Sunday, May 15, 2011

Interview with Lisa Beth Darling


Please welcome author Lisabeth Darling to Fang-tastic Books.

Let’s get started by learning more about you, what would you like to tell us about yourself?

My husband and I just celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary, we have two adult daughters, and in what little spare time I get I like to try to garden. I find it very spiritual and calming. However, we have many critters in our yard and I got frustrated fighting against them so I stopped in-ground gardening a few years ago and do my best to grow flowers and veggies in pots on our deck.

Have you always wanted to be a writer or was this something that just happened?

I’ve always been a writer.

When did you start writing?

I wrote my first creative writing assignment in 4th grade and was instantly hooked. From that moment on, I knew this was what I was going to do.

What was your first published work?

Years ago I did a string of articles for our local newspaper on a variety of topics; gun control, local government (don’t even get me started on that! LOL), adoption laws/issues, and paganism, were among the most popular articles.

Tell us about your current book?

My current novel is The Heart of War a Dark Erotic Paranormal Romance stories that centers around Ares God of War and Magdalena MacLeod, a woman who is half-human and half-fey. It contains a lot of Greek Mythology as you can imagine but it’s set in modern-day. The story begins when Magdalena washes up on the shore of Ares’ secluded Greek Isle and we discover she is on the run from Cernunnos, Celtic Lord of the Forests and Death.

Can you give us a little glimpse into the book, perhaps a part of one of your favorite scenes?

Originally The Heart of War went online installments in rough draft, to my surprise it got an outrageous amount of hits. I never thought the story would be popular, I mean, c’mon, Ares God of War as the Hero? An older woman as the Heroine? It’s a hard sell to say the least. :-) The story received 10,000 individual hits in one month and I thought that was awesome, I started writing in my blog that I should get Ares down to Spring Training and get him on the Red Sox because they could really use a hitter like him. It became a running joke in the blog and, near the end of the story, Ares and Alena end up in Boston at a Red Sox game. It was a total joke between me and my blog readers but, the darn thing worked so well, even though I was going to ditch it in the final edit, I kept it and everyone loves it. Funny how those things work sometimes.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on the sequel, “Child of War”, it will be out December 31, 2011.

Just for fun lightning round: Black or white Black Red or pink Pink Angels or Demons Angels Vampires or werewolves Werewolves Coke or Pepsi Coke Coffee or tea Coffee Wine, beer or mixed drinks Southern Comfort Casual or Formal Casual Backyard barbeque or gourmet meals Backyard barbeque Paperback, hardcover, or digital Hardcover

Before you go would you like to share any more details about your current release, perhaps a blurb or excerpt?

Excerpt:

Alena closed her eyes as his words washed over her. “Yet you told them that you don’t love me.” Alena prodded keeping the bulk and warmth of him close. Ares opened his head as he tilted his head upward to look at her. “I don’t recall saying that. Do you?” Alena opened her mouth to speak but then closed it once more. No, he had not told Hera that he did not love her. Ares said he had no heart. That was a lie, he had a heart, and she could feel it beating away under her hand working its way deeper and deeper into her soul with every pulse. It seemed he had quite the slippery way with words. “I see you’re an excellent strategist, my Lord.”

“I know you think I’m a brute, an ogre, who can’t stop living in days of old when men owned their women, it’s not true.” Ares mumbled. “I don’t own the women here and I do not own you but I am charged with protecting all of you. If I hadn’t said and done the things that I did, Alena, my Family would have been able to keep you on Olympus until the day you died if that’s what they wanted. That is not what I want.”

“Very tricky, very slick.” Alena complimented. Yes, she had been scared out of her mind listening to the way Ares spoke about her, as though she were chattel, and not even present in the room. Now she could see that his old chauvinistic ways had some merit, a definite method to the madness.

“I am not tricking you now, so listen to me; I love you, Magdalena, you hold my heart in your hands. I have never felt anything like this in my life. Nothing this strong and undeniable except battle. Battle is not warm, it is not soft, and it is not peaceful. I can’t bear the mere idea of being without you. Tell me you feel the same. Not because you have to, not because of some silly spell you think you live under.”

“I fell in love with you the instant I saw you.” Alena wrapped her arms around his bare torso as the faint memory of her first night on the island came to her mind. Vaguely she remembered opening her tired eyes, seeing his handsome face over her. She remembered kissing him and telling him that she loved him. “You’re everything I never knew I needed.”

“Then I am right; one night with you is worth more than ten thousand nights on Olympus without you.” She was everything he had ever wanted and more. Ares was going to enjoy taking his time in showing her all of the secrets of making love and reveling in being the only man she would ever lay with. Such a gift was rare indeed and he should treat it with great reverence. “You will never want for anything. I will lay this world at your feet and pray to all of the Gods that it is enough to keep you by my side.”

“My hero.” Alena cooed heatedly feeling like a fairy princess in some fantastical fairy tale, possibly even one with a Happily Ever After.

Ares laid his forehead against hers. “I am no one’s hero, woman.”

“You’re my hero,” Alena corrected and gave his full lips a gentle peck. “But I doubt I can offer you ten thousand nights, my Love.” The confession was full of sorrow. Alena wished she had met him a hundred years ago when she was still fairly young and had a fuller lifetime ahead of her. Fate could be cruel some times. Alena would not be sad for the days behind but elated for the days ahead long or short they may be.

My Love.

The words echoed in his mind, tickling his ears and caressing his soul.

My Love.

Where can your book be found for sale?

Signed hard covers and .pdf ebooks are offered exclusively through http://www.moonsmusings.com Paperbacks are available from http://www.amazon.com/Heart-War-Lisa-Beth-Darling/dp/0615424686/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1302266130&sr=8-2 E-Books also available through Kindle http://www.amazon.com/The-Heart-of-War-ebook/dp/B004DCB3CA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=books&qid=1302266130&sr=8-1 Nook http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Heart-of-War/Lisa-Beth-Darling/e/2940011870002/?itm=1

In honor of the fantastic reviews the story has received lately, the price has been reduced to $2.99 (regularly $3.75) on Nook and Kindle through May. If readers would like to learn more about you where can they find you on the web? They can come along for the crazy that is my life over on my blog http://lbdarling.wordpress.com or check out my books on my site http://www.moonsmusings.com/lbdarling

Thank you again for joining us today at Fang-tastic Books.

Thank you very much for having me!

Author: Lisa Beth Darling Title: The Heart of War Details:ISBN:978-0615424682 Pages: 516 Publisher Moon Mistress Publishing USA Genre: Dark Erotic Paranormal/Fantasy Romance

Tagline: Inside the Heart of every Warrior breathes the Soul of a Hero--even within The Heart of War.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH6KtA5tIw0&feature=player_embedded

Blurb: Meet Ares God of War, the greatest Warrior the world has ever known. He's moody, grumpy, dominant, ravenously sexual, and above all, built like a Greek God.

Suspected of killing his Daughter in-Law, Psyche, and long in exile from Olympus, the solitude of Ares' secluded Greek Isle is interrupted when Magdalena MacLeod a plucky little Fey washes up on his shore after believing she's been shipwrecked. It's not mere fate that has brought the unlikely couple together yet it may be what tears them apart.

Branded with a golden chastity belt bearing the mark of Cernunnos, Celtic God of the Forest and Death, Alena has been on the run from her husband the Great Horned God for 200 years.

When the Olympians discover her presence on Ares' island, they send Apollo to the island while Ares is away with orders to bring her to Olympus. With nowhere to run and strikes a bargain with the God of War--her virginity for his protection.

Ares sees a sweeter deal; her in his bed and himself back in his rightful place on Olympus among the Gods. If it means turning Alena over to Zeus afterward, well that's of no consequence to him...is it?

After Alena proves herself to the God of War in battle and in his bed, the Ares must choose between his Divinely Dysfunctional Family, his pride, and Alena.

Get lost in this sweeping dark saga of lust, rage, revenge, and redemption. Battle Ancient Gods while falling in love with Ares God of War and Alena MacLeod. They share a love that will rock the world from the heights of Olympus to the Celtic moors, but will it be enough? Will love triumph, or will revenge and rage win the battle for the Heart of War?

2 comments:

Megan@Riverina Romantics said...

Loved the interview!

Lisa Beth said...

Thank you so much for having me over here today! I really enjoyed my stay.

 
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