West of Want by Laura Kaye Blog Tour

Continuing an August full of authors that are made of awesome, we'd like to introduce you today to Laura Kaye.  Her paranormal romance series Hearts of the Anemoi kicked off with great reviews and now the second book is out.  This is not a series to be missed!  And now, we leave you to find out more about Laura.

Hi, Laura, welcome to UTC, we are excited to have you here today!

Thanks for having me here! I’m thrilled to be celebrating the release of West of Want, book 2 in my Hearts of the Anemoi series, with you!

Let’s start with the good news...You recently won the PRISM Award for Best Light Paranormal Romance of 2012 for North of Need! Congrats!! Tell us what went through your head, was this a surprise? How did you celebrate? ;)

Thank you! I was so thrilled! Actually, a whole lot of nothing was going through my head at first. Kerrelyn Sparks was a finalist in the category with me, so I was completely expecting her to win. So when they called my name, I think I might’ve had a short out-of-body experience! LOL Because I was at the Romance Writers of America (RWA) Annual Convention, I got to celebrate not only with a number of my author friends but also with my publisher of North of Need. So a big group of us had dinner and drinks together and shared a ginormous piece of chocolate cake! Plus I got to meet cover model Jimmy Thomas, who’s on my vampire romance cover, In the Service of the King! All in all, a great night!

What can you tell us about your Vampire Warrior Kings series, with Nocturne Cravings?

The Vampire Warrior Kings series is a mini-series of dark paranormal erotic novellas featuring the vampire warrior kings, seven remaining vampire kings who find love amidst an ancient battle with the Soul Eaters, evil immortals who prey on humanity and threaten their exposure and annihilation. The first book in the series is In the Service of the King and the second, which just released in June, is Seduced by the Vampire King. At least two more will release in 2013.

Your contemporary romance, HER FORBIDDEN HERO has created a lot of buzz lately! Congrats! Why do you think readers fall so easily for Marco and Alyssa?

Thank you! I’m so thrilled Her Forbidden Hero took off the way it did! I think readers enjoyed the story because it included several popular tropes—friends-to-lovers, her brother’s best friend, and the protector trope—and because Marco was so tortured and Alyssa so relatable. And what’s not to love about a military hero??? The second book in this series, One Night with a Hero, is scheduled to release this fall!

WEST OF WANT is your latest release. Can you give readers a tease of what's to come?

Sure! West of Want is the second book in my Hearts of the Anemoi series, which will likely have five books (four for sure!). Here’s the blurb:

Betrayal is all he's ever known, but in her, he'll find a love strong enough to be trusted...

When Marcella Raines' twin brother dies, she honors his request to be buried at sea, never expecting the violent storm that swamps her boat. Though she's gravely injured--and still emotionally damaged from her recent divorce--Ella fights to survive.

Zephyros Martius is the Supreme God of the West Wind and Spring, but being the strongest Anemoi hasn't protected him from betrayal and loss. Worse, he's sure his brother Eurus is behind it. When Zeph's heartbreak whips up a storm that shipwrecks a human, his guilt forces him to save her.

Ella is drawn to the vulnerability Zeph hides beneath his otherworldly masculinity and ancient blue eyes. And her honesty, empathy, and unique, calming influence leave Zeph wanting...everything. When Eurus threatens Ella, she and Zeph struggle to let go of the past, defend their future, and embrace what they most want--a love that can be trusted.

In this book, the series-wide conflict is introduced and all the Anemoi gods play a role, so West of Want gives readers a good introduction into the world of the Anemoi, the big bad against which they’re fighting, and the nature of the conflict that will continue to escalate until it all comes to a head!

Do you have a favorite scene from WEST OF WANT?

Several! But if I have to pick just one…I’d go with the Black Moment! I can’t share more with you without spoiling it, but suffice it to say it’s one of the more heart-wrenching scenes I’ve ever written!

An avid reader yourself, what books have you read this year that have made your BEST OF list so far?

I have been so busy with meeting contract deadline after contract deadline in 2012 that I haven’t had as much time to read as I like! But here are some definite favorites:

Lisa Kleypas, Sugar Daddy, Blue-Eyed Devil, Smooth-Talking Stranger

Cara McKenna, Willing Victim

Jennifer Probst, The Marriage Bargain

Gina Maxwell, Seducing Cinderella

J.R. Ward, Lover Reborn

SOUTH OF SURRENDER is up next in your Hearts of the Anemoi series. Can you give us ANY details about what to expect?

Hmm…what can I share about South of Surrender? Chrysander Notos is the Supreme God of the South Wind and Guardian of Summer. The youngest of the Anemoi gods, he is a complete golden boy who has no problem finding a lover. But that’s not what’s on his mind in the book, as he’s driven to save his likely unredeemable older brother, Eurus, who has a Olympic death sentence on his head. Also in this book: an escalating conflict between the brothers, a character death, and a nearly blind heroine… How’s that for a sneak peek?

For someone who hasn't read the series yet, how would you best describe it?

I’d says that it’s a sexy, heartfelt contemporary fantasy romance series in which the four Cardinal Anemoi find love amidst an escalating fraternal feud that threatens not only the Realm of the Gods but the human world, too.

What does your writing workspace look like? Clean and orderly? Scattered with notes? Any visual would be nice.

I try to keep it clean, but it doesn’t always last very long, especially when I’m in the middle of a book. Here’s a picture:

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"Laura Kaye's captivating writing and vibrant world-building will have readers hooked on the gods of the Anemoi. WEST OF WANT is steamy, spellbinding, and a must-read for all romance fantasy fans." ~Elisabeth Naughton, author of the Eternal Guardians series

About West of Want:

Betrayal is all he's ever known, but in her, he'll find a love strong enough to be trusted...

When Marcella Raines' twin brother dies, she honors his request to be buried at sea, never expecting the violent storm that swamps her boat. Though she's gravely injured--and still emotionally damaged from her recent divorce--Ella fights to survive.

Zephyros Martius is the Supreme God of the West Wind and Spring, but being the strongest Anemoi hasn't protected him from betrayal and loss. Worse, he's sure his brother Eurus is behind it. When Zeph's heartbreak whips up a storm that shipwrecks a human, his guilt forces him to save her.

Ella is drawn to the vulnerability Zeph hides beneath his otherworldly masculinity and ancient blue eyes. And her honesty, empathy, and unique, calming influence leave Zeph wanting...everything. When Eurus threatens Ella, she and Zeph struggle to let go of the past, defend their future, and embrace what they most want--a love that can be trusted.

About Laura Kaye:

Voted Breakout Author of the Year in the 2011 GraveTells Readers’ Choice Awards, Laura is the bestselling and award-winning author of over a half-dozen books in paranormal, contemporary and erotic romance. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with all things paranormal. A published non-fiction author, Laura’s work as an historian and training as an archaeologist help her create vivid and accurate portrayals of other times and places. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day. 

 

Win an ebook of and swag set from West of Want!

Open to international! Good luck! 

Don’t miss the West of Want in the Wild (thru 9/1) giveaway event, too!

Thanks for reading!

Laura Kaye
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