June 2nd, 2009 — Alien, Another Planet/Dimension, Author Interviews, Cheryl Brooks, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Space
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Everybody say hi and welcome Cheryl Brooks, author of the Cat Star Chronicles, to Love Romance Passion. Grab a cup of something hot and let’s get down to business. Below is the interview:
Thank you so much Cheryl for sitting down to chat! How did you come up with the idea for the Cat Star Chronicles?
I’d been writing contemporary romances that utilized the boy-next-door theme and had also written a number of stories that were requested by friends, but my original intention when I began writing-about thirty years ago, now!-was to write a science fiction romance. Then I read an erotic sci-fi novel about a woman who had to pose as a slave to a dominant male, and because I’ve never been a fan of dominant alpha males, I thought it would be much more fun if the man was the slave instead of the woman! So I wrote a story about a tough, independent space trader named Jacinth in need of a man she can trust with her life to aid her in the quest to rescue her kidnapped sister. Toward that end she buys an alien slave, whom she dubs Cat, hoping to gain his loyalty by offering him freedom in exchange for his assistance. Part of the appeal of this hero was that, being a slave, he had nothing but his strength, intelligence, and sensual nature to offer a woman. It was my intention that he be the last of his kind, but to continue this as a series, I created a scenario where six Zetithian men were captured at the end of the war that destroyed their world and sold into slavery and each book in the series tells the story of how one of them found love.
Should readers start from the beginning of the series or do you feel that they can jump in any time?
I think any series works best by reading them in order, however, I’ve tried very hard to make each of my books able to stand alone, and, according to several reviews, I’ve succeeded.
What is your favorite book so far in the series? How many in total will there be?
It’s difficult to choose because though all of my heroes are irresistible Zetithians, they all have very different personalities, as do my heroines. I let my imagination run wild in Slave
, but Warrior
was fun because most of the secondary characters were animals with whom the heroine could communicate telepathically-and they all had plenty of pithy comments to make about humans! In Rogue
, my piano-teacher heroine had two stunning Zetithian brothers to choose from and some really fun aliens as the supporting characters. Outcast
, being about a man who has lost all desire for women, is more of a tear-jerker than the others, and it is also the first to be written in third person which gave me a chance to get inside the hero’s head for a change, something that I enjoyed very much. I’ve had a blast writing the last two books, Fugitive
and Hero, too, so I really can’t pick one favorite.
As it now stands, there will be six in the series, and possibly a seventh.
How did Sourcebooks first hear of your book?
I first heard of Sourcebooks when the Romance Writer’s Report listed them as a newly approved publisher. They were accepting both paranormal and erotic romances, so I submitted the manuscript for my erotic sci-fi novel, and promptly forgot about it until the editor called saying she wanted to read the rest of it. She loved it, but it was too short, so I added a few new scenes and the manuscript was then accepted.
What do you think is the biggest appeal of fantasy / sci-fi romance?
For me, the appeal is that it places few limits on my imagination, and I think that probably holds true for the readers, as well, because there are endless opportunities for surprises.
I know you’re a nurse; how does that work when it comes to writing on schedule? What is your writing routine?
I work three twelve-hour night shifts a week, which varies from week to week, so there is no schedule! I’m just like anyone else: I have free time, but what I do with it is write, rather than watch television. After Slave came out, I was encouraged to try to write four books a year-and this year, there are three-but found that I simply couldn’t do it and remain sane. As long as the nursing job is the one paying the bills, the books will have to be limited to two a year.
Most of my writing is done in the evening, with blogging and emails, etc, done during the day.
What was the hardest part of writing your series?
Remembering the small details about different alien species from book to book and just where in the galaxy each planet is located. I probably need to keep a notebook of characters and species and draw a map, but I haven’t done it yet, so I have to keep copies of my books close by!
In your own words, what is love?
A deep, emotional, enduring attachment that makes you consider that person’s wishes ahead of your own.
What is your favorite aspect of writing?
The creative outlet it provides. I’d go crazy without it!
What makes a great written bedroom scene?
One that makes you tingle all over and want to read it again and again! The specific components can vary, but if it doesn’t involve the heart and soul, it’s just sex.
How do you decide character names? Who’s your favorite male and female lead so far?
My male characters have all had a connection to the “cat” theme. There was Cat in Slave, Leo in Warrior, and Tychar in Rogue, which is an alteration of the word tiger. Outcast has Lynx, and Fugitive has Manx, which are both types of cats. Trag (Hero) is short for Tragonathon, which is a combination of a friend’s name and the words tiger and dragon.
My heroine’s names are sometimes suggested by their occupation or their personality, or it can just be a name I happen to like. For the more alien names, I experiment. Sometimes I’ll take a traditional human name and change the vowels. Other times I strike random letters on the keyboard and then go back and play around with it until it sounds right. I may change the spelling several times while I’m writing before I’m happy with it.
My favorite hero will always be Cat (Slave), because he was the one who started it all, and Bonnie (Outcast) is my favorite heroine because she had the patience and kindness to turn Lynx’s life around, which I’m not sure I could have done.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I love hearing from readers!
My email address is: cheryl.brooks52@yahoo.com
Website: cherylbrooksonline.com
I also blog on Casablanca Authors, Wickedly Romantic, and Cheryl Brooks Erotic Blogspot.
Buy: Outcast (The Cat Star Chronicles, Book 4)
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April 8th, 2009 — 1 Star, Acting, Contemporary, Guest Reviews, Jane Heller, Journalism, United States of America
By: Cara Lynn, guest reviewer
Some Nerve by Jane Heller promised to be an interesting book, but it turned out to be less than I had hoped for.
The cover looked intriguing, but alas, the story could have been summed up in about 10 pages.
Plus it is quite dated, printed in 2006, and opening with Britney Spears pregnant with her first child. It shows how careful one should be in including various trivia, even if the book is about the fictional Ann Roth, who writes about celebrities.
When Roth’s boss demands she go for the main man, the big get, Malcolm Goddard who refuses all interviews and thinks the worst of interviewers to the stars, she has every intention of being the killer journalist her boss expects.
Alas, she is afraid to fly. Goddard knows this too and says he will accept the interview only if she does it aboard his plane.
She can’t do it.
She is fired and goes back to her family, where Goddard ends up hospitalized to avoid the paparazzi. She, in turn, decides to become a candy striper in order to get close to him and get a story.
Of course, they fall in love. Goddard doesn’t recognize her. She doesn’t tell him at all. He thinks she is honest. She wishes she were. Someone sends her story, not her. But all ends well in the end.
There is humor, some laughs out loud, but for the most part this book details again and again and again and…you get the idea…about her fear(s). I ended up skipping huge sections of it except for a sentence here and there.
And there are some decidedly unlikeable characters and situations in the book.
I give it a 1.
I will read at least one more of her books.
If you would like to write LRP a review, we would love to have you. There are many romances and only me to review. Your participation would greatly help out LRP’s growing archive. Look here for submission guidelines.
Originally posted 2008-07-10 05:18:22. Republished by Old Post Promoter
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April 8th, 2009 — 4 Stars, Book Review, Edith Layton, England, Fey / Fae, Historical Romance, Paranormal, Scotland
When London’s best catch of the season - nay the decade - singles you out from across a crowded ballroom you would probably look over your shoulder for the season’s beauty. This is exactly was Eve Faraday does, because there is no way on earth any man would ever single her out. She wasn’t ugly, in fact she knew she was pretty, but she was not a beauty. She was too short to be in style and not short enough to be a “pocket Venus.” Her curly brown locks and brown eyes were lovely but not enchanting. She was not titled and did not possess any great fortune so why was Aubrey Ashford asking her to dance?
Deeply mistrusting, Eve begs him to let her in on the joke. Has he lost a bet? Worse still, had he lost such a bet to her brother? Aubrey is delighted with her skepticism. He begs another dance and at the end of the second tells her he will come calling the next day to get permission from her father to court her… aghast, Eve wonders again what is the punch line? Why would the most handsome, rich, charming, and sought after man practically announce his intention to become engaged to her when he didn’t even know her?
Eve is befuddled by Aubrey and thoroughly bespelled by his good looks and smooth manners. She struggles against it, tries to retain her train of thought and her wits to ask him the right questions. She thinks she has learned enough if not all and agrees to marry Aubrey, making him truly ecstatic.
Aubrey has promised to be faithful to her, love her as he can, and to tell her only truth to her, but at the same time he is determined also not to reveal too much because that could prove disastrous. Unfortunately for him, his spiteful sister is eager to ruin him in his new bride’s eyes. She feeds Eve three questions to ask of him. Three questions and the life he was hoping to build could be ruined for he promised not to lie outright. Is Eve strong enough for the truth? Is he strong enough to bear the consequences?
This was a very sweet romance, as the male lead never thought he contained any capacity to love. When he fully realizes he’s been moved, that he has a heart, that he has given it to her without knowing is truly touching.
Rating: 4 Stars
Buy: Bride Enchanted
Originally posted 2008-12-08 16:36:01. Republished by Old Post Promoter
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April 8th, 2009 — 2.5 Stars, Book Review, Children, Dukes and Earls, Egypt, England, Historical Romance, Pirate, Politician, Rogues and Rakehells, Secondary Romance, Victoria Alexander, Widow or Widower
The Perfect Wife by Victoria Alexander follows not one but three couples on their journey to love. Luckily two are more peripheral and have overall less air time in the novel. The main couple is Sabrina Winfield and Nicholas, Earl of Wyldewood. The other couples are Sabrina and Nicholas’ offspring from their first marriage, and Sabrina’s friend with Nicholas’ sister.
Sabrina has for the last ten years a life of total propriety. She has been prim, poised, controlled, tame, and dull. She misses the adventure from her past—the intrigue, the thrill, and the illicit nature of her work. She could command the loyalty of men, change fortunes, and guide her own affairs. With her young daughter about to wed, Sabrina yearns keenly to let loose and be free of society’s demands. When she hears about her late husband’s last gamble and subsequent winnings, Sabrina ransacks her London home.
Having found the French letter with instructions to legendary gold buried in Egypt, Sabrina packs and sets off to reclaim herself and to change her fortune. Unfortunately, her daughter’s finance’s father seems to think it’s his business to keep her out of trouble. The annoying Earl of Wyldewood, a politician with a streak of rakish charm a mile long, is determined to unearth Sabrina’s secrets. She is terrified of revealing them, for her past could land her in prison. Under the guise of helping his son, Nicholas is following Sabrina to Egypt with the intention to protect her. However, if he were honest with himself, he would have followed her anyway for underneath her prim exterior, Nicholas suspects that Sabrina may just be the perfect wife.
Rating: 2.5 Stars
Buy: The Perfect Wife
Originally posted 2008-12-08 07:47:04. Republished by Old Post Promoter
March 13th, 2009 — 4 Stars, Contemporary, Guest Reviews, Handicap, Jill Shalvis, Sports, United States of America
By: Cara Lynn, guest reviewer
I was visiting friends, and this book was sitting on the coffee table. In spare moments I picked it up to read. I had not heard of the author before, yet the book jacket intrigued me, telling that Jill Shalvis’ books are well received and making the story seem interesting.
The plot revolves around two people each suffering their own hurts and in need of each other, though they don’t know it. Katie Kramer was in a horrific auto accident, the only survivor of a bridge collapse, and has flashbacks nightly in her dreams. Cameron Wilder, in a moment’s lack of attention because he was thinking of his girlfriend’s cheating, suffers an injury that ends his career as a snowboarder.
Katie feels she must make changes in her life and begin to live life as if it were an adventure, for she knows only too well how quickly it could end. She takes a temporary job in the Sierras for an outdoor adventure business, Wilder Adventures and Expeditions. She has no intention of staying, but plans to move on to her next adventure. Cam shows up in the middle of the night, after being estranged from friends and family, suffering pain, both mental and physical, and finds her in his bed.
And so it begins.
She gets under his skin. She knows just the right way to get past his defenses, learning slowly of his accident and what makes him tick. He’s never cared to explain himself to anyone before, not even his family.
Along the way, there is an assorted cast of other characters, including his brother and his aunt — and his ex-gf. There is both humor and poignancy in the book, and very, very good (and believable) sex scenes as the two fall in love and decide where their lives will go from here.
Perhaps they offer each other both salvation and adventure that will last a lifetime.
I’m going to read another of her books.
Rating: 4 Stars
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March 8th, 2009 — 4 Stars, Comedy of Manners, Counts, Marquis, Viscounts, England, Guest Reviews, Regency, Secret Agent, Stephanie Laurens, Widow or Widower
By: Marcia, guest reviewer
Lady Latitia Vaux Randall has come to ask Christian Allardyce, 6th Marquess of Dearne, for help. Someone has just murdered her husband and the authorities suspect her younger brother, Justin, of having committed the deed. Thus begins Ms. Laurens’ seventh ‘Bastion Club’ novel.
The Bastion Club was formed after the end of the Napoleonic Wars when seven previous members of Her Majesty’s Secret Service needed a place to find peace from the persistent, husband hunting families intent on marrying off their daughters to these highly eligible bachelors. The members have every intention of doing their duty and marrying, but want to choose their own spouses at their own pace and in relative peace.
Twelve years ago, before the war, Latitia and Christian were lovers and, although they never formalized an agreement, their intentions to marry were clear. Then Christian joined the guards but was quickly and quietly selected to spy for his country. He was to tell no one outside of his immediate family. In case of emergency, he left information on whom to contact with his family attorney. Since the Vaux family was a member of the haute ton and very wealthy, Christian felt that Latitia would be well cared for in his absence.
He never told her about his mission. Four years later, Latitia’s father lost most of his money in bad investments. Mr. George Randall approached the family and offered to save them from their predicament in return for Latitia’s hand in what he specified should be, to all outward appearances, a love match. Latitia tried franticly to contact Christian, but could not find out where he was. All of her letters came back unanswered. She believed Christian had abandoned her. Christian was stunned and angered to hear of Lititia’s marriage. He could not understand how she could fall in love with another man after the passion they shared. Now he has agreed to help her find the murderer of her husband but he intends to make her pay.
The Edge of Desire is an entertaining, well-crafted book. Her characters and their motivations are fully developed and the mystery is carefully and seamlessly woven into a passionate love story. Laurens has a gift for writing highly detailed bedroom scenes that are beautifully erotic without being cheap or tawdry. This book is a must read.
4 stars
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Originally posted 2008-11-09 11:20:55. Republished by Old Post Promoter
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