Guest Blog and Giveaway with Stephanie Rowe

It Was an Accident, I Swear!

For my guest blog today, Fang-tastic books asked me to blog about the humor in my books, and why I do it. Tricky question….

See, here's thing about me. In real life, when I get on a roll, I make people laugh, and I love to see the delight on see on their faces when the laugher is filling their heart. What's more beautiful than a genuine smile? Not a lot, in my opinion. I'm not a joke-teller, and I'm not slap stick. It's more just my world view and my energy that can get people to laugh. I'm me, I'm unique, and I've learned to appreciate that.

So…transitioning to books… when I first started trying to get published, I wrote serious books. And you know what? They didn't sell. Because when I tried to be serious, I became boring and run-of-the-mill. But then I realized that I have that unique sense of humor, so what if I tried to put that on the page? No one is like me, right?

So, I wrote funny. On purpose. I took classes on being funny. I learned the rule of three, and assorted other "funny" tricks. And you know what? My books were all rejected as not funny. They were the kind of rejection that were like, "This author fails utterly to be funny. Tell her to give it up."

At that point, I started getting really frustrated. What was I to do? I finally decided to write something just for me. Not funny. Not serious. Just… me. So, I wrote a book that I called Beheading Your Lover (later published as Date Me, Baby, One More Time), and I decided to amuse myself while writing it. My only goal was to let the creativity flow, and my main goal as I was writing it was to be unexpected. To twist the plot and the characters and the setting and the mythical beings and everything onto their head. Be unexpected in all ways.

I had the best time writing it, because I was FREE from the burdens of trying to write for someone else. My agent marketed it as a paranormal, not as a "funny" paranormal, and it sold at auction. Hooray! I was happily writing the second book in the series when the first book came out..and all the reviewers loved how funny it was. Publisher's Weekly praised its "snappy patter and goofy good humor," and Booklist called it "laugh-out loud" and "magically mirthful."

Guess what happened next? I freaked out. What? I was supposed to be funny? But I was a tragic failure when it came to writing funny! I seriously panicked. I had not been writing to be funny, and all of a sudden now that was my shtick?

I eventually chilled out, and I realized that I couldn't try to be funny. I simply had to continue to write from my own world view, which, for me, was creating a story that was unexpected with a bit of a satirical twist on whatever topic I happened to be addressing. Once I accepted that that's what I did, and that's how I needed to write, I was able to settle into my stories and write them.

I've continued that approach with this new series, including Touch If You Dare. People might say that having a tattooed, tortured warrior who is a failed knitter and a champion (albeit closet) hair styling guru is funny, but to me, Jarvis isn't about being funny. He came to life because I wanted to take the traditional paranormal warrior hero and twist it, giving him the unexpected soft side that is the bane of his existence. I love Jarvis as he struggles to come to terms with his two divergent sides, and I feel that he represents what human nature is: complex, conflicting, powerful, gentle and trying desperately to figure out how to balance it all. To me, that's who Jarvis is, and that's why he knits. If a reader finds it humorous, then what an added bonus to know that I could bring a smile to someone's face.

So, in a nutshell, I'm thrilled that my books make people laugh, but I don't try to be funny. I just let myself tell the story I want to tell. The minute I try to be funny… all will be lost, I fear.

What about you? Is there something that you've been most successful at once you stopped trying so hard to succeed at it?


TOUCH IF YOU DARE BY STEPHANIE ROWE—IN STORES JULY 2011

He’s just about the hottest warrior she’s ever seen…

Reina Fleming really appreciates a man who’s on a mission—especially when he’s a badass warrior doing his best to impress her. And Jarvis is charmed byt eh way Reina’s magic touch can soothe his dark side.

But when Jarvis’s attention puts her job, her home, and her family in danger, Reina has to decide whether love is worth the price…

Enter the nonstop, action-packed world of Stephanie Rowe’s love stories—you’ll never think of the manly arts in the same way again.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Four-time RITA Award nominee and Golden Heart Award winner Stephanie Rowe is an award-winning and national bestselling author of paranormal romance, and has written more than twenty-five novels. Stephanie has charmed reviewers with her unique blend of humor and otherworldly magic. She lives outside Boston, Massachusetts, where she is working on Book 3 in the Soulfire Series, Hold Me If You Can (January 2012).

For more information, please visit www.stephanierowe.com.

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Making Hell on Earth Sexy Guest Blog and Giveaway with Sidney Ayers

When people find out that Rafael Deleon, the hero in Demons Prefer Blondes, my debut paranormal romance from Sourcebooks Casablanca, I sometimes get the occasional eyebrow quirk. Aren’t demons evil? How do you write a good demon? To be honest, I personally think there’s a little devil in us all that helps us live life to the fullest. But when I started writing Demons Prefer Blondes, I actually asked myself the same question. How do I believably write a demon hero?

I didn’t think I could realistically write a hero that was in essence evil. If you’re familiar with the TV show Charmed, you saw what happened to Cole/Balthazar. Such a pity. Julian McMahon was so damn sexy in that role. So I decided I needed two sects of demons. The Infernati would be the traditional evil entities that we are used to. The other sect would be Paladins. The unique difference between the two is that Paladins are special demons blessed by angels. Their weapons are also blessed by angels. The Infernati live in Hell and the Paladins reside in Limbo. But the main difference is that the Infernati, even though they may have an attractive outward appearance, smell like a sewer. The Paladins, on the other hand—they’re sexier than hell.

That’s why I love writing paranormal and fantasy romance. You have the ability to make your own rules and create your own world. Whether it’s exploding shampoo bowls or a stampede of men, your imagination can be limitless. Any sort of creature or being can be sexy if you put your mind to it.

Here’s an excerpt from Demons Prefer Blondes…

“What do you mean the chest is missing?” Rafael Deleon managed through gritted teeth.

Even though the clacking of boots on the polished black marble grated his nerves, he paced the expansive room anyway. Candlelight flickered and flitted, sending darkened silhouettes darting against the ivory walls.

What about his sister? Jacoba had all but begged to join the guard, even though he’d pleaded with her not to. Unfortunately, Jacoba didn’t need his approval. She won the Fore-Demon Council over, instead.

Dominic Duvane, shrouded in darkness, stood solitary in the corner of the High Council chamber. A forlorn expression etched across his face, adding to the already foreboding mood. The news was worse than Rafael had imagined. Utterly horrible.

Dominic drew in a ragged gulp of air. “The guards were ambushed.”

“Who?” He shook his head. He didn’t even need to ask the question. Belial, the bastard prince of northern regions of Hell.

Blasted Fore-Demons!

“Belial’s Infernati warriors. Have a seat, my friend.” Dominic motioned to the burgundy jacquard and gold gilt divan in the far recess of the room.

His heart sank. Dominic meant to talk to him as a comrade and not a colleague. This didn’t bode well. He clenched his fists. He couldn’t panic. To do so would show weakness. He needed to be strong—or at least appear so.

“What… happened?”

“The Infernati swooped in and torched the encampment.” His friend’s gaze grew somber. “I suggest sitting, Rafe.”

Rafael folded his arms and raised his chin. “I’ll stand.” He’d receive the news like a man, not a coward. “Say whatever you need to say, my liege.”

Dominic growled. “I might outrank you, but I’ll be damned if I let you call me your liege.”

Rafael shrugged. “Too bad we’re already damned, Nic.”

“The chest was to be our salvation.” Dominic blew out an exasperated breath. “Bloody hell, Rafe. Why must you be so stubborn?”

“It runs in the family.”

Dominic grabbed him by the arms, his eyes blazing. “Your sister was captured.”

“She isn’t dead. Our connection isn’t severed.”

Dominic nodded. “Yes, but who knows what tortures Belial has bestowed upon her.” His gaze hardened and he clenched his fists. Jaw ticking, he paced. “I begged her not to join. I stood by you.”

Rafael nodded. “Coby wouldn’t take no for an answer. Even if the council forbade her, she would’ve found a way.”

Fighting the thought of his beautiful sister with her magnificent flowing silver hair and enchanting silver eyes at Belial’s mercy, Rafael crossed his arms in front of his chest. “What happened to her?”

“Coby’s a hero.” Dominic’s jaw ticked, the demon blood tears rimming his eyes. “She managed to send the chest away before the guards could take it.”

A soft smile curved his lips. Leave it to Coby to save the chest instead of saving herself. Despite his despair, he was still proud of his twin sister. However, he wasn’t in the mood for Dominic to avert his questions. His gaze grew stern. “Where is she?”

“I guess I shouldn’t hide the truth…”

Rafe arched a brow and leaned against the wall. “Well?”

Dominic sucked in a ragged breath, sending candles flickering. “This hurts me as much as you, you know.”

“I do.”

His friend nodded. “My sources report she’s in Belial’s dungeon.”

Rafael clenched his fists as he held his anguish inside. Grinding his teeth, he paced. Bloody hell. Only a few of the strongest Paladin warriors had escaped that hellhole, but they were never quite the same after.

“Where did she send the chest?” he managed.

“Earth.” Dominic flashed a halfhearted smile, his eyes wide and alert. “Your favorite place.”

© Sidney Ayers, Sourcebooks Casablanca 2011

For the rest of the story, and how an unsuspecting beautician ends up releasing hello on earth from a mysterious chest… and possibly falling in love with a demon, you’ll have to check out Demons Prefer Blondes! :-)

Thank you to Roxanne for having me on her blog today!

DEMONS PREFER BLONDES BY SIDNEY AYERS – IN STORES JUNE 2011

A Bad Day For A Demon

Rafe Deleon is a senior demon and he resents like hell his assignment to Earth to retrieve the Chest of the Damned before it falls into the wrong hands. But then he meets beautiful, intriguing succubus Lucy Gregory, and she’s just unleashed a whole load of trouble…

Really Sucks For A Succubus

Lucy’s chic suburban beauty salon has suddenly become the Underworld’s center of mass chaos and destruction. The only good thing in a day going rapidly down the tubes is the arrival of a gorgeous demon who’s adamant that he can help her…

But Lucy has quite a few deeply unpleasant—not to mention deadly and hateful—surprises ahead of her, and surely there’s never been a worse time to try out a new boyfriend…

Here's your chance to win a copy of Demons Prefer Blondes

Sourcebooks has offered to give away 2 copies today

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Sidney Ayers writes light paranormal and erotic romance. Her manuscripts have won or placed in the MORWA Gateway to the Best, the Valley of the Sun Hot Prospects, the Passionate Ink Stroke of Midnight, the Heart of Denver Molly, and the Finally a Bride contests. She lives in Michigan where she is working on the next book in the Demons Unleashed series, Demons Like it Hot—in stores December 2011. For more information, please visit http://www.sidneyayers.com/.

Guest Blog & Giveaway with Stephanie Rowe

Every once in a while, there's a moment in time, an experience, a revelation that shifts the direction of your life forever.

Mine happened about seven years ago. We were visiting my ninety-five year old grandmother for Christmas Eve dinner. It was a beautiful night of family and celebration, of warmth and love. But my grandmother, as she was wont to do, did a fantastic, flawless rendition of the Cranky Old Lady stereotype. As I sat across the table from her in my Christmas best, my heart began to sag for the wall around her heart that kept her from feeling any of the love surrounding her, or from joining in the laughter, or from even seeing what could possibly be good about that experience. And in that moment, I resolved that I would never let myself become that person, no matter how tough life became.

And tough life did indeed become for me. But I never forgot that night. I never forgot that moment when I realized that the most important gift we can give ourselves is the gift of humor. When life is crashing down around us, when things are spinning out of control, it's so tempting to scream with frustration, to think the entire world sucks. But the funny thing is, when we take that approach, the day keeps getting worse, we keep feeling bad, and before we know it, another day has passed us by, never to return, and we weren't there to enjoy it.

But when we can take a moment to pause, to release the weight in our hearts, and allow ourselves to giggle, to laugh, to see the lightness in the moment, then the things that seemed so bad suddenly feel a little more manageable.

Our souls want to dance. Or spirits want to laugh. Our hearts want to sparkle. And when they do, we feel so much better, even if nothing in our lives has actually changed. The miracle of laughter is powerful beyond words.

That is the gift I offer through my paranormal romances, both to myself and to my readers. The gift of laughter. Of a lighter heart. Sure, my stories are about people going through tough things. There is heartache, there is the cracking of souls, and there is passion driven by love so deep it awakes even the most damaged of hearts. But along with that is the unexpected twist, that moment when you burst out laughing, the kind of laugh that makes your whole body relax, that makes your mind and heart find peace, even if just for a moment.

When I write my stories, I put myself in the mindset of seeing the world from a place of joy and humor, and that mindset will often carry through my day, making everything seem a little brighter. If I can do that for someone else, make their day a little better, make things a little more bearable by giving them the gift of laughter…well, I can't think of a better reason to be a writer.

What happened recently in your life that made you laugh? A moment that brought an unexpected smile to your face? An encounter that called forth a deep-throated chuckle that still makes you grin when you think about it? Tell us about it. Share the gift of laughter.

KISS AT YOUR OWN RISK BY STEPHANIE ROWE – IN STORES JANUARY 2011

He needed a killer woman…

Blaine Underhill is one lucky man after having recently escaped a century and a half of imprisonment at the hands of an evil witch. Now he’s determined to save his still-enslaved friend, but in order to do so, he’ll need the help of one of the world’s most lethal women.

She was drop dead gorgeous, literally…

Trinity Harpswell is sick and tired of being a Black Widow. Having managed to go three years without accidentally killing anyone she loves, she’s one short week away from freeing herself from this killer curse forever.

When Blaine tracks her down and convinces her to help him, little does Trinity know that the next seven days are going to be murder!


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Four-time RITA Award nominee and Golden Heart Award winner Stephanie Rowe is a nationally bestselling author, and has more than twenty-five contracted titles with major publishers such as HarperCollins, Dorchester and Harlequin. Stephanie has charmed reviewers with her unique blend of humor and otherworldly magic. She lives outside Boston, MA, where she is working on the next two books in the Soulfire Series: Touch if You Dare (July 2011) and Hold Me If You Can (September 2011). For more information, please visit http://www.stephanierowe.com/.

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