Today I’m totally thrilled to welcome over and interview Danica Avet, author of Touched by Lightning, Book One in the Love’s Defenders Series. So if you're all about Erotic Paranormal Romance, then feet up, relax and read on!
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Date of Publication: February 14, 2014
ISBN: 9781419990564
Word Count: 74,000
Cover Artist: Ellora’s Cave Art department
GIVEAWAY! Be sure to enter the AMAZING Rafflecopter after this post for a chance to win all sorts of fabulous stuff. What's up for grabs? 2 $25 gift card (Amazon or B&N), 2 limited edition Order of Themis cold/hot travel mug-open to US Shipping and 2 sets of Danica Avet swag (shot glass, compact mirror, sewing kit)- open to US Shipping
Book Description
When empath Gyda St. Germaine is rescued from a sex-trafficking ring, she vows vengeance on her tormentors. Aided by two distinct personalities who bolster her powers, she becomes a vigilante, hungry for revenge. Her path of retribution tosses her into the arms of an Order of Themis Siphon and her world is turned upside down. Fighting her past takes a backseat to her all-consuming desire for the man whose honor and sense of justice go against everything she believes.
The moment electricity manipulator Brit Harper stumbled across a feral woman with a bloody knife, his life changed. Black and white becomes gray as the scales of justice tip. Fascinated by her strength and the darkness in her eyes, he vows to teach her the true meaning of justice, and help her explore the passion sizzling between them. But when the evil haunting Gyda’s dreams returns in the flesh, he’ll have to choose between his beliefs and the woman he loves.
Trailer
Let’s Interview!
What inspired you to write this book?
First of all, thank you for having me today! I love sharing about my stories and this one more than others. I’ve always wanted to write a book about a superhero, or someone with superhuman powers who wasn’t a shapeshifter or vampire or any number of paranormal beings. Don’t get me wrong, I love all of them. The paranormal world is filled with endless possibilities, but I wanted to write about people who were human, yet special and when the idea popped in my head about a society of people with superhuman abilities who are out to protect the world, I grabbed hold with both hands.
How did you come up with the title?
The hero of my story, Britton “Brit” Harper has the ability to manipulate electricity as well as siphon excess powers from his superiors when needed which he then expels through lightning. My heroine, Gyda St. Germaine, is a scarred woman who believes she can only release her emotions through pain. Put the two together and you have a hero who’s a living violet wand (if you’re not sure what that is…Google is an amazing tool). Brit has the ability to make Gyda feel whenever he wants, to give her the emotional release she needs, all through his touch.
What made you choose the main setting for your book?
The Romantic Times Booklover’s Convention actually. LOL It was at RT in 2013 that my sister from another mister, Lea Barrymire, and I locked ourselves away and came up with the world for this book series. We’d just spent three days sightseeing around Kansas City, liked the look of the area and decided it would be the perfect place for the Order of Themis (our paranormal protection agency) to call home.
Tell us about your book cover and how it relates to your story.
I’ll be honest. I think I was writing the last few chapters of Touched by Lightning when I stumbled across this picture of Scott King. I’ve been following him on Facebook for several months, because uh, I like to look at pictures. *innocent blink* Anyway, I saw that picture of him protectively, possessively holding the woman and I was blindsided because that was exactly how Brit would hold Gyda. All he wants is to protect her, to show her how valued she is and the picture Scott King took with his friend was absolute perfection. It didn’t hurt that Scott was also inked like Brit.
Are you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details.
I’m always working on something! LOL Right now I’m actually working on book four of my Cajun Heat series. In this book, tentatively titled Primal Dance, my heroine is a clouded leopard shifter who dances burlesque and the hero is a wolf-shifting deputy. They’re mates, but neither of them want to admit to it. One because she’s afraid to lose her independence and finding someone to truly love who she is and the other because he’s loved and loss before and doesn’t want to risk that pain again.
What sort of personality does your hero have?
Is it wrong for an author to fall in love with their hero? We’re supposed to fall in love with them, right? Well, I totally did. Brit’s a country boy at heart, an overprotective brother with tons of younger sisters. He’s all laid back and calm despite his ability to control electricity and all he wants is to make Gyda realize her worth. He’s also sexy as all get out with his tattoos, drawl and love of faded jeans. Oh and did I mention overprotective? He’s all about protecting Gyda, even from herself. Love. Him.
How long have you been writing? How long have you been published?
It feels like I’ve been writing forever. Like most authors, I played at writing for years. I used to have notebooks filled with stories I’d start but never finished. I had floppy disks (back in the day) with the same and then in 2009, my family told me to sit my butt down and actually finish a story. I did and it was published in 2011. The Veil series was my first step into the world of publication and I haven’t looked back. Touched by Lightning is my seventeenth book.
What genre/genres do you prefer to write? Are there other genres you’d like to write in the future?
I lean more towards paranormal romance. Er and lean a bit more toward the erotic side of that particular genre. I have written some contemporary romances as well as a couple of spoofs (which were a hoot to write). I’ve actually started brainstorming a sci-fi story which I’ll get to as soon as these superheroes and shapeshifters I’m currently on give me a break ;)
Do you write books in series? If so, share a bit about the series you currently have published or are coming soon.
Sometimes it seems all I do is write series! LOL Not that that’s a bad thing, by the way. As a reader, I adore series especially when each book is about a new character. I have two standalones, but that’s it. Everything else I have is a series.
The Veil series which were my first books ever published. It’s about a world filled with all manner of supernatural beings call…The Veil and their fight with The Eturi who want to take over the human world. I have four books in that series, Ruby: Uncut and on the Loose, Succubus-in-Waiting, Lifestyles of the Fey and Dangerous, and Ain’t No Bull.
The Olympus Inc. books. There are only two in this series so far, but I haven’t had a chance to write more since those shapeshifters barged into my brain. Immortal Love and Immortal Game (in the Keyboard and Kink anthology) are about a world where the Greek pantheon is real and operating as a modern corporation.
The Cajun Heat books, which I’m still writing. In this world, shapeshifters are a natural part of society, mingling with humans in everyday life. And there’s a big population of them in the tiny town of Maison Rouge, Louisiana, where the books take place. So far I have Primal Song, Primal Design, and Primal Flavor, but I have at least two more books planned in this series with the possibility of a spin off series ;) But that’s still up in the air.
Finally, is the Love’s Defenders series, which is actually a multi-author series about the Order of Themis (the organization of superhuman beings who are out to protect the world from injustice). Touched by Lightning is the first book, but the next stories will be by Lea Barrymire, Amy Ruttan and Cara Carnes before I get another crack at it. It’s going to be pretty epic if I do say so myself LOL
Excerpt
He sighed and took his hat off to run his fingers through his hair, his frustration with her silence obvious. “Look, I’m sorry…” He looked at her and away, his cheeks turning even darker. His Adams apple bobbed as he gulped, but he brought his gaze back around to meet her gaze again, hungry resolve in his eyes. “I’m sorry for what I did to you in the woods.” He cleared his throat and settled his hat back on his head. She wasn’t staring at his biceps that bulged and flexed with the movement and the warmth in her belly had absolutely nothing to do with attraction. “There’s some powerful chemistry between us, sweetheart,” he finally said on a near growl. “And it just got the better of me. I swear I won’t touch you again until you want me to.”
With each word he spoke, her jaw dropped a little more until she was gaping at him, her brain firing on all cylinders as she processed his belief in his attractions. Okay, he was hot. He had that power thing mingling with some country-boy charm, which she found extremely sexy despite her natural repulsion of all things male. He knew how to ply his electricity in such a way that it made a woman cream with want. His body… The man had a body to die for and those tattoos just begged her to explore them with her fingers and tongue.
Even his confidence was sexy to an extent. Her brain rejected that thought. He was assuming she’d just fall into his lap like some slut. Because you totally did twice before, idiot, Sixteen reminded her with a satisfied chuckle. All that man has to do is lay a kiss on you and you’re a goner.
Her cheeks flushed at the reminder because it was true. He’d kissed her twice and both times she’d fallen prey to his power and that fucking chemistry she wasn’t prepared to defend herself against. It wasn’t as though it was something she’d come into contact with before. Sixteen was the sexual one, the one who discovered the men who wanted to be dominated by a woman. Gyda just let her have her way and pretended it never happened. So yeah, she had no idea how to fight attraction like this.
And he planned to use it against her. Holy shit.
About the Author
Danica Avet was born and raised in the wilds of South Louisiana (that would be somewhere around Houma) where mosquitoes are big enough to carry off small children and there are only two seasons: hot and hotter. With a BA in History, she figured there were enough fry cooks in the world and decided to try her hand at writing.
Danica is the lucky pet of a compulsively needy dog and two cats. The pitter-patter of little feet has been known to make her break out into a cold sweat.
Writing is how she gives the voices in her head a way out. When she isn’t writing, working or contemplating the complexities of the universe, she spends time gathering inspiration from her insane family, reads far more than any sane person would want to, and watches hot burly men chase an oblong ball all over a field.
Visit Danica Avet
Twitter @DanicaAvet
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2 comments:
Thanks for the fun interview and for hosting me today!
My pleasure, Danica. Your book sounds awesome! :)
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