 12th February (Aussie time) and the winner will be announced that evening (just in time for Valentines Day!). Quite appropriate, don't you think?

If you'd like to know more about Lynne and her books, check out her website or RomanceWiki, or keep abreast of her news on her blog or author page, or even follow her on Facebook or Goodreads.

VENGEANCE BORN countdown...

2012-02-06T01:00:00.013+11:00

Nearly PARTY TIME!!!

1 day to go...

“Where is she?” Kalan hissed.

A malicious smile curved Davyn’s mouth. “By the time you find her, it’ll be too late. You’ll realize just what sort of animal you’ve given sanctuary to, Chosen.” Fantaticism crazed his gaze. “You’ll see she’s just like the Na’Reish.”
(VENGEANCE BORN Ch.25)

Goodreads Giveaway ends shortly!

2012-02-05T10:54:00.000+11:00

The Goodreads Giveaway for an ARC of VENGEANCE BORN ends Feb.7th - so, if you're intending to enter, don't leave it to the last minute! :-)

Here's the link.

Good luck!

VENGEANCE BORN countdown...

2012-02-05T01:00:00.005+11:00

2 days to go...

“I said I’d answer your questions.” With a trembling hand, Annika gently closed the book and pushed it away from her. “I don’t keep a journal, Councilor Candra, because I don’t know your letters and words. I was never allowed to learn them.”

Davyn grunted loudly. “Illiterate and a liar.”
(VENGEANCE BORN Ch.17)

VENGEANCE BORN Countdown

2012-02-04T01:00:00.007+11:00

3 days to go...

“So, do you always perch on balcony ledges?”

“Not always.” Annika shot Kalan a sideways glance. The pale mauve sky silhouetted his strong profile. “Usually I sit on the pitch of a roof.”
(VENGEANCE BORN Ch.15)

VENGEANCE BORN Countdown

2012-02-03T01:00:00.006+11:00

4 days to go...

Was he insane? She was half human, half demon, the antithesis of everything he believed in.

The knowledge tore through Kalan, sent a wave of unease prickling along his skin. He pressed his lips shut and shook his head. To admit to anything would change the way things were between them.

The way things should be between them.
(VENGEANCE BORN Ch.9)

Flooding in Australia - NSW's turn!

2012-02-02T19:08:00.000+11:00

Twelve months ago, the eyes of all were focused on Queensland and the devastating floods affecting much of their state.

Again this year they've had flooding rains, but this time they've also moved much further south, across the border into much of Northern New South Wales.

NSW SES website has up to date information

Maitland floods 1955

The North Coast, New England, North West Slopes & Plains and Western regions have been hit and many shires within these areas have been declared natural distaster zones.

Moree (Feb.2012)

The news bulletins are touting these flooding events to rival those that hit Australia in 1955, and in some places, the flooding has exceded these record levels.

Moree area, Feb.2012

What was shaping up to be a bumper year in the farming community has, once again, been thwarted by Mother Nature.

The ripple effect from these floods will be felt for years to come. Again.

SES & RFS crews sand-bagging a house

My thoughts and prayers go out to those who have had their lives disrupted by the flooding, been evacuated, or suffered flood damage to their properties and livestock.

And to the emergency services helping these people - please, stay safe!!!

For those needing help in floods and storms ring the SES 132500 (Australia only).

Weather system feeding the flood events

VENGEANCE BORN Countdown

2012-02-02T01:00:00.006+11:00

5 days to go...

Both Maren and the other man hauled Annika back toward the wall of the all-weather cabin and slammed her against it. The impact drove the breath from her lungs.

“I noticed you favoring this arm earlier,” Maren hissed. His fingers dug into her shoulder. Pain shot through it, numbing every muscle along the length of her arm. “How many Patrols track you?”

“I don’t know.”

He scolded her with a tongue clucking noise. “Wrong answer, Na’Chi.”
(VENGEANCE BORN Ch.7)

VENGEANCE BORN "Dear Reader" letter

2012-02-01T01:00:00.026+11:00

VENGEANCE BORN is featured over on the Berkley Paranormal & Urban Fantasy website this month. There's a Dear Reader letter and excerpt. :-)
(You'll see the cover & link in the right hand column of books on the page, right beside the Coming Soon section)

VENGEANCE BORN Countdown

2012-02-01T01:00:00.016+11:00

6 days to go...

A howl shattered the quiet of the forest.

“Vorc!”

The word sent a cold shiver skittering down his spine. The predatory animals were used by the Na’Reish to hunt humans. It was how he’d been capture.

Had his absence from the Pit already been discovered? The snapping and cracking of branches sounded in the distance. Something large and heavy was racing toward them. Annika’s hand squeezed his.

“They’ve scented us.” In the moonlight, her face was pinched with fear, the flecks in her eyes glowed yellow. “Run!”
(VENGEANCE BORN Ch.3)

GUEST BLOGGING: Over at Regency Seductions...

2012-01-31T01:00:00.036+11:00

I'm tripping across the ditch today (aka the Tasman Sea) to chat to Bronwen Evans over at her blog - Regency Seductions.

We'd love to have your company and if you leave a comment you'll go into the draw for an ARC copy of VENGEANCE BORN. Looking forward to seeing you there!

TOPIC: An Author's Life...with Amanda Ashby

2012-01-31T01:00:00.021+11:00

Being a published author is an ... involved ... process, and I take my hat off to those who've been in the business more than a few years now.

As a pre-pubbed author I was always curious about what happened once you received THE CALL and stepped into the world of publishing.

What did it involve? How did they handled the day to day pressures? Did they developed routines, set goals etc.? What did they like/dislike about the process?

So I asked my special guests these questions and many of them have offered some intriguing insights into their lives. Maybe they'll even give you a heads up on what to expect if you're thinking of entering the world of "getting published".

Please welcome my next guest...

AMANDA ASHBY was born in Australia and after spending the last sixteen years dividing her time between England and New Zealand, she’s finally moved back and now lives on the Sunshine Coast.

When she’s not moving country, she likes to write books (okay, she also likes to eat chocolate, watch television and sit around doing not much, but let’s just keep that amongst ourselves, shall we?)

Author Facts
Pseudonym or Given Name? Amanda Ashby.
Location: Sunshine Coast, Queensland.
Published Genre/s: young adult, middle grade.
Website: www.amandaashby.com
First published: 2007.
Number of books published: I’ve currently got three books out and four more to come in next 12-18 months.

The Nitty Gritty
List up to 5 significant events in your journey to publication?
The first clever thing that I did was join the Romance Writers of New Zealand.

I won a competition, which would’ve seen my book get published with a small UK publisher, but they went under before that happened.

At the same time I had moved to the UK and joined the RNA and went along to a local chapter meeting in Cheshire. There were four of us at that first meeting: me, Penny Jordan, Susan Stephens and Amanda Grange. To say that I was overwhelmed was an understatement but despite being a fish out of water those wonderful writers took me under their wings and made me feel like my writing dream was possible!

From there many more people ending up coming to our chapter meetings (including the wise Kate Walker and the lovely June Francis who writes Liverpool sagas).

Hanging out with so many Harlequin authors led me to the eharlequin boards and that is where I met my CP's Christina Phillips and Sara Hantz.

Meeting those two was definitely the best thing that ever happened to my writing career. I think we had been friends for about two years when I finally sold and I can’t imagine what I would’ve done without them (especially since they are fabulous at correcting my shoddy grammar!!!!).

What resources/techniques/events did you find useful to develop your writing skills/craft?
I love Blake Snyder’s book SAVE THE CAT. I’ve read a lot of writing books that try and teach me how to write but with Blake’s book I feel like he’s putting names and structures to the things that I naturally do.

Can you share the special moment when you received THE CALL?
My first book went out on submission in 2005 to quite a big list but within two weeks we had received rejections from nearly all of them.

Then my agent sent me an email to say that NAL had offered on the proviso that I changed it from a young adult book to a woman’s fiction book. Honestly, in that email all I saw was the words ‘offer’ and so I immediately said yes!!!!

Looking back over your writing career, how have you grown as an author?
I think I write like a puppy! I have a lot of enthusiasm and over the top of ideas and not a lot of structure and style. Thankfully, over the years I’ve definitely learnt how to control my voice and impose some order on it.

Of course, it hasn’t all happened in a bubble and I owe it all to my editor Karen Chaplin who has been such a champion of my work. Karen has since left Puffin but I still keep her in my mind when I’m working on a new project because she knew just how to push and develop me as an author!

Ditto with my agent, Jenny Bent who never lets me put anything but my best foot forward.

How important is it to set career goals? Can you give an example of one you have for yourself?
You know I really should start setting some goals. It sounds very grown up and clever! Unfortunately, I tend to just float along in a very vague way and hope that good things happen (for the record, don’t try this at home).

Can you describe your writing process/timeframe from when you start a new book to handing it in at deadline?
It varies so much depending on the contract. I’ve sold books on the full, on a partial and on a synopsis and so each experience has been different.

The only thing that stays the same is that by the time I hit the middle, my head is fit to explode and I’m convinced that I’m the worst writer. In. The. World!

Also, for me a lot of the work starts after the book has been handed in and when we move onto the revision stage (that when crazy really comes to visit!)

One of the things I found challenging about being a published author is the constant juggling of tasks ie. writing a book, editing another, planning promotion, writing the prosposal for another (and usually this all happens while holding down another job or dealing with family/life etc.).

What do you enjoy the most in the publishing process?
Ideas!!!! I’m such an ideas person and so I love the challenge of coming up with something that has a cute title, strong hook and that can work in the current market.

What do you least in the publishing process?
The waiting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There is so much downtime in publishing, depending where you sit on your publisher’s list and so often you have long periods of time where nothing is happening and you have to keep yourself amused and out of trouble!

What's the most memorable fan-mail you've received?
It was for my debut book YOU HAD ME AT HALO and it was from a lovely reader called Laura who I would say was my first fan! She was so wonderful and I even ended up meeting her at the RWA conference in San Francisco.

We joked that she was my stalker but she wasn’t like that at all. She just really liked my book and I’ve never forgotten her because she was the first person who made me feel like a ‘real’ writer!

Is there anything you think pre-publishers writers need to know about the business/industry before they're published?
I don’t want to sound all pessimistic but sometimes when I think of publishing I think of Kurt Vonnegut’s book, CAT'S CRADLE where it concludes, ‘No dam cat. No dam cradle.’ Because no matter how great your publishing experience is, it’s NEVER how you expect it will be!

So my advice is to lose your expectations, concentrate on your story and remember that it’s not the most important thing in the world.

A Bit of Fun
Favorite color: apple green.

Hunkiest hero ever: David Boreanaz.
Most daring thing you've done in your life: bought sour Skittles instead of regular ones. Sometimes I just scare myself with my thrill-seeking nature!
Greatest love: husband. He’s very lovely when he’s behaving himself!
Timeout/relaxation for me includes: watching television and reading books.
Special quote/saying you like: "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you odd." - Flannery O’Connor. I love this, and it pretty much sums up every book that I’ve ever written!!!

CAST OF CHARACTERS: Kalan - the warrior hero of Vengeance Born

2012-01-28T01:00:00.132+11:00

To continue the introduction of the characters from VENGEANCE BORN, today you find out more about Kalan, the hero.

Name: Kalan Tayn

Race: Human

Age: 30

Background: Kalan Tayn is the son of traders. His calling to be a Light Blade warrior came in his early teens. His best friend, Arek, joined the same time as him.

His sister, Kymora, was also called to serve the Lady, but as a Handmaiden in the Temple. They all helped one another in their respective roles.

While Kalan doesn't appear on the front cover, this is what I imagined he'd look like.

Kalan rose quickly among the Light Blade ranks to the position of Commander. Arek is his Second, a partnership which endures to this day.

Kalan's strong faith in the Lady guides his every action and helps him through difficult situations - the most pressing being to convince a rigid and inflexible Blade Council that they must adapt to survive the escalating conflict with the Na'Reish demons.

If he can't, the Na'Reish will succeed in killing or enslaving them all.

Skills: Like all Light Blade warriors he can use his kinetic power to kill by channeling it through touch or via any blade or weapon. This skill is used to kill the Na'Reish.

In human society, Light Blades are highly respected for their skills and dedication to upholding the Lady's tenets. They are the protectors of all.

Interesting facts:

His mother died of Claret-rash when he was young.
As young Light Blade trainees, he and Arek used to sneak into the Night Markets outside curfew to visit the taverns.
He insists on being called Commander outside the Blade Council chamber rather than Chosen. He believes strongly in forging personal connections with those he meets instead of relying on his rank to earn respect.
Like Annika, Kalan's greatest vice is a hot bath.

GUEST BLOGGING: Over at the Romance Bandits...

2012-01-27T16:32:00.000+11:00

I'm wandering over to the Romance Bandits blog today.

The lovely Anna Campbell is my host and she's asking me all sorts of questions and giving me a chance to promote VENGEANCE BORN, my debut release due out on Feb.7th.

If you have a minute to spare, come and join us!

(For the Aussies who were wondering where the link was for this - I had to wait for the time zones to synch - the Bandits are in the USA zone).

VENGEANCE BORN Countdown

2012-01-26T01:00:00.015+11:00

Less than 2 weeks to go...

“That’s why you helped me escape? Why you need me with you?” The image of her latched on to him, feeding, flashed through his mind. “I’m a convenient food source?”

How many Light Blade warriors had he seen fall in battle? How many had he heard scream in agony as demon teeth ripped into their throats or wrists so they could be drained?

Nausea choked him. Too many.

Kalan dropped into a crouch, teeth bared. “Come one step closer and I will kill you.”
(VENGEANCE BORN Ch. 2)

BLOG TOURING: Over at Helene Young's blog...

2012-01-24T01:00:00.010+11:00

I'm visiting Aussie author, Helene Young today. She's put me in the hot seat and interviewed me this time!

Come join us and leave a comment to go into the draw for a signed ARC copy of VENGEANCE BORN.

TOPIC: An Author's Life...with Maree Anderson

2012-01-24T01:00:00.006+11:00

Being a published author is an ... involved ... process, and I take my hat off to those who've been in the business more than a few years now.

As a pre-pubbed author I was always curious about what happened once you received THE CALL and stepped into the world of publishing.

What did it involve? How did they handled the day to day pressures? Did they developed routines, set goals etc.? What did they like/dislike about the process?

So I asked my special guests these questions and many of them have offered some intriguing insights into their lives. Maybe they'll even give you a heads up on what to expect if you're thinking of entering the world of "getting published".

Please welcome my next guest...

MAREE ANDERSON always knew she had a re-e-e-eally warped imagination. The trouble was finding a socially acceptable outlet...which is why she became an author.  

The other great thing about being an author is having a valid reason to read loads of books -- all in the name of research, of course. When she's not 'researching', Maree's writing romance of the paranormal persuasion.

She's a Kiwi, a New Zealander, and she's addicted to chocolate -- the darker the better. Not to mention coffee and excellent NZ wine. She's not quite so addicted to her local gym but she's working on it ;-)

Author Facts
Pseudonym or Given Name? Given name—plain old Maree Anderson. I didn’t really think about the pseudonym thing until after I was published... in erotic romance. Ooops. *face palm*
Location: Auckland, New Zealand.
Published Genre/s: Erotic Romance of the science fiction/fantasy/paranormal persuasion, paranormal romance, Young Adult paranormal. (If you’re sensing a theme here, you’d be right *g*)
Website: http://wwwmareeanderson.com
First published in: 2009.
Number of books published: 8 (3 novella-lengths, 5 novel-lengths).

The Nitty Gritty
List up to 5 significant events in your journey to publication?

As Barbara Clendon would say: “Finishing the damn book!” Or in my case, that very first manuscript.
Someone asking me shortly after I’d finished that very first manuscript, “What scares you about taking the next step toward publication?”
Finalling in the RWNZ Clendon Award in 2004 with that very first manuscript, and having Barbara Clendon say something to the effect of, “It needs a lot of work but for some reason, I just wanted to keep on reading the darned thing.”
Writing an erotic romance novella specifically for a contest, just to challenge myself, and being offered a publishing contract. (I’d never written a novella or an erotic romance before, so that was The Best feedback *g*)
My second Red Sage editor, Judith Harkins. We worked on four stories together before she left the company, and she was an incredible mentor, who really “got” me. She pulled scenes from me that I didn’t know I had it in me to write. We still keep in touch regularly via email.

What resources/techniques/events did you find useful to develop your writing skills/craft?
I read widely, across a variety of genres. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is for writers to read heaps. And heaps. And heaps.

For me, inspiration for a story strikes at the strangest times—in the middle of listening to a song, reading an article in an ancient magazine in the takeaway shop while waiting for my fish ‘n chips order, watching TV, glimpsing a photo as I flick through a magazine, waking from a dream.... I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve sprinted round frantically looking for a pen and paper to scribble down the idea before it vanishes.

So the best resource a writer can have? Pen and paper always at hand! (And preferably a pen that works, too.)

Entering contests can be a great way to get feedback about the strengths and weaknesses of your story—and your writing in general. I have a special fondness for the RWNZ Clendon Award, because it’s a full manuscript contest, with romance readers (not writers!) reading your whole manuscript and giving you feedback.

And having a group of writer-friends that you can meet with regularly is a must. “Normal” friends—and even family—don’t truly don’t understand what it’s like to have characters talking inside your head, and the muse cracking her fluffy whip and compelling you to write. Other like-minded writers “get” it and they’ll “get” you. And that’s a huge gift, because writing can be a lonely, very isolating, business.

Plus, I’ve always found other writers to be incredibly supportive and generous with sharing their knowledge. Our RWNZ Auckland chapter meetings have sometimes been the only thing that’s kept me writing through the tough times.

Can you share the special moment when you received THE CALL/THE EMAIL?
I wrote an erotic romance novella—just to see if I could 1) write a novella, and 2) erotic romance. I entered the finished novella in a publisher-run contest, and to my delight, I finalled.

The editor who read my entry sent me an email saying Red Sage were “so impressed by the quality of your manuscript, we’d love to publish it.” I cried all over the place. It was a dream come true.

I printed out that email and still have it pinned to my notice board.

Looking back over your writing career, how have you grown as an author?
When I first started out, I thought I was a fantasy writer. Period. Then I discovered I like to challenge myself as a writer, so I started to experiment, and learned I could write in a variety of genres, and lengths, and POVs (third or first.)

I also believed that I was a dedicated pantser, who would “never” be a plotter. But I’ve taught myself to outline if needs be.

For me, I’ve kind of lived by “if it isn’t working, try something different” when it comes to my writing. So now I’m pretty flexible. And if I get stuck, or parts of a manuscript aren’t working, I have lots of tools in my arsenal to help me fix the story.

How important is it to set career goals? Can you give an example of one you have for yourself?
Here are the career goals I had when I first accepted a publishing contract with Red Sage:

to have a novella published
to have a novel-length story published
to have a novella accepted for a Secrets anthology, so I’d have a story in print.

Those are the goals that I worked towards, and I achieved the last one with the July 2011 release of Kat On A Hot Tin Roof in the SECRETS Volume 30 “Desires Unleashed” anthology.

Can you describe your writing process/timeframe from when you start a new book to handing it in at deadline?
Because Red Sage is primarily an e-publisher, and they generally contract already completed manuscripts (i.e. they don’t usually contract on proposal), deadlines weren’t such an issue for me. I’d complete a manuscript, send it to my editor, we’d work on it, and when we were happy with it, I’d be sent a contract.

That said, my editor liked the idea of SCENT OF A MAN (a fantasy I’d written a few years back) so much that she contracted it without reading the entire manuscript.

So for me, that was my first taste of a tight deadline. I had to drastically cut the word count and rewrite a fantasy as an erotic romance. It was a mission, and then some—especially since I had a large cast of characters, multiple points of view, and my hero and heroine spent far too much time apart!

But every time I panicked that I might not be able to do this, my editor would tell me how much she believed in me. So I had to believe in me, too.

I recall things getting really tough when we decided quite late on during the rewrite process that the last quarter of the story wasn’t working. In the end, I decided to cut a chunk of the story out, outline what needed to happen, decide which of the scenes I’d cut (if any) still fit the new outline, paste them back in, and then write to fill the gaps.

I made the contract deadline with about three weeks to spare, I think. But it was an incredibly stressful process.

What I took away from that process was that I can completely pull apart a story and put it back together again while working under pressure to meet a deadline. So nothing much scares me anymore ;-)

One of the things I found challenging about being a published author is the constant juggling of tasks ie. writing a book, editing another, planning promotion, writing the proposal for another (and usually this all happens while holding down another job or dealing with family/life etc.).

What do you enjoy the most in the publishing process?
The writing! Because for now I’m not contracted to a specific publisher, I get to pretty much write what I want and try different things. For example, although I’m published in erotic romance, I also write non-erotics and YA.

I’m currently pulling out old manuscripts and rewriting them, which is a fun process—and a humbling one, when you see just how far you’ve come as a writer!

So far I’ve published three of my manuscripts—my 2006 RWNZ Clendon Award-winning manuscript, THE CRYSTAL WARRIOR, and a paranormal YA, FREAKS OF GREENFIELD HIGH (winner of the Maryland Romance Writers ‘Reveal Your Inner Vixen’ contest) are now available at Smashwords, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Diesel eBooks, iTunes & Sony.

And the second Crystal Warrior book, RUBY'S DREAM, (a Clendon Award finalist) is available at Smashwords, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes.

The third Crystal Warrior book, JADE'S CHOICE (also a Clendon Award finalist) will be released in the next few months. It’s an exciting time to be an author *g*.

Unfortunately, my muse is a slave-driver, and she doesn’t count “re-writing” as real writing! So I’m currently querying a recently completed YA that placed second in the From The Heart Romance Writers Golden Gateway Proposal contest for published authors.

I had a full manuscript request from one of the judging editors, so at the time of writing this interview, I’m waiting to hear what she thinks of the full manuscript. And once I’ve finished rewriting the third Crystal Warriors book, it’ll be back into writing something shiny and new to keep Ms Muse happy.

What do you like least in the publishing process?
Writing the dreaded synopsis! Followed closely by the dreaded blurb. And the dreaded tag-line...

What's the most memorable fan-mail you've received?
I received an email from a lady who’d bought the kindle version of THE CRYSTAL WARRIOR on Amazon, telling me how much she loved it, and what a fantastic story it was. I cried all over the place—it was just so wonderful to hear that.

Is there anything you think pre-published writers need to know about the business/industry before they're published?
Do the research. You (hopefully!) wouldn’t jump into a car for the first time, stick the key in the ignition, and just automatically expect to be able to drive it. Writing is the same.

If you don’t know how to say, format a paragraph or conversations in your manuscript, pick up a few books and see how it’s done. Same with a synopsis, and a query letter—there’s a wealth of information and excellent advice out there. All you have to do is be prepared to look for it and learn from it.

Besides, once you’re published, writing becomes even more of a business, so why not be professional right from the start?

Other than that, the most important thing to do is write, get into the habit of writing, and get into the habit of finishing what you start. Good things take time, and so does learning the “craft” of writing.

A Bit of Fun
Favorite color: Purple.
Hunkiest hero ever: Pierce Brosnan in The Thomas Crown Affair.
Most daring thing you've done in your life: Bungy jumped off the Kawerau Bridge in Queenstown.
Greatest love: My husband, my kids. And really good quality dark chocolate.
Timeout/relaxation for me includes: Reading a book. In bed. While juggling cereal and a mug of coffee.
Special quote/saying you like: “Begin at the beginning,” the King said, gravely, “and go till you come to the end, then stop.” (Lewis Carroll, from Alice in Wonderland.) Pretty much my mantra when it comes to writing a book!

Thanks heaps for inviting me to participate in this questionnaire, Kylie—I had heaps of fun putting the answers together!
You're welcome, Maree! :-)

And to finish off, you can find Maree lurking in all kinds of places:
Website/blog Facebook author page Twitter Google + Writers Gone Wild Blog

CAST OF CHARACTERS: Annika - the half-blood heroine of Vengeance Born

2012-01-21T01:00:00.128+11:00

I thought I'd share some facts and information about Annika, the heroine, from VENGEANCE BORN.

Name: Annika

Race: Na'Chi (half human, half demon)

Age: 25

Background: Annika's mother was a human Light Blade warrior. Her father is Na'Rei Savyr, the demon king. Her father kidnapped her mother and raped her to breed a half-blood child to get even with an old enemy.

In demon society, Annika belongs at the very bottom of the social order, her Na'Chi status even placing her below the human slaves who serve the Na'Reish.

She grows up teased, tormented and abused by demons and humans but finds a mentor in Hesia, an elderly woman who teaches her healing skills. The healer teaches her about the Lady, the deity humans revere and the Na'Reish ridicule.

Annika dreams of finding out more about her human heritage, and plans to escape her tormented life. She also hopes to find someone who will love her for who she is.

Skills: She's able to heal or kill with a touch. Thanks to Hesia's influence she's chosen to help others instead of use the power to elevate her status among the Na'Reish (where power earns respect).

Interesting Facts:

Being half-Na'Reish Annika's inherited their enhanced strength, eyesight and hearing. She also has spotted markings on the sides of her face, either side of her back, & thighs, all the way to her ankles, although they are paler than those on a full blooded Na'Reish.

Her eyes are violet with flecks that change color depending on her emotions and moods.
Hesia kept her mother's Light Blade amulet after her death & gave it to Annika.

As per Savyr's orders, all Na'Chi babies are killed at birth, so she believes she's the only living Na'Chi within her father's fortress.
She ALWAYS looks for and plans several escape routes whenever she enters unfamiliar territory - a legacy left over from childhood when she learned to run and hide from other Na'Reish children to avoid being beaten.
The forest outside her father's fortress is her retreat from the grind of daily life.
She loves hot baths.

Artist: Gene Mollica

Gearing up for Release Day - Winners!!!

2012-01-19T14:05:00.000+11:00

Thank you to everyone who dropped by and and answered my question:

If you could spend an afternoon having coffee & a chat with your favorite paranormal/fantasy hero or heroine, who would it be? And why?

I've thrown names into my dragon coffee cup and randomly selected three winners.

Winner of the signed ARC of VENGEANCE BORN - YzhaBella's BookShelf

Winner of the Light Blade series prize pack (#1) - *yadnky*

Winner of the Light Blade series prize pack (#2) - Hanife Albayra

If those people could email me - kyliegriffin71 (at) optusnet (dot) com (dot) au - with their postal addresses, I'll send your prizes off to you!

VENGEANCE BORN Countdown

2012-01-19T01:00:00.000+11:00

With VENGEANCE BORN coming out next month, I thought I'd post a few snippets to whet your appetite for the big day. :-)

Annika hated visiting the dungeons. The dank cells reeked of pain and fear as well as blood. Anyone unfortunate enough to be imprisoned here risked dying of exposure if the torture inflicted by the Na’Reish guards didn’t claim them first.

“This had better be worth it, Hesia,” she muttered and tugged the skirts of her dress away from slime-covered walls. (VENGEANCE BORN Ch.1 - opening lines)

Night Owl Reviews Top Pick!!!

2012-01-18T17:23:00.000+11:00

Over at Night Owl Reviews Yadkny has reviewed VENGEANCE BORN.

Snippet from the review:

I am completely captivated by this fantastical world Kylie Griffin has created. It is a mystical adventure with demons, Vorcs, and prejudiced humans to contend with. The journey is unpredictable, intense, and suspense filled with each scene easily realized. Add to that the strength, compassion, and underlying vulnerability and innocence of Griffin’s two leading characters and this story is an unstoppable read. Annika and Kalan's stories are revealed in parts throughout, so connections can be made with each of them although I'll warn that Annika's story is particularly grabbing. The pacing is perfectly set to deliver maximum impact on both character development and world-building. In short, I believe in the characters and I believe in their story.
I am so impressed by Kylie Griffin’s imagination and writing talents and I can’t wait to dive into the next Light Blade journey! There are plenty of plot twists and characters with stories yet to be told, so it seems that the ending of this story is actually just the beginning. Fantasy and romance fans will be pleased with this new series!

Thank you, Yadnky & Night Owl Reviews, you've made my day!!!

Visiting over at Love Books

2012-01-17T18:13:00.000+11:00

I'm talking to Imogene Nix about VENGEANCE BORN and a few other things over at Love Lines from Love Books.

TOPIC: An Author's Life...with Mel Teshco

2012-01-17T01:00:00.021+11:00

Being a published author is an ... involved ... process, and I take my hat off to those who've been in the business more than a few years now.

As a pre-pubbed author I was always curious about what happened once you received THE CALL and stepped into the world of publishing.

What did it involve? How did they handled the day to day pressures? Did they developed routines, set goals etc.? What did they like/dislike about the process?

So I asked my special guests these questions and many of them have offered some intriguing insights into their lives. Maybe they'll even give you a heads up on what to expect if you're thinking of entering the world of "getting published".

Please welcome my next guest...

MEL TESHCO grew up in Australia, where her seemingly gypsy dad and ever patient mother saw her living in many areas of the East Coast, along with her sister and two brothers.

Each new home stimulated an already over-active imagination, where she spent as much time dreaming about fantasy worlds as the real world - the fantasy sometimes being much better.

Now living on a small rural property with three horses and a handful or two of cats, she is happily married with three children of wide-spread ages and loves writing gritty, sizzling paranormals and the occasional contemporary with darker tones.

Author Facts
Pseudonym or Given Name on the cover? Mel Teshco.
Why a pseudonym? I write erotica so I’m aware stalkers might one day be an issue. Plus I loved being able to use ‘Teshco’—the first two letters from each of my daughter’s names.
Location: Sunshine Coast/Wide Bay, Queensland, Australia.
Published Genre/s: Paranormal Romance, Paranormal and Contemporary Erotica.
Website: www.melteshco.com
First published in: 2009.
Number of books published: 11 (including one self-published and one free read).

The Nitty Gritty
List up to 5 significant events in your journey to publication.
Definitely joining Romance Writers of Australia was the biggest reason for my success today, followed soon after by moving to Queensland and meeting Robyn Grady and Rachel Bailey—both unpublished at the time with Harlequin.

Soon after I joined up with an online group of writers (Claytons Critters) who helped me to hone my craft, then eventually left that group to focus on more one-on-one writing and became CP’s with Tracey O’Hara.

Melissa Smith has been another brilliant CP who has influenced my writing a lot, as well as some other writers who I occasionally swap with (Laurann Dohner, Cathleen Ross).

What resources/techniques/events did you find useful to develop your writing skills/craft?
Aside from generally writing, writing and more writing, it’d be all the brilliant workshops at the annual romance conference.

Also, for me it was contests where judges left sometimes brutal comments and suggestions—you can’t beat them for getting your work out there and being judged fairly (most of the time). And having great writers to look at your work is invaluable, it’s amazing how much the brain soaks up. In the same way I’ve found judging and critiquing helps to see what works, what doesn’t.

For ‘how to’ books I highly recommend Angela Knight’s Passionate Ink: A Guide to Writing Erotic Romance. I can’t stress enough how much every writer can learn from this book.

I also really enjoyed Stephen King’s take on his writing journey, an interesting insight.

Can you share the special moment when you received THE CALL/THE EMAIL?

I had a couple of close calls with Nocturne Bites, which included what is now STONE-COLD LOVER, which I eventually sold to Ellora’s Cave.

To be honest, I sent that story there after it was rejected from Bites, with no real expectations it would be accepted—until I received an email telling me they wanted it (if I was willing to add more explicit sex scenes).

When I published HER DARK LORD with Nocturne Bites, I got an acceptance email followed by a phone call—most of which I can’t remember. I think the editor must have wondered what she’d gotten herself into, LOL!!

Looking back over your writing career, how have you grown as an author?
I’m certain you never stop growing as an author, even if you’re Stephen King or J.K Rowling. But I think I’ve mostly grown in my realizing how far I’ve got to go in my own writing journey, how much I learn all the time.

How important is it to set career goals? Can you give an example of one you have for yourself?
It’s so important to set ‘realistic’ goals.

For me I set out a writing ‘to do’ list which I published on my blog and updated a few months ago to let readers know where I was at. It’s also a great tool for motivation.

Can you describe your writing process/timeframe from when you start a new book to handing it in at deadline?
I don’t really have deadlines, though I can write decent word counts when I’m focused (I wrote Dragon Heat in 3 weeks, with absolutely no idea what the story was going to be about when I began typing).

My writing process is basically whatever story is captivating me at the time, though I do try and focus on the ones that need to be done. I’m usually juggling at least three or four stories at a time as my attention span is deplorable.

One of the things I found challenging about being a published author is the constant juggling of tasks ie. writing a book, editing another, planning promotion, writing the prosposal for another (and usually this all happens while holding down another job or dealing with family/life etc.).

What do you enjoy the most in the publishing process?
Speaking of juggling LOL!! For Ellora’s Cave I’ve never had to write a proposal, I’ve written the whole book and sent it in—thankfully they’ve accepted all of them so far.

But yes, promotion and just the time it takes to check emails, blogs, facebook and twitter, sometimes it’s exhausting! I try to spend less time on all of those things now—getting books out is much more important, and besides which, I don’t want to sacrifice more precious time away from my family.

What do you like least in the publishing process?
There’s actually nothing I dislike. I love getting edits and making the story that much stronger, I love LOVE seeing a cover for the first time, and I love seeing the book go out into the world.

Oh, I do dislike bad reviews, they totally suck! But I’ve come to accept not everyone is going to love every book.

Mel's free read

What's the most memorable fan-mail you've received?
It was probably one I got from a lady who loved my free and very short story (3k) and begged me to make the story longer.

Is there anything you think pre-publishers writers need to know about the business/industry before they're published?
Just know you’ve got to put the hours into your craft. It might seem silly, but there’s a reason very few people get published early in their writing career.

Learning the craft takes many years and I think most writers would feel incredibly grateful none of those earlier works are out in the world, tarnishing their name - LOL!

A Bit of Fun
Favorite color: Green.
Hunkiest hero ever: I have a bit of a thing for Brad Pitt. In fact the part he played in Thelma and Louise was the hero (in my mind) in my free read Discovering Sofia. My fav hero in a book would have to be Clayton from Kelley Armstrong’s, BITTEN.
Most daring thing you've done in your life: Moved interstate with a baby and young child (with a major physical disability), to start a new life and escape an abusive relationship. Seriously the best thing I’ve ever done for myself and for my kids.
Greatest love: It goes without saying I love my husband, my children and my mum. I couldn’t imagine life without any of them in it. I love grabbing a pizza and sitting down in the afternoon with my husband and having a bourbon and dry. I love my house—it feels like my own space, my own piece of paradise.
Timeout/relaxation for me includes: Reading. Swimming. The occasional horse ride. Reading to Miss four or playing memory. Driving. Holidays. Playing COD (shooting games is a great stress release LOL!).
Special quote/saying you like: Be careful what you wish for, it just might come true. (I think that is apt for all of us). And: There are only two ways to live your life: as though nothing is a miracle, or as though everything is a miracle.

2011 ARRA Finalists announced!

2012-01-16T12:06:00.000+11:00

We have some RWAustralia & RWNew Zealand members on the lists - some multiple nominees - CONGRATULATIONS!

* Asterix = member of RWA/NZ - hope I caught everyone, shout out if I haven't! (I cross-checked with our membership lists on the websites).

Voting has opened today for the 2011 Australian Romance Readers Awards. Below are the finalists in each of the nine categories. ARRA members can now vote for their favourite in each category. Voting will close on 29 January.

Winners will be announced at the Awards Dinner on 11 February 2012.

Favourite paranormal romance for 2011 (proudly sponsored by Galaxy Bookshop)

·         Big Bad Beast / Shelly Laurenston

·         Dragon Bound / Thea Harrison

·         Dreams of a Dark Warrior / Kresley Cole

·         Fate’s Edge / Ilona Andrews

·         Goblin King / Shona Husk*

·         Kiss of Snow / Nalini Singh*

·         Lover Unleashed / JR Ward

·         Nightfall / Ellen Connor

·         The Guardian / Sherrilyn Kenyon

·         Three Wishes / Jenny Schwartz*

Favourite sci-fi, urban fantasy or futuristic romance for 2011 (proudly sponsored by Carina Press)

·         Archangel’s Blade / Nalini Singh*

·         Archangel’s Consort / Nalini Singh*

·         Blood Bound / Rachel Vincent

·         Blood Cursed / Erica Hayes*

·         Born of Shadows / Sherrilyn Kenyon

·         Death Magic / Eileen Wilks

·         Magic Slays / Ilona Andrews

·         River Marked / Patricia Briggs

·         Shadow Kin / MJ Scott*

·         Shadowfever / Karen Marie Moning

Favourite short category romance for 2011 (proudly sponsored by Harlequin Enterprises Australia)

·         Colorado Cowboy / CC Coburn*

·         Girl in the Bedouin Tent / Annie West*

·         Molly Cooper’s Dream Date / Barbara Hannay*

·         Prince of Scandal / Annie West*

·         Promoted to Wife? / Paula Roe*

·         Rapunzel in New York / Nikki Logan*

·         Sex, Lies and Mistletoe / Tawny Weber

·         The Man Behind the Badge / Sharon Archer*

·         The Man She Loves to Hate / Kelly Hunter*

·         With This Fling … / Kelly Hunter*

Favourite historical romance for 2011 (proudly sponsored by Rosemary's Romance Books and Temptation the Romance Bookstore)

·         A Little Deception / Beverly Eikli*

·         Cloudy With a Chance of Marriage / Kieran Kramer

·         Heiress in Love / Christina Brooke*

·         How the Marquess was Won / Julie Anne Long

·         Midnight’s Wild Passion / Anna Campbell*

·         Never Love a Highlander / Maya Banks

·         Salt Bride / Lucinda Brant*

·         The Many Sins of Lord Cameron / Jennifer Ashley

·         Unveiled / Courtney Milan

·         Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue / Stephanie Laurens*

Favourite contemporary romance for 2011 (proudly sponsored by Romantic Reflections)

·         A Lot Like Love / Julie James

·         Any Man of Mine / Rachel Gibson

·         Boomerang Bride / Fiona Lowe*

·         Claudia’s Big Break / Lisa Heidke*

·         Cop’s Passion / Angela Verdenius*

·         North Star / Karly Lane*

·         One Perfect Night / Rachael Johns*

·         Promises / Cathyrn Hein*

·         The Castaway Bride / Kandy Shepherd*

·         The Next Always / Nora Roberts

Favourite erotic romance for 2011 (proudly sponsored by Romance Direct)

·         Agent / Lexxie Couper*

·         All of You / Rhian Cahill*

·         Bunny and the Bear / Eve Langlais

·         Endless Lust / Lexxie Couper*

·         Guilty as Sin / Denise Rossetti*

·         Love, Lust and Lies / Cathleen Ross*

·         See You In My Dreams / Jess Dee*

·         The Lone Warrior / Denise Rossetti*

·         The Surrender of Lacy Morgan / Suzanne Ferrell

·         Triple Dare / Lexxie Couper*

Favourite romantic suspense for 2011

·         Beyond Fear / Jaye Ford

·         Breaking Point / Pamela Clare

·         Breaking the Rules / Suzanne Brockmann

·         Chasing Fire / Nora Roberts

·         Deadly Little Lies / Jeanne Adams

·         New York to Dallas / JD Robb

·         Shattered Sky / Helene Young*

·         Treachery in Death / JD Robb

·         Viper’s Kiss / Shannon Curtis*

·         With No Remorse / Cindy Gerard

Favourite continuing romance series for 2011

·         Gena Showalter / Lords of the Underworld

·         Ilona Andrews / Kate Daniels series

·         JD Robb / In Death series

·         Karen Marie Moning / Fever series

·         Kresley Cole / Immortals After Dark

·         Nalini Singh / Guild Hunters*

·         Nalini Singh / Psy/Changeling series*

·         Rhian Cahill / Coyote Hunger series*

·         Sherrilyn Kenyon / The League

·         Thea Harrison / Elder Races

Favourite Australian romance author of 2011 (proudly sponsored by Booktopia)

·         Angela Verdenius*

·         Anna Campbell*

·         Annie West*

·         Christina Brooke*

·         Helene Young*

·         Kelly Hunter*

·         Lexxie Couper*

·         Nikki Logan*

·         Paula Roe*

·         Stephanie Laurens*

WORLD-BUILDING: Origins of the Light Blade series

2012-01-14T01:00:00.113+11:00

As a kid I was the one with my head in a book - at recess, lunch, on weekends, anywhere I could squeeze in a few minutes reading.

I discovered the science fiction and fantasy worlds quite early on - the first SF book I ordered through the Scholastic Bookclub was PLAGUE SHIP written by Andre Norton.

As a teen, I devoured The Pern series and most of Anne McCaffrey's other books (I still have them all on my bookshelf, yellowed pages and well worn).

Some of my favourite authors include Andre Norton, Mercedes Lackey, David Eddings, Patricia McKillip, Isobelle Carmody and John Marsden - their worlds so rich and full of characters, creatures and adventures, ones much more exciting than the real world (or so I thought).

But the best thing about most of these series - the maps! I spent hours pouring over them, learning the names, orientating the characters journeys, making up my own.

So, when I started writing I HAD to have maps for my stories too. More often than not, I stole names from the family atlas or any of my father's cattle breeder catalogs he'd left lying around (the property names were excellent names for cities).

Fast forward ....mumble, mumble...years to now - the legacy of those early years continue in my fantasy romance novels - you'll see maps in the Light Blade series!

Sacred Lake (human city) and the Light Blade compound

Unfortunately, the one of Sacred Lake (one of the human cities) didn't make it into my first book, VENGEANCE BORN, (so this is a sneak preview of my very amateur mock up), but the others (who were created by my very talented friend, John Wrench) will appear in ALLIANCE FORGED and the untitled Book #3.

The second map is of human territory and where Kalan, Arek, Kymora and the Na'Chi live.

While VENGEANCE BORN begins in Na'Reish territory, most of the story unfolds here.

HUMAN TERRITORY - Sacred Lake, the Sharvadan Forest and Ostare play significant roles in ALLIANCE FORGED (Bk#2).

This map though will appear in ALLIANCE FORGED, Book #2 of the Light Blade series.

The third map belongs to (untitled) Book #3 of the Light Blade series.

You'll be able to track Arek and Imhara's story through Na'Reish territory.

NA'REISH TERRITORY - the setting for Book #3.

So, what do you think of maps in books?

Are they essential for you as a reader? Or can you take or leave them?

Gearing up for Release Day...

2012-01-12T01:00:00.087+11:00

It's been a long time coming (about 17 years).

With my debut fantasy romance, VENGEANCE BORN, due for release on February 7th, the countdown to R-Day begins.

That's Release Day for anyone who doesn't know, LOL.

It'll be my turn to be in the spotlight - and I'm gearing up for some serious online promotion.

Here's a list of blogs where you can find me (and some giveaway opportunities) over the next couple of months... very exciting (and exhausting) :-) :

January 17th - "Author of the Month" at Love Lines from Love Books
January 24th - Helene Young's blog
January 27th - Romance Bandits
January 31st - Regency Seductions
February 5th - Australian Romance Readers Association blog
February 6th - Mel Tescho's blog
February 6th - Goodreads Giveaway (signed ARC) ends
February 7th - RELEASE DAY!!!
February 10th - The Qwillery
February13th - Romance Book Paradise
February 16th - Darkside DownUnder blog
February 16th - Get Lost in a Story blog
February 20th - The Book Bordello
February 22nd - Minxes of Romance
February 23rd - My Bookish Ways

During the tour, you'll learn more about the characters and the world of VENGEANCE BORN, and there will be plenty of chances to win giveaway copies (ARC's & paperback).

I'll be posting quotes from the book and giving you insights into the hero and heroine on my blog, so keep checking back to get the lowdown and sneak peeks. :-) So, with all this happening, come prepared to party with me!

And here's your first event, folks!

To kick off the celebration - TRIPLE GOODNESS - 3 giveaways!!!

A signed ARC of VENGEANCE BORN
And 2 x special Light Blade series prize packs (a mix that may include a cap, t-shirt, book magnets, notepads etc.)

If you'd like to go in the draw (winners will be randomly selected), have some fun and answer this question...

If you could spend an afternoon having coffee & a chat with your favorite paranormal/fantasy hero or heroine, who would it be? And why?

The winners of the prizes will be announced midday, January 19th (Aussie time). Have fun!

Kylie Griffin Newsletter

2012-01-11T21:42:00.000+11:00

For all the latest news, newest releases, contests, special giveaways, other information and goings-on in my little world, you can sign up for my newsletter.

The link here is just below the timer for the cover of ALLIANCE FORGED in the side column or it's on the HOME page of my website at the very top of the left hand column.

The first newsletter goes out on Australia Day, January 26th!

TOPIC: New Year’s Resolution: from unpublished to published!

2012-01-10T01:00:00.084+11:00

Today, I'd like to welcome first time visitor LOUISE CUSACK to my blog.

Louise is an Australian award winning fantasy author whose Shadow Through Time trilogy is about to be released by Pan Macmillan’s eBook arm, Momentum Books. She is also a highly successful manuscript developer, writing mentor and tutor.

Take it away, Louise!

Thanks, Kylie. :-)

Most writers will happily acknowledge that there’s never been a better time to be an author. Opportunities to become published are rife, with new ePublishers opening almost daily. We’re spoilt for choice, and if we’re still not satisfied with what publishers are offering, we can self-publish, which is a viable option for niche-market books or even mainstream fiction if you’ve got the time and know-how to self promote.

But for those of us who prefer the distribution might of a big publishing house behind us (not to mention the editorial and art departments) plus the lure of an advance on sales, traditional publishing is still a good choice, and despite the finger-pointing from successful self-published authors, the big publishing houses are catching up with the fact that we want decent eBook royalties and eBook pricing, along with our editing and great covers.

There are still a few anomalies: I recently heard of a big Australian publishing house that was charging $20 for an eBook by a new author and that’s just not sustainable, not in the current market.

So as an author you have to be savvy and do your research before you choose a publisher to submit to, checking the quality of their editing and covers, and the pricing of their books (both in print and digital formats), as well as scouting around to get feedback on what their advances and royalties might be.

Brenda Hiatt’s Show Me The Money website is a good place to start. But realistically, you also have to have a good quality book to submit, because big publishers are highly discerning.

So how can you achieve that? Well, belonging to a professional writers organisation like Romance Writers of Australia is a great start. If your books have even a sniff of a love story in them you’ll be welcomed into the fold and RWA’s competitions and conferences have helped many Aussie authors across the line to contracts with Avon, Berkley, Harlequin, Random House, Pan Macmillan, Simon & Schuster, Penguin and more.

Having a critique partner (or CP) is also a great start, but as I found early in my writing career, the critique group you’re in is only as helpful as the skill levels of its participants. When I started working with a published author who was also a writing teacher, I went from having short stories published to having novels published.

Now as a writing teacher, mentor and manuscript assessor myself, I offer that service to other writers, so if you think your work could benefit from a professional assessment, do have a look at my Manuscript Development webpage for an overview of how manuscript assessment works.

I’ve helped three clients become published, and many more to wins and shortlists in competitions. Other tutors as well as myself also conduct teaching retreats with writing groups which can incorporate manuscript assessment and individual mentoring or writing workshops as required.

A quick look in the Australian Writers Marketplace (book and online versions) will offer you a variety of other qualified tutors/manuscript developers as well. So don’t wait for the magic to drop into your lap, go out and find it.

If you’ve been writing for years and not getting published, this might be time to consider that old saying “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you always got.”

Resolve to make the changes necessary to ensure 2012 is the year your writing dreams turn into your writing career!

More information about Louise can be found on her website or Goodreads link, or you can like or follow her blog, Twitter account or Facebook page.

Louise's Shadow Through Time trilogy:

TOPIC: An Author's Life...with Anna Campbell

2012-01-07T01:00:00.007+11:00

ANNA CAMPBELL has written six multi award-winning historical romances for Avon HarperCollins and her work is published in eleven languages.

Anna has won numerous awards for her Regency-set romances including Romantic Times Reviewers Choice, the Booksellers Best, the Golden Quill (twice), the Heart of Excellence, the Aspen Gold (twice) and the Australian Romance Readers Association's favorite historical romance (three times).

Her books have twice been nominated for Romance Writers of America's prestigious RITA Award and twice for Australia's Romantic Book of the Year.

Pseudonym or Given Name? Why a pseudonym?
Pseudonym. I intended to write under my given name but was so sure I’d never be published, I didn’t spend a couple of bucks parking a domain name.

Would you believe about six months before I sold, someone with my name (and I suspect it’s her real name) published a romance? As far as I know, she hasn’t published another but it meant I needed to come up with an alternative name. I dug back through the family tree and combined names from my two grandmothers.

Location: Sunshine Coast, Australia.
Published Genre: Historical romance (late Regency setting).
Website: www.annacampbell.info
First published in: 2007.
Number of books published: 6.

The Nitty Gritty
List up to 5 significant events in your journey to publication?

Joining Romance Writers of Australia
Placing in the RWA First Kiss 2001 (my first contest entry)
Meeting Annie West, my wonderful critique partner
Winning the RWA Emma Darcy Award 2005
Getting an agent

What resources/techniques/events did you find useful to develop your writing skills/craft?
I think the principal difference between my unpublished and unpublished writing is that in between I learned to write emotion.

Can you share the special moment when you received THE CALL/THE EMAIL?
CLAIMING THE COURTESAN went to auction in 2006 after finalling in the RWA Golden Heart®.

I spent a really fraught week not sleeping – New York is on almost absolute opposite time to Australia. Then finally the word came through on Good Friday morning 2006 that the final offers were in.

I’d had a dream of being an Avon author since I’d read THE WOLF AND THE DOVE as a teenager and it turned out – I WAS AN AVON AUTHOR! Huzzah! It felt quite surreal, partly because I was operating on severe sleep deprivation by then, and it took a while to sink in properly.

But I remember being in the pool a couple of months later and suddenly smiling to think my dream of being a published author was finally coming true.

Looking back over your writing career, how have you grown as an author?
I’m not sure that’s something the author notices! One thing I’ve learned is to trust my process. It’s awful and it drives me mad but I know it’s given me a publishable book in the past. It should give me a publishable book in the future. Fingers crossed.

How important is it to set career goals? Can you give an example of one you have for yourself?
Actually I’m not sure I set career goals aside from meeting deadlines and writing the best darn book I can. I think a lot of this stuff is completely outside the writer’s control (bestseller lists, foreign editions, prizes, appearances on Oprah).

Can you describe your writing process/timeframe from when you start a new book to handing it in at deadline?
I’m currently writing my first series (still under wraps) and I’ve got eight months to write each book.

That’s fairly luxurious in the current genre environment, but I’ve got to say I still find it a stretch because I’m a pretty slow writer. I write a really dirty draft that’s always too long and completely unreadable, then I refine it down like making a lovely rich sauce. At least that’s the theory!

One of the things I found challenging about being a published author is the constant juggling of tasks ie. writing a book, editing another, planning promotion, writing the prosposal for another (and usually this all happens while holding down another job or dealing with family/life etc.).

What do you enjoy the most in the publishing process?
I usually enjoy turning the dross of my first draft into something readable. Like most writers, I love those occasional days when writing is like magic and the pages pour out in a beautiful flow.

What do you least in the publishing process?
Actually, I like pretty much everything. I wanted to be a full-time writer all my life, I’m not looking for things to complain about, LOL!

Is there anything you think pre-publishers writers need to know about the business/industry before they're published?
It doesn’t get easier.

A Bit of Fun
Hunkiest hero ever: Daniel Day-Lewis in LAST OF THE MOHICANS. Sigh. Swoon.
Greatest love: Music.
Timeout/relaxation for me includes: Reading and wine.
Special quote/saying you like: "The heart has its reasons that the reason cannot know." – Blaise Pascal.

VENGEANCE BORN Goodreads Giveaway!

2012-01-06T01:00:00.008+11:00

Hey, everyone, I have an ARC of VENGEANCE BORN up for grabs over on Goodreads - beginning January 7th! :-) (see the side bar on this blog for the link)

GUEST AUTHOR: Vonnie Hughes

2012-01-05T01:00:00.004+11:00

My guest author today has an amazing resume of careers and qualifications - teacher, secretary, legal executive, a radio announcer’s certificate, a diploma in journalism/creative writing, the major part of a Diploma in Business, and even part of a Bachelor of Arts degree and an Interior Decorating diploma.

She's an avid reader and at the relatively young age of 51 she discovered her true passion - writing!

Please welcome, Vonnie Hughes.

Vonnie, tell us a little about yourself?

I was born in New Zealand and our family emigrated to Australia eight years ago.

I've been writing since I could hold a pencil. I wrote scads of poetry and short stories but began trying to write historical romance novels about nine years ago when I was self-employed in recruitment and had a houseful of people—own adult family and overseas students.

I think I wrote in order to get some peace. (Our computer lurked downstairs in the rumpus room that had a view of a ferny grotto outside).

What do you think it is about your genre that readers find so fascinating?
Well, I write in two genres – Regency and Romantic Suspense. The continuing attraction of the Regency era never fails to astound me. It went down for a while about five or six years ago (or so editors told us) but it’s up and running now like a hare.

I’ve been in love with the Regency era since I was eleven, when my brother introduced me to Georgette Heyer. Being a typical male teenager, he was sniggering at the phrase “a titter ran around the court.” When he showed me, I grabbed the book and was hooked, titter or no titter.

I think the subtle manners and restricted milieu of the Regency appeal to readers and writers alike. Those who are used to the genre know the rules and it is a safe, comfortable genre to enjoy. Sure, heroes of that era were alpha, but the women managed them just fine with no more than a cutting tongue and an excellent cleavage. I prefer however to write about the emerging middle class who formed the basis of England’s future.

The appeal of my other genre, romantic suspense, is easily seen. The mysteries and intricacies of police procedure, the suspense and tension draw in a large group of readers. I love intrigue myself, and read loads of it.

I have a bunch of favourite authors in that field such as Lisa Gardner, Beverley Barton, Sandra Brown, Karen Rose, Lee Child (love that Jack Reacher) and Georges Simenon. Georges Simenon is a bit out of fashion now, but I love his world-weary protagonists and the antagonists with a lot of good in them. Love the way that man saw everyone in shades of grey.

Oh, I have a few Sandra Brown & Beverley Barton novels written in the mid-eighties when they wrote for Loveswept and MIRA!

Can you tell us about your latest release?

LETHAL REFUGE is my latest release and it comes out shortly as an e-book with the Wild Rose Press.

It's set in New Zealand and begins with a young woman trying to escape a killer. The Police thrust her into the witness protection program (the Unit) but she is a woman who trusts no-one, and tossing her life into someone else’s hands is her worst nightmare.

Brand Turner is the psychologist for the Unit. He demands trust from relocatees so he can ease them into their new identities successfully.

Then a traitor within the Unit discloses Celie’s whereabouts and she must trust Brand to keep her safe. They go on the run, trying to keep one step ahead of the law. Because it is possible the traitor is one of the cops assigned to the Unit.

You've done some travelling. What’s the most unusual place you have visited?
I’d have to say that my flight over Antarctica back in the days when Air New Zealand made four flights every spring/summer (November) was not only the most unusual place I’ve ‘visited’ but also one of the major highlights of my life.

I was on the flight the week before the one that crashed into the side of Mt Erebus. At first it was a sociable, champagne flight then as we neared those icy wastes, everyone fell silent with awe at the pristine landscape outside.

And that is what is so striking about Antarctica – you can literally tread where no man has trod before. (Not that I’ve ever been lucky enough to do that, although I did apply for a job down there once). It was the magnificent colours that grabbed me: aquamarine, prussian blue (remember those old paint boxes that always had ‘prussian blue’ in them), icy white and sludgy white where chunks had broken away and exposed the gum beneath the teeth. And everywhere emptiness. Nothing.

We all got wildly excited when we saw a handful of big emperor penguins with their distinctive flash of yellow or a rock loaded with cute fur seals and the occasional group of leopard seals floundering on the ice. And the reason we got excited was because of the still emptiness of the space. Those immense ice cliffs reared up from glaciers hundreds of years old and that was sobering enough without watching chunks fall off with the spring thaw and slide beneath the water.

Best day of my life watching Man’s complete inability to control Nature.

Antarctica seems to be a popular destination. It sounds like an amazing place to visit. Another place to add to my growing list of continents to explore. :-)

If you weren’t doing what you do today, what other job would you have?
The only other career I would want to pursue would be my old career, but hopefully at a higher level.

Although I spent years as a legal secretary/executive, it was at the end of my working life that I discovered executive search (recruitment). I loved it. Matching employer and employee is like a puzzle where you receive the most immense gratification when things go right. I enjoyed checking on company culture, the history of the business and its financial strength as well as the reputations of the directors before placing someone there.

Research is my thing and it paid off quite often. I was always amused when an employer seemed shocked that I had checked them out rather than just doing reference checks on recruits. But if the fit is not right, then it all falls apart a short way down the line. If only I had come to that career a little earlier in life! But life is filled with ‘if only’s.’

Vonnie, thank you for visiting my blog and sharing your passion for the Regency and romantic suspense genres.

Vonnie's books:

COMING HOME is published by Robert Hale Ltd. You can find it at The Book Depository (postage is free).

LETHAL REFUGE, Vonnie's romantic suspense, is published by The Wild Rose Press.

If you'd like to know more about Vonnie, visit her website or her blog.

TOPIC: In a galaxy far, far away...with Jenna McCormick

2012-01-03T01:00:00.055+11:00

Some of the most wonderful moments of my childhood included reenacting or creating my own scenes of such science fiction classics as George Lucas' Star Wars, Glen A.Larson's Battlestar Galactica (the original version) and Gene Rodenbury's Star Trek.

The TARDIS

Most days my friends went along with my desire to turn the Jacaranda tree in my front yard into an Viper or X-wing fighter.

We fought over whether we were going to be Jedi's or belong to the Dark Side of the Force. And how we so wished transporters or the TARDIS were actually real!

In many ways I never lost that obsessions with all things sci-fi. I still love watching SF TV shows and movies - old and new - V the TV series, Dr.Who, Lost in Space, Farscape, Firefly, Stargate, ET, Tron, Dune, Planet of the Apes, Alien, The Terminator, Mad Max, Fortress, Waterworld, Pitch Black, Independence Day, The Matrix, Armageddon, I,Robot, I am Legend, Avatar, District 9, Cowboys & Aliens...the list is endless.

My love for sci-fi didn't stop at TV shows or movies. I loved reading the genre as well.

I became a huge fan of authors like Anne McCaffrey, Andre Norton, Patrick Tilley, David Brin and Sharon Green.

And then I discovered science fiction romance - the best of all worlds!

So, for those of you who don't know what it is, or for those who love it as much as I do, this is a blog series devoted entirely to science fiction romance and the authors who write it for our enjoyment.

Strap yourselves in, prepare to jump to Warp 9 and you never know...you might find yourselves in a galaxy far, far away...addicted to a new genre...and a new author...

My first SFR guest author is JENNA McCORMICK.

Bio: A little fantasy goes a long way...

Born on Sanibel Island (Florida, USA) somewhere between the fifth and seventh bottle of Rosa Regale, Jenna McCormick writes big girl erotic romance with a touch of out of this world fantasy.

Her hobbies include scouring the Internet for the perfect pair of boots and stirring up trouble, much to the dismay of her alter ego, mystery writer Jennifer L. Hart.

YOUR THOUGHTS ON SFR:
Has the SF genre always fascinated you?

Absolutely. I grew up on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and can still recall all the lyrics to the TNG parody version sung to the tune of Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start the Fire.

Jean Luc, Gorgie’s spec’s, mysteries on the holodeck…

What SF/R addictions can you lay claim to? (collect Star Wars paraphernalia, closet Trekkie, you've watched Buck Rogers a million times etc.)
Never a closet Trekkie, no I didn’t have enough sense for that, LOL!

I was always, BAM out there, in your face with my geek-ri-tude. Loved Star Wars, some of the first adult novels I read were the continuation on the series.

And I was a rabid fan of both Firefly and Farscape.

Is there any one author, TV show, movie, producer, actor, other influence that inspires you?

Jax

Oh, a whole bunch. I’m easily influenced, LOL.

As far as SFR, I’d have to say Ann Aguirre’s Sarantha Jax series is all I’ve ever wanted in SFR.

What sucked you in to writing science fiction - as opposed to being just a fan or reader of SF and whether it's straight SF, space opera, SFR or any other combination?
Honestly I tried to write paranormal and I stunk at it. My brain kept leading me into outer space. It’s what I’m hardwired for and while I do enjoy paranormal, it’s not my passion the way SFR is.

As an author published in SFR, have you seen or do you see the genre gaining popularity in the marketplace?
Absolutely. Books like THE HUNGER GAMES are setting the bar and well established authors who used to write in other romance subgenres are branching out into SFR.

I think that’s exactly what the genre needs both fresh new voices (ahem;-) and ones that they trust immerse readers in the subgenre give them a real chance to fall in love with it. For some reason, SFR scares off many traditional romance readers, but I think having a good experience with it is crucial.

YOUR WORK:
Published work in the SF/R genre: One full length, NO LIMITS, two novellas in a trilogy and one Medieval Times Space Opera as the other (non-erotic romance) me, Jennifer L Hart.
Publisher/s: Kensington, Sanibel Moon Books, and self-pubbed.
Your website: www.authorjennamac.com

Congratulations on your newest release, NO LIMITS - it came out on Jan.1st with Kensington Aphrodisia. Can you share a little about the book?
Thank you!

Title: NO LIMITS
Publisher: Kensington Aphrodisia
ISBN 13 978-0758272850
Order from: Amazon or Barnes & Noble

All Genevieve Luzon wants is to be loved by one man, a seemingly impossible task in New-New York City at the start of the twenty second century. Sure, she can buy sex as easily as order a pizza on a Friday night, but finding a forever kind of love among her self-centered peers is no easy feat for the unemployed off-world vacation coordinator. When an old friend offers her the position of secret shopper to test out the male prostitutes, Gen can’t think of a good reason to refuse. Hell, if she can’t find Mr. Right, she might as well try on a sampler of Mr. Right Nows.

Yet the perks of her new position don’t compare to the strange attraction she has, not for one of the prostitutes, but a candle that seems to warm places of her she never knew existed. When a man appears out of the flame, Gen is sure she's found the one. Rhys is an empath, made a slave by the Illustra Corporation and he’s everything Gen could ever want. Except available. Because Rhys is on a mission. One that might claim his life. He must try to free his people, consequences be damned. Now, Gen must choose between turning her back on the only man she’s ever loved and the monumental task he has set for himself. Should she risk her life fighting a war hidden from polite society against those who wish to control us all?

Is love really worth fighting for?

What unique slant have you given SF in NO LIMITS?
Well, I started the story on future Earth and then took my characters out into space. Usually, the story is one or the other, set on futuristic Earth or out in space. I never was any good at coloring in the lines.

What do you think readers will like the most about the story?
The many, many sex scenes. LOL!

Is NO LIMITS the first in a series or a stand-alone?
First in the series. I’m currently working on the sequel, NO MERCY, about Zan the space pirate. He’s yummy, a total bad boy anti-hero and I can’t wait to play with him some more.

FAVOURITE PICKS
Now for a little bit of fun - think back to all the TV shows/cartoons, movies and books you've read in the SF/R genre and answer the following...

SF/R hero: Mal Reynolds.
SF/R heroine: She-Ra. Totally counts - she was born on planet Eternia!
SF/R villain: Q.
SF/R alien race: The Borg.
SF/R technology: I’m going to be an ego maniac here and name my own. The health shield in NO LIMITS. On future Earth everyone is equipped with personal shields to obliterate foreign DNA. I’m a germaphobe and this sounds a lot better than living with a can of Lysol strapped to my hip.
SF/R space craft: Moya from Farscape. I just had to toss in a living ship in her honor.
SF/R TV show or movie: Jeeze, if I had to pick just one…. Gotta be Firefly. There were so many hidden gems and nuggets of sheer brilliance in that show.
SF/R quote made by a character/actor/person: “That’s a dumb planet!” – Mal Reynolds from Firefly.

Jenna, thanks for sharing your take on science fiction romance, it's been fantastic having you launch this blog series - all the best for your new release, NO LIMITS!
Thanks so much for hosting me, Kylie!

If Jenna's book, NO LIMITS, interests you, keep an eye out on her website or blog for more information about her blog tour!

Review from Fresh Fiction

2012-01-02T09:56:00.000+11:00

Thank you to Fresh Fiction who posted this review about VENGEANCE BORN.

Author Kylie Griffin immerses the reader in a new world where the Na'Reish terrify humans and the Light Blade warriors fight for humanity. Annika, a half-blood, is a bit of a conundrum. Annika was created out of revenge and reviled by her Na'Reish father. Her whole existence is horrible, her character is admirable. Annika is easy to connect to and like from the first few chapters. When Kalan, a Light Blade warrior, is taken prisoner by the Na' Reish, Annika must make a quick decision. She badly wants to get away from her demon father, but she doesn't know if she can trust this Light Blade.

VENGEANCE BORN has every quality of a great novel, from romance to mystery to action. Annika's character is very dynamic, the reader gets to know her as a scared young girl who gradually grows into a mature young woman. Kalan is the typical white knight. The developing romance between the two is realistic, not instantaneous. The romance scenes are steamy and make for an even more exciting read as the reader waits to see what happens when a Light Blade loves the enemy.

The idea behind VENGEANCE BORN is unique and fun. The mystery will have you reading late into the night. The action will have you cheering on the heroes and the romance will have the windows steaming up around the house. The reader will look forward to more from Griffin.

A great start to 2012!

DarkSiders Reading Challenge 2012

2012-01-02T09:55:00.002+11:00

Eleni Konstantine, blog mistress over at the Dark Side DownUnder site, has issued a reading challenge for 2012.

If you enjoy reading paranormal, urban fantasy, science fiction, fantasy, and/or steampunk romances then you might discover some fantastic new books to add to your To Be Read pile from the Dark Side DownUnder authors. Check out the Latest Releases & Upcoming Releases pages to find out what's on offer.

What is the challenge?

There will be three levels -

Lighter Side challenge - 6 books
DarkSider challenge - 12 books
Down Under challenge - 24 books

I'm opting for a DarkSider challenge as I have several books from my fellow DarkSiders already sitting in my TBR pile (ie. Denise Rossetti, Tracey O'Hara, Mel Teshco, Shona Husk, Amanda Ashby, Rowena Corey Daniells, Maree Anderson) and I know there are some more coming out this year that will be added to that list! :-)

Are you going to take the Dark Side DownUnder Challenge?

Welcome 2012!

2012-01-01T01:00:00.040+11:00

What a great year this is going to be!

Look at how we're celebrating or what we're doing...

Chinese Year of the Dragon

Australian Year of the Farmer

International Year of Cooperatives

European Year for Active Aging

2012 Olympics (London)

2012 is also a leap year

and if you believe this will happen...

Mayan "End Times" Prophecy (21/12/12)

2011 Ends with a Bang for VENGEANCE BORN...

2011-12-31T12:23:00.001+11:00

What a wonderful way to end 2011 - reviews are beginning to appear for VENGEANCE BORN, due for release on Feb.7th 2012.

This time there's one from the Romantic Times magazine and Alternative Worlds.

From (February) RT BOOK REVIEWS:

"Enter a bold new series, the Light Blade, where a longstanding war between the demon and human realms rages. Promising new talent Griffin’s characters face danger and hidden secrets that threaten to change the world as they know it. A terrific debut!"

Alternative Worlds (reviewed on 12/3011):

"Tormented Annika the Na’Chi hybrid daughter of the Na’Reish demon chief loathes her sire and his minions as her brutish father constantly with glee reminds her she is a Vengeance Born product of revenge. A healer, she dreams of escaping her torturous life but none of the human blood slaves have ever escaped from the demon realm and lived to tell the story.

The Na’Reish Horde has increased their invasions and abductions in the human realm. Kalan the Lady’s Chosen leader of the Light Blade defends humankind against the demons; he fears his side is losing a war of attrition as his warriors are shrinking in numbers and those still at combat aging. He argues with the Council that radical changes must be implemented now or the demons will soon overwhelm the human realm. When the enemy captures him, a despondent Kalan despairs the massacre is imminent. However, new hope arises when Annika, who he distrusts, offers to free him if he takes her into his realm. Distrusting her new ally but with no turning back as Annika knows her sire branded her for death.

The first Light Blade romantic fantasy is a terrific thriller as the endless war between demon and humans is reaching a critical survival stage for the latter. The lead couple is a strong pairing while the support cast, especially the Na’Chi, the warriors and the Council, enhance the internal squabble in the human realm. With an insightful look at racial intolerance in a time of long-term constant combat and security alert, fans will enjoy Vengeance Born."

May the momentum keep rolling in 2012!

ROFL Moment!

2011-12-31T01:00:00.000+11:00

Seen any ghosts in your library lately?

Then who you gonna call???

My Holiday Reading List

2011-12-29T01:00:00.005+11:00

I'm knocking off some of my To Be Read pile these holidays.

Nothing I like better than to curl up (in air conditioning) with a good book or five. Here are some of the books I plan on diving into over the Christmas break...

NEW AUTHORS

OLD FAVORITES

What's on your holiday reading list?

It's Boxing Day!

2011-12-26T01:00:00.004+11:00

For Aussies this day usually means a recovery from Christmas Day.

A day of veging out at home, usually watching the Boxing Day cricket test between Australia and England, eating leftovers from Christmas lunch/dinner and relaxing.

Childhood memories I have at this time of year...

Summer heat - so hot you could fry an egg on a shovel (yeah, I've tried it!)
pigging out on Christmas lunch
drinking shandies (lemonade/Sprite mixed with a dash of beer)
ham in a bag

wearing thongs (flip-flops, jandles, not underwear)

cats wrecking the Christmas tree and shredding the tinsel
Santa stockings
backyard cricket with the rellos
running under the sprinkler in your cozzies (swimwear)

eating watermelon

mosquitoes (buzzing at night when you're trying to sleep, if it's not too hot)
going to the Christmas church service with nan & pop
lots of laughter

watching cricket on TV with dad
oh, and did I mention the Summer heat?

I wish everyone a host of good memories!