TBR welcomes Maeve Greyson

TBR: TBR is pleased to welcome back Maeve Greyson.

Maeve: It’s so lovely to be back here at TBR to share another release! I think this site is a wonderful place for readers and writers to share the love of a good story.

TBR: Tell us about Eternity’s Mark and where it's available.

Maeve: ETERNITY’S MARK is my latest paranormal romance releasing on March 27th from Kensington’s Brava line. This is the story that won Kensington Brava and RT Book Reviews 2011 Writing with the Stars contest. You remember. The contest where I aggravated the living bejeebers out of everyone by asking them to vote and help me survive different challenges to move up a level every month? Yep. THAT one.

ETERNITY’S MARK will be available at bookstores and also online retailers, including Amazon.

TBR: Please tantalize us with a story blurb or excerpt.

Maeve: A sexy Scot. A mystical inheritance. What could go wrong?

Veterinarian Hannah MacPherson knows better than to believe in love at first—or any—sight.

True, being swept away by Taggart de Gaelson to the vast Scottish castle she’s mysteriously inherited is uber-romantic. The legacy is totally legitimate, and its messenger is big, broad-shouldered, and smokin’ in more ways than one…

Too bad Taggart forgot to mention that Hannah’s also a Guardian of magical dragons called the Draecna. And as Hannah’s sworn otherworldly protector, Taggart is honor-bound not to lay a hand on her, no matter how close he gets…

But turning duty into pleasure is just too tempting. And for Hannah, mastering her powers and saving two worlds from evil will be way easier than showing one hardheaded warrior that breaking all the rules means they are eternally made for each other…

TBR: What inspired you to write about the theme?

Maeve: Dragons have always fascinated me but I wanted to write a story that was just a little bit different. I guess that’s how the Draecna race and all their mysteries came to mind.

TBR: Are you a plotter or pantser?

Maeve:  I would really love to be a plotter and I try. I use spreadsheets, sticky notes, notebooks. But it never fails, by the time I finish writing the story – it looks NOTHING like what I plotted.

TBR: Which of your characters would you most/least like to invite to dinner, and why?

Maeve: Least like to invite? Gearlach. While he’s a very jovial five hundred year old Draecna, the fact that he resembles a dragon and is the size of a bull elephant would make getting him INSIDE my cozy little house a bit of a challenge. Of course, since he also has the ability to breathe fire, he might be rather handy for a backyard barbecue.

Most like to invite? Hannah. Not only is she a knowledgeable veterinarian, but she also reads animal’s thoughts. Maybe she could help me convince Jasper to stop tinkling in my house slippers whenever I leave him home alone. *sigh* By the way, Jasper is my writing partner. A rat terrier / Chihuahua mix with delusions of grandeur that adopted us when we visited a shelter.

TBR: While creating your books, what was one of the most surprising things you learned?
Maeve: That you can’t always trust spell check and that the English teacher that told me if I wasn’t sure about punctuation, all I had to do was add a comma. He was DEAD WRONG.

TBR: Tease us with one little thing about your fictional world that makes it different from others.
Maeve:  Even fire-breathing, leather-winged mystical races need love too.

TBR: What's next for you?
Maeve: I’m attending RT’s Booklovers convention in Chicago next month. Look me up and say Hi!

TBR: Any other published works?

Maeve:  BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER is my debut novel with The Wild Rose Press. It introduces the MacKay family to the world.

THE HIGHLANDER’S FURY released from The Wild Rose Press on March 2nd. It’s a visit with another member of the MacKay family.

TBR: Where can readers find you on the web?
Maeve:

http://www.maevegreyson.com/

https://www.amazon.com/author/maevegreyson

http://www.facebook.com/maeve.greyson.page

http://twitter.com/#!/maevegreyson

TBR: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Maeve: Does genre matter? Or do you just want a great story?

TBR: Readers, Maeve give one lucky commenter an advanced reading copy (ARC) of ETERNITY’S MARK along with a cover flat and a few of the promo items she plans to give away at RT next month. Maeve will select a winner next week and announce it here.

Thanks for being a guest at TBR again, Maeve. Have a blast at the conference!

This week on TBR

Sorry for the late post, a bug kept me down yesterday.

So far this week, two wonderful authors are confirmed:

Monday - Maeve Greyson

Wednesday - Rachel Brimble

Saturday's another blurb fest - SciFi! Looking forward to reading some great blurbs, so get yours ready to post!

Cate

This week on TBR

I'm excited TBR has many new followers! Thanks to everyone who entered the Leap Into Books giveaway - and if you haven't already, you still have today and tomorrow to enter. Click on the badge at right to take you to the Leap Into Books page.

You also still have time to enter Maeve Greyson's giveaway - just leave a comment on her post below.

Here's the lineup for this week:

Monday, March 5 - Kacey Hammell

Wednesday, March 7 - Cate Masters

Friday, March 9 - Debra Kayn

Yep, that's me on Wednesday, joining in the TBR fun. :)

On Tuesday, I'll announce the winners of the Leap Into Books giveaway, too.

Lastly, Saturday's the Paranormal Blurb Fest, so be sure to visit to read some spine-tingly blurbs.

Again, another busy week at TBR. Thanks for your support!

Cate

TBR welcomes Maeve Greyson

TBR: TBR is pleased to welcome Maeve Greyson. Will you share a little bit about yourself, Maeve?

Maeve: *sigh* Why is that question ALWAYS the most difficult to answer? By the way, before I bore…er…um…tell you a little about myself, I’d like to thank you ever so much for having me over for a bit of a chat. I just love this site and I’m honored to be here. Now. A little about myself? I like to think of myself as an ever-changing work in progress. Wife, Mom, YaYa (code for grandma), steel mill worker and last but I hope FAR from least, I’m a writer. Season all of the above with a heavy dose of animal lover, nature appreciator and avid reader, and you’ve described me to a “tee”.

TBR: Tell us about The Highlander’s Fury and where it's available.

Maeve: My latest paranormal romance, THE HIGHLANDER’S FURY, will be released on March 2^nd from The Wild Rose Press. It’s a visit with a different member of the MacKay clan introduced to readers in BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER. THE HIGHLANDER’S FURY will be available in both print an ebook format at The Wild Rose Press and other online retailers. Here’s the “Books” link on mywebsite for more information. 

TBR: Please tantalize us with a story blurb or excerpt.

Maeve:

An average day in the life of an immortal Fury?

Flex powers. Locate evil. Administer justice.

Until Ciara’s goddess mothers convince her to seduce a brooding mortal and bear the man a gifted child. All she has to do is swap places with his betrothed. A simple task−become the seductive wife, bear the man a child and train the young one in the Ways. Once the boy reaches seven years of age, they’ll swap her back with the wife Faolan thinks he selected and Ciara can resume her job of rousting wickedness from the world.

Faolan MacKay’s advisors plague him daily about his matrimonial duties as laird, dragging prospects from across the Highlands: plump dowries attached to each one.

Faolan’s lost everyone he’s ever loved. He’d rather go straight to the fiery pits of Hell than down the wedding aisle. Out of desperation, a plan takes seed. He’ll select a wife he can ignore. There’s just one problem with this foolproof theory. Nobody ignores Ciara.

Against his better judgment, he’s enthralled with the woman and to Ciara’s surprise, this strange thing called love burns hotter than her hunger for vengeance.

At the end of the seven years the ruse is up, all will return to as it was. Can the bond of love overcome the mandate of the ultimate powers?

Excerpt:

A sudden awareness of shifting energies pulled Ciara from her silent plotting.   Reaching out with her essence, her aura stroked him.  She caressed Faolan’s soul with the power of her mind.   Ciara sensed the energies surrounding the man respond to her aura’s touch.  As she found herself appraised by the dark brooding man before her, a delicious shiver tickled up her spine. 

Faolan’s eyes flashed and his gaze locked with hers, his jaw rippled as he clenched his teeth.  Silent laughter bubbled in her throat.  His expression said he sensed the energies as well.  With a stiff bow, he brushed the tips of his fingers to her outstretched hand.  “Mistress Dierdra, ‘tis a pleasure to meet ye.  Welcome to Castle MacKay.”

Ciara strained to keep from smiling at the MacKay chieftain’s obvious discomfort.  She slid her hand deeper into his moist palm as she floated closer to him.  Murky colors of unease swirled and shifted in Faolan’s aura.  The poor man was miserable.  Did he find matrimony so undesirable?  “Please, Laird MacKay, I would ask that you call me Ciara.  That’s the name my mother always used.” 

As Faolan inched a step back in retreat, Ciara caught her breath.

Faolan cleared his throat and repeated his formal welcome.  His head snapped forward with a stiff nod as though attached by a rusty hinge.  “Lady Ciara, welcome to the MacKay keep.  Welcome to your new home.” 

As he tried to retreat another step, he lurched to a stop as he bumped into a body.  Maxwell had come to stand right behind him on the dais.

Ciara couldn’t resist a wicked smile.  Now Faolan couldn’t escape her.

TBR: What inspired you to write about the theme?

Maeve: I’ve always loved Celtic myths and legends. The old folk tales colored with ancient rituals and beliefs are just too tempting to resist.

TBR: Are you a plotter or pantser?

Maeve: Both. I always attempt to plot out my stories but my Muse invariably kidnaps my characters and leads them astray.

TBR: How do you develop your characters?

Maeve: I don’t. They handle that themselves during their constant banter inside my head.

TBR: Do you have a favorite quote you’d like to share?

Maeve: Yes. It’s quite a recent quote from Tom Hanks but I find it very inspiring and quite appropriate for a writer.  “If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. It’s the hard that makes it great.”

TBR: Did any music inspire your book? Do you have a playlist?

Maeve: I’m afraid not. While I enjoy many different styles of music ranging from Vivaldi to the Black Eyed Peas…I need silence when I write or I tense up and become very frustrated with my inability to concentrate.

TBR: Which of your characters would you most/least like to invite to dinner, and why?

Maeve: Least like to invite? Alec. He’s Ciara’s confidante and he’s cursed by the Goddess Brid to forever assume the form of a raven. Needless to say, because of this curse, he’s a bit surly and quite the smart ass. I’m afraid he’d smart off to me one time too many and I’d have to pluck him and put him in a pie.

Most like to invite? Keagan. He’s Faolan and Ciara’s son. A gifted child, wise beyond his years and able to communicate with animals. I could visit with Keagan for hours.

TBR: What's next for you?
Maeve:  March is turning out to be a busy month. On the 27^th, my paranormal romance that won Kensington Brava and RT Book Reviews 2011 Writing with the Stars contest will be released. I’m very excited to launch ETERNITY’S MARK into the world.

TBR: What’s the most challenging aspect of writing? Most rewarding?
Maeve:  Most challenging? Balancing a full time job, writing, editing, blogging, and family…not necessarily in that order.

Most rewarding? Having someone tell me they loved my story and couldn’t put it down until they’d finished the entire book.

TBR: What’s the most interesting comment you have received about your books?
Maeve: The “oddest” comment I’ve ever received was that I should never have animals in my books because readers don’t like them and they’re cliché.

The “best” comment I ever got was that my book should be made into a movie. And no. It was NOT a friend or relative. It was an unbiased reader. I swear.

TBR: Where can readers find you on the web?
Maeve: 

http://www.maevegreyson.com/

https://www.amazon.com/author/maevegreyson

http://www.facebook.com/maeve.greyson.page

http://twitter.com/#!/maevegreyson

TBR: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Maeve: Do readers like author newsletters?

TBR: Readers, Maeve is giving one lucky commenter a PDF copy of The Highlander’s Fury. She'll pick a winner next week and announce the winner here.

Thanks for visiting TBR, Maeve. All the best to you.

A busy week on TBR this week!

Three wonderful authors are visiting TBR this week:

Monday - S.G. Rogers

Wednesday - Maeve Greyson

Friday - Rae Lori, TBR's February Featured Author!

Wow, only a few more days left in February. Check back Thursday for our new Featured Author, Kitty Keswick!

The end of February also brings the end of Google Friend Connect, so I'd love it if you'd follow through Linky. It's easy, free, no spam involved. :) Click at right.

And.... to celebrate all you wonderful followers, TBR is participating in the Leap Into Books hop.

Mark your calendars and visit on Wednesday, then click on the blog hop badge  at right to see the cool giveaway and enter.

Thanks for all your support!
Cate