Interview and Giveaway with Stephanie Tyler

Guess what today is?  RELEASE DAY!  And we have with us the talented Stephanie Tyler who is celebrating the release of DIRE WANTS, the second book in the Eternal Wolf Clan series.  Did you miss out on the prequel and book one?  You have some catching up to do!

Hi Stephanie, welcome back to UTC. We are very excited to share with our readers about DIRE WANTS!

YAY! Thanks for having me back! I can’t believe it’s release day already – time is flying :)

Hot shifters...hot bikers. *sigh* How did you come up with the concept of the ETERNAL WOLF CLAN series?

Alphas with Harleys – what could be better? Seriously, I’m a huge Sons of Anarchy fan and I’ve always written some outlaw kinds of characters in my suspenses. And I thought, what better way for wolves who don’t want people getting too close to them – this would certainly keep the questions at bay. Except…who doesn’t love a bad boy? That’s the flaw in their plan.

In the series, there are shifters and there are dire wolves. What is the big difference between these two?

The shifters – for me – aren’t immortal. Also, the Dires and their Brother Wolves are both in control, and for shifters (Weres included) that’s not the case.

For someone who hasn't read the series yet (and that is crazy!) how would you describe it?

The Dire series is about biker Dire wolves who are immortal and have lived for centuries helping humans and repenting for their ancestor’s mistakes – and all without mates…until now.

You are bringing in a witch to the mix in DIRE WANTS. What is your favorite thing about Kate, the heroine?

She’s very strong – she’s scared and lonely but she’s going to put up a hell of a fight. She’s such a perfect match for Stray.

Do you have a favorite scene in DIRE WANTS that you can share with us?

This is one of my favorites, between Stray and Kate, right after she discovers he’s a wolf:

The brand was responding to Stray’s voice voice. Making her squirm. After what she’d just been through, what she’d learned about her rescue from the accident, that would be the last reaction she thought she’d have.

“I won’t hurt you. Let me protect you, Kate.”

It was what she’d wanted to hear from him—and yet she couldn’t let herself believe his intentions.

Instead, she inched closer to the door, surprised he was letting her.

When he spoke, his voice sent chills down her spine.

“If you run, I’ll chase you. That’s my instinct. I’ll chase you, and I will catch you.”

“And then what?” She managed to keep the tremble from her voice when she asked.

“You really want to find out, then run.”

God, she didn’t know if that would be stupid—or the best thing she could possibly do. But she ran anyway, down the closest stairway and then down another, into a series of mazelike hallways.

She felt, rather than heard, Stray behind her. His heat, the soft growl of a predator on the chase reverberating through her. But still, she ran in the dark until her side cramped and her legs ached, lungs burned. She slowed, waiting for his hand on her, but it never came. She stopped, turned again, and there he was in front of her, his eyes those of the wolf but the rest of him still pure human male.

She backed up and he didn’t follow, not until she turned to run again.

Finally, she pushed through an unlocked door into some sort of gym/training room. And there was no way out but the way she’d come in.

She’d really backed herself into a corner this time; Stray was already pissed at her, although the danger wasn’t at her throat the way it had been with Shimmin and his men.

This time Stray didn’t stop coming for her. He strode forward until only a few feet separated them. She swallowed hard, tried to ignore the way her body called out for him to touch her, and took a few steps to make her way back toward the door.

Stray gave a soft laugh. “Really, little witch? You want to bring out my prey instincts? Because you know what they say about wild animals: They can fool you because they might seem domesticated, but they can never be tamed.”

God, she believed it. Right now, she didn’t want him tamed at all. Walked toward him instead of away, reached her hands up to twine in his thick hair and pull her face to his. And she kissed him, reversing the roles. Because for once, she wanted to be the goddamned predator. The one who shook Stray to the core, because she was sure he’d managed to do that to every woman in his life.

But she would be different. Wanted to be, needed to be, although she wasn’t sure why that desire burned so brightly hot inside of her.

She just knew it was there, and there was no stopping it.

His lips were soft, but his kiss was hard—demanding. She gave as good as she got even as she braced herself for the pain—hers and Stray’s.

None came for either.

She’d tried to have sex just once and had nearly ended up killing the guy. It had been horrifying . . . as though something in her body had at once rejected and repelled the man.

That didn’t happen, and instead her body flared for Stray. He kissed her deeper and she was helpless against him. His hands went under her shirt, touched her lower back, and the brand tingled with pleasure instead of burning.

She should be pushing him away. Pushing and slapping, not feeling her entire body ache for him. Her nipples hardened; her body came alive. He tasted like a blend of the richest, most delicious spices. And she never wanted him to stop.

He knew it, too, the bastard, took full advantage of her sudden, inexplicable wantonness to press his body into hers, to grind his hardness to her belly. When he finally pulled back, he took in her quick breaths with a too-obvious satisfaction.

She pressed the back of his hand to her lips. They tingled—everything tingled—and if he didn’t back away, she might not be able to resist reaching out and grabbing him and kissing him.

Ridiculous. Had she hit her head and not realized it?

“Is this . . . only because of your prey instincts?” she whispered, not wanting him to say yes. Because then anyone could trigger this inside of him . . . None of it would be special.

He stared at her, his eyes so mesmerizing she couldn’t look away. “Yes.”

DIRE DESIRES is coming out in July of next year *sobs*. Any clues you can give us as to what this book will bring? Who the hero/heroine are?

I’ve been holding off on telling, but for you, I will :) Dire Desires hero is Jinx! And hey, don’t worry, I’ll keep you busy – I have a romantic suspense novella in March 2013 and book 1 in a new RS series in April :)

Surrender

by Stephanie Tyler

(A Section 8 Novel # 1)

DESPERATE, FEARLESS, AND HUNTED  
For former Navy SEAL Dare O’Rourke, Section 8 was legendary. The son of one of its missing members, he grew up in the shadow of its secrets. All he knew was that it was a cabal of operatives discharged from branches of the military and reassigned to extremely dangerous, off- the-books international missions. And that their handler was as shrouded in mystery as the missions themselves.

NOTHING CAN STOP THEM. NOTHING CAN BREAK THEM.
Now the handler of Section 8 has given orders to kill any remaining members, along with their families. Dare must save his long-lost half sister, Avery, whom he was never meant to meet. Determined to fight for their lives and find their missing father, Dare and Avery bring together for one last mission those who are in danger because of their relationship to Section 8—to avenge their families and to survive.

Available April  2, 2013

When writing a series how do you choose which couple to write next?

They choose. Seriously. I had no idea Stray would be book 2 or Jinx book 3. I had plans and the characters had other ideas.

Lets do some quickfire favorites:

Fave season Fall, hands down.
Fave color Blue
Fave music Classic rock
Fave book Gone with the Wind
Fave place to visit Tanzania

Which paranormal creature is your favorite and why? 

Wolves!!!! Because they’re warm and strong and just…primal. In Twilight, I think the wolf got gypped. Although I don’t love Bella so maybe not…

Thanks so much for taking the time and sharing with us today!

PLEASE NOTE that there are some technical difficulties with the ebook release of DIRE WANTS and it's currently not available but the issue is being worked on and all links should be working soon.

The supernatural world is rising up against the human one. The weretrappers want control, and only the immortal Dire wolves stand in the way of total destruction. Stray, a Dire, and his long-lost brother, Killian, emerge as the leaders of their pack. To keep themselves and the humans safe, the Dires need a witch as powerful as Seb, who betrayed the Dires to work for the weretrappers.

They find what they are looking for in Kate, a human who survived a horrible car accident that left her back scarred with a handprint no one else can see. Stray senses Kate's abilities as a witch and recruits her to help the Dires—all the while knowing she is so powerful they will need to kill her once she helps defeat the weretrappers.

Stray doesn't expect the powerful connection that he feels with Kate, or his irresistible need to protect her. They cannot hide their feelings or each other, and what once was taboo now seems inevitable…

Ms. Tyler is graciously giving away 2 ebook copies of DIRE WANTS, winners choice of B&N or Kindle. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Dire Needs by Stephanie Tyler

Dire Needs

by StephanieTyler

(Eternal Wolf Clan # 1)

I am really enthralled by the Dires world.  The dires are basically werewolves but they are more.  Sexier, more alpha, more badass, more tortured.  Right up my alley!  Their job is to protect humans from werewolves and cover their tracks to keep their existence under cover.  They are immortal and lonely.  Oh and did I mention they have a sexy tattoo of their wolf?  Well, it's like a natural tattoo when they change their first time they wolf comes out.  Love that!

This book is all about Rifter.  He is the leader of the Dires.  He is at a point where he is almost ready to die.  Too bad they can't.  He goes into a bar to find a female shifter to spend the night with but ends up very attracted to a human female.  He normally doesn't go for humans, ever.  But Gwen is it for him tonight.  And she takes him up on his offer because she has actually just being given very little time to live.  Some rare disease that causes her to have seizures.

Gwen will come to play an important role in the Dire Pack dynamic when they find out who she is, but the chemistry between her and Rifter was off the charts great!

The Dires are now fighting against Seb, and I have to say I kind of really like this bad guy.  Something about him and his past that I just want to know more, know his motives, know what makes him tick.

Now onto my complaint, yes I have one.  Even though there's some action, there's romance and there are quite a few smexy scenes oozing alphaness, I feel this book suffered from a major case of First Book Syndrome.  There was a lot of information in the book that I thought at times was not needed.  Maybe it will be important info in the future but it overwhelmed this book.

The rest of the Dires are a very intriguing bunch, I really can't wait to read their stories.  I am kind of the most intrigued by Vice, and he seems like he has the most issues at times.  I look forward to reading more about him as the series goes on.

I really liked the whole process of the mating between Rifter and Gwen, it wasn't without emotion and a lot of drama around them, and towards the end of this book it was nonstop and had my full attention.

*ARC provided by publisher

Purchase Links: Amazon

Review + Giveaway: Dire Warning by Stephanie Tyler

Dire Warning

by Stephanie Tyler

(Eternal Wolf Clan # 0.5)

A breathtaking new tale of the Dire Wolves, from the bestselling author of Dire Needs…

Immortal and invincible, Rifter is the head of the last surviving pack of Dire Wolves—a band of Alpha brothers charged with protecting the Weres. But now that witches have joined forces with nefarious weretrappers, it’s a perfect storm for double trouble. When the murder of a human points to a wolf, along with the threat of the packs being outted to the world, the Dires fear that something even more dangerous is out there hiding in the dark, something waiting for the right time to show itself.

Includes a letter from the author and a teaser chapter from Dire Needs.

I cannot tell you how much I've been dying to dive into this series!  The premise of it is so interesting.  First of all it has two of my most favorite things, werewolves and bad boy bikers.  This combination is bound to make this a kick-ass series.

I liked the fact we got this prequel because it takes care of explaning the world of the Weres and the Dire Wolves.  The Dires are a group of to-die-for bad boys.  They stumble upon a human's death that is being called a werewolf attack.  Now it's their job to protect the secrecy of the supernatural community and prove this claim wrong.

To do that they will have to infiltrate a Paranormal Investigation group, team up with a girl who can talk to ghosts and chase down some rogues.

I loved the fact that the Dires also have some extra abilities.  I know the first book in this series is about the Dires Alpha, Rifter, but even though we got to see some of him in this story we also got to focus on other members of the team.

Definetely has me wanting more of these bad boys!

*ARC provided by publisher

Purchase Links: Amazon

Dire Warning releases February 7! Ms. Tyler has 2 (TWO) Kindle copies of Dire Warning for a couple of lucky followers!This contest runs between now and February 6.

To enter:

1. Be a follower

2. Fill out the form below

Review: Promises in the Dark by Stephanie Tyler

3.5 Feathers
Promises in the Dark

by Stephanie Tyler

(Shadow Force # 2)

This book really did have potential.  The storyline is actually really good.  If we remember from book one, Olivia was Skylar's doctor.  So now she's in Africa and Zane is taking it upon himself to go get her and bring her safely to the States.  Of course right off the bat I loved that they both agree that their situation is not going to be like Dylan and Riley, hehe, when in reality they are very attracted to each other.  They have more than just bad guys after them to overcome since Olivia truly wants to do good there and they end up getting involved and helping with other situations there as well.

Like the first novel in this series there's a second couple.  Which I liked as well.  Caleb and Vivi.  Caleb is yet another brother of the Dylan/Zane clan.  He's in charge of protecting Vivi, computer genius, while she's working on a software glitch that could mean a breach of security if its not fixed.  Although Vivi is a bit of a recluse and not the most social person, Caleb is very attracted to Ms. Smartypants.  And how could she not be attracted to him?  Yeah, the brothers are all very alpha and drool-worthy.

But here is where it gets complicated and why, even though I really enjoyed the book and Ms. Tyler's writing I couldn't give it more than 3.5 stars.  There is a THIRD couple thrown in the mix about 2/3 way through.  I found this distracting, the book is already split enough and has so much going on with two couples and each dealing with a different set of issues, to put another couple with their own issues was spreading this too thin for me.  Even though I actually liked Rowan and Tristan a lot.  I actually would've liked to see more of them.

Nonetheless I find this series very entertaining, full of suspense and I can't wait to get the next book!

Purchase Links: Amazon

Review: Lie With Me by Stephanie Tyler

 

 Lie With Meby Stephanie Tyler(Shadow Force # 1)Romantic Suspense

I like to read romantic suspense books about special forces agents who are now "out of the lifestyle". Or at least they are no longer working for the government. In this story, Cameron Moore is a Delta Force operative who can't seem to get away from his career. He was rescued from a bad path by his boss Gabriel, and for whom he has killed many people, usually not knowing the reason why.

After many attempts to go under the radar, Cam now has an opportunity to get back at Gabriel. Through his daughter Skylar. She is a successful author, who has recently had a very delicate surgery, and that has put her on the map as the daughter of Cam's worst nightmare. His plan? Seduce her, kidnap her, and if necessary... kill her.

I found both the hero and heroine very likable. Even though sometimes it seemed crazy to me that in the environment that Skylar would've grown up in, hiding her identity, she trusted Cam right away; and then when she started having doubts she still had to go with it. It was a difficult situation to be put in. But she still managed to get through it without being the victim or the TSTL heroine. So, I liked her!

But of course, as I've come to expect with the ACRO books, it's not all about the main couple. There's a secondary romance going on in this book.

Cam's best friend Dylan, who's had a relationship of sorts for some time with another undercover agent, Riley. They've gotten together on assignments where their paths have crossed, had an amazing connection, and have had to betray each other.

Now the time has come for Dylan to go after Riley and not let her walk away this time. Together they can face their mutual enemy and have hopes to defeat him.

Both couples have amazing chemistry and they each have obstacles to overcome along with facing some action. This was a good beginning to the series and I'm intrigued to know what happens next, especially with Dylan's brother Zane. Can't wait to read that!

Purchase from Amazon

Interview and Giveaway with Stephanie Tyler!

 

UTC is thrilled to have Stephanie Tyler here today with us! We are a huge fan of her ACRO books who Tyler writes under the pen name of Sydney Croft with fellow author, Larissa Ione. And there is no way I can resist a romantic suspense book either! So without further ado, let's get to know Stephanie Tyler some more! For more information on Stephanie, please visit her website for the latest news!

What is your writing process? Do you do a lot of research for your novels before you start or as you go along?

Both. I’ve researched the military aspects for a long time, so I have a lot of that under my belt, but I’m always refreshing my knowledge – and there are always new aspects to learn with each book.

You write with Larissa Ione under the pen name Sydney Croft. How did Sydney Croft come to be?

You can read the full story here, all the way to the left titled, Meet Sydney. http://www.stephanietyler.com/meet.php

But basically, Hurricane Katrina was the impetus for Sydney Croft  I like to think of it as something wonderful that came from something tragic.

How is the writing process different when writing with another author and when you're writing alone?

I’ve only written with Larissa and I don’t think I could ever write with someone else, so I don’t know if my experience would mirror anyone else’s. That being said, writing with Larissa is the easiest, most fun experience I’ve ever had. There’s just something about working together with her that makes it a joy – the words come easily, we’re excited about everything we write and the process goes incredibly quickly. And while I do love writing on my own, it’s definitely harder. Plus, with Sydney, I’m only writing half the book!

Taken by Fire was the last book in the ACRO series. Have you considered extending the series and writing more books?

We’ve always known the ACRO books had a six book arc, so no more full length books (for now, anyway – I never say never to anything). We do plan on doing some shorts and novellas set in the ACRO world.

Do you have any new projects as Sydney Croft in the works?

We have an idea for one but we haven’t started working on it. We’re hoping to be able to have it out maybe by Summer 2012, schedules permitting.

You are starting a new paranormal series The Eternal Wolf Clan. What can you tell us about it and when will the first book be released?

Dire Needs comes out March 6, 2012. But first, I’ll have an eSpecial available February 2012, titled Dire Warning, set in the world of the Eternal Wolf Clan.

The full moon is their mistress. They are predators of pleasure and pain. Feared by humans, envied by werewolves, the Dire Wolves are immortal shifters, obeying no laws but their own bestial natures. Once they were many, but now only six remain, a dangerous wolfpack forever on the hunt…

Rifter leads the pack, embracing the lifestyle and ethics of an outlaw biker even as he battles an ancient enemy who has become a new, powerful force. But with his Brother Wolf raging inside him, howling to be unleashed, he needs to satisfy his hungers. And when he meets a drop-dead gorgeous blonde drinking alone in a bar that caters to both human and inhuman, Rifter’s primal instinct is to claim her.

Gwen has her own desires, long unfulfilled. She hopes a passionate night with the leather-clad, Harley-riding biker will ease her suffering. The seizures that have wracked her body her entire life are incurable—and they’re killing her.

But none of that will matter if Rifter can’t stop the growing threat to them all — trappers who are determined to enslave humankind and use the Dire wolves as part of their nefarious plan.

You can find out more information here as it becomes available:
http://www.stephanietyler.com/next.php#paranormal

Night Moves is the fourth book in the Shadow Force series and Kell’s book. What can readers expect from this new release?

Night Moves, which releases October 4th, is definitely a buddy book – Reid plays a huge role in Kell’s life and in his book, so I really feel like it’s both their books. There’s lots of action in this one – lots of danger that brings together all the Shadow Force Operatives to fight an old enemy of Dylan’s – and Teddie’s enemies as well. But Kell’s up for the challenge.

Here’s the blurb:

Anything can happen under the cover of darkness.
Kell Roberts has walked the thin line between life and death for so long that it now feels like home. He is a soldier, a survivor, and a loner. Still, Kell cannot turn his back on the beautiful woman caught in his firefight against the drug lords of Mexico. She says her name is Teddie, but Kell senses there’s much more to her story—and it’s about to pull him into a mission he didn’t sign on for: keeping her alive.

Teddie Lassiter knows this lean, mean rescuer just saved her life, but the steel glint behind those soft gray eyes seem to be hiding something deep. The men after Teddie are deadly, but the man who holds her life in his hands and tempts her with his wicked touch is even more dangerous. He could make her dream about living and loving again. And if they can survive, maybe, just maybe, they can stop fighting the world and each other—and simply surrender.

You can read an excerpt here:
http://www.stephanietyler.com/books/moves.php#excerpt

We definitely understand your fascination for military heroes. What inspired you to write stories about these men?

It was several things – a grandfather who served in the Navy, my daughter being sick and still such a survivor. I wanted to write about men and women who had incredible courage and honor. Military heroes fit that bill for sure. And this seems like the perfect place to throw in a quick shout out for SEAL OF MY DREAMS, an anthology about Navy SEALs that will benefit these incredible military heroes. It’s a collection of novellas from many wonderful, talented authors and it’s being published by BelleBooks in both e and print on November 11th of this year – and the best part is that all proceeds go to veterans medical research! For more information, you can visit my website and Sealofmydreams.com – I believe by October 1st there will be excerpts from all the stories up.

What is one quality all heroes should have?

They need to have incredible honor, which keeps their moral compass pointed in the right direction. They have to make hard decisions about right and wrong, but they do so with the greatest good in mind.


On to questions about favorites! If you could spend the day with only ONE of your characters, who would you pick and why? What type of activities would you do?

Ender!!! I would go with him on one of his missions. Or maybe I would let him help me deliver some justice to some well deserving people. Heeheehee.

Fill in the blanks

I would have a one night stand with . . . If I wasn’t married? Ender! You know, before he met Kira..or Viggo circa Lord of the Rings.

I would marry . . .Zoo. All over again. And I’m not just saying this so he keeps cooking for me…

 

Thanks so much for stopping by! Stephanie is graciously giving away TWO copies of her newest release, NIGHT MOVES. Winners have the option of getting their prize as print or Kindle. Open to everyone! Winners will be chosen via Random.org. Good luck!

To enter, please:
1. Be a follower
2. Fill out the form below