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Word Wars! Twelve Shades of Midnight Authors Share Their Most (& Least) Favorite Things
Twelve Shades of Midnight, an anthology of 12 all new paranormal novellas is out today! My novella, Midnight Sun, is included and I’m thrilled to be part of this amazing lineup of authors for my first foray into the paranormal.
I’ve had a blast working with the other authors in the making of this anthology! From brainstorming titles to coming up with Easter eggs hidden in the stories, the messages between the members of the group have been hilarious. How lucky am I to be in this amazing anthology?
Twelve Shades of Midnight
The stroke of midnight ushers in many things. From hijinks and mischief to danger and evil, romance is the magic that binds these paranormal novellas together. Join 12 bestselling and award winning authors as they explore the different shades of midnight in exclusive, never-before-released stories.
Liliana Hart – THE WITCH NEXT DOOR
Darynda Jones – A LOVELY DROP
Shea Berkley – DARK SECRETS: STONE COLD DEAD
Dakota Cassidy – WITCHED AT BIRTH
Claire Cavanaugh – MIDNIGHT RENEGADE
Rachel Grant – MIDNIGHT SUN
Trish McCallan – SPIRIT WOODS
Angi Morgan – BODYGUARDS IN HEELS: HIT & RUN HALLIE
Robin Perini – NIGHT OF THE JAGUAR
Robyn Peterman – SWITCHING HOUR
Ann Voss Peterson – THE SCHOOL
Jenn Stark – GETTING WILDE
Watch the Twelve Shades trailer: Facebook | YouTube
We’re celebrating the launch tomorrow with a Facebook party with lots of games and prizes. This is your opportunity to find out what I mean when I say how funny these authors are! Click on the image to RSVP.
Amazon | iBooks | Kobo | Barnes & Noble
Because I love exploring the similarities and differences in the answers, I subjected the Twelve Shades of Midnight authors to the Inside the Actors Studio quiz.
What is your favorite word?
Dakota: Serendipitous | Robyn: Yes |
Angi: Conundrum | Rachel: Necropolis |
Shea: I’m a writer. It’s nearly impossible to whittle it down to one…but I do love my name being said by someone who loves me. | Jenn: Kabillion. Except that’s not a word I don’t think. |
Robin: Cacophony, just because it sounds cool. | Claire: Happy |
Ann: Fabulous | Liliana: Dude |
What is your least favorite word?
Dakota: Can’t | Robyn: No |
Angi: Procrastinate | Rachel: Racial and homophobic slurs |
Shea: Snot. It’s just one of those words that sounds gross and refers to something gross. | Jenn: Disappointed |
Robin: Moist…just ’cause, well, yuck. | Claire: Anything prejudicial |
Ann: Ensconce | Liliana: Moist |
What turns you on?
Dakota: Serenity | Robyn: Humor and a nice ass |
Angi: Being shown love | Rachel: Captain America |
Shea: Kisses on my neck…soft, slow kisses. (sigh) | Jenn: The eyes have it: If a glance is intentional, intense and interested (from the right guy), I’m in. |
Robin: Slow dancing and swaying to the music | Claire: Eagerness and humor. Cleaning my house doesn’t hurt either! |
Ann: Coffee | Liliana: Brains, baby. Followed closely by the ability to make me laugh like crazy. |
What turns you off?
Dakota: Whiners | Robyn: Negativity and lack of humility |
Angi: Talk Talk Talk and More Talk | Rachel: Rudeness |
Shea: Hypocrisy and arrogance. They often go hand in hand except the person demonstrating these qualities rarely knows they’re doing them. | Jenn: Abuse of any sort–mental, verbal, physical–no matter the scale. If you don’t choose your adversaries nobly, you suck. |
Robin: Unkindness | Claire: Stress |
Ann: Running out of coffee | Liliana: Bad hygiene |
What sound or noise do you love?
Dakota: Laughter | Robyn: My kids laughter |
Angi: Ocean waves and puppies playing | Rachel: My children’s laughter |
Shea: A drumline. It’s all about the beat, baby! | Jenn: The gentle crash of ocean waves |
Robin: A baby’s laugh | Claire: My granddaughter’s magical laughter |
Ann: Wind chimes | Liliana: Rain and thunderstorms |
What sound or noise do you hate?
Dakota: Sloppy eaters | Robyn: My alarm clock |
Angi: Leaf blowers | Rachel: My husband’s alarm clock |
Shea: My cat hacking up a hairball. Why is it always in the middle of the night? And does he clean up his mess? Nooo. He tries to bury it in the carpet, and I’m the one who’s got to clean up the nastiness he leaves behind. | Jenn: My cat demanding breakfast at 4:15 a.m. Every. Morning. |
Robin: Telephone ring | Claire: A dentist’s drill |
Ann: My alarm clock | Liliana: Teeth scraping against a fork |
What is your favorite curse word?
Dakota: Dicknuckle | Robyn: Fuck |
Angi: Damn | Rachel: Fuck |
Shea: Arse, but only when British people say it. It makes me giggle. | Jenn: Fuck. Such a multitasker. |
Robin: I don’t have one. | Claire: Damn, and any variation thereof |
Ann: Fuck. Really, so versatile! | Liliana: Douchecanoe |
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Dakota: Supermodeling | Robyn: Chef |
Angi: Photography | Rachel: Travel writer who gets paid to go everywhere on vacation (Rick Steves, I want your job) |
Shea: A falconer. Hunting with a bird would be fun. | Jenn: Artifact Hunter |
Robin: CIA Analyst, because I think it would be fascinating, and it would bring me that much closer to the books I write. | Claire: FBI agent in my dreams. Travel writer as a possible reality. |
Ann: Horse trainer | Liliana: Professional shoe shopper and cheese fry eater |
What profession would you not like to do?
Dakota: Porta Potty maintenance | Robyn: Computer programmer |
Angi: Anything with math | Rachel: Wearing a hot dog costume and passing out flyers. |
Shea: Sewage worker. Does anyone actually want to be a sewage worker? | Jenn: Social worker. My heart would break or I’d want to seriously beat up people every day. |
Robin: Sewer Maintenance. Self explanatory 🙂 | Claire: Anything involving strange smells. I have a weak stomach. |
Ann: School teacher, way too tough | Liliana: Anything dealing with poop |
If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
Dakota: “Your castle with a turret, high on a hill, with all your family members and pets inside is to the right.. :).” | Robyn: “It was a close one, but I was owed some favors. I was in the middle of a Scrabble tournament before you arrived, would you like to join me?” |
Angi: “Welcome home.” | Rachel: “I’ve decided to make an exception for you.” |
Shea: “It’s about time you got here. You did good. There’s an all you can eat chocolate section next to the sushi bar and steaks grilling on the barbeque. And the mashed potatoes are so creamy…and fully loaded.” (yeah, the way to my heart is to feed me comfort food) | Jenn: “Good job.” |
Robin: “There really is a reason for everything, and if you’ll come with me, I’ll explain it all.” | Claire: “You really gave your guardian angel a work out, but I’m glad to see you made it, Claire.” |
Ann: “Everyone you love is here or on their way… eventually.” | Liliana: “Your family and friends are waiting for you. And there’s an all-you-can-eat buffet.” |
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And the winners from last week’s post are:
Kieran Kramer won Suzanne and Melanie Brockmann’s Night Sky
and Kim K. won Heather Ashby’s Never Forget.
Congratulations, ladies! Please use our contact page to claim your prize.
Thanks to everyone who commented! ~ Sharon
Mary Behre’s SPIRITED Debut!
It is my extreme pleasure and honor to introduce my dear friend, debut Paranormal Romantic Suspense author, MARY BEHRE (pronounced Merry Berry–isn’t that too cute?) to you today!
Not only is Mary a truly selfLESS, sweet, giving, nurturing, amazing person, she is also a rather incredible author.
Just look at some of the reviews pouring in for her first novel, SPIRITED, which debuts today!
“This mix of romance, ghostly visions and unexpected danger is unbelievably fun and thrilling!” –4Stars RT Book Reviews
“…a fast paced story that made me lose track of the time…” 4 1/2 Stars Top Pick, Night Owl Reviews
“Behre’s exuberant debut paranormal romance is lighthearted and easygoing, with a slow-moving subplot that promises to spark future books.” –Publishers Weekly
“I loved Spirited and can’t wait to see what Behre will do next. She has an incredible talent and is a great new voice in romantic suspense that will most definitely have me coming back for more.” ~herding cats & burning soup
“Spirited is an intriguing blend of romance, mystery and ghosts to keep you up late at night.”New York Times bestseller Dianna Love
“Great! A real-page turner. Be prepared, once you sit down to read, you won’t want to get up until you’ve finished the book.” – NY Times and USA Today Bestselling author Lynsay Sands
“A sweet, funny, sexy debut!” – Deadly Games Series author Lena Diaz 🙂
“Rich with mystery, hot romance, and sneaky humor… No magic crystal ball is needed to foresee this writer is bursting with talent!” – Author of Games People Play & The Fifth Favor, Shelby Reed
Isn’t that terrific???? I can’t remember the last time I saw such glowing reviews for a brand new author. Here’s the cover–which I adore!–for SPIRITED, along with the back cover copy.
She’s running from who she is…
All Jules Scott wants is to live a normal, quiet life–preferably one that doesn’t include ghosts. Jules’s ability for communicating with the dead has brought her nothing but trouble. Despite her best efforts, needy spirits always find her and draw her into their otherworldly drama. When one implicates her in a series of deadly crimes, she may need to entrust her secrets to the person least likely to believe her…
He’ll do whatever it takes to catch her.
Detective Seth English can’t get distracted from the big case he’s working on, not even by his alluring new neighbor. He doesn’t believe that Jules had anything to do with the string of robberies-turned-murders that he’s investigating, but when she keeps showing up in all the wrong places, his gut tells him she knows more than she’s letting on. To solve his case, he’ll need to expose what the sexy redhead is hiding–no matter how impossible the truth may be…
Now let’s get to know Mary a little better…
LD: What’s your favorite food?
MB: Chocolate, of course!
LD: What three books influenced you the most in life?
MB: I love this question!
Dr. Seuss’s HORTON HATCHES THE EGG had a huge influence both on my childhood and my philosophy of life. Here was an elephant doing what the entire world thought was ridiculous because he’d made a promise. In the end, the universe rewarded his honesty, his hard work and his faithfulness. “And it should be, it Should be, IT SHOULD BE like that. Because Horton was faithful, he sat and he sat.”
Another book that heavily influenced my life was Agatha Christie’s THE MIRROR CRACK’D FROM SIDE TO SIDE. I’d read a number of Miss Marple books but this was the first one where I figured out who did it on page thirty-eight. It wasn’t because the book was poorly written, quite the opposite. I’d simply adopted Miss Marple’s habit of comparing a mystery to life as I knew it. And I figured out who did it and why. Ooh, I felt so brilliant that day. I thought for sure, I’d guess the culprit in all of her other books as quickly. I didn’t but I did learn to pay attention to details in books and movies.
Finally, the most recent book to add to my list of most influential books of my life is Suzanne Brockmann’s INTO THE STORM. Shortly after my second child was born, my sister handed me her copy of the book while my baby napped. I couldn’t put it down. Suddenly, I’d found a genre that I could really see myself writing. Sexy, fun, and suspenseful!
LD: When you’ve had a rough week, what’s your go –to book or movie or activity to relieve stress?
MB: For a long time, my go-to movie was GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE with Brendan Fraser. I love the slapstick comedy. Anymore, I don’t have time to watch a lot of movies, but I must admit, between November 1st and December 31st, I’m a sucker for sappy and sometimes silly Christmas movies.
LD: What profession would you like to attempt?
MB:Tai Chi instructor. I was once on the path to become one, but then my husband moved to a small town. I could have continued my training to be an instructor, but that would have meant weekly eight-hour round trips and my children were still babies at the time. So, it wasn’t feasible.
LD: What profession would not want to attempt?
MB: Any job from which I’ve already resigned. LOL. I believe if work becomes drudgery, quit and find something you enjoy. Life’s too short to hate your job.
LD: What sound or noise do you love?
MB: Military jets in the skies over Virginia Beach. When September 11th happened, all the jets were grounded. It was an eerie quiet that night.
LD: What’s a fact most people couldn’t guess about you?
MB: I have three tattoos; a frog, a dream catcher and a pink ribbon. Each one represents a significant change in my life or the life of a loved one.
LD: Vampire, werewolf, zombie, ancient warrior, cowboy, or ghost?
MB: GHOST! I love suspense but I love paranormal too. There’s a ghost in almost every story I write.
LD: What subgenre do you write?
MB: Technically, I write paranormal romance, but it’s really paranormal romantic suspense. Ever story has humor, suspense and a psychic love-connection.
LD: What’s your writing schedule like?
MB: I write Monday through Friday from nine am until five pm. Since I have a family with young children, it’s imperative I be available to spend time with them at night and on the weekends. Although, when I’m under a tight deadline, I have been known to write all night long.
LD: In one word, describe your perfect day.
MB: Beach
LD: Where can readers find you in the next six months? (Conferences and/or book signings)
MB: I’m all over the place!
March 8, 2014: Books-A-Million in Fredericksburg, VA for my book launch party
March 22, 2014: Turn The Page Bookstore in Boonsboro, MD where I’ll be doing a book signing with Tracey Anne Warren, Erika Robuck, Addison Fox, Cat Johnson, and NORA ROBERTS!
April 12, 2014: Lady Jane Salon Silver Spring, in Bethesda, MD
April 27, 2014: Kensington Day of the Book, Kensington, MD
May 14-18, 2014: RT Booklovers Convention, New Orleans, LA
June 27-28, 2014: Frederick Book Festival, Frederick, MD
July 23-26, 2014: RWA National Convention, San Antonio, TX
LD: Where can people find you on the internet?
http://facebook.com/MaryBehre.Author
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Buy Links!
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/spirited-mary-behre/1116561037?ean=9780425268612
Leave a comment or question for Mary to be eligible for a drawing to win a free ebook copy (Nook or Kindle, winner’s choice) of SPIRITED! Please check back on Thursday to see if you’re a winner.