Tuesday TBR Tackle

Tuesday TBR Tackle is a meme I am starting for everyone who has a To-Be-Read pile that is out of control. I currently have a TBR pile of over 300 books. This pile doesn’t include review books that I have received. These are just books I have picked up from yard sales, thrift stores or book stores. To help me get my pile down, I decided to start a weekly meme.

Now personally, I can read on average 2 books a day if the kids do not interrupt me too much. For this meme, your challenge should be to pick at least one book from your TBR pile, read it, review it and post it on your blog with a link referring back to me!

If you feel like leaving your link to your TBR Tackle, just leave a comment on the Tuesday post.

Today I have another wonderful author to share a Questions & Answer post with. Please welcome Shayla Black to My Overstuffed Bookshelf. Let’s get started!


To start off, welcome and can you tell the readers a little about yourself?

Shayla Black is the national bestselling author of 25+ sizzling contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances for multiple print and electronic publishers. She lives in Texas with her husband, munchkin, and one very spoiled cat. In her “free” time, she enjoys reality TV, reading and listening to an eclectic blend of music.

Shayla has won or placed in over a dozen writing contests, including Passionate Ink’s Passionate Plume, Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, and the National Reader’s Choice Awards. Romantic Times has awarded her Top Picks, a KISS Hero Award and a nomination for Best Erotic Romance of 2007.

A writing risk-taker, Shayla enjoys tackling writing challenges with every book.

Can you tell us a little about your new and/or current releases?

The second book in my Doomsday Brethren paranormal romance series, SEDUCE ME IN SHADOW, just released.

Here’s a blurb:

Ex-Marine Caden MacTavish has shunned his magical heritage all his life, but he will do anything to heal his desperately ill brother, a Doomsday Brethren warrior in mourning for his missing mate. Posing as a photographer, Caden must convince firecracker tabloid reporter Sydney Blair to reveal the source of her recent exposé on a supernatural power clash. Unfortunately, keeping his hands off the sizzling redhead proves as hard as getting them onto the potent and mystical Doomsday Diary he discovers at her bedside. A bloody rebellion led by an evil, power-hungry wizard is imminent. If Sydney divulges the book’s existence, she will jeopardize magickind’s most deeply guarded secrets and become the ruthless wizard’s number one target. Caden has never trusted magic’s cruel and dangerous powers, but he will protect Sydney with his life and magic—even if it means risking his heart.

Book 3 in the series, POSSESS ME AT MIDNIGHT, releases October 27.

How did you decide what to write?

I’ve had the idea for this series since 1996 and have piecing it together in my head for years. When Pocket Books bought the first, TEMPT ME WITH DARKNESS, and it released in fall 2008, I was just itching to continue the series. I love all these guys. Despite the fact they’re magical, they have very human problems, and writing about them is a blast for me.

When your not writing what kind of books do you like to read? Do you have any favorite authors, that are must reads?

I read a lot of romance, a few selections of general fiction and some non-fiction. I don’t have favorite authors, per se. I do have some treasured reads from a lot of different authors, however.

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

My completed storyboard, which outlines every scene of the book, a clear vision of the emotional flow and characters, great music indicative of the mood I want to convey.

What are Your favorite thing to do in your downtime?

Of course, I love to read. I also enjoy reality TV. It’s my guilty pleasure… We play a fair amount of Guitar Hero and Rock Band at my house as well.

Where can we purchase your books?

Doomsday Brethren series at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/series/94992/ref=pd_serl_books?ie=UTF8&edition=mass%5Fmarket SEDUCE ME IN SHADOW should also be available currently at most Borders, Barnes & Noble, and Books-A-Million locations, as well as many WalMarts.

Do you have a blog or website that your readers can keep up with you and your books?

Both—and more: Shayla site: http://www.shaylablack.com/bookshelf/
Blog: http://www.shelleybradley.com/blog/
Doomsday Brethren site:
http://doomsdaybrethren.com/ MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/shelleybradley
Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shayla-BlackShelley-Bradley/132991689785
Doomsday Brethren Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=119626782686&ref=ts

If you do a book after Delicious, you can use Amy as the main female character…

The book after DELICIOUS will be titles SURRENDER TO ME, which features Hunter Edgington. I’ll keep Amy on the short list of heroine names. LOL!

Thank you so much for doing a Q&A Shayla! I look forward to reading more of your books!

Can Summit please quit teasing all of us with little snippets now? Can’t they just move up the release date!!! This comes out right before my birthday, so I know my hubby will be taking me, but I am getting anxious for it to hurry and get here! Below is a small clip that you might enjoy.


THE DARKEST WHISPER
Author: Gena Showalter

  • Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
  • Publisher: HQN Books (August 25, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0373773927
  • ISBN-13: 978-0373773923

SYNOPSIS:
Bound by the demon of Doubt, Sabin unintentionally destroys even the most confident of lovers. So the immortal warrior spends his time on the battlefield instead of the bedroom, victory his only concern…until he meets Gwendolyn the Timid. One taste of the beautiful redhead, and he craves more. Gwen, an immortal herself, always thought she’d fall for a kind human who wouldn’t rouse her darker side. But when Sabin frees her from prison, battling their enemies for the claim to Pandora’s box turns out to be nothing compared to the battle Sabin and Gwen will wage against love…

MY TAKE:
Oh why, oh why does Ms. Showalter make us wait so long between these books?? I am a HUGE fan of this series. I am always fascinated with how the author can take each demon and create a story with them and make it make sense! Sabin was one of my favorite characters and I was so happy that he finally got his turn to share his story of love and action with us! I wish we could just make the author release a new one each month. After the dry spell since the 3rd book, it was kinda difficult to remember some details. I almost had to reread the series since it took so long for this one to come out. This is number 4 in the series, so I recommend you read the first 3 before reading this one. The author writes them so well that I can’t even pick a favorite out of this series. Another winner by author Gena Showalter!

MY RATING:


Outstanding Book! A definite favorite!