Blog Tour: Phantom Embrace by Dianne Duvall with Giveaway!

Thank you so much for joining me here at Books and Things today!  And thank you, Melissa, for helping me celebrate the release of my Immortal Guardians novella PHANTOM EMBRACE.  (If you’re new to the series, don’t worry.  The novels and novellas can all be read as stand alones.  You’ll just be more familiar with the secondary characters if you read them in order.)  

1. Do you have a favorite amongst the Immortals?

I actually have several favorite characters in the series.  Sheldon and Chris are tied for my favorite human. Darnell is my favorite gifted one.  Cliff is my favorite vampire.  (When I began the series, I never even thought I would have a favorite vampire, since they all become psychotic killers.)  And my favorite immortal . . .

If I absolutely had to choose, it would be Seth.  He gives so much of himself to protecting the other Immortal Guardians and providing them with a family environment full of laughter and teasing in which they can decompress after long nights of hunting.  And he’s also been with me the longest, since I created his character for A SORCERESS OF HIS OWN, several years before I began my Immortal Guardians series

2. What makes a great villain?

For me it varies.  Realism is always important.  The more real the character feels, the stronger the chord he or she will strike with readers.  I thought Bastien was a great villain in DARKNESS DAWNS, in part because he wasn’t all bad.  Yes, he hated the Immortal Guardians and wanted to do everything he could to bring them all down.  But he clearly loved his sister, too, and tried to do everything he could to help the vampires who followed him.

On the other hand, I really liked Dennis, the villain in NIGHT REIGNS, too.  That vamp was totally psychotic.  One never knew when he might have a break, what horrific thing he might do, or who he would turn on next . . . including members his own vampire army.  He was a very fun character to write.

3. Of those that you haven't written, which Immortal story is begging to come out?

Seth’s.  And his has been the most requested story by far.  So I’m very happy to say his story is not far away now.  I’ve found his heroine, and scenes have been dancing through my mind.  (One will be a real jaw-dropper.)  I can’t wait to get started on it.

4. Who would you cast if the series was made into a movie?

I do the independent filmmaking thing when I’m not writing, so I’ve been working on a dream cast ever since the first book in the series was published, updating and expanding it with each release.  ☺  Here are some of my latest choices:  

Yuri (hero of Phantom Embrace) — Stephen Amell

Catherine (heroine of Phantom Embrace) — Daisy Ridley

Seth (leader of the Immortal Guardians) — Alexander Skarsgård

David (2^nd in Command of the Immortal Guardians) — Idris Elba

Roland Warbrook (hero of Darkness Dawns)— Hugh Jackman

Sarah Bingham (heroine of Darkness Dawns)— Michelle Monaghan

Marcus Grayden (hero of Night Reigns) — Johnny Depp

Ami (heroine of Night Reigns) — Milla Jovovitch

Bastien (villain in Darkness Dawns, and hero of Phantom Shadows) — Jake Gyllenhaal

Melanie (heroine of Phantom Shadows) — Evengeline Lilly

Richart d’Alençcon (hero of In Still Darkness) — Sam Worthington

Jenna McBride (heroine of In Still Darkness) — Jennifer Garner

Étienne d’Alençcon (hero of Darkness Rises) — Sam Worthington

Krysta Linz (heroine of Darkness Rises) — Cobie Smulders

Zach (hero of Night Unbound) — Chris Hemsworth

Lisette d’Alençcon (heroine of Night Unbound)— Eva Green

Ethan (hero of Shadows Strike) — Chris Evans

Heather (heroine of Shadows Strike) — Scarlett Johansson

5. Do you have a playlist when you write? What is it?

I prefer to write in quiet.  No distractions that way.  I come from a musical background.  So if I play music, I’m more likely to sing the lyrics in my head than write the next scene.  ☺  There are occasional exceptions, though.  Sometimes I’ll listen to Disturbed while writing action scenes.  Droppin’ Plates and Down With the Sickness are among my favorite tunes.  And in Shadows Strike, Ethan and Heather had a “date night” that included dancing.  Since Ethan is a little over a century old, he’s partial to oldies.  So when I wrote that scene . . . and every time I read through it and edited it afterward . . . I listened to Sing, Sing, Sing.

About the book:

Phantom Embrace 
(Immortal Guardians #5.5)
by Dianne Duvall
ebook, 112 pages
ISBN 1420143530
Across dimensions . . . 

Born with the ability to see spirits, immortal Yuri Sokolov avoids making contact with them, because such has always yielded negative results...until lovely Cat Seddon begins haunting his home and his dreams. As a new threat rises against the Immortal Guardians, Yuri disregards all the rules so he can be with Cat, even though the consequences are substantial.

For centuries, Catherine Seddon has been alone. When her brother is forced to join the Immortal Guardians’ ranks, she haunts the primary home of the powerful warriors to keep an eye on him, and soon finds herself captivated by Yuri. The handsome Russian immortal swiftly banishes her loneliness as friendship grows between them and deepens into love.  But can two people who are unable to touch find a future together?

Previously published in On The Hunt

Amazon | iTunes | Kobo | Barnes & Noble

Don't miss a single Immortal Guardians tale!

Book 1, Darkness Dawns - http://amzn.to/1GC0nmk

Book 2, Night Reigns - http://amzn.to/1GC0pKP

Book 3, Phantom Shadows - http://amzn.to/1JnRqUE

Book 3.5, In Still Darkness - http://amzn.to/1IhSDv9

Book 4, Darkness Rises - http://amzn.to/1QTHqq7

Book 5, Night Unbound - http://amzn.to/1SQdwRk

Book 5.5, Phantom Embrace – http://amzn.to/23p0HGm

Book 6, Shadows Strike - http://amzn.to/23p143x

About the Author: 

Dianne Duvall is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series and The Gifted Ones series. Her books have twice been nominated for the RT Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance and are routinely deemed Top Picks by RT Book Reviews, The Romance Reviews, and/or Night Owl Reviews. Reviewers have called Dianne's books "utterly addictive" (RT Book Reviews), "fast-paced and humorous" (Publishers Weekly), "extraordinary" (Long and Short Reviews), and "wonderfully imaginative" (The Romance Reviews).

Dianne loves all things creative. When she isn't writing, Dianne is active in the independent film industry and has even appeared on-screen, crawling out of a moonlit grave and wielding a machete like some of the vampires she has created in her books.

For the latest news on upcoming releases, contests, and more, please visit www.DianneDuvall.com. You can also find Dianne online . . .

Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Tsū | YouTube | Pinterest | Goodreads | Google Plus

Giveaway!

1st Prize—$35 Amazon Gift Card

2nd Prize—$20 Amazon Gift Card

3rd Prize—Signed copies of Night Unbound and Shadows Strike+swag

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For the complete tour schedule please go HERE at Author's Taproom.

Jennifer Estep Interview and Black Widow Giveaway!

I'm excited to have Jennifer Estep back at the blog again. She came by to answer some of my questions and to have a great giveaway of her newest book in the Elemental Assassin series!

BT: Hi Jennifer!

JE: Hi! Thanks for featuring me on your blog again. I appreciate it!

BT: I love your villains, can you tell me if you take anything from real life?

JE: Thanks! I appreciate that.

Since I’m writing urban fantasy, my villains tend to have magical powers and be really ruthless and determined to get what they want, no matter what they have to do or who they have to hurt to achieve their goals. So it’s not real life. 

But a hero is only as good as the bad guys that she goes up against, so I try to think of villains that would annoy and frustrate Gin and really push her to her limits, physically, emotionally, and magically. I always have a lot of fun coming up with villains who challenge Gin and then thinking about how she can turn the tables and get the best of them.

BT:  What is your favorite secondary character to write? Does he/she have a novella staring this character?

JE: Finnegan Lane, Gin’s foster brother, is the secondary character that is the most fun for me to write. He’s so shameless and greedy and says whatever is on his mind no matter how annoying or inappropriate it might be. I always enjoy writing his dialogue.

There are a couple of Finn-centric short stories on my website: http://www.jenniferestep.com/short-stories/short-stories/ 

I would like to write a Finn novella, as well as some for other characters, like Phillip Kincaid, but my writing schedule is already full for this year and on into 2015. Hopefully, I’ll have time to write something more about Finn and the other characters in the future. We’ll see what happens.

*yes please have a Finn novella! Phillip would be a great one too!*

What is your biggest wish for Gin?

JE: I want Gin to (eventually) have her happy ending and the peace and quiet that she longs for. I think she’s earned it, after all that I’ve put her through. 

That being said, peace and quiet wouldn’t be that interesting to read or write about, and there are lots of bad guys left for Gin to battle.

*Yes, I agree... don't end her story yet!*

You have elements (easter eggs if you will) from your other books. Give us a few so those that haven't noticed it will try to now find them.

JE: I have four series – Elemental Assassin; Mythos Academy; Bigtime; and Black Blade (coming in 2015). So in every book, I try to mention characters, places, creatures, etc. from the other books.

For example, in my Elemental Assassin series, Finn often wears Fiona Fine suits. Well, Fiona Fine is a fashion designer in my Bigtime superhero series. In my Mythos Academy series, I’ve had characters mention things like the Pork Pit and Ashland from my Elemental Assassin series. So there are just small, crossover references between all the books.

I always have a lot of fun coming up with the Easter eggs, and readers seem to enjoy the little shout-outs to my other books.

What other projects do you have coming up?

JE: Spider’s Trap, the 13^th book in my Elemental Assassin series, will be out on July 28. I’m also writing book #14, which is tentatively scheduled to be out on Dec. 29.

I also have a new young adult series starting in 2015. It’s called the Black Blade series, and Cold Burn of Magic, the first book, will be out on April 28.

For more information about my books, people can visit my website at www.jenniferestep.com or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Happy reading, everyone! 

JENNIFER’S SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Website: http://www.jenniferestep.com/ 

Blog: http://www.jenniferestep.com/blog/ 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferEstepAuthor?fref=ts 

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Jennifer_Estep  (@Jennifer_Estep)

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/580315.Jennifer_Estep

JENNIFER’S BIO

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.

Jennifer writes the Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series for Pocket Books. Black Widow, the 12^th book in the series, will be released on Nov. 25. For more information about the series, visit Jennifer’s website at www.jenniferestep.com or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Black Widow
Series: Elemental Assassin #12
400 p.
Published: 11/25/14
Publisher: Pocket Books

There’s nothing worse than a cruel, cunning enemy with time to kill—and my murder to plan. 

With wicked Fire elemental Mab Monroe long gone, you’d think I could finally catch a break. But someone’s always trying to take me down, either as Gin Blanco or my assassin alter-ago. Now along comes the Spider’s new arch-nemesis, the mysteriously named M. M. Monroe, who is gleefully working overtime to trap me in a sticky web of deceit. 

The thing is, I’m not the only target. I can see through the tangled threads enough to know that every bit of bad luck my friends have been having lately is no accident—and that each unfortunate “coincidence” is just one more arrow drawing ever closer to hitting the real bulls-eye. Though new to Ashland, this M. M. Monroe is no stranger to irony, trying to get me, an assassin, framed for murder. Yet, as my enemy’s master plan is slowly revealed, I have a sinking feeling that it will take more than my powerful Ice and Stone magic to stop my whole life from going up in flames.

Giveaway!

The publisher is allowing me to giveaway the newest book in the Elemental Assassin series, Black Widow! 2 Winners! US only. Just fill out the rafflecopter form below to enter. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Interview: Sarah Beth Durst

I enjoyed the book, The Lost (my review) recently and had an opportunity to interview the author. Hope you enjoy!

The Lost
Series: Lost #1
by Sarah Beth Durst
352p.
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Available Now

It was only meant to be a brief detour. But then Lauren finds herself trapped in a town called Lost on the edge of a desert, filled with things abandoned, broken and thrown away. And when she tries to escape, impassible dust storms and something unexplainable lead her back to Lost again and again. The residents she meets there tell her she's going to have to figure out just what she's missing, and what she's running from, before she can leave. So now Lauren's on a new search for a purpose and a destiny. And maybe, just maybe, she'll be found. 

Against the backdrop of this desolate and mystical town, Sarah Beth Durst writes an arresting, fantastical novel of one woman's impossible journey and her quest to find her fate.

1. I felt that the book was a retelling, or had some aspects of several beloved stories. Could you tell me which ones you intentionally put in the Lost?

Lost is a town full of only lost things and lost people.  Lost socks, shoes, umbrellas, library books, keys, dogs, dreams, minds, lives, innocence, childhoods...  It's made up of leftover bits and forgotten moments.

THE LOST not a retelling, but I did deliberately reference familiar and beloved childhood touchstones: Wonderland, Peter Pan, Wizard of Oz -- yanking them out of their comfortable childhood corners and infusing them into this rundown desert town, in order to create an off-kilter, disoriented feeling.

The feel of Lost was also inspired by the feel of T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," the Eagles' "Hotel California," various Yeats poems, and the terrible creepiness of the Island of Misfit Toys from that old Rudolph Christmas special.  I used to have nightmares about that place.  *shudder*

2. What kind of research did you do for this book?

Mostly random Google searches: abandoned towns, top 10 most frequently lost items, strangest items ever left behind in a train station... etc.  I then spent a lot of time carefully building the town of Lost.  It's as much a character in the book as Lauren, Peter, and Claire.

3. Peter, Lauren and Lauren's mother are all readers. What books would they recommend?

Great question!  Peter loves poetry.  He's read and memorized tons of Yeats, T.S. Eliot, Emily Dickinson, Shakespeare, etc.  He loves the way words can both capture and obscure -- and he uses poetry as both a way to cope and a way to hide.  So he'd recommend books of poetry.

Lauren treasures art books that she's had since she was a kid, but lately, she's been reading travel memoirs, like Under the Tuscan Sun and Eat, Pray, Love and North of Ithaka.

At the start of the novel, Lauren's mother is into self-help books.  She likes to pass them on to her daughter, though Lauren never reads them.

4. Is there anything you can tell us about the up coming book, The Missing? 

You'll get some answers.  A lot of answers, actually.  But more questions.  (I know, I know, I'm being vague, but I'm trying not to give spoilers!)  I can tell you that it takes Lauren to places that she never imagined existed.  And that she must find light in even the darkest of places.

And you will find out what's in room twelve.

5. Anything you would like the readers to know about The Lost?

Writing THE LOST was a wonderful experience.  I felt like I was discovering Lost alongside Lauren, and I fell in love with her town.  It feels as real to me now as any town I've visited.  And I feel lucky that I'm able to live there for three books.  THE LOST will be followed by THE MISSING in December and then the final book in the trilogy, THE FOUND, in April.

Thanks so much for interviewing me!

Bio (from Sarah's website):

Sarah Beth Durst is the author of eight fantasy novels for teens and adults. Her YA titles includeConjured, Vessel, Drink Slay Love,Enchanted Ivy, Ice, Out of the Wild, and Into the Wild. Her first book for adults, The Lost, came out in June 2014 from Harlequin/Mira and will soon be followed by The Missing, in December 2014, and The Found, in April 2015. Sarah's next book for teens, Chasing Power, comes out in October 2014 from Bloomsbury. She was awarded the 2013 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature and has been a finalist for SFWA's Andre Norton Award three times.

Sarah was born in Northboro, Massachusetts, a small town that later became the setting for her debut novel. At the age of ten, she decided she wanted to be a writer. (Before that, she wanted to be Wonder Woman, except with real flying ability instead of an invisible jet. She also would have accepted a career as a unicorn princess.) And she began writing fantasy stories. She attended Princeton University, where she spent four years studying English, writing about dragons, and wondering what the campus gargoyles would say if they could talk. Sarah lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband, her two children, and her ill-mannered cat.

Thanks for coming on the blog and answering a few questions! I enjoyed this book and I think others will as well. :)