A Short & Sweet #MFRWauthor Interview @TheAnnaDurand

Meet Anna Durand.

I'm a writer, reader, librarian, and audiobook addict. I specialize in sexy, suspenseful paranormal romance, including the award-winning Psychic Crossroads series. In my spare time, I photograph flowers, whether they like it or not.

Why did you decide to write romance novels? I realized that what I love most in a book is the romance. If there isn't one, the story feels empty to me, because romance is about more than attraction—it's about emotion and connection. I've written other types of books, but my true love is romance.

What kind of research do you do for a book? I'm always doing research, because I love to read about science, ancient history, and mythology. All of these subjects inspire my romances. So I don't do a lot of research for a specific book, but rather keep my eyes peeled for intriguing ideas that may germinate into stories.

Would you like to write a different genre than you do now, or sub-genre? I'm always itching to try something new. I'd love to dive into fantasy and historical romance but haven't found the time yet. I also have ideas for a mystery, but paranormal romance is still my first love and what I focus on.

Do you feel humor is important in fiction and why? Absolutely! Humor is a great way to deal with stress, and the characters in my books endure a lot of that. My heroines tend toward the sarcastic, but they're never mean, and my heroes have senses of humor too. They may be fighting for their lives, but they can find the humor in even the most mortal of danger.

What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries? I create jewelry, photograph flowers, read, and listen to audiobooks.

Who are some of your other favorite authors to read? I'm a huge fan of Rachel Caine, Ilona Andrews, Lisa Kessler, Jayne Castle, Maria V. Snyder, and Christine Amsden. But I read (or listen to) tons of books by many different authors, from bestsellers to indies.

CONNECT with Anna...
http://www.annadurand.com/
http://amzn.com/author/annadurand
https://www.goodreads.com/annadurand
https://twitter.com/TheAnnaDurand
http://www.pinterest.com/Anna_Durand/
https://www.facebook.com/AnnaDurandFiction
http://www.theromancereviews.com/AnnaDurand
https://www.authorgraph.com/authors/TheAnnaDurand

Tell us about your latest book. What motivated the story? Reborn to Burn is the second story in a four-part series about a young woman who was resurrected from death by some shady scientists. I got the idea from reading about microscopic creatures called tardigrades, which can survive the vacuum of space, but they also can survive dehydration and spring back to life decades later, when enough water hits them. This led to the concept of a mummy being regenerated to a near life-like state. She wasn't supposed to wake up—but she did, and nobody knows why. In the second installment, things get steamy between Dawn (the ex-mummy) and her savior Jake, as they unearth a shocking secret about how she awakened and what she can do.

Reborn to Burn

Paranormal Romance
Jacobsville Books
After three thousand years as a mummy, Dawn awakened to a dangerous new reality where science and the supernatural collide. Her only ally is Jake Maxwell, a mysterious grad student with an unusual talent for evading bad guys. Dawn's resurrection spells trouble and power for the scientists responsible, and they have no intention of letting her go without a fight. But as she flees with Jake, a shocking revelation about her newfound life rocks them both. While their enemies close in, they discover a fiery passion—and a bond deeper and stronger than time itself. But can they outrun the past before their future is shattered? After 3,000 years as a mummy, Dawn was resurrected by Redeo Biotech, and now they'll stop at nothing to control her. As she flees with her only ally, Jake Maxwell, they unearth a shocking secret about her new life and discover a fiery passion. But can they outrun the past before their future is shattered?

AMAZON Buy Link

EXCERPT

Headlights popped on close behind. She threw up a hand to shield her eyes. What was this idiot doing? He must've driven with his lights off until he got within yards of their SUV.
Her pulse raced. No one would do that unless—
Shit.
Jake lurched forward, grimacing as he twisted his body to squint at the back window. ""It's them.""
""Why don't they kill us and get it over with?""
""They need your brain undamaged. An auto accident would be…messy.""
""Charming. But a few hours ago, you said they'd kill me simply for being alive.""
""That's when Saxon was in control. He's gone.""
A chill shimmied through her. Saxon was gone because she'd killed him, to save Jake. Her finger had pulled the trigger, and a part of her wondered whether she'd swapped his life for her own.
""Trust me,"" Jake said, ""the other scientists at Redeo understand the importance of examining an intact, resurrected brain.""
""Great, I feel much better."" She pushed the SUV harder. The other car, its shape invisible behind the glare of the headlights, receded in the mirror.
""It won't be that easy.""
""I know,"" she snapped. Redeo Biotech had created her, in a way, and they despised giving up anything they owned. ""What would you like me to do?""
""Drive faster.""
""You said that wouldn't help.""
""No, I said it wouldn't be that easy."" When she opened her mouth to protest, he laid a hand on her shoulder. ""Use your knowledge. Most of us born into this world don't know it as well as you do. Tap into what you learned during your soul journeys."" He gave her shoulder a light squeeze. ""And drive faster. It'll buy us a little time.""
She rammed her foot down on the accelerator. The car shot forward, pinning her to the seat. The steering wheel shimmied, and she gripped it tighter. The headlights of the other vehicle shrank in the mirror. She released the breath trapped in her lungs.
Headlights surged closer. A powerful engine snarled behind them.
Electric ice zapped through her, clenching her hands and quickening her breaths. So much for buying time.
She stomped her foot on the accelerator.
The other vehicle snarled, revving its engine.
Blood thundered in her ears. Every muscle in her body went rigid.
The other car slammed into them with an explosive crunch. The concussion flung her forward. She clung to the wheel as it jerked in her hands. Christ, no. The seatbelt gouged into her, radiating pains through her chest. She gasped, gritted her teeth, and held on.
An object thunked in the center console. Her gaze flicked to the cup holder, and Jake's gun stashed there.
The attacker barreled his car into them a second time. Their SUV fishtailed. She fought to control the wheel, but the SUV fishtailed again. Skidded sideways. Thwacked over a bump.
And spun out into the night.

Discovering the Amazing Authors of #MFRWauthor

Would you like to find some amazing authors to have as your followers on Twitter?

This month on #MFRWauthor Retweet Day on Twitter, we'd like to invite all Marketing for Romance Writers to give us your twitter name. Example - @MFRW_ORG

Leave your name in the comment section.

We would love then for you to send out a tweet with each others Twitter names.

Example:

Come join the Amazing #MFRWauthor (then list Twitter names of the people in the comment section).

We will also be adding your name to the Amazing Authors of MFRW list on Twitter.

Throughout the month of March, we are going to be tweeting. Come follow the Amazing Author of #MFRW https://twitter.com/MFRW_ORG/lists/amazing-authors-of-mfrw

We will also be asking them to give us their twitter name and encouraging everyone to follow these people.

So if you are looking for new followers. Please Follow us on Twitter and find new authors to enjoy... https://twitter.com/MFRW_ORG

Let's make this a huge event so use the example above and retweet each others Twitter names.

Also support the thunderclap campaign for this event.
http://thndr.it/1FdHg2U

Thanks and here's to everyone having a great year,
Tina

BOOK SPOTLIGT: Celia and the Wolf @DonnaMaloy #MFRWauthor

Celia and the Wolf 
Book One, Shapeshifter Journals
Donna Maloy
Young Adult Fantasy
FrontrunnerPubs

Which one is the real monster? 

Celia Ashleigh, otherwise known as The Fox, is a shapeshifter and spy-in-training, like other firstborn Ashleighs.
Remy Broussard and his sister are werewolves. But The Guardian of La Cluse is on a crusade to wipe out monsters like them. He’s kidnapped Remy’s little sister and plans to kill her when she changes for the first time.
When Remy begs for help, Celia doesn’t hesitate to take on a real mission. But the closer Celia comes to finding the madman and his captive, the more dangerous her task becomes… and the more hopeless.
What will happen if Celia makes a mistake and the hate-filled crusader discovers she is something more than human, too?

AMAZON Buy Link

REVIEW
“A thrilling adventure with a fiery, engaging heroine you will not want to take your eyes off for a second!”--Ammi-Joan Paquette, author of Rules for Ghosting

EXCERPT

March, 1806.
     Although I could see several cats in the courtyard, some quite large, not one was my father, the shapeshifter known by the codename Panther. He wasn’t one of the horses or ravens, either.
     In truth, I knew finding him wouldn’t make any difference. Our training sessions at Redgate weren’t scheduled to begin until the first of August, after Parliament adjourned. But I was bored, bored, bored. And lonely.
     The King was fighting with his ministers again, and Papa had been in meetings with government people all week. I missed him desperately. He was the only person in London with whom I could talk about shifting. The only person like me. Even after six years, Noreen still got hysterical when I changed shape in front of her. And Mama had made me promise I wouldn’t tease Graham with things he couldn’t do.
     But practicing secretly in my room wasn’t the same as closing my eyes and becoming a rabbit, running lickety-split through the brambles and briars—away from houses and rules. Or watching a falcon swoop over rooftops, and then shifting my bones to join her in the sky above the trees.
     London society decreed that as the daughter of a baronet, I should be demure and obedient, feminine and charming. And that’s all. It’s why I longed so much for Redgate. There in the deep woods I could be anything!
     Well, as a strict matter of fact I couldn’t be a fish. I still hadn’t learned how to become one. It wasn’t that I was afraid to swim. Not exactly. I simply hadn’t figured out how they did the breathing-under-water. But today, I felt perhaps it was time to try.
     In fact, I’d agree to become a skunk or a slimy slug if only Papa would take me to Redgate today. Leaving London would be worth anything. I needed to be something right now.
     Well. Breakfast wouldn’t be served for an hour and if I were careful, Papa need never know…
     I rapidly shifted to the shape of a lark and took off out the window. In the tree outside our library, I joined a chorus of birds singing to the dawn. It was the most perfectly lovely way to start the day. But when I made to return, I found the window shut. Drat.
     Changing course, I flew to the kitchen door and entered fast, above the head of the milk boy. I almost escaped to my room without notice. Almost.
     When I came down the Great Stair to breakfast, I heard Papa’s voice.
     “What is this?” He paused, then sighed. “Oh, Celia.”
     He must have found the chandelier bits I left behind when I flew too high in the hall. I’d broken Rule Number Six again, but this time there was evidence. Quietly, I backed up the stairs and waited until I heard Mama’s voice bid Papa goodbye. Then I pasted a sunny, cheery smile on my face and entered the breakfast room.
     “Good morning, everyone. Where is Papa off to today?”
     “He has business in the country,” Mama said brightly.
     Double blast! That was our secret code to keep nosy servants from gossiping. What she meant was the Prime Minister had sent Papa off on another mission. He might be gone for ages.
     Papa, Sir Robert Ashleigh, was a secret Deputy of the Crown. In fact, for seven generations, all the Ashleigh families had trained their firstborns to become Crown Deputies. Using our special abilities, we worked all over the world.
     I’ll be one, too. Eventually.
     I was so tired of that horrid word.

ABOUT Donna Maloy
Donna Maloy lives on the Texas Gulf Coast. CELIA AND THE WOLF is her first book for teens. She’s also written more than twenty-five plays for elementary and middle schools. She loves ethnic foods, shopping, Jeopardy, and geeky things like Google Glass. Donna’s always interested in reading terrific books from new authors, particularly teen writers. Her website (donnamaloy.com) and her blog (tangledwords.com) contain resources for new writers, with a focus on contests, workshops, publications and advice for teens authors. You can also follow Donna on Facebook , twitter , Goodreads , and Pinterest .

Website - www.donnamaloy.com
Blog - www.tangledwords.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/donnamaloy
Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/donnamaloy
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3648573-donna-maloy