Friday Funny: A Reading from Demon Hunting in Dixie

What better way to begin the Memorial Day weekend than with a reading from the delightful Lexi George.  Have a fun and safe holiday weekend!

Let's take our local authors to the beach!

Book clubs are everywhere, aren’t they? 

Nominally, I’m in two. With a couple of caveats. 

1) I hate night meetings with wine I can’t drink because hell-oooooo, I’m driving! 
2) I hate reading an assigned book. Even when I love the book, I hate it because it’s assigned. 

Those two factors translate into my not showing up all that often. And even less often reading the book in advance. 

Why do I join book clubs? Even though I’m a rebel, I like seeing my friends. And there’s so much a writer can learn from live interactions with face-to-face readers. The books that others recommend, as well as the different interpretations of what struck a chord,  are enlightening.  

This month, my book club (comprised of friends from high school) is going lightweight. It’s book report club month. Instead of discussing what Hilary Mantel’s Bring Up the Bodies reveals about the power of reproductive organs, we’re recommending beach reads.  

My plan is to WIN book club this month. That’s right. WIN. I’m not going to report on just one book. I’m going to recommend the full baker’s dozen released by Southern Magic authors already in 2013. 

What I will tell them is this: Don't expect to slog through a weighty load of Anna Karenina angst. Do expect to experience emotion. Do expect to see human nature exposed. Do expect to be entertained.

Everybody loves local authors, and I’ll bet my book club members have no idea how many Southern Magic authors live in the neighborhood. They’ll hear about:

• Circle of Deception by Carla Swafford (Avon)
• Demon Hunting in a Dive Bar by Lexi George (Brava) 
• In My Wildest Dreams by Larynn Ford (Soul Mate Publishing)
• Levitating Las Vegas by Jennifer Echols (Pocket Star)
• Lost Treasure, Captive Princess by Katherine Bone (Crimson Romance)
• Lover for Ransom by Debra Glass (Ellora’s Cave)
• Marriage Behind the Facade by Lynn Raye Harris (Harlequin Presents Extra) 
• Midnight Secrets by Ella Grace (Ballantine Books)
• Murder in the Smokies by Paula Graves (Harlequin Intrigue)
• Omega by Susannah Sandlin (Montlake Romance)
• The Rogue’s Prize by Katherine Bone (Crimson Romance)
• Star Crossed by Jennifer Echols (Pocket Books)
• Storm Force by Susannah Sandlin (Kindle Serial!)
• Under His Wings by Naima Simone (Ellora’s Cave)

Did I miss any 2013 Southern Magic releases? What book would you choose if you needed to report on a beach read for your book club? And why? 

Interview With Rie Warren

If you like wickedly edgy stories, with sharp humor--Rie Warren is one author you cannot miss. She has boundless energy (which I envy) and tons of creativity. It is my pleasure to have her on Romance Magicians--so please join me in welcoming her today!

Author, Rie Warren

Author Bio: A Yankee transplant via the UK and other wild journeys, Rie happily landed in Charleston, South Carolina, with her English artisan husband and their two small daughters--one an aspiring diva, the other a future punk rocker. After earning her degree in Fine Arts, Rie promptly gave up paintbrushes and canvas for paper and pen (because she decided being a writer was equally as good an idea as being an artist, of course it was). That was fifteen years ago, her writing career started! With a manuscript of super epic proportions! Safely stored under a lace doily in a filing cabinet. Possibly in England . . .
Since then she’s done this and that, here and there, usually in the nonprofit arena, until she returned to her dream of being a writer. Even though Rie basks in the glorious southern sunshine as often as she can, she’s mostly a nocturnal creature adjourning to her writer’s atelier (spare bedroom) in search of her next devious plot twist or delicious passionate tryst. 

No matter what genre or gender pairing she’s writing, she combines a sexy southern edge with humor and heart--and a taste of darkness. 

You write in a variety of genres, this one is contemporary, what other genres do you write in? What do you like about the differences?  

 My next novel—In His Command, which releases August 6^th—is dystopian/futuristic. It’s also a male-male love story so it is completely different from Sugar Daddy. And just to shake things up a little more, I write paranormal too. I love exploring different genres because of the freedom. With dystopian, I get to create a completely new world, politics, lifestyles and lingo. When I write paranormal, I give in to the side of me that craves a little bit of horror and darkness. I will say, though, no matter what genre I’m whacking around there’s always humor. 

I love your humor, and the fact you have so many stories...awesomeness. Yes, I am looking forward to seeing your stories.  

 

Who inspired your hero and heroine? Tell us something unique about each.

*cough-cough* Hmm, who inspired the sexy CEO Reardon Boone? Lemme see…um…oh yeah, DAVID EYECANDY GANDY! Excuse me for a minute while I try to think up something not completely dirty, hot, wicked to tell you about Reardon. He comes across as slightly arrogant, aloof and in control but once his Forbes 400 exterior is cracked, he’s really just a good ol’ boy at heart. 

You had me at David Gandy...

 

Miss Shay Greer? She sprung from my imagination like Athena from Zeus’s head…or something like that. She’s got a mouth like a sailor, a mind like a horny teenage boy, but she’s absolutely all woman especially when she’s around the bossman.  Now that is imagery!

 

Tell us about your writing process (which totally bloody awes me, just sayin'): Plotter, pantser, mix. When do you write?

Oh man, this would take a thesis, M.V.! I start as a pantser when I have that seed of a story. I keep one major document per series (or single title story) and throw all my daily scribble and so-awesome-omg-fabulous (I hope) ideas into it. When I’m ready to start that story, I plot the ever-lovin’ hell out of it, using a technique called Deep Story, laying out each chapter and slotting all those handy I’m-totally-gonna-be-a-bestseller (uh huh) notes into them. After that, I use a chapter guide/graph, work on each chapter as a separate doc, and basically all bets are off!  This fascinates me--and shows that writing takes a LOT of work.  

 

I don’t have to stick to my plot…in fact once everything is sorted on paper and the wild craziness of writing begins, some of the best/scariest/no-way-you-did-not-just-do-that things happen organically and I wouldn’t change that for the world. Those moments are the best! :)

 

I write mostly at night (I don’t sleep—it’s real fun) and edit/do biz type things during the day.This amazes me--because if I don't have some sleep I turn into a raging wench. Ask my family.  

 

What is your favorite scene in the book:

Sugar Daddy, By Rie Warren

 Dude, that is a difficult question. Hang on, I’m gonna go read it again. Be right back. Kidding.

My high heels were snug on my feet instead of planted up Reardon’s fine posterior when I exited the elevator Saturday night. Fearing I’d mistake the soup spoon for the dessert spoon, have another Pretty Woman moment with Slaughter, and not at all happy about Augie being in on my secret, I tried to squelch my nerves.

At least I looked fabulous. Dressed in a made-to-order, citron colored gown--successfully fending off Momma’s shopping trip to the Maxx for a knock-off dress--I wiggled my boobs in the awesome gown, which had caused cliquey bitchiness amidst the other lesser dresses in my closet.

I looked up from fiddling with my rings, and there he was, waiting for me outside the penthouse. In a tux. Eat your heart out, Scarlett O’Whora.

Creamy white jacket and shirt offsetting the tan of his skin and the blue of his eyes, midnight trousers the color of his hair, Reardon rested his shoulders against the wall and stroked a slim cigarillo between his fingertips. He allayed all my worries because frankly, the stroking motion combined with the visual of him in formal attire put my brain on a permanent leave of absence.

His eyes clung to my gown, which clung to my cleavage.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Thank you for the gown, and the unmentionables.” The buttery silk corset, garters, stockings, and panties truly were unmentionable. “And the shoes.” Shoes were an understatement. Three inches of sexy strappy heels I’d already trilled and cooed over.

Taking me in his arms, he pressed a short sexy kiss to my mouth. “You look unbelievable, Shay.”

I displayed the curve of my leg. “You chose everything yourself?”

“Mm hmm.”

“Sure you’re not gay?”

“At the time I was thinking about taking the clothes off you, especially the unmentionables. Not dressing you.”

Ooh. Definitely not gay.

This is a fabulous example of your writing, thank you! 

Do you have Critique partners or Beta readers? How did you find them? (I know many writers struggle to find them). 

I do! I have the most amazing crew. Basically, without them, I’d be curled up in a ball under my desk, mumbling gibberish. And drooling. This is kind of a crazy story: I found them all through fanfiction. Yup, s’all true. Once upon a time (up until two years ago) I wrote trashy, fabulous, funny Twilight fanfiction and loved every minute of it. My Beta and cp’s are all former reviewers/readers of mine…and of course the most amazing lifelong friends. This is fabulous--years and years ago I dabbled in fanfic, so this to me is very cool.  

 

What are you reading now?

See, now, someone wicked and evil tricked me by handing me her book for free at RT Convention (which you need to go to because I missed you).---I really want to go to this, I lived vicariously through everyone's posts. I was all, ‘It’s free? Sure, I’ll take it. Plus, I really like you…’ Big Mistake. That book was Inamorata by Margaret Ethridge. I tore through that bad boy last week, bought two more of her books Saturday, read Contentment yesterday, and am about start another of hers! She’s evil, and a corruptor. In other words, she’s a damn genius and I am totally hooked on her writing. ooooh, I looked her up and her writing looks amazing.   

 What is your favorite drink? (Coffee, tea, adult beverage...)

I have to have me some loose-leaf, imported from England, Earl Grey tea I adore Earl Grey tea!. No lie. It’s my one must-have splurge (okay, now that is a lie because my other splurge is highlights; gotta keep the blonde alive-This I also understand). For adult bevvies…does it have alcohol? Then I’m in! Nah (yeah). My bev of choice is red wine: petite syrah, shiraz, cab…glug-glug-glug  oooh, I love red wine...

 

Thank you, M.V. and Southern Magicians for having me! You are fabulous and I can’t wait to see you again so we can share that bottle of wine. I hope you can come again, you are wonderful. And I will take you up on that wine one day soon. Congratulations again on your book!  

 

Links for Rie Warren: 

 Sugar Daddy Book Trailer, 

 Good Reads,

Author Website

FaceBook 

Sugar Daddy, By Rie Warren

 Blurb:

She needs a job. He wants a mistress. Hearts and contracts are bound to get broken.

Shay Greer is pure GRITS—a Girl Raised In The South–but nowhere near a demure southern belle. She’s looking for a way out of her broken down marriage when she lands an unexpected job offer she really should refuse. Position? Mistress. Fringe Benefits? Of course. Fraternization with sexy CEO Reardon Boone? Required. Lured by the promise of intimacy missing from her failed marriage, Shay signs on. She’s barely survived a hellish year of heartbreak and needs a fresh start, but she gets more than she bargained for with lowcountry-boy-made-good Reardon Boone.

  

Bankrolling Shay into his bedroom, Reardon sticks by his tried and true rules: no-strings-attached seduction, no messy emotions, absolutely nothing resembling a relationship. This sassy, sultry woman fits the bill precisely…until she arouses more than his erotic appetite.

So desirable he sets hearts on fire in everyone from downtown debutantes to downhome mommas, Reardon is as irresistible as he is unattainable. Shay falls hard despite their unorthodox arrangement. Determined to discover what’s concealed beneath his Forbes 400 facade, she has no idea how close to home the truth will hit.