Today, I'm excited to welcome Elisabeth Naughton to the blog! Her new book is out now, and we've got an excerpt for you, along with a giveaway!
TWISTED:
Series: Eternal Guardians, Book #7
Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy Romance
Release Date: September 29, 2014
Publisher: Elisabeth Naughton Publishing, LLC
NICK – Leader of the half-breeds and the last true hero. He’s spent his life fighting a dark pull toward the gods. A pull he now knows is linked to his father Krónos and the Titan’s plan to escape from the Underworld.
But Nick’s hidden powers are coveted by more than just his father. Imprisoned by Hades, Nick battles every form of torture imaginable as the sadistic god schemes to break him. Only one thing is keeping him sane. One woman who gives him the strength to fight the relentless darkness. She has a dangerous plan of her own, though, and as Nick’s powers grow stronger, even she might not be enough to alter his destiny.
As the fate of the world hangs in the balance, Nick’s allegiances are tested. And no one knows whether he will choose to fight for good or succumb to the sinister lure of evil. Not even him.
The Excerpt:
“Nick.” Cynna’s soft,
warm fingers brushed his shoulder.
He dropped his hands
and whipped around. This deep in the tunnels, there was no light, but his
senses were so heightened right now from Krónos’s energy churning inside that
he didn’t need any illumination to see her standing a foot from him, her silky
hair falling to her shoulders, her wide chocolate eyes alight with sadness
and…pity.
The pity pushed him
right to the edge. Who was she to pity him? Who the f--- was she to care?
“Don’t let them win.” She moved closer. “Fight
it. The way you fought it these last few months.”
Those months spun in
his memory. Reverberated in his ears. Rushed through his veins. The crack of a
whip snapping in the darkness. The sting of the leather slicing into his flesh.
The cold metal of the shackles tightening against his wrists. The chains
jerking his arms high over his head. The hot, wicked sensation of those nymphs’
fingers gliding along his overheated skin. And a release he hadn’t known he’d
craved hovering out of his grasp, impossible to reach. All thanks to her.
Blood pounded in his veins. Anger and rage and
desperation coalesced. That energy snapped and sizzled in his hands until he
couldn’t hold it back anymore. “Stupid move, female.” He closed his hand around
her wrist and yanked. “I warned you.”
She gasped and fell
into him. But before she could pull away, he turned and dragged her behind him.
“Nick…”
He headed for the
tunnel on the left, wrapped his fingers around the first set of steel bars he
came to, and threw the door open.
He flung her into the
dark holding cell and stepped in after her.
She hit the stone
wall, turned quickly, and looked back, her wide eyes searching the darkness,
trying to find him. “Wh—what is this place?”
“Our version of a
drunk tank. Never used until now. F---ing poetic, if you ask me.”
She sucked in a
breath as he drew close, but didn’t struggle when he grasped her arm, yanked it
upward, and snapped a metal cuff high on the wall over her wrist. Didn’t once
turn away while he reached for her left arm, jerked that one up as well, and
snapped the second cuff over her other wrist.
That shadow energy
hummed and rolled inside as he stepped back. Thanks to his enhanced senses, he
could see her. See her well, even in utter darkness. His gaze slid over her
newly dark hair, the white, almost angelic sweater falling open at her chest,
the tips of her breasts pressing against the soft cotton, and her slim hips and
long legs encased in the formfitting jeans. Arousal stirred in his belly, mixed
with the darkness, then slinked downward until he was hard as stone.
“Nick. Listen to me.”
Her hands curled into fists. “I—”
“What did you say to
me in that cell when you brought those nymphs to me?” Power rippled in his
veins as he braced his hands on the stones beside her head and moved in so
close his body was a breath from hers.
“I—”
He brushed the tip of
his nose against her ear and lowered his voice to a menacing whisper. “I think
it was something along the lines of…this isn’t a game.”
Before topping multiple bestseller lists—including those of the New York Times, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal—Elisabeth Naughton taught middle school science. A rabid reader, she soon discovered she had a knack for creating stories with a chemistry of their own. The spark turned into a flame, and Naughton now writes full-time. Besides topping bestseller lists, her books have been nominated for some of the industry’s most prestigious awards, such as the RITA® and Golden Heart Awards from Romance Writers of America, the Australian Romance Reader Awards, and the Golden Leaf Award. When not dreaming up new stories, Naughton can be found spending time with her husband and three children in their western Oregon home. Visit her website atwww.ElisabethNaughton.com to learn more about her books.
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 ANSWERJ
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?
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.
Thanks for having me here today! It’s great to be with you all at Get Lost In a Story during release week for my new book, BODYGUARDS IN BED!
Yeah, it’s a hard job, but someone’s gotta do it.
There’s just one cardinal rule when it comes to being a bodyguard: no matter how tempting it may be, never, ever get romantically involved with the person you’re supposed to be protecting. But as these sensual novellas prove, even the most important rules are made to be broken–again and again and again. Join acclaimed authors Lucy Monroe, Jamie Denton, and Elisabeth Naughton as they open the files on an undercover operative who finds a sexy surprise under his covers, a hot case involving mixed messages and mistaken identities, and a mission impossible protecting a provocative beauty who lives to love dangerously.
And super sexy, faced-paced novella is called Acapulco Heat:
Sun, sand, skin and plenty of sex. That’s the name of the game in beautiful Acapulco.
Bodyguard Finn Tiernay’s new gig in the sultry city is nothing short of perfect. Too bad he can’t stand it. Hired to protect supermodel Lauren Kauffman during her very public, very sexy cosmetic shoot on the beach, Finn’s itching for a serious assignment and the chance to get away from the hot bod who’s set her sights set on him. Their mutual attraction has been brewing for some time, but he’s got no use for the super wealthy, isn’t about to become another diva’s boy toy. His no-fun-at-work motto might get him booted out of her bed, but when danger strikes, she won’t be able to shake him. And when he discovers things aren’t what they seem and that she’s more than a pretty face and smokin’ body, all bets are off. Lauren Kauffman’s about to take Finn for a ride he never saw coming. And there’s no telling who will survive.
Okay, okay. Get your minds off bodyguards and let's get to know Elisabeth Naughton.
DONNELL: Are you a big city or small town girl?
ELISABETH:I would say I’m a small town girl. Though the city I live in now is more medium than big or small. I grew up in a small town, however (Does anyone else hear John Mellencamp singing Small Town?), so that’s how I generally identify myself.
DONNELL: What/Where’s your favorite room in your house?
ELISABETH:Our great room. Even though it’s usually the noisiest room in the house. We added on a few years ago and I got to design the room just the way I wanted it. It’s 20x24, with a floor to ceiling stone fireplace, a gorgeous cherry mantle, and bookshelves that run the entire length of the wall on both sides of the fireplace. When we first built the room my husband said, “There’s no way you’ll ever fill all those bookshelves.” Of course, I did. J Pretty quickly, too.
DONNELL:Have you ever written a character who wasn’t meant to be a hero/heroine but he/she wouldn’t go away?
ELISABETH: Of course! Lisa Maxwell, the heroine in my debut, STOLEN FURY, was a secondary character in an earlier unpublished manuscript who definitely wouldn’t go away. I eventually gave in and wrote her book and it ended up being the first book I sold.
DONNELL: Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?
ELISABETH:I do. I’m always curious what people are saying about my books. I’ve had glowing reviews and then I’ve had awful ones. My favorite awful one was a reader who said she wanted her money back on the free ebook download. When I first started out, reading that would have crushed me, but I’ve grown very thick skin. Not everyone is going to love everything I write, just as I’m not going to love everything other writers write. It’s easy to forget the praise and focus on the negative, but when I have those moments of doubt (which all writers have) I pull up my saved fan mail file and flip through a couple of emails to remind me that for every person who doesn’t like my books, there are ten more who love them.
DONNELL:What’s in your refrigerator right now?
ELISABETH: Oh, man. I’m afraid to look. I’ve been on deadline and just turned in a book yesterday. My twelve-year old daughter has been doing a lot of the cooking and while she’s getting good at it (she made the most amazing brie en croute the other day), she’s not so great about cleaning up.
DONNELL:What is something that not a lot of people know about you but you WISH more people COULD know?
ELISABETH: Reading my books is like talking to me. Friends tell me all the time they had trouble reading my first few books because I write the way I talk and they could literally “hear me” as they were reading. For an author, that’s an incredible compliment. Means my voice is definitely me. When I first started writing one criticism I remember receiving was thatI was trying too hard to emulate other authors’ voices. Even now, remembering that feedback makes me laugh because anyone who knows me knows my books are all me. Every single one of them.
DONNELL:Is Elvis really dead?
ELISABETH: Yes. Though I’m thinking he might have been reincarnated into Justin Bieber.
DONNELL:If you could drive any car made, what would it be?
ELISABETH:Jeep Wrangler. Of course, then I’d need to live on a Hawaiian island so I could enjoy it.
DONNELL:What makes you happy?Then reverse this question.What turns you off?
ELISABETH: I make me happy. Happiness comes from within, not from the environment or those around me. When I’m accomplishing my goals, when I’m spending time with my family, when I’m taking time for me, I’m at my happiest.
As for what turns me off…stress. Nothing ruins my day more than a stressful event that’s completely out of my hands.
DONNELL:What do you do to unwind and relax?
ELISABETH: My favorite relaxation spot at home is a bubble bath, a glass of wine and a good book. My favorite relaxation spot elsewhere is a warm beach, a cool drink and a good book. (Hmm…I see a pattern here.)
DONNELL:Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?
ELISABETH: I think all writers get stuck now and then. For me, I don’t know that it’s writer’s block so much as it is procrastination block. I’m a major procrastinator. Writing, for me, is habit forming, and once Iget out of that habit it’s very hard to get back into it. When I do get stuck while writing, it’s usually because I’ve veered off in a direction the story shouldn’t have gone. Reevaluating my plot always gets me back on track.
I have had true writer’s block, though, so I know it’s real. The real writer’s block—the kind where there is nothing happening in your head—is frightening. I experienced that after a two week stay in the hospital and an episode of sepsis. My body was working so hard to heal from an infection that there was nothing left for creativity. For months I thought I’d never write again. And then one day, the stories and voices and everything came back. I can’t tell you what a relief that was. I’ve since talked to other authors who have been through their own health issues like cancer and heart conditions, etc—even the emotional turmoil of a family death—and they told me they’ve experienced the same. True writer’s block is not easily overcome and it’s scary as hell for an author. But the good news is that eventually, it does pass.The body—especially the mind—is an amazing thing.
DONNELL:What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?
ELISABETH: Holding my first published book was a dream come true. Seeing it on the shelf in a book store kicked that dream up a major notch. Double finaling in the RITAs in 2010 was a dream I never expected, but was thrilled to experience. But honestly, every step along the way is a new dream realized. I’ve learned to enjoy the victories, not sweat the small stuff, and worry only about the things I can control – like writing the next book and making it the best it can be.
DONNELL:Are you superstitious?
ELISABETH: Not really. I believe everything happens for a reason. Even when bad things happen, I try to see the good in them. We learn from every experience, even the trying ones.
DONNELL:What was one of the most surprising things you learned while writing/researching a book?
ELISABETH:EVERY book surprises me in one way or another. With this latest book, the biggest surprise was that I thought the theme was one thing, but when I reached the end and reread what I’d written, I realized the theme was something entirely different. I didn’t have to change anything to make the new theme work, it was right there all along. I just hadn’t “seen” it yet. In every book there’s a little magic…something I didn’t expect but which makes the book that much better. Its those moments of surprise that make writing—for me—so much fun.
DONNELL:Which era would you least liked to live in, fashion-wise? Most?
ELISABETH:Civil War era. The gowns were lovely but ack! Can't imagine squeezing into them. Or carting around all that extra weight of petticoats and hoops.
DONNELL: Dog or cat person?
ELISABETH: Dog person. We just got two Dalmatian pups. They're four months old now and into everything. (And eating everything too. . .including my baseboard molding.)
DONNELL: How much money does it take to be happy?
ELISABETH:No clue. I do know money doesn't make a person happy. It only eases financial stress.
DONNELL: What's the first thing you do when you finish a book?
ELISABETH: Hm…it’s never the same. But usually I finish in the dead of night so the FIRST thing I do is drop into bed and pass out.
As for celebratory things…when I finish a book I try to do one fun thing I’ve been putting off. Since I turned in a book yesterday, my reward today is catching The Hangover. Can’t wait to see it!
DONNELL: If you could interview anyone for a day (and it doesn’t have to be a writer) who would it be?
ELISABETH:Indiana Jones. I just want to pick his brain about all things adventure related. (He isn’t bad to look at either.)
What wonderful answers, Elisabeth. Now it's your turn. Do you have anything you want to ask our readers?
But—of course—the most exciting news TODAY is that I’m giving away an autographed copy of BODYGUARDS IN BED here! To be entered into the drawing, all you have to do is answer a question for me:
This is a two parter: 1) What is Finn Tierney’s nationality? (Hint: You MIGHT be able to find the answer on my website.) And 2) Are you a fan of bodyguard stories?
And for those that are interested, I’m hosting a release week party on my blog through Saturday, June 4, 2011. Stop by to join the fun and enter to win some fabulous giveaways at www.elisabethnaughton.com/blog.
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. Visit her at http://www.elisabethnaughton.com/to learn more.
No Mistress of Mine
A Duke to Remember
The Moon in the Palace
Her Every Wish
