Welcome to Mike Arsuaga today

Why don't you start with telling us a little about yourself? What genre do you write in and why?

My name is Mike Arsuaga. I’ve written on and off for fifty years. Because of my scientific training (BS Physics) and career in submarines, it was, until recently, science fiction thrillers. After retirement in 2007 I resumed writing after a twenty year hiatus. On We Book a writer and reader support site, someone started a project for erotic short stories. Remembering the racy novels of my misspent Navy youth I cut loose and wrote one called “The Girl in the Library”. It was so well received I turned it into a novel “SUBSPECIES”. The Girl in the Library became chapters one and two of the book. Now I’m five books into the series, pausing only to co-write “My Life as a Dog” with Cynthia, my wife. So far I’ve written strictly erotic paranormal romances, but I’m looking hard at Steampunk and continuing The Subspecies series with more tame episodes.

Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.

“SUBSPECIES” is the first installment of a series. That follows the evolution of lycans and vampires (The Subspecies) from being the most reviled expression of Creation toward a far higher and better use. Before the series concludes they form a community, found a corporation, have families with a unique set of challenges, explore space, colonize Mars, travel time, and lead humanity to the purpose of life.

Did your book require a lot of research?

In a backward sort of way, yes. I needed to learn the mythology of lycans and vampires to know what to screen out. From the beginning I tried to create a set of creatures that could plausibly exist, especially in the face of challenges imposed by today’s technologically advanced society. My Subspecies develop techniques allowing them to kill once a year, avoiding high profile victims like children or suburban housewives. They quietly prey on inhabitants of society’s fringe. They do not propagate through bites or scratching. Otherwise we’d be up to our ears in them. Mine are a rare mutation within the human genome. They grow up resembling mentally challenged children. At nineteen they emerge. They have world class strength and speed but aren’t superhuman. They live 250 to 300 years. They enjoy enhanced senses and recuperative powers, but can be killed like humans. Those who survive the hormonal trauma of emergence live quiet, mostly solitary lives, changing identities every decade or two to avoid questions why they don’t age.

If you could have any vice without repercussions, what would it be?

To be able to eat without adverse consequence.

If you could have been the servant to any famous person in history, who would that be and why?

HG Wells would be my choice. He had one of the most fertile imaginations in history. His ending to “The War of the Worlds” still hasn’t been topped. I remember, as a kid in 1954, watching with Gene Barry as, with humanity on the brink of collapse, the machines began to peel off and crash into building facades. Being done in by “the humblest things of God’s creation” caught me completely by surprise. Wells also coined the term “Atomic Bomb” in “The World Set Free”, written before WWI. I could learn so much from King Steampunk.

What so you see for the future of publishing and e-books?

As paper becomes more expensive, and electronic devices cheaper and better, there’s only one way it can end. A Kindle in every hand. A library in ever Kindle.

Which of your characters do you love/hate/fear/pity the most and why?

My characters are like children to me. I love them all. Creating them is the closest one can get to being God in this life. I have favorites. Cynthia Meadows from “SUBSPECIES” begins as a dull anorexic sassy teen. Four novels later, she’s an Audrey Hepburn like humanitarian, ageless and on everyone’s’ list of the most beautiful women who ever lived. In “My Life as a Dog” the leader of the New Orleans shifter pack is called the Sufi. His sad wisdom and deceptively keen mind compliments the main character, Drake.

Do you get along with your muse? What do you do to placate her/him/it when she/he/it refuses to inspire you?

My muse and I have a good working relationship. When it gets uncooperative, I stop and do something else. With a six year old granddaughter in the house, “The Official Apple of My Eye” Larrna, that’s not hard.

Do you have another book in the works? Would you like to tell readers about your current or future projects?

Yes “Subspecies, Inc” releases in September. “Children of Subspecies” comes out in December. “The Tenth Legion” arrives in February 2012. The fifth and last, for now, is “Lagrange Point” under review by the publisher.

Have you ever experience weird cravings while you write? If so, what kind?

No, just coffee.

What is the most ridiculous thing that you have thought about doing to any of your characters but never did?

At one point I considered making Sam and Jim, the main characters from “SUBSPECIES” bi-sexual. I’m glad I took a more spiritual tack with them.

If you had to write yourself as a heroine/hero, what kind of heroine/hero would you be? What would you be named?

I did just that. As a college student I wrote “The First Servant”, based on the life of Octavius Caesar. It was Steampunky before the term was coined. I identified with the character Albert Venning as he reunited a balkanized America after a nuclear war.

If your muse were to talk behind your back, what secrets would he/she tell?

It’s not the muse I’d worry about. My wife of thirty-three years knows all the secrets and I pay well for her silence.

If someone hasn't read any of your work, what book would you recommend that they start with and why?

“SUBSPECIES” because it lays out the principles of the world I created and sets the tone for all that follows.

If there was a soundtrack to your latest novel, what genre/songs would be included?
You’re talking to a tone deaf gear headed scientific geek here. I wouldn’t know where to start on that project.

When you're not writing, what do you like to do to just kick back and have fun?
Gardening and keeping after “The Official Apple of my Eye’ Larrna. Trust me, you don’t need much more than that.

If we peeked at your bookcase(s)/e-reader, what kind of books/authors would we find there?

A lot of Homer, Wells Orwell. Some thrillers. Books about base ball history and military campaigns.

Where can we find you on the web?

I’m at http://www.mikearsuaga.weebly.com.

 Subspecies Book Blurb

Available at Muse It Hot

Samantha 'Sam' Johnson gave hundred and thirty year old Vampire, Dr. Jim White the best sex of his life, but she had one more surprise for him.  As a Werewolf she hunted him as he was hunting her.  Through their chance meeting, the two groups within The Subspecies – Werewolves [Lycans] and Vampires - discover each other.  Sam and Jim are the first known Vampire/Lycan pair bond.  As a mathematics professor and man of science, Dr. White rejects the ways and lore of old in favor of modern solutions that, if not acceptable to humans, allow The Subspecies to live invisibly among them, because discovery is their worst fear.  He and Sam use technology to reach out to others and form a support group, 'Critters of the Night'.  The Subspecies are a rare mutation within the human genome. No more than seven hundred have been alive at one time.  They cannot breed with humans or within their own group, but when the Lycan/Vampire pair gets in a family way, a universe of possibilities opens.  The main plot centers on the development of the relationship between Sam and Jim. They learn from past experience and each other, and evolve from two beautiful predators having hot sex to soul mates, still having hot sex.  The subplot explores the challenges that children and family pose and how the community deals with the knowledge that a subspecies’ life is now more than living in shadows, hunting, and fruitless mating.

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT FOR “SUBSPECIES”

My employer, Cynthia Meadows, recently emerged lycan who exploded into the world of high fashion modeling with the force of an Atom bomb, wishes to announce the birth of “Subspecies”. The healthy novel of 73,049 words came into the world on May 6, 2011 at 12:01 AM. It is a sexy paranormal romance about the deep and enduring love between two special beings. Ms. Meadows, whose professional name is “The Fashion Model Known as Cynthia”, will sponsor a series of promotions to be held throughout the web in honor of her dear friends Samantha “Sam” Johnson, lycan mate of Doctor Jim White, himself a vampire and professor of mathematics. The promotions begin on http://linsownfirebrand.blogspot.com/2011/03/lj-holmes-presents-subspecies.html and http://www.tony-paul.com/ . Click “Blog” at top of home page and scroll down
   The purpose is to celebrate the book’s release and promote its virtues throughout the community. Due to Ms. Meadow's recent fortunate change in circumstances, the event has been relocated from Doctor White's apartment to the Grand Ballroom of the Charles Weston, the crown jewel of hotels in this university town.

The event is monumental for all subspecies. As the first lycan/vampire couple, Sam and Jim have much to teach our kind.

All subspecies as well as their human familiars are invited.

RSVP at http://museithotpublishing.com

***

Raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, Mike completed careers in the United States Navy Submarine Force and the Transportation Security Administration.  He lives in Orlando Florida with wife and Editor in Chief Cynthia, daughter Jennifer, six year old granddaughter Larrna and partner in crime Thumper, a Yorkshire terrier. 

Mike’s extensive travels in the Navy took him to throughout the US, Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Middle East, providing accurate and vivid settings for his stories.

Blog Tour Stop with Angela Claire/Giveaway

Welcome Author Angela Claire to Dawn's Reading Nook today. She has a brand new book out called To Catch a Pirate which sounds really hot and sexy. If this pirate is anything like Capt. Jack of POTC then I am so there. *grins*

Contest Giveaway- Angela is giving away to one lucky reader of her blog post today one copy of readers choice of her ebooks. Comment to be entered (and make sure to put your email addy in with the comment in case you win) and your name is tossed in the hat. Contest open till Friday May 27th.

Humor in Romance or

 How I Learned to Love the Laugh

By Angela Claire

Hi All –

I’m very pleased to be here to talk about my books and to wile away a Monday with you.  Just to let you know a little about me, I’m a 40ish (okay, late 40ish) mother of two and lawyer who has had a lifelong dream to write romance.   My first novel, Saving McCade, was published by Siren Bookstrand this year.  I followed that debut up with two others, Heart of Stone and To Catch a Pirate. 

I don’t have a particular genre that I stick to, but I guess you could say the common thread in all my books is humor.  Even though Saving McCade is a contemporary mystery, Heart of Stone a historical western and To Catch a Pirate a pirate adventure, they all have heroes and heroines who can laugh at themselves and (I hope) make the reader laugh. 

In Saving McCade, for example, there’s a scene right after the hero, a wrongly imprisoned man, and the heroine, the FBI agent who gets him out of prison to work with her in a safe-house, sleep together for the first time:

“Don’t tell me you didn’t want that,” he muttered. She could hear the anger still in his voice. No sweet words now, apparently.

“I won’t.”

“Because you did.” It was almost as if she hadn’t spoken. She sat up.

“I did. Don’t worry. I remember that part about how you asked me and I said yes. Okay. I’m sure that’s no surprise to you. Women have probably been throwing themselves at you all your life, even more when you got rich, I imagine.” She reached for her sweatshirt, noting grimly that it was practically in tatters. “And then we know how popular you were on the inside, of course.” She didn’t know why you’d lobbed that snide observation in. She supposed she was still angry, too.

He dropped his arm from his eyes and focused that intense blue gaze on her. “Don’t expect me to get all flustered by that and try to prove my manhood to you.”

“No need for another demonstration, I assure you. You did just fine the first time.” She stood up and reached for her jeans.

“Well, shucks. Thanks, ma’am.”

I just love the pique that each of the characters displays in that scene.  I wrote something similar, in terms of pique anyway, between the main characters in To Catch a Pirate.  The setting couldn’t have been more different than in Saving McCade.  Instead of a modern safe-house in Maine, the conversation takes place on an eighteenth century pirate ship.  But the snippy after-sex dialogue between the characters takes the same tone when the hero discovers the heroine is spying on him for the government because he’s been hurting her shipping business.  (Fair warning…since I write on the erotic side of things, there are a few adult words in my excerpts!)

“What has Paxton Shipping to do with me?” Jamie asked.

“Well, frankly, you and The Ocean Jewel keep interrupting our voyages and occasionally taking a passenger or two for ransom. It’s rather bad for business.”

“Don’t tell me this Paxton Shipping is your company.”

“My husband’s.”

“Ah, hence the lack of maidenhead. Your husband must have the smallest cock on record, you were so tight,” he said callously, indifferent to his mate William’s presence.

She colored. “He’s dead.”

“Good. If I had a cock that tiny, I’d want to be dead, too. So what’s a respectable widow, and I’m being generous with that one, as I was fucking you no less than two hours after we met, at your insistence, I might add—”

William coughed and looked down.

“Yes, and you put up such a valiant fight, too,” she said hotly.

I guess you could say I don’t go for that mushy after-sex rhapsodizing.  My characters have a little more fight in them.  This holds true even in my scenes with the villains.  One of my favorite passages at the end of Saving McCade is when the bad guy has taken the heroine captive and is explaining his plan to her, surprised that a big FBI agent like her hadn’t figured it out already.

“You are so lame, Meredith. I don’t know why you’ve made it as far as you have.”

Man, if she had not been naked on her knees with a gun pointed to her head, she so would have made him pay for that remark. As it was, she improvised. “Let me show you why.” Her current plan was somewhere between wresting the gun from him before he could shove his dick in her mouth and letting him do it first so she could bite it off.

The bad guy is similarly indignant in a funny way in Heart of Stone, when he takes the heroine captive in order to bump her off:

“You’re insane.”

“You’ll pardon me, Missy, if I don’t much care about your opinion of me at this point.”

            Anyway, you get the idea.  I try to keep it light in my writing.  That goes for the flirtation too.    There’s a part at the beginning of To Catch a Pirate where my heroine is trying to talk her way onto the pirate’s ship and overhears the hero telling his mate he doesn’t want to take her because she’d be too tempting:

“Oh, you overheard, did you, darling?” Banion asked. The black-haired pirate, handsome as the devil, she’d been told—truthfully as it turned out—smiled, his teeth white against his tan.

She smiled back at him. “Well, not all of it, but I think I get the gist of it.”

“Hmmm, so what do you think you heard?”

The one called William was scowling at her, but Banion himself looked indulgent.

“Well, I think I heard you…ah…admire me.”

He leaned closer and said in a conspiratorial tone, “That wasn’t exactly what I was getting at.”

“Like me then.”

 “I’m not asking you to dance a quadrille, my sweet.”

She gathered up her courage, slanting a glance back at Nell. “You find me, ah, desirable.”

“If I do? What of it? Do you even know what that means, my beauty?”

She looked him dead in his sea green eyes. There was only one way to play this. “I do, Captain Banion.”

Something about the hero calling the heroine ‘darling’ and ‘my beauty’ and teasing her made me really like that scene.  Anyway, let’s just say, I try to not take it all so seriously in my writing.  My view is we get enough of that in real life.

So if you’re up for some fun (and hot romance of course), please give my books a try!

            Thanks!  

To Catch a Pirate is now available at Siren-Bookstrand & Amazon Kindle

Historical Romance

Jamie Banion, captain of The Ocean Jewel, comes by his piracy honestly. He was born into it, son of the legendary Bloody Mary. In deference to his mother, he’s respectful of his female captives.

 

Evelyn Paxton is tired of the pirate who has been interrupting the voyages of her shipping company. So she poses as the daughter of an earl to lure him into taking her for ransom so she can lead him into a trap for the British navy.

 

Jamie doesn’t trust himself to keep his usual respectful distance from the sexy-as-hell blonde, especially when Evelyn adds another facet to her cover, that of the seductress. But by convincing Jamie she is no innocent miss, she overcomes his gentlemanly inclinations and gets on board The Ocean Jewel.

 

Add a storm, a secret island and a shocking revelation of pirates past, and Evelyn and Jamie find themselves sailing through adventure to true love.

Guest Author Day With Lucy Felthouse

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

I've wanted to write since I was a small child. I was always surrounded by paper and pens and scribbling madly. But it wasn't until I got much older that I realized I was actually good at it. I was lucky to have encouraging English teachers throughout school. Eventually I ended up doing a Creative Writing degree, and it was there I penned my first erotic story and started writing for publication.

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

I think this varies dependent on the genre, but for me, key elements when I'm reading should be that the story pulls me in, and that it's well written.

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

I'm primarily a short story writer, so character development hasn't been a huge issue to date, as I'm usually capturing a snippet of their lives. But I've recently started writing  longer pieces and it's a learning curve as I have to make sure that the character stays consistent in their behavior and mannerisms, and so on.

My favourite character ? That's a good question. I would probably say that Meg, the main character in my upcoming release from Noble Romance, is my favourite. Without giving too much away, she's sassy, fun and leads an incredibly interesting life.

So far, I haven't really found any of my characters tough to write. Though at the moment I'm working on an outline and chapter plan for a novel and I think I'm going to struggle to nail the personality of the protagonist in this tale. I usually write sassy outspoken female leads, but this young lady is going to be quite different.

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

If I've ever disliked any of my characters, it's because I was meant to, and because I wanted the readers to dislike him/her too.

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

My most recent release is called A Bit of Rough, a short story published by Noble Romance. It tells the story of Alison, a young woman who meets Andrew when she's out with friends. He comes across as really arrogant, and a total bad boy. For this reason, Alison's astonished to find she's attracted to him. Against her better judgement, she goes home with him and ends up having a rather steamy time!

What do you do to unwind and relax?  

I'm quite an outdoorsy person, so I like to go out with my other half, walking in the Peak District and visiting country houses and things like that. I'm also an avid reader and watcher of a handful of TV programmes, including Supernatural, True Blood and The Vampire Diaries.

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

Oh yes, several. I've mainly written contemporary, f/f and paranormal to date. I'd really like to do some m/m and historical writing at some point, too!

Tell us about your favorite restaurant. 

There's this great place up in the Peak District that I love. It's just beneath a rocky range of hills that I love to walk in so when you come back down, exhausted and starving, there's nothing better than going to The Rock Inn for a nice steak or a roast dinner. Delicious.

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?

Now if you'd asked me this question two or three weeks ago, my answer would have been very different. I always used to find listening to music a real distraction from writing.

But over the past few weeks I've found that certain songs actually help me to tune out all other distractions – basically the noisier the song, the better. However, none of the music has yet influenced my writing.

Does your significant other read your stuff?

No. He's incredibly supportive of what I do, but his preferred genres are crime fiction and thrillers.

Plotter or Pantser? Why?

I'm a bit of both, I guess. With short stories, I have a loose idea of what I want to write, and I go for it.

Since starting to think seriously about writing a novel, though, I've been outlining. I don't know yet whether I'll stray from that plan, only time will tell, I guess!

What is your favorite meal?

I have very simple tastes. I love a big plate of steak and chips, with a side order of cheesy garlic bread.

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

No, it's pretty much all I do!

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

My next release is another title from Noble Romance, called Bite with Height. It's about the character I mentioned earlier, Meg. She's a vampire living in Paris, and this tale is the first part of her story. There's definitely potential for expansion of this story though, so watch this space!

Bite with Height is due for release in early June.

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?

I have far too many favourite authors to list them all! As for visiting my home, you'd find an awful lot of erotic books, paranormal books and chick lit on my shelves, in my cupboards, under my bed and on my Kindle.

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

Well that question opens up an awful lot of naughty possibilities! I'll go with a topical answer, and say that I'd like to be Natalie Portman's character in Thor as she gets up close and personal with my latest celebrity crush, Chris Hemsworth.

Where can readers find you on the web?

I have my own website at http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk. I'm also on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lucyfelthouseauthor and Twitter http://www.twitter.com/cw1985. 

 A Bit of Rough

Lucy Felthouse

Noble Romance Publishing

Buy HERE

Blurb:

When Alison meets Andrew, she instantly pegs him as a moron. He's a total bad boy and does nothing but chain smoke and brag about his stream of past conquests. Yet, much to her confusion, Alison still finds herself attracted to him. She's not had sex in a while, so Alison figures there's no harm in going home with him to get herself a bit of rough.

Excerpt:

When I met Andrew through friends of friends, I instantly pegged him as a bit of a moron. We were in a pub, and he was telling anybody that would listen about the many mishaps in his love life. Turns out he was quite the ladies' man and had many close calls. The one he was regaling the room with when I arrived was an incident where he'd blown off a woman for the evening, only for her to turn up at his house and see him getting hot and heavy with someone else. Despite the fact he was mocking himself, it sounded like he was desperate for the people listening to know just how many women had been in his life, for however brief an interlude. He was one of those guys you love to hate. And yet, I still fancied him rotten. It was totally bizarre. He was not my type at all.

He was just a little taller than me, slim and lightly tattooed. His facial hair was somewhere between stubble and beard, his hair had no discernable style, and he smoked. I like my men tall, muscular, and clean-shaven. And I hate smoking. Therefore, it took me a while to put my finger on the reason—or reasons—for my odd attraction to the guy. When I finally worked it out, it was like a light bulb clicked on in my head.

He was—or at least he thought he was—a bad boy. What many would call "a bit of rough." He was the guy you never introduced to your friends and certainly not to your parents. You kept him completely under wraps—preferably between the sheets—and enjoyed.

I got the vibe from his oozing self-confidence and the way he recounted his colorful sex life, that he was probably good in bed. I resolved to find out. I didn't need to make a move; his arrogance assured him he was irresistible to all women, and he came on to me, knowing I wouldn't refuse.

I almost did, just to take him down a peg or two. But he was hot, and I was horny, so I didn't mind him picking me up. After all, I had no intention of becoming one of his amusing anecdotes. I wasn't going to stick around long enough for that. I was simply in it for my "bit of rough"—then I was a goner.

We decided to go back to his place. I wouldn't have been bothered either way, but it was clear he felt more comfortable in familiar surroundings. Plus, the more I thought about it, the more I realized going to his place was the more sensible option. I could scoot home whenever I wanted, and he'd never know where to find me. Not that I thought for a moment he was the type to stand below my bedroom window, declaring undying love, but I wasn't about to take that chance.

Guest Author Day with Scarlet Hyacinth

Were you an avid reader as a child? What type of books did you enjoy reading?

I started reading when I was four. I've always loved books, and my first memories always come entwined with reading. As for what I read, usually fantasy or adventure novels. I used to love Russian fairytales – in fact, I still do. Actually, genre-wise, I read pretty much what I write now, except without the m/m haha J

Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you call home?

Bucharest, Romania. Let me tell you it's very strange to find my country in other books, especially when there are so many different assessments over it. Also, to my knowledge, there are no vampires here. I have yet to be bitten by one, although I will investigate further, just in case.

Tell us a bit about your latest/upcoming book, and what inspired you to write such a story.

I have two releases just this week. One is Fire of the Four Seasons. It's actually inspired from Russian fairytales – like I said, I really love them. And for me, there's nothing quite like a twisted fairytale. I find something particularly fascinating about it.

My second release is Artie the Good Witch. This is a very special book for me since it's my first attempt at comedy. I wrote it plainly because I wanted something new, a challenge and a change from my usual tone. In the end, angst slipped in – how could it not? – but on the whole, I love the result. As for what inspired it… Not sure. I just started writing and went from there.

Do you go with the flow or plot out the storyline when writing?

It depends. I generally have a vague idea as to where I'm headed, but from there, I mostly go with the flow. For example, I might know how I want it to end, but as I write, the story could take me in a different direction. The characters always have minds of their own and anything is possible. With Artie, I had no clue what I even wanted from the story. With Seasons, I had a general outline – especially since I used several fairytales as basis. So yes, it varies.

Do you have a favorite couple(s) from your many series?

I'm really not sure. I don't think I have a favorite one, since I love them all so much. The characters in Kaldor and Deadly Mates will always have a special place in my heart, especially the ones in the first books – Gabriel and Lucien, Kai and Victor. But right now, my most recent character crush is probably Artie. He's just too clumsy and cute for words – and I think Tristan is a great match for him. We'll just have to see what readers think about him J.

Do all your books require a lot of research?

It's very rare to write a book and not research something. Even fantasy settings have things you'd want to research. For example, for Artie, I looked a lot into pagan rituals and magic. For Seasons, I searched for the best possible combination of fairytales. In other stories, the research is more specific. Sometimes, it's geographical. I choose a location and I need to find out details about it, anything from weather to transportation. Shapeshifter books demand research regarding the animal of your choice, or mythology. Others might need scientific and technologic information, in the medical or mechanical field. Of course, each of these examples often come combined. But I love research, so I don't mind.

You have extensive world building in your stories. How do you keep all the worlds you created straight when you are writing? Have you ever confused two worlds when writing a WIP?

I really do love world building, but yes, it's sometimes difficult to keep track. I only ever confused things once – when referring to a geographical location in my sci-fi series, Love and Lies. I mentioned The Endless Sea there – and I almost chose the same name in my recent mermen book, Awakenings. Thankfully, I realized it before it could go further. It's all in the small details – because the larger ones I can keep track of.

If you could have any vice without repercussions, what would it be?

Does chocolate count? J Maybe coffee. I need the energy to write, but it's not exactly healthy either, so I try to avoid it.

If you could have been the servant to any famous person in history, who would that be and why?

I don't see myself as a servant for anyone to tell you the truth. I love ancient history and would love to travel in the past, but slaves and servants were treated so poorly then and I don't have a death wish.

What so you see for the future of publishing and e-books?

It's funny you should ask. I actually wrote my master's dissertation on e-books. I think e-books will become more and more important. Sales are increasing more and more, and even if there are disadvantages, the ease and cheap price of a download make up for it. At the same time, I don't think print will disappear, at least not in the near future. Maybe sometime in future centuries, when cutting trees might become a problem, but not now. Holding a book in your hand is very different to reading on your computer/e-reader.

Which of your characters do you love/hate/fear/pity the most and why?

I love all of them, maybe not equally, but I love them all anyway. My ever-present character crush – besides the one for Artie – is Jean Luc D'Argent from Kaldor. He has that combination of power and pain that I like so much.

I don't hate either of my characters. I pity some of my villains, like Lothar, also from Kaldor. I give them motivations for their actions, but they always end up unloved and punished for their crimes. Fear… Not sure. I don't actually fear any of them, but I would not want to meet some of them on the street. I like writing dangerous people but shapeshifter assassins like Jamari (Deadly Mates) aren't exactly next door neighbor material. So I suppose if I took my villains in a realistic context, I might fear them.

Do you get along with your muse? What do you do to placate her/him/it when she/he/it refuses to inspire you?

Sometimes, my muse does get on strike. When this happens, I generally try to take a break, read something, rest or spend time with my friends. It's not always productive to keep writing at a quick pace.

Do you have another book in the works? Would you like to tell readers about your current or future projects?

I have lots of projects in the works. First of all, the sequel for The Plot Bunny and the fifth book from the Deadly Mates series. I also have a more ambitious project in the works. It's my five-book series called Spirit Wolves, all complete and due for release in a couple of months with Siren Bookstrand.

Please tell us where we can find you on the web?

  I am all over the place on the web.

• Contact email: scarlet.hyacinth@gmail.com
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Artie The Good Witch

Blurb

My name is Artie and I have a problem. My dear grandfather Brew died, succumbing to his love for pastries and leaving me all of his possessions. I now officially own a crumbling tower and two black cats. Unfortunately, this means I also have to take on his responsibilities as a wizard, an impossible thing for me, since I am not one. I am a witch, a good witch, and terribly poor at it. My cats are no help, and they only mock me. My parents are off gallivanting Goddess knows where. I suck at casting spells, yet I am supposed to participate in the very important ritual of the Beckoning in Brew's stead.

To top it off, instead of trying to figure things out, I keep drooling over weird men and finding love in all the wrong places. Wizards and necromancers? What's next, a dragon? In my defense, choosing a boyfriend is really difficult when you're trying to resurrect the land and save its ungrateful people. It doesn't help that I have to avoid being seriously hurt by evil geniuses and cackling witches. Help me out here. I pay in hugs and black kittens. For an inquiry, call 0-900-ARTIE-THE-GOOD-WITCH.

Link:  https://silverpublishing.info/product_book_info/coming-soon-c-2/artie-the-good-witch-p-280

Excerpt

The cats meowed desperately as I clucked my tongue. The broom took off with a swoosh, obeying my not-so-knowledgeable command. I did manage to hold on without a problem, so the potion must have worked at least to some extent. In fact, I was quite enjoying myself, and ordered the broom to go faster. The speed made me feel powerful and wild, and I loved the feeling of the wind beating against my face.
We traveled for the longest time, but it seemed all too soon that we reached the royal capital of our kingdom. Since our kings and queens have always been unimaginative, they named it just that, Capital. Of course, I shouldn't be the one to speak, since I still called my familiars Cat Number One and Cat Number Two. At least we had a name for the country, although it was just as ridiculous. Okay, so it wasn't so ridiculous. In fact, Brudiwr Deyrnas sounded quite elegant. Even so, in the common tongue, it meant something along the line of "Wizard's Realm", to which, of course, I took a personal offense.
Not even the thought of the insulting name of my country could put me in a bad mood. In fact, I laughed all the way to Capital. It didn't help that, once we were there, I saw the pathetic state of the flags and walls. One would think the great capital of the Wizard's Realm would look better and more magical.
I was so busy laughing I didn't notice the effect of the magic potion beginning to dwindle until it was too late. I swept through the streets, laughing gaily, balancing on my broom and stealing kisses from the youths - both male and female - as I went past. And then I noticed him. A tall, handsome man stood straight in my path, watching me with an unfathomable gaze. I instantly knew he was a wizard. The way he braved my less-than-rational approach radiated stern arrogance. I disliked him on sight and wanted to teach him a lesson.
Of course, my mother's old broom chose this particular moment to act up on me. The potion's effect vanished, and the cats' yowls startled me. With a less-than-dignified yelp, I rolled through the air, landing straight at the man's feet.
From this angle, the only thing I could see was the bottom of his immaculate white robes. It had always been a mystery to me as to how wizards, and witches for that matter, never dirtied their long garments. It was the one thing they seemed to have in common, the long robes they wore. Well, I didn't, because I loathed the damn things, but that was a different matter entirely. Could it be some sort of magic making their clothing impervious to something as trivial as dirt?