Author Interview – Casey Moss

I know Casey Moss as her steamy romance alter ego C.R. Moss, who is a pub buddy of mine over at Decadent Publishing. Casey delves into darker passions, sometimes blending in paranormal, suspense, thrills and eroticism (all with romantic elements of course).

Being set in an MMORPG (that’s massively multiplayer online role-playing game, for those not in the know), her new release, Open World – a C.O.V.E.N. Story, makes the inner-geek in me squeal with glee. Let’s find out more about it!

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1. Hi Casey, and welcome to my blog. As a former Guild Wars addict, you had me at MMORPG. But for those more like my husband (whose response to my use of said acronym was: “Is that some sort of rocket-propelled grenade?”), would you mind explaining what this type of game is?

As stated above, it’s an MMORPG where players from around the world can go online to one location and play a game. In this game, there are different clans that have special abilities pertinent to that clan—shape shifting, vampiric qualities, magic, etc. Though in this book you don’t see too much of the clans’ abilities since the game is still in the testing phase. For more info on the terminology, you can check out these links: MMORPGs & Sandbox Gaming.

2. How do the main characters get sucked into this game? Once they are, what happens to them?

It’s a magical combination of severe lightning and thunderstorms, crystal pyramids and all the electronics and electronic interference. Once they’re in, they find themselves in a war-torn setting via the sandbox/open world, role playing game section.

3.  Okay, I have to ask—what type of epic gear might Buzz drop (assuming he gets vanquished by our team)? I hear has a sex toy arsenal.

Now there’s an idea…dropping sex toys. My muse is smiling at that. If Buzz were to drop anything, it’d be like the Gorshalach (the Dark Render; one of the most powerful weapons in the universe; a massive greatsword) found in World of Warcraft.

4. Now that you’ve got me all, distracted, can you share a snippet that introduces Buzz?

Hope unfroze and spun toward the voice. A man, also dressed in black and in a matching colored Old West duster coat, stood before her. Dark sunglasses covered his eyes and his face was obscured by a hood cloaking his head. He wore a chain and pendant that reminded her of Mr. Jenkins.

“What? Who?” she stammered the short questions as behind her the growls and scrapes of footsteps slowly closed in on her location.

“Really? We don’t have time for a Q and A.” He reached out, grabbed her hand and yanked her from the alley. The man swung her behind him, shielding her with his body.

Off balance and slightly dizzy, she grasped the back of his coat, caught her breath, then peeked around him.

He held up his arm, his palm facing toward the oncoming Chem Warfare Urchin.

Her heartbeat fluttered, and her body braced to run. According to the game’s story line, CWUs were the dregs of current society, humans who’d lost their humanity and higher reasoning. During and after the chemical wars, they’d mutated, morphed and bred into creatures comparable to zombie-looking rogue vampires and had no special abilities. But if the CWU caught and bit a person, the poison they injected would change the infected into one of them.

Those animal-like beings were the complete opposite of her character’s kind. For some reason, the chemicals from the wars gave her, and those in other clans, special powers and heightened instincts.

A twisted smile contorted the monster’s mouth. Pointed canines dripped crimson liquid.

“Damn it. It’s fed. Means it’s going to be extra strong now.”

“Not a good thing,” she murmured.

“No worries, luv,” the stranger crooned in a deep voice.

The creature neared. Inch by inch it limped closer, dragging its bum leg along and making the foot rub against the ground.

Thump. Scratch. Thump. Scratch.

Hope couldn’t take the sounds, nor the onslaught of the vermin’s fetid stink much longer. “Dude.” She poked him in the back. “You going to do something or not?”

“Patience, my dear.”

Patience. The CWU’s just a yard away, and he’s telling me to be patient? If they didn’t move or kill the thing soon, they’d be toast. She started to take a step away from the man, but his reflexes beat out her thought process. He reached back with his other hand and grabbed her arm.

The urchin, seeming to take advantage of their brief distraction, advanced.

As it flew toward them, Hope screamed and dropped to her knees. Her rescuer projected a laser beam of golden light at the CWU.

The creature vaporized into thin air.

Air whooshed out of Hope. After a couple of inhales, she looked up at the man. All she could see was a pair of kissable lips and a square chin. “Well, now that was something.”

“Yes, it’s quite a handy talent.” He held out a hand.

She clutched it, and he helped her off the ground. “Thank you. Mister…?”

“Call me Buzz. And you are?”

“Buzz. Interesting name.” But what about Alden? Where’d he get off to? Maybe I am in the game… For some reason, her instincts were telling her not to use her game name, Quies. “Um, Hope.”

“Hope. Pretty.” He cocked his head. “Something troubling you?”

“I’m not sure.” How could she explain to the stranger the peculiar situation she seemed to have found herself in? I was in one place one moment and then another the next. Like I got sucked into a parallel universe. That would get her off to a great start.

Problem was, the more she stood across the way from the circus dome the more her current reality seemed real and the other she’d left?

Not so much.

“So, Hope, where you need to get to?”

Den mentioned ‘The Experience’ downtown was a neutral area. Maybe that’d be a good place for me to go and figure out my next move. “I’m needed down at ‘The Experience.’ Why?”

“You seem like a noob, so I want to give you a boost.”

“A noob? A boo—”

Before she could finish the second word, Buzz had lifted his hand and shot a burst of white light at her.

5. Hmm... don't know if I could forgive any guy for calling me a noob, but a burst of boosting white light might do the trick (hopefully, it does something cool). Before I let you go, I have to ask—will there be another C.O.V.E.N. book? What other projects do you have up your sleeve?

Yep. There’ll be another book. I’m working on finishing up C.O.V.E.N. Genesis now. That story will a prequel and let readers know how it all got started. Then there will be a story that continues with the beta testing, one that sees the public get involved and another either seeing the end of the game or the world. I also have a few horror stories in the works.

Since Casey’s a busy lady, I’ll let her run off. For more about her book (including buy links, hint, hint), just scroll down. As always, comments are much appreciated.

C.O.V.E.N.

The world of C.O.V.E.N. (Clans of Vegas – Endless Night) first appeared in Evernight Publishing’s anthology Keyboards & Kink (available directly from Evernight & at other fine e-tailers) in Casey’s story, AFK.

In AFK, we saw a peek into I-D-8 Entertainment’s in-production MMORPG: Clans of Vegas – Endless Night, also known as C.O.V.E.N. when Beth and another gamer got sucked into the game for real.

Now, in Open World, (an Editor’s Pick!) the employees have joined together for a LAN party to test the game. Here’s a look into the story…

Open World – a C.O.V.E.N. Story

The world has broken out in wars. Las Vegas has been ravaged by chemical warfare and is now home to several clans and creatures.

Welcome to I-D-8 Entertainment’s newest game: Clans of Vegas—Endless Night.

Friends and family have gathered for a crunch time playtest of C.O.V.E.N.. When a horrible thunderstorm hits, everyone’s sucked into the game for real. In the MMORPG, Hope Collins is kidnapped by Buzz and forced to submit to his whims. Her boyfriend, Alden, has to delay his quest of defeating a clan’s prince to save her, but time and circumstance don’t seem to be on his side. Faith Collins is bombarded by strange dreams brought on by Buzz. Her boyfriend, Tavis, learns to dream walk, but can he help break the spell she’s under and save her before she’s lost to him?

C.O.V.E.N. is more than just a game. It’s a whole other world.

Buy Links: Evernight | Amazon | AllRomance | BookStrand | B&N

About Casey Moss

Casey Moss delves into the darker aspects of life in her writing, sometimes basing the stories on reality, sometimes on myth. No matter the path, her stories will take you on a journey from the light-hearted paranormal to dark things unspeakable. What waits around the corner? Come explore…

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Come see Casey Moss and other wonderful authors at Hot Mojave Knights, September 2014!
 

Author Interview – J. C. Conway

I’m delighted to welcome my Liquid Silver pub buddy J. C. Conway here today. We’ve got quite a bit in common since we’re both fans of science fiction and fantasy, and we’ve also penned a romantic suspense. J. C.’s spicy new release, Hearts in Ruin, is set at an archeological dig and comes with its fair share of action and adventure. I’ll let him tell you all about it.

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1. Hi J. C. and welcome to my blog. I hear this is your debut novel, which is a momentous occasion for every author. How did you celebrate its release?

Thank you for having me here. Yes, it's my debut novel. But I found myself so wrapped up in the release and telling people about it that I can't say I really "celebrated" at all—unless you call that aura of pride that surrounds me a type of celebration.

2. An aura of pride–I like the sound of that. Is the archeological dig in your novel inspired by any place in particular? How did you research this setting?

The dig isn't inspired by a particular, single place. Rather, it's a combination of places that I've read about, experienced directly, or seen documentaries about. The living conditions in a primitive desert environment I'm particularly familiar with based on my time my daughters spent in the Girl Scouts. There was an annual Spring Break opportunity for girls to attend a hiking, pit-cooking, rock-climbing desert camp called the Mojave Primitive Encampment. Some of that worked its way into the setting in my book. I've also traveled extensively in New Mexico, backpacked its mountains, and had an opportunity to fall in love with its ageless beauty.

3. New Mexico happens to be on my list of places to visit (I'm an East Coast girl). But back to your book–I’ve been told Daniel is “super-hot.” Would you mind giving me more details about him? What does he do for a living and, more importantly, what does he look like (please don’t spare any details).

Daniel is definitely very attractive, especially from Andrea's point of view. He has tan, outdoorsy skin, a sinewy rock-climbing frame, and loose, but not long, sandy hair. He's rugged and no nonsense, with a small scar on his chin. His eyes are blue-gray and his focus is generally intense. In other words, he's right up Andrea's alley, spending more time in the field than in the classroom. But he is also a borderline genius, having entered college at age 15, and growing into the man he is now from there.

4. Smart and hot. That's a way to many a girl's heart, to be sure. Are you at liberty to share Daniel and Andrea’s first kiss? 

I would love to share their first kiss with you. Your readers will want the entire scene, I think. It takes place at a formal dinner at Daniel's former university. Daniel and Andrea have already been at odds a great deal getting this dig going, but there is an undeniable attraction Daniel feels. Still, this evening Daniel has been very frustrated, being forced to navigate academic politics instead of being in the field…

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Excerpt

Later in the evening, Daniel slipped out to the patio for a reprieve—just a few moments of peace. The wide balcony overlooked the east side of campus with the lights of town beyond, backed by the night shadows of the mesa. He inhaled. Even here, amid streets, buildings, miles of surrounding commercial and residential neighborhoods, the scent of the uncivilized desert predominated. Its stillness soothed him.

“So there you are.”

He turned, startled. Andrea stepped into view, stunning in Pamela’s dress. He’d seen her in it all evening, but not in the moonlight like this.

He struggled for composure. He hadn’t expected anyone to join him here, especially Andrea. She was a hit at the dinner, a fresh young woman, as smart as the stuffy regulars, but piercingly direct and good humored.

“Is everything all right?” he asked.

“Sure.” She stepped toward him. “Except my date ditched me.”

“I didn’t think you needed me in there.”

Her eyes glinted. “So, you tired of the crowd?”

He laughed. She could not have nailed it much better. “Let’s just say I’ve already been to enough meetings, dinners, and functions of all kinds with this group to fill a lifetime.”

She stood next to him now at the railing and stared across the campus. “It’s a pretty school.”

He shrugged. “It has its charms.”

A subtle hint of perfume mingled seamlessly with the desert breeze. Amazing. Most of the women inside seemed anxious to disguise or completely cover up the smell and feel of the dry desert environment. But Andrea, who had never lived in the climate or even visited the desert before, chose a fragrance that accepted it and even complimented its arid beauty.

“Not all fake Ivy-League like the U,” she explained.

He smiled. “No. And if you have a thing for adobe and stucco then you can really learn to love it.”

She turned, leaning back against the railing. “The people seem nice,” she ventured. “I don’t really know why you left. Just because they didn’t support the dig? It seems you could’ve worked it out with these folks.”

Daniel could not tear his gaze from her profile and the bare shoulders just touched by soft and inviting golden-brown hair. But he was held by more than that. All of her qualities were admirable. Not only was she fascinatingly attractive, and perhaps even in spite of it, she was brilliant and clear minded, and she loved her work.

“They um…” Daniel’s throat thickened, as if he were trying to talk underwater. There was something about her—something between them that transcended this project, he knew. He’d been avoiding it. He wanted no complications during the dig. But that was only part of the problem. The fact was, he didn’t want to draw her too far into his private quest. He couldn’t do that to her. Not now, not at this critical juncture with her career poised to launch. It was bad enough that she was the project leader, and he hoped she didn’t have to explain that away the rest of her life after he finally published his findings. But why then, if he felt that way, did he recruit her? She was clearly in the running for a post at a good school. This project, once the controversy surfaced, was not a good stepping stone on that path. Did he really think if he kept her role limited that it could minimize the fallout to her career?

It had been different for him. He didn’t work so hard for his opportunities. He had been young when he reached that point. Just eighteen, still a kid. He met Madeline and willingly abandoned most of the career courses Andrea should follow. He was committed to his project. He never saw it as a choice. But how could he lead Andrea down the same path—especially after she worked so hard for so many years to gain a solid foothold in academia?

Andrea’s brow furrowed with contemplation and she turned to him. “I think you should have just stuck to your guns here. They like you more than you know.”

He drew a breath. “Not all of them.”

She lowered her chin. “You’re about as likeable as they get.”

He smiled, and without thinking, touched her hand. She didn’t retreat. The air warmed with electricity. A remnant of his rational mind searched for a response to her statement—a quip, a compliment, a rebuttal…anything. But the futile effort was overshadowed by the sharpening of his senses, an awakening triggered by her presence and warm touch.

“I uh…”

She turned to face him squarely. He touched her arm, feeling the impossible softness of her skin. Her hand touched his stomach and slide to his waist. Her expression shifted. Her eyes surveyed his face. Was she searching for resistance or its opposite? He didn’t know. He wasn’t sure he cared. But he could tell that this closeness was something they’d both thought about before.

The moment grew, nearly eclipsing all else. He knew in his mind and heart that if he didn’t embrace her now, the moment could vanish forever. His heart pounded. He did not weigh options. This was not a matter of choice. It was roaring compulsion. He leaned close. He felt the heat of Andrea’s cheek, her warm breath. Their lips brushed across each other. Daniel savored the soft pass once, twice, then opening slightly more and connecting, pressing, tasting and melding. His chest filled with fire. The world fell away. He reached around her, pulling her close. She nestled in, leaving no gap.

He felt no barrier between them. His lips touched her nose, her cheek, the crook of her neck. He returned to her lips and they tasted each other again. Andrea mewed. It felt right to be lost in her touch and her breath. Their chests heaved together. Their embrace softened. Daniel roamed the curve of her spine. She responded with equal, soft passion. He felt the release of a long, satisfied sigh.

They touched foreheads.

He smiled. She giggled lightly.

A rough, “Ahem,” broke the moment like shattered crystal. They weren’t alone.

Eyes widened, they released their holds and turned.

“I don’t mean to disturb you.”

Daniel regained his bearing. William Lassiter and Morgan Hamilton stood near the patio door holding cocktail tumblers.

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5. As a newbie author, I’m always curious about how everyone one else got into the business. When did you decide to write a romance? What was your path to publication like?

I've been writing for a very long time. But I decided to write a romance novel when I was in a writing course about the genre. I learned a great deal and I started reading the genre, finding some deeply inspired and intensely personal stories to which I could relate. I joined RWA and the Yosemite Romance Writers. The path to publication involved, initially, the back and forth between outlining, writing, revising, re-outlining, re-revising, etc. until the story finally told me what it really was. I participated in an informal Golden Hearts critique group through YRW. I submitted parts of the manuscript to contests and got feedback, and when I felt comfortable I'd told the story, I researched publishers and submitted to a small group I thought would be perfect. When Liquid Silver Books Acquisition Editor, Terri Schaefer, told me she loved the story, I was thrilled, and here we are.

As a fellow LSB author, I can totally relate. Unfortunately, I never went through the earlier steps, so I didn't get to do any of the fun stuff (I will need to research the RWA at some point...).  Thanks so much for stopping by, and again, congratulations!

For more about the book and author, just scroll down. As always, comments are very much appreciated. 

Hearts in Ruin

Andrea Hollister seeks a quiet career as a mainstream archaeologist—nothing more or less—and she's one dig, and an ancient secret, away. So when Andrea must join super-hot maverick prodigy Daniel Fuchs on a New Mexico dig, her smartest move is to secretly undermine his unconventional theories, despite growing attraction and guilt. But what if Daniel is right? Two betrayals and a devastating court order later, Andrea and Daniel find their careers, and their shaky relationship, on the brink of ruins. To survive professionally and emotionally, Andrea must come clean and save Daniel's dig. But can she do so in time, with bulldozers poised to level the site?

Buy Links: Amazon | LSBooks | B&N | Kobo | AllRomance

About J.C. Conway

J. C. Conway is a romance, science fiction and fantasy author, writing novels and short stories for adults, young adults and teens. He is a grand prize winner of the Yosemite Romance Writers Smooch contest. His writing passion began with a grade-school assignment to write anything he liked, which, at the time, included dinosaurs, robots, army heroes and alien invaders. Since then he's added deep simmering passion, tense internal conflict and emotional dilemmas.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon

Author Interview – Nerika Parke

Author Nerika Parke is visiting me today to chat up her new release, Paving Paradise. The first book in her Nothing Less Than Paradise series, it’s a story about how two people struggle to find their future together.

I’ll let her tell you all about it.

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1. Hi Nerika, and welcome to my blog. You must be really excited since your book just came out a few weeks ago. Is this your first baby, or have you gone through this rodeo before?

Thank you, I’m glad to be here!  I am excited!  I published a short story in March, Defenceless, so this is my second go round, but I still feel new to the whole process.  Writing, however, I’ve been doing ever since I can remember!    

2. How did you go about selecting your cover art? Does the beach play a significant role in this story?

I tried to find an image that gave me the same feeling as the book does, and as soon as I saw it, something about this photo said to me, Jenny and Doug, even though there is only one scene that takes place on the beach.  Although it is the final scene and so it's significant in itself.

3. Tell me a bit more about Doug. What does he do and, more importantly, what does he look like (please don’t spare any details)?

Doug is a photographer, very creative and sees beauty in everything.  When Jenny first meets him he’s doing portrait and wedding photography.  He asks her if he can take her picture and says, “Whenever I see something beautiful, I have to get a photo,” then he gets shy about saying it.  She’s pretty much hooked by then!  Appearance-wise, he is tall (6’3”), very nicely sculpted body (of course!) with an ass that Jenny thoroughly enjoys watching walk away!  Sparkling blue eyes, jaw length dark, almost black, hair which is described as always looking like he’s just got out of bed, and the most beautiful smile that Jenny has ever seen.  Drop dead gorgeous and sexy, but doesn’t think he is.  I have to admit here that I do personally have a type, and Doug is it!

4. So from the moment they meet, Jenny and Doug have an immediate chemistry. Would you mind giving us a glimpse into how this happens?

This is the moment they first meet, when they feel that first spark, the instant attraction. 

He had the most incredible clear, blue eyes which caught hers in their gaze and refused to let go.  He pulled his right glove off and held his hand out to her, smiling.  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jenny.”  His voice was smooth and gentle, the kind of voice she could listen to for hours, if she had the opportunity.  She hoped she would have.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you too,” she said, pulling off her own glove and taking his hand.  She didn’t think she’d ever meant those words more.  She swore she felt a tingle as their skin made contact.

He stared into her face, still holding onto her hand.  “You have the most beautiful brown eyes,” he said, “would you mind if I took a photo of you?”  His eyes suddenly widened and he let go of her rapidly.  “I’m so sorry,” he said, looking down and smiling shyly, “I don’t usually say that to people I’ve just met.”

Despite the cold, Jenny melted. 

5. As a newbie author myself, I always love hearing about other people’s journeys. When did you decide to be a romance author? What was your path to publication like?

As I’ve already mentioned, I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, but never romance.  When I decided to try indie publishing, I did some research and read that romance was popular, so I decided to try it, thinking it would be the easy option.  How wrong I was!  Romance is probably the hardest genre to write, and the most emotionally involving.  As soon as I started writing I found myself digging deep into my own dreams and desires.  I suppose that’s why my stories are so intensely romantic, I write straight from my heart, and I hope that I can inspire those feelings in other people.

Once I’d got the hang of formatting and creating a cover, the actual publication was relatively pain-free, although I’m still learning in many areas.  The most important thing is to be able to write the stories I want to, which I absolutely love doing.  The second most important thing is the online thesaurus, which by now probably thinks I’m a pervert!

Since book release month is jam packed for any author, I’ll let Nerika run off. For more about the book and author, just scroll down. As always, comments are much appreciated.

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Paving Paradise

From the moment they meet, Jenny and Doug know they are perfect for each other and, as their romance blossoms, they couldn’t be happier together.  But Doug has a past he won’t talk about and Jenny finds herself unable to let her guard down fully to a man she adores, yet knows almost nothing about.

As their relationship suffers, Jenny’s despair at being shut out from his past life leads her to risk losing Doug forever.  Will they be able to overcome the deep emotional wounds and fear threatening to tear them apart, or will they lose the closest thing to paradise either of them has ever known?

An intensely romantic, emotional and heartrending story of two people’s struggle to find their future together.

Buy Links (Paving Paradise): Amazon US | Amazon UK
Buy Links (Defenceless): Amazon US | Amazon UK

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About Nerika Parke

When UK born and raised Nerika decided to turn her writing hobby into something more serious, it came as a bit of a surprise to her that she seemed to be a natural romance writer, because her favourite TV shows usually involve zombies and spaceships (although not necessarily together).

Having learned to embrace her soft, gooey side, she now spends all the time she can writing intensely romantic stories about ordinary people, helping them to fall in love, overcome trials and tribulations, and find their happy endings.

She has yet to find her own Mr Happily-Ever-After, but until she does she is content to fall madly in love with each of her leading men who, in spite of any faults they may have, are universally wonderful.  And extremely hot.

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