Can you tell readers a little bit about
yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?
Katalina Leon: I’m primarily a
visual artist so I got to the writing game a little late. When you read my
work, you’ll notice I’m obsessed with color, texture and atmosphere. I try to
match a color and a moral theme to each book as if I were acting as a set
dresser and setting the stage for the reader to move in and have their own
experience. The beauty of the digital realm is the extra lavishness cost me nothing
but imagination and time. Subjects I used to struggle to paint on huge
canvases, I can now share as written word. It’s a much easier way to spread
magic and fun around. My new magic tools are electricity, language and light.
What witch of yesteryear wouldn’t envy the simplicity of that?
What is it about the paranormal that fascinates you so much?
Katalina Leon: I love the paranormal
genre because it provides a stage for the deeper mysteries in life to be played
out in dramatic fashion. Lord Griffin’s Prize features an immortal
griffin-shifter not a Vampire, but I’ve written Vampires in “The Strix and
loved it! I’ll be returning to Vampire realms soon. As authors we can always
fall back on the “it’s just entertainment” alibi but paranormal realms allow us
to explore our darkest and most unacceptable fantasies in an acceptable way.
Vampires are a glimpse into our fears and desires about our own mortality.
There are overtones of power, domination and sexual submission. To deal with a seductive
Vampire is to face the dual possibilities of annihilation or sweeping immortal
bliss. It requires a leap of faith to trust another being who is so “other”,
and no doubt that’s a big part of the fun as well.
What inspired you to write this
book?
Katalina Leon: Griffins have
always had a special place in my heart. According to 9th century Irish
author Stephen Scotus, griffins mate for life and are “highly monogamous.” If a
mate dies the other will never re-mate, and that played a big part in my story.
Griffins rule both air and land with justice and loyalty. So you see its hard
to not love a griffin!
A few years ago, as an anniversary gift, my husband
gave me a beautiful bronze casting of a griffin to place next to my writing
desk. The Griffin is there as a symbol of eternal love and loyalty. My
husband’s a griffin at heart; he’s protective, loyal and he never turns his
back on his responsibilities. I brought as much of that sentiment as I possibly
could to “Lord Griffin’s Prize.”
Please tell us about your latest
release.
Katalina Leon; Lord Griffin’s Prize
is part of the Emerald
Isle Fantasies book series from Ellora’s Cave. Here’s the blurb:
When guests check into the historic Castle Tullamore Hotel they
expect bucolic scenery and luxurious service. What they don't anticipate is
along with the 5 star accommodations they'll also get drawn into lots of
otherworldly Irish mischief and erotic enchantment.
At Tullamore there are ghostly lovers, griffin-shifters, vampires,
selkies, witches and werewolves waiting to lure the lonely and the adventurous
into forbidden realms. The castle grounds are riddled with time portals where
the unwitting can experience vivid adventures in other timelines. For the most
part the hotel appears to be just a lovely Irish castle until things get wild
and reality drops from underfoot like a swinging trapdoor.
My contribution to the Emerald Isle Fantasies is “Lord Griffin’s
Prize” and it’s available now.
Do you have a special formula for
creating characters' names? Do you try to match a name with a certain meaning
to attributes of the character or do you search for names popular in certain
time periods or regions?
Katalina Leon: I do try to match
deeper meaning to a character’s name and when I do it’s always part of the plot
line or story. If I don’t know what to name a character I often simply take a
deep breath and type a name. I ask the character to tell me who they are. It
can be pretty amazing how quickly and vividly hidden parts of the personality volunteer
to step forward and reveal themselves.
Is there a character that you
enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
Katalina Leon: I love both Maeve and Ronan equally. They
both surprised me in so many ways. But I
have to admit writing villains is my favorite thing in the world. It’s just so
fun. My evil characters do all the work for me. They just show up in my head,
put on a show and force me to keep with them and yes, Lord Griffin’s Prize has
a wretched villain named uncle Aodhan.
Do you
have a formula for developing characters? Like do you create a character sketch
or list of attributes before you start writing or do you just let the character
develop as you write?
Katalina
Leon: I’m a visual thinker so I’ll collect photo files of potential characters.
I’m sort of a hoarder of interesting men on Pinterest. I’ll start and collect
files on real life historical characters and when a theme, character and
setting come together voila! It off to the races typing an outline before it
all disappears.
What is your favorite scene from the
book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?
Katalina Leon: I love the opening
scene between Maeve and Ronan when they meet in a semi-dream state and make
love in a beautiful old bed in the O’Griofa suit of Tullamore Castle-a bed
they’d shared seven hundred years ago as newlywed lovers. The whole incident
feels convincingly real to Maeve and she’s left very confused by the visit from
her phantom lover who morphs into a griffin and disappears through the castle
walls. And that just the beginning of strange events.
Did you find anything really
interesting while researching this or another book?
Katalina Leon: I always find a ton
of interesting things-far more material than I can or should include. I
consider these riches my repayment. I love finding these interesting things.
When you really look at the human story it always makes me proud to be human. I
believe we’re all part of something very special.
What is the most interesting thing
you have physically done for book related research purposes?
Katalina Leon: My husband would be very
unhappy with me for being a tattletale about personal stuff, but I love to
experiment and try new sensations and new things. For my upcoming paranormal
romance, I used enchanted Absinthe as a plot device that throws my heroine back
to an artist loft in 1903 France. A tricky enchantress and La Fée Verte—the
green fairy are involved in the mischief. While I was editing “Fairy In The
Flesh” when I came to the Absinthe scene, I drank real Absinthe and caught a
nice little buzz. I’ll do anything for my craft!
Can you tell readers a little bit
about the world building in the book/series? How does this world differ from
our normal world?
Katalina Leon: The Emerald Isle
Fantasies collaboration was easy and came naturally. I’ve made a lot of good
friends in the group. The project was started almost eighteen months ago. We
were all Ellora’s Cave authors who were reassigned to a new editor based in
Ireland. Our editor’s husband worked in the hospitality industry at a real
Irish castle turned hotel. Pictures of his workplace were posted and the
“Oohing and Ahhing” started immediately. Brainstorming to create our own
fictitious castle filled with paranormal Irish high jinx and lots of
unsuspecting guests was the next logical step.
With the book being part of a
series, are there any character or story arcs, that readers jumping in somewhere
other than the first book, need to be aware of? Can these books be read as
stand alones?
Katalina Leon: All the Emerald Isle
Fantasies books are strong stand alones and can be read and enjoyed in any
order. We worked hard to coordinate a few shared characters and locations that have
particular properties and we hope readers will enjoy everyone’s slightly
different take on a few shared themes. For instance Tullamore Castle has an
enchanted “lift”— a Victorian era elevator, that on its discretion might toss a
rider back in time or cause amorous behavior that gets out of control. Phantom
lovers enjoy riding this elevator and doing provocative things to the living.
So if you think you’re being kissed or softly touched in the lift—you might
want to glance over your shoulder…
Do you ever suffer from writer’s
block? How do you deal with it?
Katalina Leon: I hit blocks all the
time and no amount of mental pushing or shoving seems to get the show on the
road. When that happens I close that WIP for a while and open another or start
a new one. Almost immediately the writing energy returns. I always have at
least a dozen WIPs going at any one time.
Do you have any weird writing quirks
or rituals?
Katalina Leon: I always have a vase
of fresh flowers on my writing desk. It can be a simple arrangement from my
yard or the farmer’s market but I really love my flowers. Today I have a vase
of big beautiful golden roses from my neighbor’s yard sitting beside me.
Do you write in different genres?
Katalina Leon: I do and I consider
the genre changes as necessary as a wardrobe change—if it’s cold out put on a
coat! The tone of the story needs to be matched to the right genre. I currently
write erotic romance in the subgenres of paranormal, historical, Sci-fi and
contemporary.
Do you find it difficult to write in
multiple genres?
Katalina Leon: No it would be much
more difficult for me to stick to only one genre. My own interests and tastes
roam all over the place. Like most women I like having favorites but I don’t
want to feel pinned down.
When did you consider yourself a
writer?
Katalina Leon: The day I received my
first book contract, quickly followed by three more was an overwhelmingly positive
event and signaled a major life refocus for me. It was official in my mind that
I was a writer and not just a dreamer. I’ll never forget that feeling.
What are your guilty pleasures in
life?
Katalina Leon: Mild bondage even a
firm grip on my wrists works and chocolate infused red wine. Why not?
Other than writing, what are some of
your interests, hobbies or passions in life?
Katalina Leon: I love a challenging group
yoga class or an all out sweat-soaked workout at the gym especially if I’ve
been sitting most of the day…which is typical. It so hard to get to the gym but
worth it, as much for my mind and stress levels as my body. I’ve long accepted
that my extra pounds are mine to keep as my consolation prize. Fit is good,
skinny is not for me.
What was the last amazing book you
read?
Katalina Leon: I just finished
reading Robin Maxwell’s “Jane—The Woman Who Loved Tarzan” from Tor press. There
was a lot to love about that book. I fell in love with Tarzan too.
Where is your favorite place to
read? Do you have a cozy corner or special reading spot?
Katalina Leon: I’m a bit of a gypsy,
I move around the house following the light or moving away from chatty people.
I have a favorite spot on a cushy leather couch next to a reading light but if
I sit there and open a book it’s a silent signal for my son, dog and husband to
plop down beside me and turn on the television… Bye-bye reading time.
What can readers expect next from
you?
Katalina Leon: Expect more time
travel and later this fall some Cajun time-traveling wolf-shifters as well.
Fairy In the Flesh is one of my personal favorite fantasies of going back to
1903 and being part of the Bohemian modernist art movement. Sexy artist and
enchanted absinthe is involved.
Here’s the blurb:
Fairy In The
Flesh
Katalina
Leon
Maya Rousseau’s fantasy vacation in
Avignon France heats up when an eccentric enchantress tricks her into drinking
mojo-laced absinthe.
An unexpected encounter with the green
fairy causes Maya’s reality to have a serious melt down. She travels back in
time and wakes up naked in the bed of her favorite bad boy Bohemian artist, the
tall, dark and mysterious André Bosco. There’s nothing wrong with that except
it’s 1903.
For André it’s love at first sight. He
begs Maya to become his cherished model, muse and lover. The chemistry and
shared passion between them is overwhelming. André’s a generous-hearted dream
man but there’s a catch. Every hour they spend together bonds them tighter and
time is running out. The same powers that flung Maya back to 1903 are preparing
to snatch her back.
With a hundred and ten years separating
these soul-bound lovers it’s uncertain if they can find a happy ending without
the help of a little magic and La Fée Verte.
Note: Story contains super hot sex with an
unattainable man, enchanted hallucinatory beverages, mischievous time-twisters
and green fairies.
Where can readers find you on the
web?
Katalina Leon:
Website:
katalinaleon.com
Ellora’s Cave:
Loose Id:
Amazon:
All Romance eBooks:
Night Owl Reviews Author Page:
Pinterest:
Facebook:
Would you like to leave readers with
a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
Katalina Leon: I sure would!
(In
this scene Maeve has been in the O’Griofa suite for less than an hour, but
she’s already become infatuated with Lord O’Griofa’s portrait, traveled back in
time to a castle under siege, released the pain of a failed marriage and
hallucinated that a griffin is walking the castle grounds. It’s been a very
eventful night. She’s exhausted and jetlagged. When she climbs into the
notorious O’Griofa “griffin bed” things really heat up.)
…She
walked around the room, making sure the door was locked and switching off the
few lights still lit. The fading red embers of the fire glowed. The fire’s soft
illumination was lovely and provided just enough light to see. An errant sliver
of moonlight cut across the room and lit Lord O’Griofa’s portrait.
Maeve
pulled the covers back and climbed into the massive bed, which could have
comfortably slept several adults. She gazed up at the silk canopy. The viridian
curtains surrounding the bed were woven with a subtle pattern that suggested to
her tired eyes the faintest hint of feathery wings.
She
noticed that the bed curtains could be drawn around the bed to either block
light or create an oasis of privacy. She drew the curtains in hopes of
preventing the first rays of dawn from waking her too early. She allowed her
head to sink deep into the lush pile of pillows and sighed with pleasure that
the bed felt as good as it looked.
She
stretched across the crisp sheets with her eyes squeezed shut, wishing she had
the energy or will to take off the bulky bathrobe, but before she could rouse
herself to act she became aware of the warm weight of a solidly built man
pressing down on her.
As if
by magic a naked man materialized beneath the bedcovers. His warm skin radiated
the faint but unmistakable scent of musk. He unknotted the robe and pushed the
fabric aside, baring her breasts. A soft sigh crossed his lips.
She
made a halfhearted attempt to stop him.
With
gentle but decisive action, he took hold of her wrists and slowly slid her arms
above her head, pinning her beneath him.
She
gulped a startled breath as he parted her legs with his knee. The sensations
were real. The wet tip of his heavy erection brushed between her thighs. She
started to cry out in surprise.
“Hush,”
the man whispered. He grazed his lips against the side of her cheek. “Don’t
wake, my love—this is only a dream.” The man’s comforting voice was pure
reassurance. “I’ve been waiting so long for you.”
“Ronan?”
She relaxed.
“Who
else comes to your bed?” A quiet laugh crossed his lips as if it were a casual
joke that often passed between them. He released his hold on her wrists. “Wrap
your arms around me and make me feel loved.” He leaned close and his warm
breath flooded the side of her throat. “I need you, Maeve.”
A
shudder of desire seized her, impossible to deny. The man’s voice was drenched
with longing and coaxed myriad buried feelings to surface. She realized that
every lover should plead for touch with this much conviction, yet so few did.
Dream
or not, it had been ages since she’d felt sensations so fiery and she couldn’t
resist giving in. The dream man—Ronan or whoever he was—felt so good that she
found herself wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders and drawing him
close. The silky hair on his chest glided against her breasts. In a moment of
uncharacteristic boldness, she reached down, took hold of his shaft and guided
him between her legs. She rubbed the head of his cock against her with slow
strokes, until he was slick and her clit peaked. Without further prompting she
allowed him to glide inside.
“Oh
Maeve.” A husky groan escaped his lips as he sank deep.
She
arched beneath him and twined a smooth leg around his hip, wishing he’d start
moving and pay out on the building excitement he’d caused. She skimmed the
length of his muscular back with open palms before gripping his solid butt and
pressing down with a demanding little push that said “get going”.
He
moved with caution.
She
tried to glimpse his face in the shadows but saw nothing beyond a vague
silhouette. It excited her to be with a complete stranger. She’d never done
such a thing and it really didn’t matter because this was just a dream. It was
so freeing to give in to raw lust. “Fuck me,” she whispered.
“What a
salty tongue you have.” He sounded amused as he nipped her throat. His lips
lingered on her skin. “You’re sweet as heaven but you talk like a devil.” He
took several long strokes, pumping his hips faster. The muscles of his back
coiled and his breath sped. He was big and solid and the animal strength of his
graceful body took her breath away. Each movement was controlled and decisive
and every inch of his body tensed. “I can’t hold back.” A moment later he
bolted into action like a racehorse sprinting. “Sorry, love. This is going to
be sweet and swift.” He gripped her shoulders as his body covered hers and
moved with fierce strokes.
The
thick shaft of his cock glided against her wet clit at the perfect angle. She
lifted her hips off the bed to intensify the sensation. “That’s good.” She
encouraged him to move with her. She grabbed on to the hard muscles of his butt
and pushed down with force. The brisk stroke of his cock brought her moaning to
the edge. “I’m right there.” A beautiful rush of sensations heated her blood as
the easiest, quickest climax of her life carried her away and left her limp
with pleasure. “Ah...”
He
lifted Maeve’s thigh higher and sank deep. A quiet growl vibrated low in his
throat. He tipped his head back and arched as he came hard. The man trembled
and nearly collapsed against her, with a dewy sheen of sweat on his skin. He
brushed his face against her cheek and she felt a gritty hint of stubble.
Alarm
shot through her. Those details felt all too real. She feared this couldn’t
possibly be a dream. No dream was this vivid. She pushed against his shoulders
and tried to get a better look at him.
“Am I
crushing you?” He rose on his elbows so she could move and brushed his
fingertips against her cheek. “That was wonderful. I wish I could stay inside
you all night, but I can’t.”
A chill
shivered across her skin. “Why can’t you?”
“Because it’s not night anymore,
it’s morning.” The man evaporated in front of her
eyes
and the warm bed covers slumped on top of her with a swoosh as he exited.
Maeve
bolted upright and smacked the empty covers with her palm. The man had
vanished. The bed curtains remained drawn and still. Her bathrobe was open and
the bedding was rumpled but beyond that only the faintest scent of salty sweat
betrayed that he had ever been there.
She
reached between her drenched thighs with caution and touched. Without doubt a
man had been with her. What the hell was going on?
The
quiet scratch of what sounded like claws against the wooden floor made her
freeze. She drew a tense breath, listened with laser focus and heard a soft
snort and what sounded like the padding of heavy paws crossing the room. A
noise like an animal snuffling the fire grate made her blood run cold.
Now she
was fully awake and certain this was no dream. Her heart hammered against her
ribs. Beyond the bed curtains, someone or something was moving around the
suite.
She
drew the bed curtain aside a crack and peered out. The room was illuminated by
the faint rays of an overcast dawn.
Near
the fireplace beside the mantel, she saw a large animal the size of a male lion
with black sweeping wings folded behind its back. The creature turned to the
side, revealing the lethally curved beak of an eagle and keen, dark eyes. She
gasped in awe and immediately covered her mouth with her hand.
The griffin.
The
creature glanced over its shoulder stealthily, as if it were aware of her
presence, and reached toward the wedding ring she had left as an offering. It
picked up the ring with its hooked beak. The griffin tossed the ring into the
air and swallowed it with a quick gulp.
She bit
her lip to keep from gasping aloud.
The
griffin turned and walked through the heavy wooden door, which posed no
physical barrier. It passed through the locked door with the same ease as if it
were walking through fog, and disappeared.
“Oh my
God!” Maeve trembled with shock. “What just happened?”
She
threw the bed curtains back, leaped off the mattress and ran toward the door
while tying the bathrobe around her waist. She grabbed the doorknob and rattled
it. The knob did not budge and she saw that the door was latched from the
inside.
She
turned and ran toward the mantel. Her gaze went straight to the clawed feet of
the stone griffin. The wedding ring was gone. She reached out and felt the
empty spot with her fingertips to reassure herself that this moment of utter
madness was real. “I’m losing my mind. This isn’t good.”
She
focused her gaze with suspicion on the disheveled bed before ricocheting like a
bullet toward Lord O’Griofa’s portrait. Had all that been real too? Had she
made love to a phantom?
“Nope.
That’s too much crazy,” she said it aloud in a calm voice. There was no way a
man from the distant past had materialized in bed and fucked her breathless with
tender gusto. It was a thrilling but improbable fantasy.
It was
more likely she’d been ignoring her true feelings and physical needs for so
many months that she’d gone temporarily nuts. “Strange fantasy men in the bed”
crazy was a bad development. That level of cuckoo should never happen again. It
was obvious to her that dire needs must be addressed. She realized she should
buy a vibrator on this vacation and start using it ASAP.
Fucking
hunky medieval phantoms was without doubt a sign she needed to get off more
often than she had been lately—which was not at all. She was pent-up. This
situation simply wasn’t acceptable. She was a loaded gun ready to explode, for
God’s sake. What was next? Would she throw herself at the first interesting man
who crossed her path? In her current wounded-prey state of mind she knew that
would definitely be a mistake. To make sure this type of weirdness didn’t
happen again, a vibrator was a must, and she promised herself she’d get one
soon.
Beyond
the tall, narrow windowpane, the sun broke through a thick layer of cloud,
lighting the morning sky in brilliant shades of blue and gold.
Maeve
smoothed the bed covers. There would be no pretense of going back to sleep.
Besides, she didn’t dare to climb back into that bed until she’d had a sobering
cup of coffee and a long talk with her love-starved libido…
(Maeve
dresses and heads downstairs and guess who she runs into walking the castle
grounds dressed in contemporary clothing? Oh yes, it’s very awkward. How can
she tell a stranger that she just finished having sex in her dreams with
someone who looks and sounds just like him…Poor Maeve.)
Thank
you Fangtastic Books for hosting me today! I loved the visit.
XXOO
Katalina Leon
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August 6 review
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Cloey's Book Reviews and Other Stuff
August 8 Interview
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Sapphyria's Steamy Book Reviews
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Rose & Beps Blog –
August 15 Spotlight
The Rookie Romance Blog,
August 16 Spotlight
The Official Blog of A.C. James
August 16 Interview and review
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Musings of Mistress of the Dark Path
August 19 Spotlight and review
Dalene’s Book Reviews
Lord Griffin’s Prize
Katalina Leon
Genre: Paranormal romance shape-shifter
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Date of Publication: July 10, 2013
ISBN: 9781419945397
Number of pages: 114
Word Count: 50k
Cover Artist: Syneca
http://www.ellorascave.com/lord-griffin-s-prize.html
Book Description:
Part of the Emerald Isles Fantasies series
Tullamore Castle Ireland is an enchanted place where the unexpected happens. Phantom lovers materialize in haunted beds and a lonely griffin patrols the ramparts waiting to reclaim its mate. And that’s just the beginning.
For the adventure of a lifetime Maeve de’Burgo visits Tullamore to study genealogy. Through a magical act and time travel she becomes embroiled in a dangerous medieval romance and the unfinished life of her ancestor. Maeve gets thrown back in time to be captured, ravished and cherished as a war chief’s prize.
Ronan O’Griofa is a griffin-shifter, the most loyal of creatures. He’s been trapped in limbo as the avenging guardian of Tullamore since 1332 AD and longs to be free. When the soul of his wife returns to the castle he’s granted the privilege of becoming a man for one day to be her lover, win her heart and remind Maeve of a bond strong enough to last an eternity.
About the Author:
I’m an artist, an author, mother and wife. I write for Ellora’s Cave, Loose Id Publishing and a couple new publishers to be announced soon. I try to bring a touch of the mystical and a big sense of adventure to everything I write because I believe there’s a bold, kick-ass heroine inside all of us who wants to take a wild ride with a strong worthy hero.
Ellora’s Cave:
Loose Id:
Amazon:
All Romance eBooks:
Night Owl Reviews Author Page:
Pinterest:
Facebook:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
12 comments:
Thank you Fangtastic Books!
Love the idea of Griffins. They are the most interesting of the different paranormal species.
daringzoey at yahoo.com
Thank you Melissa! Griffin's are my favorite mystical creatures-the patron saints of long-term relationships. We need a mascot. : )
Love griffin's! One of my favorite mythological creatures.
Love this idea and this sounds like an awesome book.... I cant wait to read it... thanks Katalina
Awesome cover & I LOVE the excerpt!
I think Griffins might be my new favorite hotties :)
Thanks for the cool contest Katalina :)
Mindy :)
Birdsooong@comcast.net
Thank you Nicole, Fareymom and Mindy! I hope you'll you'll enjoy my take on a loving, eternally loyal griffin-shifter.
This looks awesome! Going on my TBR. Thanks!
sound like a fantastic read.
scrtsbpal at yahoo dot com
Hi, Kat~
Fantastic interview!
I loved Lord Griffin's Prize!
Can't wait to see what else you come up with!
Lord Griffin's Prize is my first experience with a griffin-shifter. I'm about 40 pages in and loving it so far.
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