Author Interview & Giveaway: Cheryl Brooks

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Today I have the great pleasure of interviewing author Cheryl Brooks! She is the author of the Cat Star Chronicles!  Lets all welcome her to the blog and enjoy the interview!

1. To start off, welcome and can you tell the readers a little about yourself? 
I’m a horse crazy girl from Louisville, KY. My family moved to a farm when I was twelve, where we had horses and not much else. After high school, I went nursing school, got a job in the ICU, met the night shift orderly who was working his way through college, and married him three years later. Seeing Star Wars made me decide that what the world needed was a good, erotic sci-fi romance, so I started writing, but without a computer, it was very slow going. Later, I went back for my BSN, which got me a computer and a printer! I then had two children and we moved to a farm in Indiana so I could have horses again, but the writing bug was still there. I wrote three romance novels, sent a query letter to Harlequin, which was rejected, and didn’t write or submit anything for another ten or twelve years. Then I saw Under the Tuscan Sun, and said to my husband, “Wouldn’t it be cool to be a writer and live in Tuscany?” To which he replied: “Write!” 
So I wrote! I printed up manuscripts and put them in Amazon boxes for the gang at the hospital to read. I submitted my contemporary romances to several agents and editors and was repeatedly rejected. Later, I wrote The Rescue, which was the erotic sci-fi romance I’d always dreamed of writing. Then I joined RWA and saw in their magazine that Sourcebooks was accepting erotic paranormals, so I sent them The Rescue, which was later retitled The Cat Star Chronicles: Slave, and the rest is history!

2. Can you tell us a little about your upcoming or latest release? 
The Cat Star Chronicles series follows the lives of six Zetithian men who were captured and sold into slavery near the end of the war in which their world was destroyed. With their handsome cat-like features, amazing sexual prowess, and the ability to purr, these men are so hot that someone got jealous enough to disintegrate their planet. Hero, the new release, is the sixth book, and features Trag, the younger brother of Tychar, who was the hero of the third book, Rogue. After twenty years as a slave, Trag is now a starship pilot and is searching the galaxy for a woman who can make him forget the love he feels for his brother’s wife, Kyra. He finally finds Micayla, a young Zetithian woman who was raised on Earth, ignorant of her homeworld and even her species. She has never met a man who can arouse her passions, and when she meets Trag, all she wants to do is bite him! When they’re thrown together in the quest to bring the bane of Zetith to justice, sparks fly and an exciting adventure begins!

3. I am a fly on your wall.  What would I report back to my master about the daily grind of Cheryl?  
0800 She likes eggs and tea for breakfast.
0830 She reads blogs and comments while she drinks her tea, and then goes to the barn to feed the horses.
0900 She smells like a horse after she comes back from the barn.
0930 She might clean up the kitchen or pay some bills first, but then she’s right back at her computer until lunchtime. What the devil does she do that for????
1200 She’s eating lunch now, but it only took her about three minutes to eat it.
1230 to 1530 She’s still writing, and she drinks an awful lot of tea.
1530 to 1600. She’s walking on the treadmill, but she took her computer with her and is still writing!
1600 She went to the barn again and played with the dog on the way there. I know because I followed her once. On the way to and from the barn, she looks at the weeds in her garden and sighs with regret.
1630-1700 She fixes dinner. I really like to bug her while she’s cooking, too.
1700 She sits down to dinner.
1710 Wow, is dinner over already? She’s already putting dishes in the dishwasher!
1730 Oh, no! She’s back on the computer again, but is she blogging, or checking her email? I can’t tell, but afterward, she’s really stiff and it takes her a while to stand up straight.
2330 She almost fell asleep at her computer, but she’s taking a shower now.
0001 She checks to make sure her blog posted correctly and tweaks it a bit.
0010 She reads Harry Potter until she falls asleep a few times.
0030 Lights out! 
4. When you are not writing, what kind of books do you like to read?  
I love the Harry Potter series, and read it continuously. It’s what helps me wind down and fall asleep after I’ve been writing all day. I think I enjoy it mainly because it isn’t a romance, and I don’t have to compare it to my own writing, which I believe is something that every writer does.  
Do you have any favorite authors that are must reads? 
Not so much anymore, but in the past, I was a great fan of Mary Stewart, Daphne DuMaurier, and Georgette Heyer. I’m pretty sure I’ve read them all!

5. What are 3 things that are “must haves” for you when you sit down to write a new book?


My computer, my chair, and tea—hot or iced, depending on the season. The ideas come to me after that.

6. Do you have a blog or website that your readers can keep up with you and your books?   
I don’t update my website as often as I should, but my blog has a new entry every day. If you have any questions and don’t mind a few sexy hunk pictures, come on over anytime and post a comment!
I blog twice a month on Casablanca Authors Blog and every Sunday on Wickedly Romantic, but for the really hot stuff, come to http://cherylbrookserotic.blogspot.com/ Try not to let the warning page scare you too much. It is, as the title would suggest, very erotic, but we have loads of fun! 
Twitter?  
Nope, I don’t tweet, but I am on Facebook and I love to friend people!
 
Now for some fun stuff:

1. What came first–the chicken or the egg?
The chicken; eggs don’t lay themselves 

2. Why doesn’t glue stick to the inside of the bottle?
It does when it dries! 

3. If you choke a Smurf, what color do they turn?
Orange or red; sort of like how leaves change color when they lose their chlorophyll in the fall.  

4. If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him?
Only the writer of the song didn’t care. He wrote it because Jimmy paid him a big advance!

Favorite perfume: Don’t wear it, but I have this acai pomegranate soap that I absolutely love!
Favorite TV show: Don’t watch it much anymore, but my last favorite show was Farscape
Favorite Movie: Hmm, that’s a tough one, but probably Moonstruck.
Favorite Drink: Margaritas!
Favorite Dessert: Chocolate pie

Thanks for joining us on My Overstuffed Bookshelf!! 
 

HERO BY CHERYL BROOKS – IN STORES AUGUST 2010
The Cat Star Chronicles #6 
He is the sexiest, most irksome man she’s ever encountered…
Micayla is the last Zetithian female left in the universe. She doesn’t know what’s normal for her species, but she knows when she sees Trag that all she wants to do is bite him… 
He has searched all over the galaxy for a woman like her…
Trag has sworn he’ll never marry unless he can find a Zetithian female. But now that he’s finally found Micayla, she may be more of a challenge than even he’s able to take on… 
About the Author
Cheryl Brooks is an Intensive Care Unit nurse by night and a romance writer by day. Previous books in The Cat Star Chronicles series include Slave, Warrior, Rogue, Outcast and Fugitive. She is a member of the RWA and lives with her husband and sons in rural Indiana. For more information, please visit http://cherylbrooksonline.com/.  
 GIVEAWAY:
Would you like a copy of Hero? Well, thanks to Sourcebooks, they are going to send a copy to 2 of my lucky readers!  Here are the rules:

1. USA and Canada only.
2. Leave a comment with an email address for me to contact you if you win!
3. No need to be a follower, but I would love it if you would be!

Contest will end Monday, August 16th, 2010. 

Winner will be announced on Tuesday, August 17th, 2010.

(ARC Review) Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

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ANGELFIRE
Author: Courtney Allison Moulton
  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Hardcover: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (February 15, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0062002325
  • ISBN-13: 978-0062002327
SYNOPSIS:

When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers – monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell – she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie’s powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her – an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie’s soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian’s most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives – including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

MY THOUGHTS:
This is one of those novels that readers are coveting to own way before the release date is even in sight.  After seeing people talk about this book, chatting online with the author, and reading the blurb about it, I joined this group of people waiting not-so-patiently for the release date to arrive.  Even though the book doesn’t release until Feb. 2011, I was lucky enough to join a book tour for this one. I am so glad I was picked for this one. 

In this first installment of a trilogy by author Courtney Allison Moulton, the author does not disappoint with action packed chapters, wisecracking characters, and grim reapers to boot.  Each of the characters bring a certain element to the book that will draw you in from page one, and leave you wanting more by the end of the last page.

Ellie is the friend you would want in this author’s world.  She is strong, funny and kicks butt with flair.  She doesn’t think she is brave and able to face the battles that are presented to her, but she gives it all shes got.  In the process she can throw out the witty remarks to even out the serious scenes.  Will is the opposite of Ellie in my eyes.  He is serious, determined and protective of Ellie.  Even though Will has the brooding and intense looks down pat, he still will keep you captivated like he did with Ellie. 

With all of the serious battles and struggles, the characters are still teens with the usual teen problems.  The romance was beautiful yet the awkwardness of teen relationships is wonderfully brought out in the writing as well.  The side characters were just as amazing as the main characters and kept you moving at a great pace.  

This is an amazing debut to a wonderful trilogy that I cannot wait to continue.  This is one of those books that if you haven’t already heard the hype about it, stand back!  Be prepared to have your own Will on the sidelines to come rescue you on release day, because you will be fighting your own battle to get this great book before anyone else!

MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

(ARC Review) Veil of Shadows by Shiloh Walker

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VEIL OF SHADOWS
Author: Shiloh Walker
Source: Contest win from author

  • Paperback: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Berkley (September 7, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0425236358
  • ISBN-13: 978-0425236352

SYNOPSIS:
(from authors website)

From an author known for her “romantic spine tinglers” comes the thrilling follow-up to Through the Veil, featuring a beautiful captain who’s lost her magic—and the stranger who will either be her great love, or her greatest enemy…

With demons running amok throughout the forests and mountains, a rebel army has been established to win back the land—and a new soldier has appeared out of nowhere to join them.

His name is Xan, and his past is a mystery to everyone, including Laisyn Caar—a beautiful captain in the rebel army—who is shocked by the powerful, all-consuming desire she feels in his presence.

But now isn’t the time for distraction. The future of her land—and of her people—is in her hands. On top of that, she’s been stripped of her magic—and without it she feels like part of her soul has been stolen away.

But when she discovers the dark secrets of Xan’s agenda, it will be up to her to determine whether the man she’s starting to love is a friend of her people—or a dreaded enemy…

MY THOUGHTS:

After reading the first book in this series, I knew I had to read this book.  I begged, I pleaded and I entered the contest from the author and I won an ARC of this book for review.  I jumped into reading this book and didn’t want to let go of it!

Even though this is the second book in this series, within the first chapter the author explains things so well, that this could be read as a stand alone book without worry.  Author Shiloh Walker does beautifully creating the world that you step into that it leaves you without confusion.  When an author can describe and tell a story that is so well written, it is like stepping into that world instead of reading it.  This is what the author has done and I felt like I was in this world along with the characters.

I loved both Xan and Syn.  The hot scenes with the both of them were wonderful and emotionally charged with instant attraction for both.  I knew I would love Syn from the moment in the first chapter when she is explaining the drill to the refugee’s and has to set one of them straight.  She doesn’t take any crap from anyone and she isn’t afraid to let them know either.  Xan was just as intriguing and sensual on top of that.  I loved everything about him.  When both of them were together, the pages could have caught on fire with all the heated battles, witty dialogue, and sexual tension that they brought to the story.

I cannot wait for more of this series from this author.  I know for a fact that whatever the author brings to us next in the series, which I am hoping is a story for one of the great side characters we meet, will be a suspenseful yet intriguing romance with the great world of paranormal that the author writes so well!

MY RATING:


Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

(ARC Review) Hell, Yeah by Carolyn Brown

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HELL, YEAH
Author: Carolyn Brown
Source: Sourcebooks
*I received this ARC free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

  • Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (August 3, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1402239270
  • ISBN-13: 978-1402239274

SYNOPSIS:

She’s finally found a place that feels like home…

When Cathy O’Dell buys the Honky Tonk, the nights of cowboys and country tunes come together to create the home she’s always wanted. Then in walks a ruggedly handsome oil man who tempts her to trade in the happiness she’s found at the Honky Tonk for a life on the road with him…

He lives the good life…

Gorgeous and rich, Travis Henry travels the country unearthing oil wells and then moving on. Then the beautiful blue-eyed new owner of the Honky Tonk beer joint becomes his best friend and so much more. When his job is done in Texas, how is he ever going to hit the road without her?

MY THOUGHTS:

If you have read any of the author’s previous country romance books, you probably knew you had to run and snag this book from the bookstore.  When this book arrived in my mailbox, my reaction was Hell, Yeah!  The author has a special talent for writing some hot country boy books. 

In the latest installment, we get to meet Travis and Cathy.  Travis is the down and dirty cowboy that you instantly picture in your head.  I loved how the author brought him to life on the pages and made him fumble his way through not only the romance, but coming to terms with settling down over bachelorhood.  Cathy enjoys her independence. She isn’t looking for a man to settle down with and she certainly wasn’t looking for love.  Both characters held their own and didn’t want certain things.  Yet, the more the two were together, you could see the transformation between them both.

I loved this installment in the series, and it left me hungry for more.  Carolyn Brown brings sexy back with wrangler butts that will drive you nuts!

MY RATING:


Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

Blog Tour: Author Liz Johnson

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Today I have the author of Vanishing Act, Liz Johnson.  Please welcome her and lets see what she has to say!

I’ve known that I was writing this guest post for nearly two months, but I haven’t been able to come up with any ideas about what to write. I thought about it for ages. I even resorted to asking my twitter friends for suggestions. Yes, I was that girl. And I got some good suggestions. I got a few more … creative ones, as well.
But still, what to write?
Finally, I decided to go back to the root of all of this. I’m writing this blog post because of a few books that I wrote. And I write books because I love stories. I love the way characters encounter trials and how that changes them. How it changes the complete trajectory of their lives when they recognize that life hasn’t turned out at all how they thought it would—it’s so much better!
I love how stories have the power to change not only the characters but also the readers. I remember the first time I read The Witch of Blackbird Pond and history came alive. All of a sudden Puritans weren’t just some group in a history book. They had names and faces and passions—right or wrong. Then there was a kind Quaker woman named Hannah. I’d never heard of Quakers until I read about her compassion toward a little Puritan girl, despite the girl’s mother’s hatred for anyone different. Kit was maybe my first role model, a headstrong young woman who didn’t know where she fit in. I loved Kit’s heart and strength and growth. She learned to love her cousins more than she cared about her own desires.
Those characters became friends and taught me about compassion, sacrifice, and true love.
Whenever someone dismisses the idea of learning from stories, I’m always reminded of the stories that Jesus told. We call them parables now. Of course, his stories were perfect. Ours are not. But that doesn’t mean they can’t teach us.
That’s why I love stories. You never know what a story is going to teach you. 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Liz Johnson grew up reading Christian fiction, and always dreamed of being part of the publishing industry. After graduating from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a degree in public relations, she set out to fulfill her dream. In 2006 she got her wish when she accepted a publicity position at a major trade book publisher. While working as a publicist in the industry, she decided to pursue her other dream-becoming an author. Along the way to having her novel published, she completed the Christian Writers Guild apprentice course and wrote articles for several magazines.
            Liz makes her home in Nashville, TN, where she enjoys theater, exploring the local music scene, and making frequent trips to Arizona to dote on her two nephews and three nieces. She loves stories of true love with happy endings. Keep up with Liz’s adventures in writing at www.lizjohnsonbooks.com.