AAD NOLA Author Spotlight: Megan Grooms

Thank you for letting me guest post.  I'm so excited about AAD. This is my third year going and first year as a featured author. I have one full length book out right now called Finding Samantha. This was released last year around this time. I had hoped to have the second one releasing now however life has gotten in the way as I had my son in January and we are working on our house so we can sell it. The second book in the Rolling Hills Ranch series follows John, it's called Loving Allison. It's about halfway written I just have not had time to do the other half. This book is about John, who we have already had the pleasure of meeting in the first book and his sisters best friend. When his sister comes to visits and brings along Allison. John isn't sure he should give in to his feelings for Allison because it's his sisters best friend. He also knows they are only there for a visit and can't stand the thought of her leaving him after such a short time. John is one of my favorite characters that I have created. He's so lovable like a big teddy bear and he's so sweet.

My plan is to do Jo's story after that and I've already written some on his as well. I also have some young adult books that I am trying to polish up and send to my publisher. I've got so many people running around in my head sometimes I feel a little crazy and they get restless when I'm not writing. I once tried to explain that  I have a lot of people talking to me in my head at once and he thought I was crazy. We went to a book signing of one of my favorite authors and she said the same thing. My husband just looked at me, laughed, and said OK these are your people.

My short stories are Handsome Stranger, Hestia's vacation and Halloween Madness. Hestia's Vacation is in a anthology with four other authors who are absolutely amazing! All three short stories are at All Romance ebooks and Hestia's Vacation is available to buy as a book on the kindle with the other books. It's in Love's Immortal Pantheon Vol. 5. Each one is a short romance but hopefully you will be able to to connect with the characters in it as well as I have. Writing short stories was a challenge for me because I get so hooked on the people I create I usually don't want to let them go, that's why most of my books will be in series.

Anyone can go to my website and check out all the books and read short excerpts from them. You can also learn more about me or ask me any questions you may have.   I can't wait to meet all of you at AAD and I hope everyone enjoys it as much as  I have the last two years.

AAD NOLA Author Spotlight: Eliza Gayle

Hi there! My name is Eliza Gayle and I write shapeshifters and BDSM romance…. Mostly. Sometimes I step outside the imaginary box and drift into my world of fae, the witches I adore, and the occasional vampire. Give me a minute and I’ll probably try something else.

I occasionally even thrown in some erotica, but more often than not it ends up turning romantic. The one common denominator in all of my genres is my love to write HOT. I learned a long time ago to write what I most loved to read and more often than not you’ll find an erotic romance on my iPad or nook.

I love the challenge of recreating sexual tension and chemistry between the characters after every love scene until the attraction is palpable and your ereader is threatening to combust. Yeah, that kind of heat.

My latest release is Vampire Awakening and there isn’t much more I find sexy than an alpha male Vamp. Except maybe an alpha male cowboy vamp. ;) Yes, it’s true Caleb is an uber sexy southern cowboy.

While vampires are often written at all different heat levels, I happen to think sex and these night creatures go hand in hand. If not for that sexy aura and irresistible alluring charm they’d probably just be another monster hiding in the dark. (In my mind all vampires should be like Eric in True Blood. Of course, I’m only a tad bit biased.)

In Vampire Awakening, Caleb meets sexy waitress and singer, Abby and is mesmerized by everything about it. He might be on a mission but his end game is all about the woman he must have. Go get her Caleb!

The truth may set her free but there's no guarantee she'll recover.

Abby Douglas has lived in the dark for six months. Until a mysterious package and a voice in a dream spark a chain of events she didn't see coming. To futher complicate matters, a lethally stunning stranger walks into her life and awakens erotic needs inside her that run deep. Now she has to decide how much she'll give up to unlock her memories.

Caleb Barrett, a vampire on a mission, pursues Abby while on the hunt for a homicidal vampire. Instead he's captured by a silken voice and haunting eyes that stir an insatiable hunger. An instant connection is forged and Caleb marks her as his own with no intention of letting her go. When she runs from him all bets are off and this dead sexy cowboy will do whatever it takes to find out what secrets her mind harbors before it's too late. Rules or no rules.

Suddenly being careful what you wish for is more than just another cliché, it's life or death.

This books contains one sexy as sin, motorcycle riding, black leather wearing vampire with a two track mind. Sex and blood.

For more about Eliza’s books, including free reads and excerpts, visit her website at
http://elizagayle.net

You can also follow her on Twitter @elizagaylebooks or on Facebook where she spends way too much time procrastinating. http://www.facebook.com/AuthorElizaGayle



Giveaway

Eliza is offering one lucky winner a print or ebook copy of her novel, BOUND MY MAGICK! In order to enter, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post and provide your email address so we can contact you at the end of the giveaway :) 

In Eliza Gayle's thrilling Pentacles of Magick series, four alpha male witches are bound by magick and a dark curse destined to destroy their souls. When the woman they've been taught to fear enters their lives, the brothers are forced to face the truth--all of it.

Amidst seduction, lies, betrayal, and powerful magick a quest begins to find four women, all born on the same day before it's too late.

The clock is ticking...

This 4 in 1 anthology includes Untamed Magick, Magick Ignited, Force of Magick, and Magick Provoked.

AAD NOLA Author Spotlight: Jae Lynne Davies

The Challenges of Writing from the Antagonist’s POV
by Jae Lynne Davies


While I wrap up final edits on Blood Moon, the second installment in my Mythic series, I’ve been doing a bit of reflecting.

I’ll begin this post by stating a hard fact: Writing a story isn’t easy. Sure we can outline to our heart’s content, but once the process begins, the creative muse might just have a few tricks up her sleeve. The story often takes a few different paths on the way to completion and there are days where creativity doesn’t flow as well as others. But what I found most exciting during my process, were the challenges I faced while writing my villains.

I enjoy villains, maybe a smidge more than the hero or heroine because of the character complexities and the fact I can make him or her as diabolical as I’d like. The canvas for my villains is clear. There are little rules or boundaries, provided the character fits the storyline, and with no rules…Game on.

Throughout the process, I explored a wicked side of life where inhibitions aren’t a factor and a conscience is practically obsolete, but not without challenges. Once you cross a line with the villain, where is the point of no return? Did I make him evil enough? These are questions I asked myself constantly throughout the story. This is where I trust the reader.

The antagonists that really heat my blood are those redeemable bad boys or the anti-hero. There’s something irresistible and incredibly sexy about bad boys who are evil for a reason, a conflict of epic proportion that can be overcome in a subsequent story with a heroine that suits him and makes him want to be a better man. But the fact remains clear that he’ll always have an edge about him, regardless of the HEA. And I’m willing to bet I’m not alone in my attraction to villains.

In my own personal writing experience, the antagonist’s passion is conveyed through a massive display of power and undeniably hot love scenes. At every turn, I’ve experienced a good amount of difficulty creating a villain who couldn’t be redeemed. I feel they all deserve a chance to be heard, for the layers to be peeled away to unveil a glorious revelation with a ‘wow’ factor that’s out of this world.

For example, in my latest novel, Blood Moon, we see vampire Dante Diakos rise to power and claim his birthright by invoking the power of the Greek pantheon on the summit of Mount Olympus. Once the ritual is complete, Dante will be the most powerful being on earth. Tunnel vision drives him to the brink of madness and while his motivation seems irrational to others, he has his reasons that lead to some of the most passionate moments I’ve ever penned.

Dante has been an absolute pleasure to write as I explore the depths of what makes the villain tick and I certainly hope to explore the matter further as my craft continues to improve and I grow as an author.

My question to all of you, is how evil do you like your villains? Do you enjoy those irreprehensible characters who deserve to be blasted into the outer reaches of the universe, never to be heard from again? Or do you prefer the redeemable bad boy with a large heart and a huge…attitude?

I want to thank the lovely, Tori for inviting me to her blog today. I had a wonderful time being here and hope to see a few of you at AAD in August. Happy Reading!


Jae Lynne Davies is a wife, mother and author who wishes there were more hours in a day to balance all three and her full-time job, but whenever she finds a spare moment, you’ll find her sitting in front of her laptop typing the next chapter! Jae Lynne currently resides in the suburbs of Philadelphia with her husband and two children.

To learn more about Jae Lynne and her work, please visit her website: http://www.jaelynnedavies.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Jae-Lynne-Davies/100001587731488

Twitter: http://twitter.com/JaeLynneDavies

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/jaelynnedavies

Mythic is available online at: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_9?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=jae+lynne+davies&sprefix=jae+lynne%2Caps%2C181

Centuries after the death of her family, human/vampire hybrid, Gianna Marino is determined to shed the blood of the vampire responsible.

Disguising herself as a human wanting to be turned, she infiltrates the enemy’s coven with the hope of bending him to her will and destroying him from the inside.

But when a handsome stranger enters the scene and is lured into their seductive game that results in a heated love triangle, she discovers a secret that blurs the lines between good and evil, forever changing the course of her existence, and destiny will soon determine on which side she’ll stand.

Giveaway

Want to win an e-book copy of Mythic? All you have to do is leave a comment answering Jae's question at the end of her guest post!

• Open internationally.
• Leave an email address so we can contact you if you win.