It's my great pleasure to welcome
Lisa Beth Darling to my blog today. Lisa writes a little hotter than I do but don't worry, the excerpts below are suitable for anyone to read and the books themselves sound like wonderful reads. I felt right at home since I've just re-released my own fantasy romance about the Greek Muse Terpsichore, in which Lisa's own hero Ares also features. (They get around a bit, these Greek gods! ;) ) Anyway, without further ado, let's find out a bit more about Lisa. Over to you, Lisa.
LBD: I'm 44 years-old,
married 25 years to my wonderful husband, Roy, we live in my hometown of New
London, CT where we've raised two daughters.
HL: What do you do for fun when not
writing?
LBD: In the nice weather, my husband and I go on 'hot
dog hunts' where we drive around Connecticut looking for the best hot dog
stands. The last one we went to served a
2 foot hot dog! I couldn't finish it but, boy, was it delicious!
HL: Mmmmm - so when did you start
writing?
LBD: 4th grade, that's when
my class was given its first ever creative writing assignment. We were to write
about the first flight of baby bird leaving the nest. The whole class wrote
happy tales of baby birds flying through blue skies. My story was different, in my story the bird
died. It flew too high, hit an airplane,
tumbled to the ground dead. The Daddy bird cried, the Mama bird cried, even God
cried as He sent the rains down from the heavens. I knew when I read it the
class and I saw them staring at me enrapt in my different little tale that I
was going to write for the rest of my life.
HL: *Sob* That's so sad. I used to write sad endings when I first began writing too. Yes, one truly knows one is destined to write when other people are so enthralled by ones work. What comes first: the plot or the characters?
LBD: I'm one of those annoying Muse Writers so,
basically the whole story comes at once. I get a snap shot in my head and the
entire story is told in that one picture.
Then we (the Muse and I) have to convert the picture to words, which
could take several hundred pages. I don't make notes and I don't plot anything
out. It's already there it's just a matter of allowing it to write itself
through my fingers flying on the keyboard.
HL: That is surely one of the most 'fun' ways to write! Tell us about your latest
release and what you think readers will enjoy about it
LBD: The OF WAR series centers around
the Greek Pantheon and some of the Celtic Pantheon although it's set in modern
day. Ares God of War has been living in
exile from Olympus when a half-fey half-human woman, Maggie MacLeod, washes up
on the shore of his secluded Greek Isle. The Olympians want her on Olympus
believing she knows something about the violent death of Artemis. Ares sees a way to get his place back on
Olympus. As Fate would have it he falls in love with her even though all of the
odds are against them. Alena, as Ares comes to call Maggie, has been on the run
from her husband Cernunnos for as long as Ares has sat in exile. The first book
in the series, "The Heart of War" contains many graphic scenes of sex
and violence and, like most of my work, it isn't recommended for the faint of
heart.
In Book
#2 "Child of War-A God is Born", Ares and Alena have moved from the
peace and solitude of the island to Mount Olympus where she doesn't fit in and
she's outwardly despised by Zeus. After Raven, the son of Ares and Alena, is
born, things go from bad to worse very quickly. The boy is quite the handful,
if you've ever seen "The Omen" you have a good idea of Raven.
HL: If
someone were to play one of your
characters in a movie, which character and what actor would it be and why?
LBD: It would be Ares because he's larger than life
and bad to the bone, but there's a real heart in that brawny chest. I once asked my readers, just for fun, who
they would like to see play him in a movie.
It was a tie between Gerard Butler and Hugh Jackman. I asked them who
they wanted to see because I can only see one man in that role and he's gone
from this world now. My Ares is
inspired, in large part, by Kevin Smith who portrayed the character on
'Hercules the Legendary Journeys' and 'Xena Warrior Princess'. The "OF
WAR" series is dedicated to his memory.
HL: What a great tribute, I loved Kevin Smith in that series too. Do you listen to music when you write and if so,
what kind of music – or do you find it
distracts you?
LBD: I always have my iTunes going
when I write, I find The Muse sometimes speaks to me through the songs that
come up on 'shuffle'. I couldn't write
without music in the background. I
listen to a lot of tunes, mostly 'Classic Rock' (60s-80s) but I like old blues
and jazz as well.
HL: Tell the readers - what is your personal
definition of success?
LBD: Being completely happy with who I
am and what I do.
HL: Lastly a 'fun' question because I'm ainimal mad! If you were an animal, which one do you think
you would be, and why?
LBD: A wild horse running free over the Western Plains. They're bold, strong, beautiful, graceful,
and everything that I aspire to be.
HL: LOL, gentle readers, I swear Lisa Beth and I have never met before - and she doesn't know that aside from writing, horses are my other passion. That's exactly what I'd have chosen to be myself, Lisa! OK, let's pour ourselves a mug or glass of whatever you fancy, and read about these fantastic books!
THE HEART OF WAR
GENRE: Erotic Paranormal Romance
LENGTH: Novel-516 pgs.
HEAT LEVEL-HOT
SEXUAL ORIENTATION-M/F
CONTENT WARNING - The Heart of War contains scenes of graphic sex and violence. As such, this novel is intended for ADULTS ONLY it is NOT recommended for the Faint of Heart or for the Harlequin/Avon/"Twilight" reader.
BLURB:
Inside the Heart of every Warrior breathes the Soul of a Hero--even within The Heart of War.
Meet Ares God of War,the greatest Warrior the world has ever known. He's moody, grumpy, dominant,ravenously sexual, and above all, built like a Greek God.
Suspected of killing hisDaughter in-Law, Psyche, and long in exile from Olympus, the solitude of Ares' secluded Greek Isle is interrupted when Magdalena MacLeod a plucky little Fey washes up on his shore after believing she's been shipwrecked. It's not mere fate that has brought the unlikely couple together yet it may be what tears them apart.
Branded with a golden chastity belt bearing the mark of Cernunnos, Celtic God of the Forest and Death, Alena has been on the run from her husband the Great Horned God for 200 years.
When the Olympians discover her presence on Ares' island, they send Apollo to the island while Ares is away with orders to bring her to Olympus. Withnowhere to run and strikes a bargain with the God of War--her virginity for his protection.
Ares sees a sweeter deal; her in his bed and himself back in his rightful place on Olympus among the Gods. If it means turning Alenaover to Zeus afterward, well that's of noconsequence to him...is it?
After Alena proves herself to the God of War in battle and in his bed, Ares must choose betweenhis Divinely Dysfunctional Family, his pride, and Alena.
Get lost in this sweeping dark saga of lust, rage, revenge, and redemption. Battle Ancient Gods while falling in love with Ares God of War and Alena MacLeod.They share a love that will rock the world from the heights of Olympus to the Celtic moors.
Excerpt:
Letting the softness of her touch and the warmth of her body comfort him, Ares closed his eyes and drew in the peaceful shelter she offered. "It's not you. It's Them."
The Olympians were quite the Divinely Dysfunctional Family. Alena had never seen or heard so much bitter bickering from one clan. If that was her Family, she might be damn happy that she lived in Exile on a beautiful island such a sthis. "They're awful." She whispered in his ear careful not to let any prying ears overhear. Ares gave out a deep chuckle and then another sigh as his hand rose up to caress her arm. She thought of how brave, how daring, and even dashing, Ares had been as he stood there telling all of them they could not have her. When she listened to him speak of Artemis, Alena nearly cried. Then she had been stunned into silence having expected the God of War to hand her over, maybe not with ease but readily enough, in return for his crown and scepter. "Thank you for keeping your promise."
"You expected this chauvinistic pig to do less." Ares mused still with his eyes closed. "Everyone does."
Under her hands, beneath the thick pad of fur her fingers were twirling,Alena felt the steady beat of his heart. It too was brave and strong. "Why did you do it?"
Last night, Ares indulged himself in the pleasuresAlena had to offer not in the name of any barter. Not for any affection. Just,simply, because the opportunity arose and he took it as he always did. Come morning, Ares expected that he would turn her over to the Olympians in exchange for those things so wrongfully taken from him. For all her intrigue and mystery, she was still, disposable. Unimportant.Superfluous. For centuries, all he thought about was going home and the chance finally fell into his lap, Ares thought it was a Gift from the Gods.
Yet when Zeus unknowingly presented all of them with irrefutable proof of Ares' innocence, he had the gall to make more demands upon him instead of lifting Ares' exile. It wasn't that Ares minded going to War, it was after all, his Thing. He wanted revenge for Artemis as much as much as any of them. Couldn't Zeus see that? Surely, he did, he must know this much about his Son. It was then that Ares realized none of it was about Justice, just Power. Nothing ever changed on Olympus. Standing there in the Great Chamber, Ares started wondering why he ever wanted to go back to Olympus. Why return to all of that bickering and backstabbing when he could stay on his island with her?
Last night she was expendable. Tonight that was no longer
the case and he wasn't sure where the tide turned or even how it had
done so. Ares understood that Vindication wasn't the Gift the Gods sent
him; Alena was. With five thousand years behind him and, if all went
all, another four or five thousand ahead of him, Ares was too old to
mince words, too old to play stupid or coy. He wondered how much time
his pretty little Fey had ahead of her." I'd rather have one night with
you here on my island than a ten thousand more nights with them on
Olympus."
THE HEART OF WAR is available in paperback through Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Heart-War-Lisa-Beth-Darling/dp/0615424686/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1306886813&sr=8-4
In e-book through Kindle http://www.amazon.com/Lisa-Beth-Darling/e/B002BMDA9I/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1 Nook, http://www.barnesandnoble.com/noresults?keyword=lisa+beth+darling&store=book
iBooks: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-heart-of-war/id439988502?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
All Romance E-Books,
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-theheartofwar-526917-140.html
Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/lisadarling
And other retailers
CHILD OF WAR-A GOD IS BORN (SEQUEL TO "HEART")
GENRE: Erotic Paranormal Drama
LENGTH: Novel-428 pgs.
HEAT LEVEL-HOT
BLURB:
Do you know 'Damien'? Raven makes that kid looklike an angel.
The"Of War"-series picks up in part I of this II-part sequel when Ares and Alena try to settle down on Olympus and await the birth of their son,Raven.
Haunted by prophetic visions along with a body and mind that are starting to betray her, Alena struggles to enjoy what should be a happy and blessed occasion. The relentless hostility from the other Olympians make her yearn to be back on their cozy island home, far away from all the bickering and backstabbing that makes up Life on mighty Mount Olympus.
Knowing of Zeus' unabashed hatred for Alena and the Celts, Ares becomes convinced Zeus is causing these visions and the breakdown of Alena's mind. To appease his Father, the god of gods, Ares enters into a wickedblood pact ensuring the safety of his wife and unborn son. A pact that could cost the God of War everything he holds dear.
However, once the boy arrives, it quickly becomes clear Raven may be the most powerful and cunning Olympian ever born. Outwardly despised by Zeus for his Fey blood and his filthy Celtic mother the seeds of rage and doubt are planted in the Raven's mind by a very willing Apollo.
As Zeus, Apollo, and Aphrodite plot against the new family, bit by bit the true pasts of the Olympians and Celts comes to light, the battle begins forRaven’s mind and soul and for the ultimate control of Olympus.
EXCERPT:
Before Ares could shout to his Son that was enough,a great gust of wind swirled around in the small room. It blew back his hair and then pushed against him with such force he had to fight to stand his place.Alena's beautiful gray eyes closed as her arms splayed out at her sides, one with the palm open and the other choking the staff. The point of the spear wavered in the strong wind as Raven struggled to stay pitched forward as the growing gale threatened to lift him off his knees and toss him across the room. Raven countered, his young hands glowing with an eerie blue light as they began freezing to the staff, the new ice ball growing between them. This one was twice the size of the other and if he hit her with it at this close range, Raven might well kill his mother.
Without any warning, the wind seemed to turn on Alena; it lifted her body upward from the small of her back to her shoulders, bringing her throat dangerously close to the tip of the spear. Suddenly her eyes opened to revealonly the whites. As though she could see through them, they shifted to Raven'shands and then back to his face. Amazingly, Alena's lips turned into a cold grin that fixed Raven's stare to her face while she lifted the staff and then brought it crashing down to the marble floor with such force the echo was deafening. Raven flew off her. The staff left his stunned hand, the ice ball retreated, and he hit the stones of the fire pit with such force that they shattered. Before the boy or his Father knew what was happening, Alena, her eyes still showing only the whites, was standing over Raven with her staff pointing at his throat and her foot on his heart. "Yield," she whispered as the wind whipped around them, tossing bits of dust into Ares'eyes.
Angry at having had victory snatched so cruelly from his grasp, Raven stared up her as he shielded his eyes from the biting wind. "Uncle," he spat.
It took a few moments but the wind subsided, Alena stumbled backward on unsteady feet before the whites of her eyes rolled down and she looked out at the world through those luminescent pearls of gray.
"Wow," Ares muttered, stroking his beard trying to digest everything he'd seen. Magick was not normally part ofAlena and Raven's sparring routine; she was afraid to use it even though he'd tried to tell her that he could counter any damage she might do. No matter what he did he couldn't coax her into it, so magick was off-limits when they sparred. Today when Raven unexpectedly threatened her with it, Alena didn't hesitate to answer the call.
Catching her breath and feeling a wave of nausea wash over her, Alena looked down at Raven, who looked up her angry and afraid. "Are you ok?" She reached out a hand to him but Raven batted it away.
"Fine, mom." Jumping to his feet in a quick move, he brushed off the dirt and debris from his bare skin. Instead of stepping up and congratulating his mother, when she turned her back to him to look at Ares, Raven let an ice ball fly from his hand to strike her in the back of the head,splitting it open as it brought her to her knees. "Take that, you whore."
CHILD OF WAR is currently available in limited signed hard cover available only through the publisher
http://www.moonsmusings.com Paperbacks will be available through Amazon.com on Halloween! Available in paperback through all of the onlineretailers above in mid-November. E-Books will release on Black Friday(11/25/2011)
The Heart
of War-Dark Romance and Erotic Fantasy
Is available in hard cover as
well as several ebook formats
Child of
War-A God is Born
Limited Edition Hard Covers 9/10
Paperbacks
10/31
Dream Weaver-
Contemporary Romance and Suspense
Is available in paper back and several
e-book formats
Thank you so much Lisa, these books do indeed sound fantastic, and I wish you much success and many, many sales with the series!
'STARQUEST' 'CHILDREN OF THE MIST' (The sequel to Starquest) Dancing With Fate 'Freeread':'A BARGAIN WITH DEATH'STARQUEST' 'CHILDREN OF THE MIST' (The sequel to Starquest) Dancing With Fate 'Freeread':'A BARGAIN WITH DEATH'
Also available on Kindle
Have a very Happy and Safe Halloween, enjoy your parties and your trick or treating, but please make sure not to frighten or upset anyone elderly or vulnerable, and make sure your furbabies don't get scared either - and if you'd like a creepy but romantic read, I wrote a 'freeread' entitled 'A Bargain With Death', a while ago and it's up at the Wild Rose Press - you have to go through the checkout process, but you won't have to pay for it, I promise.
