Today I’m thrilled to welcome over Tricia Skinner, author of
Angel Lover, a Paranormal Romance.
Release Date: 6/30/15
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
There's no danger greater than falling for your
enemy...
Book Description
The Nephilim are bound. Their powers cursed. But half-angel
Kasdeja will do anything to free them from Heaven's tyranny. When Kas is
approached by a striking, mysterious woman, she tells him his greatest enemies
hold the key to his freedom.
Mariel keeps herself shrouded in secrets, using them to hide
her true self. For she is not just employed by the Renegades--enemy fallen
angels—she is a double agent, working on the sly for Heaven. Her directive is
to seduce the gorgeous Nephilim—despite her insecurity about such sensual acts.
For Mariel is playing a dangerous game, and falling for Kas
could only cause trouble; her assignment isn't just seduction. It's
destruction.
Giveaway! Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter after this post
for a chance to win 3 antique lockets (US residents Only). Celebrate the
release of ANGEL LOVER with a one-of-a-kind collectible piece. Each locket
features one book in the Angel Assassins series (Angel Bait prequel, Angel Kin
#1, and Angel Lover #2), plus silver charms. Let’s Interview!
What inspired you to write this book?
Angel Lover gave
me the opportunity to play with two characters who see themselves as not being
as strong as their peers. That’s not usually the case with the hero in most
paranormal romances. He’s often characterized as Alpha male and sure of
himself. In my novel, Kasdeja is forced to kill someone because he didn’t have
any other way out of the situation. That choice eats away at him, leaving his
confidence in his abilities as a mind reader and his position on a bad-ass team
of half-angel assassins in question.
My heroine, Mariel, is the other side of the coin. She’s
coming from a place riddled with survivor’s guilt. She lived through a terrible
event and her choices since then have twisted her personal beliefs. Her trust
issues directly affect the romance.
What made you choose
the main setting for your book?
I’m a Detroiter. If you’ve ever met another, you know we
tend to be rather fond of that old city, despite all its troubles. It’s an
underdog in so many ways, and I think that made it perfect for my Angel
Assassins series. The Nephilim who make up Kas’s team, the Bound Ones, are
perhaps the greatest underdogs I’ve ever come across.
If you could spend an
hour in real life with one of your characters, who would it be and why?
Easy! Kas is a geek, like I am. We would spend hours playing
computer games. But only an hour? That’s not a lot of time to raid Jedi bases
in Star Wars: The Old Republic. Give
us three.
Tell us a little bit
about the conflict in your story.
I mentioned before
that Kas and Mariel believe themselves unworthy in the eyes of others, which
lends to the conflict their relationship faces. You also have a hero who can
read minds and a heroine who can block angelic powers with a kind of “white
noise.” Sprinkle in Kas being a half-angel assassin being watched by his
superiors and Mariel is a spy ordered to stop him from his mission. Nothing is
easy for them.
If you had to sell
your book based on one run of dialogue (start quote to end quote), which would
it be?
From Kas to Mariel: “Dangerous women excite me. Mysterious
women give me ideas.”
Are you currently
working on another story? If so, we’d love some details.
I’m also finished with a novella for one of the characters
from my first novel, Angel Kin. That
was a surprise project that came about because readers asked me to write more
about Abel, the “bad guy” in that book. He is the twin brother of Kin’s hero, Cain, and I guess readers
couldn’t get enough of him. It’s been a blast to write!
It’s time to promo.
What is your favorite marketing tool?
Another easy one. Yay! I love my newsletter because while
there are many social media choices for authors to spread the word about their
books, none allow for a more direct contact. My subscribers don’t get flooded
with “buy me, buy me” posts. I tell them what I’m working on, ask for their
feedback on something like the next heroine for a hero, share deleted scenes,
and simply get to know them through interacting in the newsletter.
How long have you
been writing? How long have you been published?
I used to be a newspaper reporter so I wrote for years. When
I think of my author career, that started after I took some classes in 2010 on
novel writing. I signed my first book deal in 2012, landed an agent in 2013,
and then another book deal. I’m still learning the ropes, but it’s been
awesome.
Excerpt
He traced his fingers under her tank top and made small
circles against her back. A soft sound escaped her lips, then she relaxed.
“Mariel.” He barely recognized his lust-blown voice.
She answered by renewing their passionate kiss, full and
open and bone melting. She kissed him thoroughly, drawing the oxygen from his
lungs as she twisted her fingers into his long hair.
Kas lowered her on the comforter with care, never breaking
their kiss. He eased back, and with his gaze on hers, he pulled his shirt over
his head and dropped it.
Mariel’s gaze made several passes over his body.
What did she feel for him? Admiration? Uncertainty? He’d
never hurt her. No one would ever hurt her again, not if they expected to live.
Then Mariel’s gaze fell away. “You are...beautiful.” Her
shoulders drooped, and she pulled back.
“You don’t believe you are.”
She didn’t reply, except for the stubborn jut of her chin.
Kas smoothed his thumb over her cheek then gently raised her head. She wouldn’t
look at him. He wouldn’t allow her to withdraw from him, from them.
He touched her shirt at the waist, and her hands clamped
over his, her eyes wet. Her fearful expression tore him apart.
“Trust me as I trust you,” he said gently.
Kas waited until her grip loosened, and her hands fell to
the side. He infused a smile with warmth and then eased the material up in
torturous increments. Time she could use to stop him.
Her flat stomach and tight abs were revealed. He smothered
his reaction, afraid Mariel would mistake a groan for disapproval. Smooth,
golden skin fed his hunger an appetizer.
“You have control,” he told her. “If you tell me to stop,
I’ll stop.”
Mariel peeked through her lashes and nodded.
He lifted the shirt higher, stared at her breasts, and bit
back another sound. God of All, they made him salivate, but he tapped more of
his self-control.
Finally, the shirt was over her head and joined his on the
floor. Mariel’s arms stayed locked at her sides like a soldier at attention.
Kas moved around her and climbed onto the bed next to her.
“Lie on your side, facing me.”
“I do not know,” she said, whisper light.
Again his chest felt as if it had crushed inward. No woman
should be made to believe she was ugly. None should feel shame about her body.
He wanted to beat bloody any man who’d ever looked at her wrong.
Mariel expelled a long breath as if she’d resolved herself
to do what he’d asked. She stretched out alongside him, chest to chest, her
right arm pillowing her head.
He leaned over and planted a soft kiss on her cheek and
lips. “Touch me.”
About the Author
Tricia Skinner is an author of passionate dark fantasy. She
is a features writer for Fresh Fiction and a project manager for Short Fuse.
She began her writing career as a business reporter and wrote for The Detroit
News, Investor’s Business Daily, MSN, and The Houston Chronicle.
Raised in Detroit, Tricia graduated with a BA degree from
the nationally acclaimed Journalism Institute for Media Diversity at Wayne
State University. She earned a Masters of Liberal Studies – Creative Writing
degree from Southern Methodist University and will obtain a Masters of Fine
Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in 2017.
Diversity in genre fiction is dear to Tricia’s heart. She is
represented by Laurie McLean, co-founder of Fuse Literary Agency.
When not writing, Tricia can be found reading, lifting
weights, or geeking out over games, movies, and music. She has a Tom Hiddleston
obsession, and she is Team Vader. Her family includes three Great Danes (so
far).
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