Guest Author Day with Elle Laudan/Contest Announcement

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Welcome Author Elle Laudan today at Dawn's Reading Nook Blog. Today one lucky commenter will win a e-copy of She Rides from Elle. :) Leave your email address in with your comment in order to contact you if you win.

Can you tell us a little about how you started writing; was it something you have always wanted to do?

I grew up in a very strict household where television, music and books were strictly monitored. Around 10 yrs old I began writing short stories. It became my escape, where I could be anyone, go anywhere and do all those things I only dreamed of.

I went back to school in my twenties to earn my highschool diploma. (I was having way too much fun the 1^st time around)

My English teacher Jim, is the first person to tell me I had a gift for the written word. Looking back, I see that he is the one to plant the first seed. The rest…is history in the making J

What do you consider to be the key elements of a great story?

One of the key elements to a great story would be creating characters the reader can identify with at some level. Also, to give cause for my readers to experience some kind of emotion, through laughter, anger, or tears.

Could you tell us a little about how you develop your characters? Who has been your favorite character to write? The most challenging?

For me, it all starts with the setting. Once I have a place in mind, my characters evolve. Their ethnic background usually determines their names and appearance. My characters take shape throughout the book. Rarely do I know everything about them before my story begins.

My favorite character?

Shane from my Iron Horse Rider Trilogy. It was fun, and challenging writing a book from a man’s POV.

The most challenging?

Missy from my first Elle Laudan title, She Rides. It is my first erotic tale, so to have a character so explicit sexually was challenging.

Have you ever found that you didn’t like your Hero or your Heroine? If so, what did you do to change that?

I hate the villain, Ben from In Your Eyes. He gets my blood boiling like no other, but it works for the story. So he was left alone and has since angered more than one reader lol Isn’t that what bad guys should do?

Can you tell me a bit about your most recent/upcoming release?

My 2^nd Elle Laudan title, Mystified is slated for release on June 11^th at Passion In Print. It is an erotic suspense, with a twist… time travel. In this story I feature the band, Colt Harley as my hero, Tokoda’s band. Also, $1 from each book sold will be donated to Mark’s Run for A.L.S. (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)

What do you do to unwind and relax?  

I read. After all I was an avid reader long before I published my first book. Since my journey as an author began, my reading time is less and less. I now reward myself, at the end of each book, the down time to read one or two books.

Is there a genre you haven’t done that you would like to explore in the future?

Horror. I’ve always wanted to write a good psychological thriller. Once my nest is empty I will give it a try. I think, in order to write a great horror, one must set the tone and approach from a dark place. I’d rather do so with no witnesses.  *wink 

Tell us about your favorite restaurant. 

The Skylon Tower in Niagara Falls, Ontario. It slowly rotates while you’re seated next to a window at one of the Great Wonders of the World.

Do you listen to music when writing? Do you feel like some stories write themselves a soundtrack with specific music? If so, what book and what kind of music influenced it?

I write my best in a quiet house. I might play some of my favorites while editing, but as a rule, silence is what it takes.

Does your significant other read your stuff?

At the moment, my significant other is an 8 lb diva dog named, Chachi. She doesn’t read much.

Plotter or Pantser? Why?

I started out as a total Pantser. Now I am a bit of both. I will write a brief outline, only because I must finish within a certain length of time. More often than not, my story will conclude very differently than first intended.

What is your favorite meal?

All of them LOL

I’ve always loved a good roast beef with gravy, mashed potatoes and corn. Those little dinner rolls with butter on the side. Yummy….now I’m hungry.

What are your thoughts on love scenes in romance novels, do you find them difficult to write?

As I said earlier I have just begun my journey on the erotic side of things. Yes, I find it very difficult. It’s hard to let your inhibitions go. Especially, after keeping such tight reign of them for so many years.

What do you have coming up next for you? Care to share any details with us?

At this moment I’ve been invited to write a short erotic story. I must adhere to specific guidelines in relation to the setting, and it must happen over a 24 hour period of time. I had a hell of a time getting it started, but just the past couple of days I’ve started writing in earnest.

I have yet to begin edits on an Adelle Laudan title, Heart of Steele, and a Middle Grade Mystery. Both titles are contracted with MuseItUp.

Who are some of your favorite authors, and if we were to visit your home, what books would we find on your bookshelf, end table, floor or e-reader?

On my bookshelf, in my bedroom, you will find an interesting mixture. Danielle Steel, Mauve Binchy,  Jean M Aule, John Saul, John Grisham, Nora Roberts, Nicholas Sparks…

I have yet to make the transition to an e-reader. I’ve been watching them evolve quite a bit over a short period of time. I guess I’m waiting for all the kinks to be worked out.

If you could be any character of any book or movie, who would you be?

Cher, from the movie, Mask. I’d so love to be on the back of a younger Sammy Elliot’s motorcycle.

Where can readers find you on the web?

My Website: http://adellelaudan.com

Adelle Laudan Blog: http://adellelaudan.blogspot.com

Elle Laudan Blog: Rated R: http://ellelaudan.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/AdelleLaudan

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/AdelleLaudan

Twitter: http://twitter.com/AdelleLaudan

Mystified by Elle Laudan

Coming June 11^th to Passion In Print

Blurb:

Legends come to life on Spirit Island, tossing a pair of rekindled lovers back in time. Tokoda comes face to face with the barbaric Sioux tribe, while Tara suffers a case of mistaken identity in the village of her Ojibwa ancestors. Tokoda vows to find Nara and bring her home safely. That is, if there is even a way for them to get back home at all.

Excerpt:

Balanced upright in the canoe, Nara gave the shoreline a cursory glance before pulling her deerskin shift over her head.  She closed her eyes, celebrating the freedom this secluded spot on Spirit Island gave her.

In the beginning, the Creator made Spirit Island, in order to have a place to call home. He took the cleanest air, and the freshest water, along with, all the plants, medicine and food he’d ever need. Even today, many came to the sacred Island to speak to the Great Spirit.

The hopes and dreams of her ancestors carried in the breeze that prickled her bare skin. A sense of well-being filled her heart and there was no doubt, the Great Spirit still made Mnido-Maniss his home.

Nara dove into the cool water, reveling in the sensation against her body as she came up for air. She stretched out on her back, and stared up at the twinkling stars. What story did they tell as they danced to the rhythm of their own music?

The rattle of shaking branches caused her breath to hitch and she slipped under the blanket of water to hide her nakedness. Someone crouched in the bushes, the whites of his or hers eyes illuminated by the moonlight. Nara swam to the side of the canoe and struggled to slow her breathing as quietly as possible. Cautiously, she peeked over the canoe’s rim and searched the shoreline.

I saw someone, I know I did. Where did they go? Has someone been watching me all along?

The mere thought of a stranger seeing her naked repulsed her. Movement caught her attention and she froze.

Between her and the shore, the water swirled. Nara’s jaw dropped as a ghostly apparition rose up from the mist. Without knowing how, she knew it to be the Underwater Princess of stories told so many times around the campfire.

The beautiful native princess turned her head to face the bushes, her blue black hair settled in layers around her shoulders. With a flick of her wrist, a gust of wind came out of nowhere, whipping the prickly rose bushes into a frenzy.

Suddenly, a man’s pain-filled cry resounded across the river and a figure shot up from behind the bushes and tore off into the darkness of the forest. As quickly as the wind rose up, it calmed. The princess smiled satisfactorily in her direction before fading into the night, leaving behind fireflies of which flew upwards until one couldn’t tell them from the stars.

Nara reached in the canoe for her deerskin shift and pulled it down over her damp hair. Without a sound, she slipped back on board and gazed out on the calm, glass-like water. Since the day her father taught her to guide a canoe, this had been her special place. Never before did the Underwater Princess appear.

Many times it felt as if someone else shared this space with her, but she always thought it to be the Great Spirit. Perhaps it was, or perhaps more than one spirit shared this special place with her. Nara shivered and dipped her paddle in the water. The birch bark canoe her father built sliced through the water effortlessly.

Chatting with Lizzie T. Leaf

Can you tell us a little about how you started writing; was it something you have always wanted to do?

Making up stories in my head is something I’ve done for as long as I can remember.  In school, when the English teacher said, “time to write a short story,” most of the class groaned but I celebrated.  It usually meant an A.  I did attempt to seriously write at numerous times over the years and I won’t bore anyone with details, but it’s safe to say, life got in the way.

After I became widowed, pouring out grief in a diary eventually led to attempting a short story.  When I gathered the courage to show the story to the new man in my life and he asked why was I wasting my time on other things instead of writing, he pushed me off the fence where I’d been teetering for so long.

I joined a writing group, met three aspiring writers new to the group, and we bonded together as critique partners.  All three of us are now published.

Who or what has been your biggest influence as a writer?

I’ve always loved to read and as I stated earlier, make up stories in my head.  The buried dream became reality through the encouragement of my now husband.  He’s my rock and when things aren’t going well with a book, he’s there to listen to me grumble and the prod me to keep at it.

Your work is very popular with readers and reviewers; how does it feel to have such positive recognition for your work?

I love it when a reader emails or comes up to me to say how much they enjoyed a book of mine.  The comments I get most are on the characters and the humor.  I love humor!

What do you consider to be the key elements of a great story?

Theme or the central idea, setting to give the reader enough information to visualize where the story takes place, enough conflict to keep the story moving forward, a plot that relates to conflict and characters that a reader can like, hate (antagonist) or identify with. 

Could you tell us a little about how you develop your characters? Who has been your favorite character to write?  The most challenging?

I have a mental picture of what the character will look like and then write their story—their likes, dislikes, fears, family relationships, career, etc. 

The one I’ve enjoyed the most so far is Emma in Beyond Magic.  Her tourism background brought back memories that made me laugh. 

The most challenging, Amber in Call Me in trying ded to figure out the type of personality that could succeed in the world of phone sex.

Please tell us about the projects you are currently working on; what can readers expect to see in the coming months?

Another release in the Magical Love series is currently in the works.  This one will feature Cori, Emma’s roommate. 

I’m also working on a Mainstream with a possible YA crossover to it.  Or at least my librarian friend, whom I shared the idea with, thinks that’s the case.  Time will tell.

Where can readers find out what's new and how can they contact you?

www.lizzietleaf.com

http://lizzietleaf.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=826769827

http://twitter.com/lizzietleaf

And my email is lizzietleaf@comcast.net    I enjoy email from readers!

Do you have a strict writing schedule? How do you balance your personal and writing time?

I attempt one, but am not always successful.  Things come up that divert me onto a path not planned.  On good days, I pop into email and the social sites for an hour and then close them out.  Sometimes to avoid temptation I’ll move to a laptop that has no internet in order to really focus on writing.

The balancing act can challenge this writer for sure.  Family is important to me and at times I put their wants first and then get annoyed with myself because it was something that could have waited.

Which author(s) is your favorite? And who has most influenced you work?

I enjoy a lot of authors.  Right now I’m caught up in Melissa Mayhue’s series, but have to put reading the new release on hold…dang!  Enjoy Robert McCammon, Dianna Gabaldon, Marie Treanor, Sam Cheever, Raine Delight, and have several books of my fellow Passion in Print authors waiting to be read.  When someone mentioned my work reminded them of Mary Janice Davidson, I had to get one of her books.  After reading it, I felt honored by the comparison and of course had to read more.  You see, my list goes on and on…LOL

 Do you feel your writing is character driven or plot driven? How do you balance these two elements?

Probably character driven, but there has to be a plot, otherwise there would be nothing happening.  Even strong characters need conflict and a plot to create a story!

 Sneak Peek into Beyond Magic, Book 1 in The Magical Love Series

Available at Passion in Print

More information can be found at Lizzie's website HERE

Following the Powers directive to unite soul mates, a Scottish Cailleach's magic will have repercussions in several realms.

Mixed-blood Ian McCabe, grandson of Fae and gods tries to deny his powers.When he discovers mortal, Emma Grant unconscious at the bottom of the steps to his castle, his world starts to change.

Tour director Emma Grant's bus breaks down and her effort to find help results in a fall that knocks her unconscious.She awakens to find the man of her dreams staring into her eyes.

But will his secrets and her distrust of men tear them apart?

Excerpt:

Prologue

"Powers that be,

I ask of thee,

Show me the good,

Show me the bad,

Show me the ones,

I am to make glad."

Hands, gnarled and wrinkled, old as time itself, waved back and forth over the crystal ball. Fog obscured what moments earlier had been clear glass. As the mist dissipated, the blurred image of a man appeared.

The Cailleach gasped and her eyes widened with surprise. "Nae, it canna be."

The face came into focus and she had no doubt about one of the lovers. She knew of no one else on any realm with hair that shade of gold, streaked with fire.

He ran a hand through the top of his unruly mop. Eyes, blue as the sapphire DooNell wore around her neck, stared directly at her for a moment, before turning to the computer screen on his desk.

Still unsure of what to make of the vision, the old hag started another chant and waved her hands across the glass orb once more.

"Powers that be,

Show more to me,

Show me the one fair,

Who needs to be there."

Once again, the fog in the ball swirled, then lifted. The hag stared at the face of a female. Not the young girl she expected, but a woman seasoned by life. The Cailleach watched as the female swept a heavy mane of rich auburn hair from her neck, and stared as if she viewed the hag. A puzzled frown puckered her brow, and her sherry colored eyes darkened. The crone's heart beat a rapid tattoo until she remembered she could not be seen by the mortal.

A woman's voice called from another room, "Emma, where are you?"

"In here, Cori. How was your day?" The one DooNell now knew to be Emma pulled a piece of chocolate out of the bag by her hand and popped it in her mouth before she turned toward the door behind her. "Sure hope it was better than mine."

Through no request from the old crone, the crystal ball clouded over and the image and voices were gone. The mist cleared again and two faces, side by side, now stared from the glass, each pair of eyes reflecting their longing for something unseen.

"So be it." The Cailleach bowed her head in surrender to what the Powers required. She pulled in a deep breath before summoning the energy she needed for the task ahead.

Eyes opened wide, arms outstretched, she set the magic in motion to bring two beings together.

"Winds of the earth,

Currents of the sea,

Let these two,

Find the love,

They need to be."

Slumping back in her chair, the Cailleach sighed. She had done her part to set their discovery of love for each other into play. Now it was up to the universe to carry it forth.

Far harder would be explaining to Oberon why she had interfered in the life of his only grandchild. Neither the Faerie King, nor the entities involved from the other realms, would be happy with her over this potential new love she'd just set into motion.

"Ah, DooNell, lass. May be it, you be getting too old for this business of magical love?"

She sighed and forced her weary bones from the chair. There was much to do if the will of the Powers could succeed, and she had been given the task to make sure it did. Too many worlds were involved to leave the uniting of Emma and Ian to chance.

Introducing Passion In Print with EIC Tess McCall

Introducing Passion In Print Press

There’s a new kid on the block—well, not really new, but simply the new romance imprint of MLR Press, LLC. (ManLoveRomance). Owned by author-publisher, Laura Baumbach, Passion In Print Press will offer readers only the highest quality stories in heterosexual erotic romance. Our readers can expect to find pleasure, intrigue, and phantasy between the pages of every single book and in every romance sub-genre.

http://passioninprint.com

Our uniquely talented roster of authors will take readers on a journey where they will explore new and exciting worlds, delve deep into mysteries with twists and turns that will keep them on the edge of their seats and revel in the romance that sweeps them away.

From that very first kiss to a lustful night of erotic delights, Passion In Print promises to deliver exactly what our readers crave: Strong women who allow men into their lives to share the magic of love, heroes with a soft spot for their women and love them passionately, believable characters and realistic situations and a story packed with sexual tension and emotion that you will not want to end.

The sex doesn’t just sizzle, it burns.

Primarily a print publisher, our books will simultaneously release in print and also several different digital formats. So regardless of how you like to read your romance, PIP will have the perfect fit for you. Our doors open this month (July 2010) and we have an incredible line-up waiting for you.

Authors Willa Lambert, R. Paul Sardanas, Nita Wick and Jeigh Lynn lead the way with four amazing stories of erotic delights, adventure and, of course, love. For a taste of what they have in store for readers, check out these exciting blurbs:

Africa: Spice Island Love by Willa Lambert

Carolyne Mider is on the Dark Continent's exotic island of Zanzibar in the capacity of "barefoot doctor", providing medical assistance to the locals ... attending the Institute of Kiswahili and Foreign Languages ... and collecting ingenious holistic folk medicines.

Dirk Johnson is on Zanzibar researching one of his popular history books, this one including the romantically exotic island's long and volatile involvement, past and present, in the nefarious slave and in the once-lucrative clove trades.

Carolyne and Dirk, also, have a shared clandestine reason for being where they are, doing what they're doing. Will Carolyne and Dirk, as well as their burgeoning love, survive machinations tied to the 1964 revolution that killed thousands of Zanzibar land owners and put the island's economy into the debilitating chaos that endures to this very day?

The Order of the Golden Rose by R. Paul Sardanas

In a stunning tale set against the rich urban landscape of modern-day Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts, occult book authority Siobhan Bishop uncovers a century-old secret society of sexual mystics. A rare edition detailing the dark, sensual practices within the Order of the Golden Rose has surfaced. On her quest for answers, Siobhan encounters charismatic Harvard professor Richard Blake, and passion ignites, plunging Siobhan into Richard's circle of hidden knowledge and transcendent eroticism. But does love stand a chance amidst the twisted obsessions of Richard's scorned lover, Olivia Dorian? Having tasted the sexually charged magic of the Order of the Golden Rose, Olivia will not be satisfied until she possesses all of the perilous knowledge of the erotic mystics—no matter who is destroyed in the process.

A Real Husband by Nita Wick

Married for years in name only, Angelina longs for A Real Husband. Hawk is pleasantly surprised to find his young bride has become a beautiful, full grown woman, and he is ready to leave his life of debauchery for the arms of his tempting wife. But a mysterious villain plots murder to end their romance and spoil their dreams of happiness. Can Angelina unravel the conspiracy in time to save her husband and their future? Is it already too late?

Adventure of the Souls by Jeigh Lynn 

Working as a wedding coordinator? Bah humbug. Psy has worked alongside her husband, Cue, in the love biz for millennia . She's finally had enough. No more Bridezillas and hated white cakes. She's ready for some excitement.

Too bad she forgot to be careful about what she wished for.

Apollo has gone missing, and according to her devious in-laws, finding him is Psy's job. With the help of her sexy husband, her irresponsible son, her wacky secretary, an amorous bird, and Zeus's favorite love slave, that is.

Sheesh. If Psy's life gets any more exciting, she might just lose her marbles.

Our experienced staff of editors, cover artists and formatting personnel are all committed to producing quality books you’ll want to read again and again. So if you’re looking for the quintessential erotic romance, a book you simply can’t put down, Passion In Print is the place to be. What’s keeping you? Give us a try. You’ll be glad you did. http://passioninprint.com