Elisabeth Naughton!!!

Get Lost in This Story…

DEMETRIUS—He’s the hulking, brooding warrior his fellow Guardians avoid. Too dark. Too damaged. And given his heritage, he knows it’s best to keep everyone at arm’s length.

Isadora is missing. The words pound through his head like a frantic drumbeat. For her own protection, Demetrius did all he could to avoid the fragile princess, his soul mate. And now she’s gone—kidnapped. To get her back, he’ll have to go to the black place in his soul he’s always shunned.

As daemons ravage the human realm and his loyalty to the Guardians is put to the ultimate test, Demetrius realizes that Isadora is stronger than anyone thought. And finally letting her into his heart may be the only way to save them both.

EXCERPT:

Heat pricked every inch of Demetrius’s skin. Against his chest, Isadora was warm and soft and so damn tempting, it was all he could do to keep his hands at his sides and his eyes focused on the wall across the room.

She snuggled closer, and when the tips of her breasts brushed his chest, his heart rate skyrocketed. Shards of electricity shot from his chest to his stomach, then lower. And ah, gods, this was too damn good for words and the one thing he’d wanted to avoid. He sucked in a breath and held it, afraid if he moved, she’d slide even closer and he wouldn’t be able to hold back.

She stood on the second step, not quite at eye level, but he felt her gaze boring into him when she looked up. “Am I hurting you?”

“No.”

“Your teeth are clenched.”

Were they? Skata. He relaxed his jaw. “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

Sweat popped out on his brow. “No.”

The corner of her kiss-me mouth curled, just a touch, and he couldn’t help it. His gaze shifted from the wall to her face. To her molten-chocolate eyes—as warm as the torchlight behind her, rimmed all in gold—to her small nose, her creamy skin, to the tiny mole on the right side of her succulent lips. Heat flared in his abdomen as his gaze ran over her face, and that part of him that had kept his distance for so long whispered, Give in, just once.

Her gaze settled on his mouth. And though indecision brewed in her eyes, the tip of her small tongue snaked out to lick her lips in a way that was so damn sexy, he knew she couldn’t have planned it. Even before she pushed up on her toes, he knew what she was going to do. Just as he knew he should stop her.

He tensed as her mouth met his, tentatively at first. Soft as satin. But his reaction would have been the same if she’d slammed her lips against his and knocked him to the ground. Sparks lit off inside him, around him, everywhere, like fireworks exploding in the sky, blinding and consuming all at the same time. Until she was all he could feel, see, sense, know. Until nothing else mattered but her.

She broke the kiss way too soon. Uncertainty creased her forehead. She took a quick step back up the platform. “I…I’m sorry. I—”

The loss of her heat shifted his body into immediate action. He closed the distance between them, snagged her around the waist, lifted her off the ground, and drew her back against him. And then he lowered his head and kissed her. The way he’d wanted to kiss her for far too long. The way he should never ever kiss her. Especially now.

Today, I am thrilled to welcome paranormal romance author Elisabeth Naughton to the blog! I’m absolutely thrilled to finally be able to repay the lovely turn Elisabeth did by welcoming Golden Heart finalists, including me, on her blog—my very first guest blog in 2010 J. There are so many reasons I love Elisabeth. First, her writing is fantastic! Second, like me, she’s a scientist at heart!

A former junior high science teacher, Elisabeth Naughton traded in her red pen and test tube set for a laptop and research books. She now writes sexy romantic adventure and paranormal novels full time from her home in western Oregon where she lives with her husband and three children.

Her work has been nominated for numerous awards including the prestigious RITA® awards by Romance Writers of America, the Australian Romance Reader Awards, The Golden Leaf and the Golden Heart. When not writing, Elisabeth can be found running, hanging out at the ballpark or dreaming up new and exciting adventures.

So on to the Get Lost Interview!

Heather: What’s the first book you remember reading?

Elisabeth: Chapter books? Anne of Green Gables. I totally identified with Anne.

Heather: What’s your favorite cartoon character?

Elisabeth: Lately I’m infatuated with Patrick on Spongebob. He’s actually quite funny.

Heather: What turns you off like nothing else?

Elisabeth: People who act like they’re your friend but aren’t.

Heather: Where do you read and how often?

Elisabeth: I used to read before bed, but these days I’m staying up late working and at bedtime I just want to fall into the pillows and pass out. These days I read on the elliptical at the gym, in the bathtub when I need a stress reliever, or at the pool (or on a beach while on vacation!)

Heather: Do you write while listening to music? If so what kind?

Elisabeth: I can’t write to anything with lyrics. When I’m writing I listen to movie scores. My favorites are Lord of the Rings, Gladiator and Spirit.

Heather: What’s something you’d like to tell your fans?

Elisabeth: I’m often (okay, usually) as surprised by the direction of my stories as you are!

Heather: What’s the first thing you do when you finish writing a book?

Elisabeth: Ask myself why this isn’t getting any easier.

Heather: Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it?

Elisabeth: Tea. Green. Straight up. (I’m such a wild woman.)

Heather: What does it mean to love someone?

Elisabeth: To trust them 100% with your heart.

Heather: What’s your favorite kid joke?

Elisabeth: Why was six afraid of seven? Because seven eight (ate) nine! (I have a first grader. First graders think this is hilarious.)

Heather: Have you ever written a character who wasn’t meant to be a hero/heroine but he/she wouldn’t go away?

Elisabeth: Yep. The heroine in my debut novel – STOLEN FURY – was a secondary character in an earlier, unpublished manuscript. She was a pest (from a writer’s perspective!)

Heather: What is your favorite cheese?

Elisabeth: Pepperjack

Heather: What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet?

Elisabeth: Ronin

Heather: What’s in your refrigerator right now?

Elisabeth: Lots of stuff that needs to be thrown out.

Heather: Dog person or cat person?

Elisabeth: Dog

Heather’s GOTTA ASK – Elisabeth’s GOTTA ANSWER J

Heather: I noticed on your website that you were a junior high science teacher. I’ve noticed many of we-science-types are writing romance. What is the most important thing you’ve taken from your past life and applied to your writing?

Elisabeth: I think I got my love of drama from watching pre-teens interact. Middle school is all about the hormones and the emotional angst. Everything that happens to a teenager is the WORST thing that can possibly happen to them. I often think of that when I’m writing. What’s the WORST thing I can do to this character to really tip them off balance?

As for the science aspect, I’m totally fascinated by forensics and geology and chemistry. I always try to work that into my books somehow – doesn’t always happen, but I’m always looking for an opportunity!

GOT A QUESTION YOU’D LIKE TO ASK YOUR FANS?

Elisabeth: Since I write paranormal and am always looking for new series ideas…what paranormal characters or creatures would you like to read more of?

WILL YOU HAVE A DRAWING FROM THOSE LEAVING COMMENTS?**

Elisabeth: Yes! Sourcebooks is giving away two copies of TEMPTED to two lucky commenters (US/Canada shipping only) and I’m giving away an autographed copy of MARKED (book 1) and another of ENTWINED (book 2) to other winners!

Thanks so much for being with us today, Elisabeth! Where can your fans learn more about you on the web?

Website: www.elisabethnaughton.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elisabeth.naughton1

Twitter: www.twitter.com/elisnaughton

And if you missed out on Elisabeth’s last visit to GLIAS, click here to learn more about this fun author!

**Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North American addresses only unless specifically stated otherwise. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.