* Jacquelyn Frank: Author Override | UTC Reviews
* Skye Warren: Author Override
* Narrator Lorelei King: Interview
* Stephanie Tyler: Interview
* Carolyn Crane: Author Override | UTC Review
* J.T. Geissinger: Interview | UTC Review
* Men and Women of the Military Giveaway Hop
* Keri Arthur: Interview | UTC Reviews

Wednesday 31 October 2012

Interview and Giveaway with Phil Gigante

Phil Gigante

He really doesn't need much of an introduction but here goes anyway.  The narrator of the extremely successful FEVER series, Phil Gigante, is with us today.  Yes, that sexy voice that brings Barrons to life!

We got a little taste of what goes on in his world.


Thank you, Angela, Annie, Francesca and Suzanne for having me here. Very special thanks to all your readers---especially the ones supporting audiobooks. You’re the best!

We heard you're working on perfecting your voice for Ryodan's character. Do you find it difficult to master a character's voice? What do you hope listeners will feel when they hear your voice as Ryodan's?

Some voices come easier than others. A lot of times, as a narrator you will be given a book based on the strengths of your own voice, so you can use that, or a close variation for the lead character. As an “accent guy”, I do try to take what I know and stretch it each time, while keeping the characters believable. They must, however, still be understandable to the listener, so it can be a fine line! I’m not sure if I ever “master” a voice, even over several books, because both the character and the actor keep growing and learning. At least, I hope so!

Ryodan, Karen Moning’s creation in the Fever series, has changed a bit from Shadowfever to Iced. He had to; the writing dictated that. Karen and I always discuss the book ahead of time (THANK YOU, Karen!), so I get her take on the character; how she hears it in her head. This does lead to me knowing some necessary spoilers ahead of time that will color the character, even if those spoilers don’t come into play for two more books! In the Fever series, Ryodan was a cold, calculating businessman running a covert and powerful organization. Very no-nonsense. Now in Iced, he still has all those qualities, but Karen has given him a very strong sexual and sensuous side, and more “personal” ways of reacting with the other leads, now that he’s a firm male lead in his own right. Karen told me, “I want the listeners to either love him or hate him, never be sure if they can trust him, but still want to f*** him regardless.”

And if the listeners think Ryodan is complicated, wait until they get a taste of a certain Highlander who’s going to blow their minds!

You will be working with Natalie Ross on ICED, BURNED and FLAYED. Come on, spill. What's it like working with her?

Who? Oh, right! That tall, gorgeous woman who’s always talking back to me in the studio! Ha! (I told her you asked me this question, and she said “It’s ok; you can tell them I’m a real bitch.”) In all sincerity, Natalie is one of the most talented, generous, lovely actresses I’ve ever known, and all that goes for her as a human being as well. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with her on stage several times, long before any studio work. We were in two theatre companies together over the years, so we have a great understanding of each other’s craft, and how to deal with each other personally. That can’t always be easy with me, but she does a damn good job. She also never lets me get away with anything! She also makes fewer mistakes than I do, damn it! We know each other far too well to let any egos get in the way of our craft, and we get turned on or giggle at the same bits in love scenes. We direct each other in a lot of audiobooks. I think our interplay is much sharper for all that, and we can almost read each other’s minds. Which scares me a bit!

What do you think of Karen Marie Moning's decision to switch from Mac's POV to Dani's? This change will undoubtedly affect the way readers experience the books. Do you prefer one POV over the other?

I think it was a great decision, though it must have been a hard one for her to make. To leave the mind of such a firmly established heroine and chart a new course could frighten readers who had grown so comfortable. But I know Karen, and she isn’t afraid to blaze a new trail. I’m sure her publishers must have been sweating a bit! The amazing thing is that Dani and several other established “supporting” characters get the chance to strut their stuff, while keeping the fantastic world that was built in the Fever series intact. Dani is an amazing character, with so very much ahead for her, that I think the level of energy and life in the tale has jumped right off the scale. She is very young, and yet jaded by hardship; she has such a smart ass attitude, but can’t help being a bit naïve sometimes, and she hasn’t experienced the ultimate highs of love and the devastating personal lows of pain and grief and evil. Everything that she experienced alongside Mac and Barrons affected her, and continues to affect her in this new story. Karen also deals with sex---always an important factor in her writing---and how a 14 year old heroine reacts to it in all it’s permutations; very tastefully and with a great deal of humor. Dude! Dani is damn funny to boot! I don’t have a preference---as far as I’m concerned, this is like the separate traveler’s tales in Lord of the Rings; the fellowship has different missions, but the objective is the same, and no journey is less enthralling than the others.

Pronouncing names and mastering accents can be quite difficult. Would you agree? And if so, how do you overcome these obstacles?

Yes. Scotch and swearing. I’m mostly joking, there. For pronunciations, especially fantasy-genre names, it is a gift to be able to ask the author. I’ve been fortunate to have worked with several authors who are kind and generous with their time, and will give you their pronunciations, which are canon law. Sometimes I have to make a detailed list, send it via the publisher, and pray. For actual foreign names, the internet is a tool that rivals duct tape in its usefulness. I don’t know how narrators got along without it!

I’ve always had an ear for accents. My dad is from Italy, mom from Scotland, and I was raised between the UK and Texas, developing the strangest accent in the process. I had to work to NOT speak with one. I think the biggest challenge is studying the right accent for a character, and then deciding how much authenticity is right for the medium in which you present it. Example for the Romance genre listeners: most American audiences are geared to hear what I call a “movie Scots” accent. If you time travelled to 1369 and met a strapping Highlander, odds are you would have no clue what he was saying. Even if you are a modern Scot. By contrast, many modern Scots accents can be so integrated culturally that, to a general non-UK audience, they might as well be British. I love to be as authentic as possible with every accent I do, but I’m always aware that it has to be understood, or it’s a fail.

You’re able to tweak your voice so that every male character has a distinguishable accent. How are you able to do this and do you find it difficult to make each voice unique and their own?

Thank you! The bane of a male narrator is what I call the “conference scene”---usually 10 military types sitting at a table in the Pentagon, all throwing lines of dialogue out there, and the author’s only character descriptions are about their height or weight. Ugh! There are a lot of standard “tools” to differentiate voices; age, speed, pitch, accent, etc. I always take those things into account, but even a story about identical twin brothers raised together in the same place have to be distinguishable. In all roles I’m reading, I want to use an internal motivation to affect the voices. Is the character a deep thinker, a lothario, a type “A” personality? The way we live and love and think internally always affect the way we appear externally, and that certainly colors the voice.

What are you currently working on right now and how is that going?

Well, after finishing Iced, I recorded A Bomb Built in Hell by Andrew Vachss. Andrew is a great friend to me, and I consider his work some of the best I’ve ever read, never mind that I get to record it. This was his first (fiction) book, written in the 70’s, and was considered “un-publishable” then because he wrote “impossible” scenarios--- terrorists (foreign and home grown) blowing up buildings in New York, madmen going on shooting sprees in schools, foreign cartels establishing bases in America---things the publishers were certain were too far fetched to ever happen. I wish they were right…

I also just finished The Cowboy and the Cossack, by Clair Huffaker, one of Uber-librarian Nancy Pearl’s “Book Lust” lost classics, and it is an amazing, genre expanding Western, set in Siberia in 1860! Beautiful, exciting, heartbreaking---I have no idea why this isn’t required reading. It is brilliant!

For the Romance fans, I’m continuing the new “Wyoming” series by Diana Palmer, about three modern cowboy brothers and their individual love stories. It’s got great action, wonderful dialogue, and mad, passionate romance between feisty, strong women and rugged, hard as nails cowboys. These are some steamy books that will melt your ipod!

Who is your favorite character to record and why?

I love every character created by Karen Moning (Lor in particular is making me smile these days!), as well as anyone Andrew Vachss writes, because they always make me reach into places I don’t necessarily want to go to bring them to life. Also, M.J Rose and Joe R. Lansdale each write lyrical epic characters, though on opposite ends of the spectrum. But…

…my all time favorite character to record is “Slippery” Jim diGriz, created by the late, great Harry Harrison in his Stainless Steel Rat series. He’s an intergalactic con man, criminal and saver of worlds, with the most perfect sense of sarcasm, comic timing, personal (criminal) ethics, a hot-and-deadly wife by his side….it doesn’t get any better than the Rat’s adventures! Those books inspired me to read as a kid, made me want to grow up and BE Slippery Jim, or at least play him in the movie. When I got the chance to perform the books AND become friends with Harry Harrison, a childhood idol, I became a 12 year old kid again, and the happiest narrator on the planet. I never, ever felt the drudge of “having” to go into the studio to work, and I recorded the series surrounded by laughter, excitement and unbridled happiness. Harry Harrison died very recently, and it is still painful to me, but I am so happy he got to see and hear his iconic character enter a new medium and garner new fans. The audiobooks got great reviews and accolades, and the first Stainless Steel Rat book won the APA Audie award for Best Science Fiction. Harry loved the audiobooks, and would write to me while he listened, pointing out bits and lines he loved, like a little kid himself, like he didn’t create them in the first place! That he was so happy was a dream come true.

If you could narrate any book, what title would you pick and why?

Ah---an easy question to end on, eh? Wow…there are so many great books out there, and I’m lucky to be doing many of them now! I’m just going to end this with a small spoiler…..I want to narrate the book that I’m currently writing…


We have a special treat for you maidens! We are going to be giving away your choice of one of Phil Gigante's audiobooks via Audible to one lucky follower. This giveaway is open internationally.  
Check out the books he's narrated here.

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Reading on the Dark Side: The FEVER Series


The Fever Series

Author of the Month, Karen Marie Moning needs no introduction. Her Fever series has taken the world by storm, seducing readers into the world of the fae. Five books have been released and up next it's Dani O'Malley's turn to run a fever. But first, let's recap our favorite moments and characters with this edition of Reading On the Dark Side - Fever style. If you haven't read this series already, you are missing out. Terrifyingly addictive, only KMM and her world of fae can be as alluring as this. Enjoy.

Meet the Characters


MacKayla Lane, aka Mac
Age: 23
Height: 5’8”
Appearance: Lean, but with generous curves, shoulder-length blonde hair in big loose waves, green eyes, full lips. Has faint six pack.
Likes pink and beaches
Mac’s motto: Hope strengthens, fear kills.

Favorite Quote
He pulls me around and kisses me. "You're Mac," he says. "And I'm Jericho. And nothing else matters. Never will. You exist in a place that is beyond all rules for me. Do you understand that?"
I do.
Jericho Barrons just told me he loves me.
Cast:
Jennifer Lawrence


Jericho Z. Barrons, aka Annie's boyfriend
Height/Weight: 6’4”, 240-250 lbs
Appearance: “longish” Black hair, dark eyes, powerfully built, lean muscle. Wears expensive suits, favors a blood red tie. Wears a silver wide cuff with Celtic engravings. Has red and black tattoos covering his body.
Likes sports cars like his Viper and Lamborghini , owns Barrons, Books and Baubles bookstore, collector of ancient artifacts and powerful books
Jericho’s motto: There is nothing I can’t live with. Only things I’m not willing to live without.

Favorite Quote
He touches my face.
There is something different in his touch. It feels like he’s saying good-bye, and I know a moment of panic. But my dream sky darkens and sleep’s moon fills the horizon.
“Don’t leave me.” I thrash in the sheets. “I’m not, Mac.” I know I am dreaming then, because dreams are
home to the absurd and what he says next is beyond absurd.
“You’re leaving me, Rainbow Girl.”
Cast:
Sexy David Gandy



V’lane:
Seelie fare, prince and member of the Seelie Queen’s High Council.
Drips sexuality, exudes something erotic and dangerous.
Age: Been alive for hundreds of thousands of years He speaks formally.
Height: 6”2”, 220 lbs
Appearance: Long blonde hair with otherworldly looks. No body or facial hair, flawless skin
V’lane motto: Damn, it’s good to be me.

Favorite Quote:
Even today, after all that I’ve seen, I couldn’t begin to describe V’lane, prince of the Tuatha De Danaan. There are some things that are simply too immense, too rich to be contained in words. This is the best I can offer: imagine a tall, powerful mighty archangel, frighteningly male, terrifyingly beautiful. Then paint him the most exquisite shades of chestnut bronze and gold you can possibly imagine. Give him a mane shimmering with strands of cinnamon gilded by sunlight, skin of tawny velvet, and eyes of liquid amber, kissed by molten gold. The Fae was unutterably beautiful. And I wanted to fuck and fuck and fuck until I died.


Cast:
Travis Fimmel



Dani “Mega” O’Malley:
A sidhe-seer, special strength: super speed!
She is super smart but hides it behind her wit and swagger
Raised by Rowena, Grand Mistress of the abbey
Age: 14
Appearance: long, red curly hair.
Carries a Shade-buster – her own invention to kill a Shade.
Dani’s motto: Live hard, die young, leave a pretty corpse OR Mega out!

Favorite Quote:
Some of us are born more than once.
Some of us recreate ourselves many times.
Ryodan says adaptability is survivability.
Ryodan says a lot of stuff. Sometimes I listen.
All I know is every time I open my eyes, my brain kicks on, something wakes up deep in my belly and I know I’ll do anything it takes.
To.
Just.
Keep.
Breathing.

Cast:
Molly Quinn



Christian MacKeltar
Druid
Age: Early 20s
Height: 6'2" or 6'3"
Appearance: Dark, long hair, Amber eyes like a tiger
First meets Mac at Ancient Languages Department at Trinity College
Special Ability: Ability to detect lies
Description: "Christian was the kind of good-looking that hit you over the head, made you keep stealing second and third glances at him..." Faefever

Favorite Quote:
Doona be duh'ing me, lass.

Cast:
Whoever this sexy mofo is! Rawr!



Darroc aka Lord Master
Former Fae, Liberator of the imprisoned Unseelie
Brought the walls down between the human world and the Fae
Was Alina's boyfriend

Favorite Quote:
"We'd been in bed all night, fucking-"
"T-the-fuck-M-I," I snarl.
Cast:
Gabriel Aubrey


Ryodan
Runs Chester's
Barron's homeboy
'IYCGM' programmed on Mac's phone
Appearance: Always stands in front of a light source so that his face is cast in shadows
Description: "Handsome, chilling man. His eyes were the clearest I'd ever seen. This was a man that suffered no conflicts with himself. He had no problem being what he was. " -Dreamfever

Favorite Quote:
"That's my dick" - ICED

Cast:
Another sexy mofo


Rowena
Grand mistress of sidhe-seers
Protects the six major Irish sidhe-seer bloodlines, takes them in and trains them.
Protects the Sinsar Dubh...until it escaped.
Appearance: "Thick silvery-white hair was pulled back in a long braid from a fine-boned face....Fierce blue eyes glittered furiously at me from within nests of fine wrinkles." - Darkfever

Motto: See. Serve. Protect.

Cast:
Judi Dench


Alina Lane
Mac's older sister
Age: At the start of Darkfever, she is 24.
Appearance: Sunny blonde hair with green eyes

Cast:
Amanda Seyfried



Malluce
Vampire
Appearance: "Muscular and graceful as a cat, he was pale and smooth as a marble bust. Dead yellow eyes lent a feral cast to his sharply chiseled, too-white face. Long blond hair, pulled back in an old-fashioned, amber beaded queue emphasized his abnormally rigid pallor. " - Darkfever

Cast:
Tom Hiddleston


ICED
by Karen Marie Moning

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Marie Moning comes the first book in her hotly anticipated new urban paranormal trilogy, set in the world of her blockbuster Fever series.

The year is 1 AWC—After the Wall Crash. The Fae are free and hunting us. It’s a war zone out there, and no two days are alike. I’m Dani O’Malley, the chaos-filled streets of Dublin are my home, and there’s no place I’d rather be.

Dani “Mega” O’Malley plays by her own set of rules—and in a world overrun by Dark Fae, her biggest rule is: Do what it takes to survive. Possessing rare talents and the all-powerful Sword of Light, Dani is more than equipped for the task. In fact, she’s one of the rare humans who can defend themselves against the Unseelie. But now, amid the pandemonium, her greatest gifts have turned into serious liabilities.

Dani’s ex–best friend, MacKayla Lane, wants her dead, the terrifying Unseelie princes have put a price on her head, and Inspector Jayne, the head of the police force, is after her sword and will stop at nothing to get it. What’s more, people are being mysteriously frozen to death all over the city, encased on the spot in sub-zero, icy tableaux.

When Dublin’s most seductive nightclub gets blanketed in hoarfrost, Dani finds herself at the mercy of Ryodan, the club’s ruthless, immortal owner. He needs her quick wit and exceptional skill to figure out what’s freezing Fae and humans dead in their tracks—and Ryodan will do anything to ensure her compliance.

Dodging bullets, fangs, and fists, Dani must strike treacherous bargains and make desperate alliances to save her beloved Dublin—before everything and everyone in it gets iced.

Karen Marie Moning is giving away a SIGNED copy of Iced. 
US ONLY!

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October 2012 Monthly Wrap Up


Wow! October flew by super fast! UTC has a bunch of people we'd like to thank for making this month so amazing!

Author of the Month: Karen Marie Moning
Special thanks to our Author of the Month, Karen Marie Moning and her lovely assistant Leiha! In case you missed it, you can see our Reading On the Dark Side post for the Fever series here.

Author Appearances
Tara Sevic
Steve Bein
Deborah Cooke
Katie Lane and Hope Ramsey
Donna Grant
Jennifer Ashley
Jessica Scott
Jamie Brenner
Lori Foster
Terry Spear
Kallypso Masters
Diane Escalera
Bianca Sommerland
Carrie Ann Ryan
HelenKay Dimon
Olivia Cunning
Jacquelyn Frank
Macy Beckett
Skye Warren
Fiona Glass
Eden Bradley, R.G. Alexander and Robin L. Rotham
Eden Summers
Cari Silverwood

Special Interviews:
A huge thank you to Kaleo Griffith and Phil Gigante, two amazing and talented audiobook narrators! Thanks for making this month such a fun one! See Kaleo's interview with us here. Don't forget to check out Phil's interview with us too!

Battle of the Covers: Fever series
The battle is on and the original covers and the new mass market covers fought for the top spot this month! It looks like you guys liked the new mass market covers better! You can check out the post here.

UTC Monthly Picks:

Annie's recs:
On Dublin Street by Samantha Young (Contemporary Romance) - Slightly darker contemp with a sexy, possessive hero and a tortured hero. Lots of people liked this one, Defo worth checking out!
Tigers and Devils by Sean Kennedy (M/M Contemporary Romance) - This book is hilarious and so sweet. Loved the authors voice! A definite stand out this month!
Beyond Shame by Kit Rocha  (Erotica) - This book is like Sons of Anarchy, erotica style. HOT SEX. Need I say more?
Craving by Cara McKenna (Erotica) -One of my favorites! McKenna is such a talented writer. These shorts break my heart and make me fall in love each time.

Angela's recs:
The month of October has been good to me. I had lots of time to read and most of the books were really good. Here are the books that really stood out from my October reads.

The Care and Feeding of an Alpha Male (Bluebonnet, #2) by Jessica Clare was really good.
Rough Surrender by Cari Silver wood is another one.
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet by Darynda Jones. I finally got my Reyes fix.

~And the books that surprised the heck out of me (in a good way) are:
The Marriage Bargain and The Marriage Trap (Marriage to a Billionaire series) by Jennifer Probst (Review to come).

And Nightshifted (Edie Spence, #1) by Cassie Alexander. Yeah, the book cover do not do the book any justice (Review to come).

Francesca's recs:
October was an odd reading month for me because I read a lot of things that I normally wouldn't have picked up. So I'll give you two recommendations. The first is from a favorite series of mine RESCUE ME by Kallypso Masters. I read Nobody's Perfect in October and there are just no words for how much emotion these characters get out of me. Totally engaging. And then the other rec I have is a YA book. Yep, there I said. I read YA on occasion and it's usually either tried and trusted authors or something that everyone is raving about. This one I picked up randomly and it was sooooo good. Theo Lawrence's debut novel MYSTIC CITY. It's YA, it's dystopian, it's post apocalyptic, it's romantic, it's packed with action and never boring. I mean it's New York but that looks like Venice, with canals and a whole magical underworld. Definitely recommend that if you are looking for something different.

Suzanne's recs:
Fury's Kiss by Karen Chance- It seems like I have been waiting for this book forever, but it was worth it, packed full of action, humour and a sexy French vampire I was completely in its thrall.

Next Month...
Stay tuned next month because November means a whole new month for all this paranormal! UTC After Dark will be better and bigger than last year! I won't say much so you'll have to see :D

Also, UTC IS MOVING TO WORDPRESS! Please read this post to see how this move will affect you!

And the winners are...


Lori Foster Giveaway
Cathy Vernon

Macy Beckett Giveaway
Christi Bryant-Snow

Winners were chosen through Rafflecopter. Emails have been sent. You will have 72 hours to claim your prize (by just responding to the email you get from us).

ARC Review: Midnight's Seduction by Donna Grant

Midnight's Seduction
(Dark Warriors #3)
by Donna Grant

Coveted greatly because of the fact that she is a Seer – a true rarity in the Druid world, many would do anything in order to have Saffron Fletcher in their possession. However, Camdyn MacKenna has had his nights on Saffron for some time now. His desire for her is barely leashed...

Saffron has recently got her life back. Three years ago, she suffered from a tragedy where true evil blinded her. Living life without sight became a setback for Saffron, yet she still remained strong and independent. Now, with the power of magic, the veil has been lifted from Saffron and she has gained her sight back. However, the world around her doesn’t look the way it did before. As she acclimates to these sudden changes, she notices that there is one Warrior that captures her eye.

Camdyn and Saffron are a great match for each other. Though I thought that the romance was slow to begin with, so much other stuff occurs that you hardly notice it. This is understandable because Camdyn isn’t a forceful suitor. He’s much more laid back, however, this desire for Saffron grows by the minute as he sees how much more beautiful and strong she is in times of dire need. As Saffron deals with her personal problems with her mother, Camdyn slowly gains her trust in a way that bloom wonderfully.

I have to say that Saffron has become one of my favorite heroines in this series. Danielle and Ian are my favorite couple, but Saffron and Camdyn are in second place. I just adore it when authors have a character, whether the hero or heroine, come back from a particular setback bigger and better than before. And Saffron’s transformation in this book is an amazing one. She really became the best thing about this book, and the fact that Camdyn is her support makes this book turn from good to great! As I said earlier, Grant makes some major leaps and bounds in MIDNIGHT’S SEDUCTION. This is definitely not a book to be missed. Everything that readers have been waiting for comes down to this one moment where the Warriors can truly prevail over Declan and Deirdre. However, will their plan backfire before it even begins?

MIDNIGHT’S SEDUCTION is another fantastic addition to the Dark Warrior series that melds sexy paranormal with a touch of historical making it a darkly magical tale to remember.

*ARC provided by publisher
Purchase Links: Amazon

Review: Seduction in Death by J.D. Robb

(More like 4.5 feathers!)
Seduction in Death
(In Death #13 )
by J.D. Robb

The pursuit of love has never been so deadly. A killer seduced by the idea of love targets victims of an online poetry chatroom where after making an arrangement to meet, he wines and dines them, slipping potent and rare date-rape drugs into their drinks until all they feel is euphoria and desire. These unsuspecting romantics continue to be targeted by this anonymous killer. Coming in to stop this string of murders from occurring, Eve Dallas uses everything in her arsenal to take this killer down. Unfortunately for her, her own past keeping veering her concentration off the case. As Eve tries to battle her own personal demons, McNab and Peabody engage in their own dance of bitter lovers.

 I LOVED the idea of this book. The seducing killer was such an interesting idea that I think it really made this case stands out from the others in my opinion. In this book, Eve’s past is played up a little more and we see a much more graphic and tortured scene painted before us. It really made me love Eve more. As a reader you can sympathize with her and what she has gone through when you read the parts about her dark childhood, but as Detective Eve Dallas, you also experience a side of Eve that is strong and competent and confident. I like that we see so many facets of Eve in one single book.

This time I listened to the audio of this book and noticed right off the bat that Susan Ericksen tweaked the voices a little bit. The most notable was Peabody. Our favorite aid no longer has that nasally voice anymore, which to be honest, was a little annoying in the previous recordings. But I found that I really liked the changes that Ericksen made in this book.

Of course, no UTC review of an In Death is complete without Roarke. Still as endearing and desirable as ever....Roarke doesn’t need a date rape drug to seduce such willing victims, his charm and that Irish lilt is all he needs. I love him.


Purchase Links: Amazon

Monday 29 October 2012

Interview and Giveaway with Olivia Cunning

Sinners, welcome back! We've got the lovely Olivia Cunning back at UTC for another interview. Let's try not to get too fangirl-y! Olivia Cunning is the author of the Sinners on Tour series. If you like your rockstars hot and sexy, you've no need to look further! Please help us welcome Olivia!


Hi Olivia and welcome back to UTC!  Let’s start with something fun and personal...If you could write a warning label for yourself as a person or an author, what would it say?

Caution: Characters in Head May Be Naughtier Than They Appear

You write some steamy sex scenes! Do you ever find yourself looking over your shoulder as you write one out because you know it's "too sexy"? Have you ever had to cut down or remove certain parts of a love scene?

I have to be alone when I write sex scenes, so there’s no one to look over my shoulder at. I can write other parts of my books when people are present, but not the sex scenes. I feel too subconscious. I cut an entire character out of an m/m scene in Double Time. I decided an m/m/m scene was too much. Plus readers would likely have a hard enough time with Trey getting it on with one guy in that particular scene. I figured him getting it on with two guys was taking it too far. But it was hella HOT while it lasted.

Do you ever write in the buff?
I sometimes wear beige, but I don’t think anything I own is buff. No, I don’t write naked, but I often plot naked. I get a lot of ideas in the shower.

In DOUBLE TIME, Brian showed a certain attitude towards Trey that I just didn't understand (hope you know what I'm talking about towards the end of the book). I'm curious if this was how you wanted the moment to play out or maybe there's something we are missing from their history because of the book release order that would explain his behavior?


That was Brian’s way of making his “feelings” stick in Trey’s mind. So that Trey could lose all hope. Brian actually did that for Trey’s sake. He should have done it years ago. If you’re in love with someone for as long as Trey’s been in love with Brian, there’s always that feeling of hope that maybe in the future it will work out. So if Brian had given him a bit of hope, even by being nice and understanding, there would still be a part of Trey that was NOT over him. A part of Trey that hoped and hung on. Don’t you think it gutted Brian to do that? He knows Trey. Knows what he needed to move on once and for all.

Readers are super impatient sometimes, but that's only because your books are addicting! What was the reason for such a long wait between books and how do you feel readers will be affected by the fact that this is actually written as the fifth book in the series but being released as the third?

There was an editorial decision made that Trey should be the third hero in the series though in my story arc, he’s the fifth hero. His story requires five books, which I think is obvious, but those in charge decided readers would prefer to read Trey at the expense of the other two books, because he’s such a prominent character in Rock Hard. If you read the first chapter of Double Time, you will know why there needs to be quite a length of time between Rock Hard and Double Time. Plenty of time for Jace and Eric to find their happily-ever-afters. Anyway, the long delay has to do with the fact that when the decision was made to switch the order, I had already written Jace as the third hero (his book was done, though needed revisions) and was nearly finished writing Eric as the fourth hero. I had not even started writing Trey’s book. Not one word had been written. So it was decided (not by me) that instead of releasing the two books already written to delay the entire series until I started writing and finished writing a book that was not due until the following year. From the beginning, I had plans to make Trey’s the book that finalized Sinners series and, by the time I’d written Rock Hard, I also wanted to use it to segue into the Exodus End spin-off series. Trey and Dare are brothers. Reagan is in Dare’s band. It’s not like I was hiding this idea. So instead of changing my entire plot and story arc, I wrote Trey’s book as planned, hoping someone would see the light and release the series in the proper order once they saw how it all came together. So much for hope.

As for readers, I’m sure it will piss off a lot of them. I’d be pissed off as a reader. I’d feel as if the reader-author contract had been broken. I’d think the author dropped the ball and took away from my enjoyment of discovering events as they transpire rather than in retrospect. As an author watching it happen? Perhaps you can imagine how it makes me feel.

We see a lot more of Exodus End in DOUBLE TIME. Do you think you finally have plans to write their stories? Rumor has it they are wilder boys and I would love to get my paws on Dare!

When I wrote Backstage Pass and mentioned that Trey’s brother was in Exodus End, I thought maybe that could be a spin off series. It seemed very premature at the time. But when I “met” Dare in Rock Hard, I knew I had to get to know the guys of Exodus End better. So yes, I do plan to write Exodus End once all of the Sinners books have been released. I’ve started writing about Logan (the bassist) already.

Your new band series ONE NIGHT WITH SOLE REGRET is also a success! When can we expect the next book and who will it be about?

Take Me, about the band’s lead singer, Shade, was just released. The next one, Touch Me, is about the bassist, Owen, and his way of “helping” a lovely lady get over her recent divorce. I plan to release a new Sole Regret book every six to seven weeks. It’s a serial series. It’s a bit different from what most people are used to, because the same characters will be revisited multiple times. I wanted to try something a little experimental with this series. Once it’s seen to completion, you can pick a favorite character and follow him through the series, or if you’re going book by book as I release them, you see what’s going on with a different band member one night at a time. That’s why the series is called One Night with Sole Regret.

A lot of your characters have tats and piercings. Do you have any yourself that you care to tell us about or share with us?

I wish I could say I did because I think that look is hot (especially on a guy), but I don’t. I have my ears pierced, but don’t even wear earrings. I have plans to get a tattoo. I just can’t decide on anything I like well enough to have to look at for the rest of my life. I have the kind of day job where I have to look proper. It’s a good thing they can’t read my mind. Not much proper going on in there. They’d be shocked. Shocked, I say!

Was there a particular book you've written so far that was the hardest one and that made you cry?

Jace’s book, Hot Ticket, ripped my guts out and spread them out on the floor. Jace has had a rough life. The revisions were brutal too. I had to remove an entire subplot and try to mend the flow of the story around the changes. It turned out well, I think. It comes out in February.

What was your favorite scene to write in DOUBLE TIME?

I think I liked writing the dungeon scene best, because we get to revisit Jace and Aggie (Well, I got to revisit them. It will be new for you.) and because it puts Ethan in a position he otherwise would have denied. I love taking those alpha males down a peg or to even if they have to be chained to a beam to gain their cooperation.

If you could describe each of the guys in SINNERS in one or two words, what would they be?   

Brian- sweet
Sed- outspoken
Jace- broken
Eric- loyal
Trey- genuine


Olivia Cunning delivers the perfect blend of steamy sex, heartwarming romance, and a wicked sense of humor in this menage story featuring the hottest guy in the Sinners band.

Trey Mills, the notoriously sexy Sinners rhythm guitarist, gives up his bisexual lifestyle and is swept into a hot, heady romance with Reagan Elliot, a female rock star sensation. But when Trey encounters Reagan's sexy bisexual roommate, Ethan Conner, he can no longer deny who he is or what he wants. Reagan heartily agrees to a solution that opens up a hot new world of sexual experience--and love--with the two men she wants the most.

  We are giving away one print copy of DOUBLE TIME to a lucky maiden. US ONLY. 
 
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ARC Review: Double Time by Olivia Cunning

3.5 Feathers
Double Time
by Olivia Cunning
Sinners on Tour # 3
I can't tell you how excited I was to be reading about Trey, seems like forever since I finished ROCK HARD.  But at the same time I had mixed feelings about it because even though this is book # 3 being released in this series, it's actually book # 5 in the order of how they were written.  Meaning I knew going in that if the other bandmates showed up they would already be with their HEAs.

Now let me get to the meat of this thing... I have mixed feelings about several things so I'll just try to address them separately.

Yes, the release order bothered me.  I did feel like I was missing information or reasons why certain things were the way they were.  This might be one that I re-read once all the books are released to see if m feelings change.

I loved the heroine Reagan.  She's a rocker chick, which I thought was a perfect fit.  Actually she is my favorite heroine in this series so far.  I thought her relationship with Trey starts out perfect and up until there's another person added to the mix, I was LOVING this book.  Talk about hot chemistry that sizzled off the pages and scorched me.  WOW!

I've always known that Trey had to have guy as part of his HEA.  That's just who he is.  So when Ethan is introduced as Reagan's ex who also likes guys and is still in love with Reagan I thought this would be perfect.  But then it wasn't for me.  I feel like so much more could've been done with their relationship that wasn't developed and didn't  make it special.  It was just ok.

WARNING THIS MIGHT BE SPOILERY

I was extremely disappointed about how they all three got together.  The whole scenario was so out there for me that it could've happened that way, that Reagan would've reacted that way and that their first time didn't include her.

I was also soooo pissed with Brian and the way he acted towards Trey when confronted with his true feelings for him.  It just makes me think that Brian hasn't matured at all throughout this whole series.  He was also acting very irresponsible towards the band.  Just didn't like it.

Now for the character that stole my heart....DARE.  Oh.My.God I need some Dare (Exodus End) like right now, he's so hot I want to climb him like a tree.

Overall, this book is explosively hot and the story is ok but I think it fell short on delivering the romance connection between the three main characters.
Favorite quotes:
Trey wanted Ethan in every capacity and if he could be the first to take him, it increased his interest even further. He loved cherries.

"I'm wearing nothing but my panties in a hot tub with a pair of rock star brothers - one of them naked. Does that sound responsible to you?"

"Right now I'm going to devour you."
*ARC provided by publisher
Purchase Links: Amazon

ARC Review: Forbidden by Jacquelyn Frank


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Forbidden
by Jacquelyn Frank
The World of the Nightwalkers #1

When Docia Waverley wakes up alive from her plummet from certain death she begins to realize that life will never be the same again. She is now apart of the Nightwalkers world; a Bodywalker who now contains the soul of an ancient Egyptian queen. Ram is bound by loyalty to seek out his newly reincarnated queen and his best friend and Pharaohs soulmate, but he didn't expect to feel the heat and longing when he sees Docia. In all his long years he has never felt this comsuming desire for his queen and he is torn between his loyalty to his friend and King and his love for Docia.

I am never to sure when I open a Jacquelyn Frank book whether I am going to really like it or I am going to have to resist the urge to throw it across the room. With Forbidden I didn't really have either reaction. I liked some aspects of this book, where as others I found a little tiresome.

What I consistently like about Ms Frank's book is the Nighterwalker world, it has a whole host of interesting paranormal races that you don't see anywhere else. The Bodywalkers who were introduced in this book were no exception, they are two souls in one body that blend together. Although I was left with a few questions regarding the process of the two souls Blending, it was still a fascinating idea.

However, as interesting as the introduction to the Bodywalkers was, I thought the book was very slow, it never seemed to get started, even the romance was a bit lacklustre. I didn't feel the connection between Ram and Docia, they told us, right at the end that they were loved up but I never feel it was shown very well through out the book, maybe this was because so much of the book was devoted to world building.

I do have good feelings about the next book in the series, Forever, featuring Docia's brother Jackson. Ms Frank has set it up really well in Forbidden, so much so that I was more excited about Jackson and Marissa then I was about Ram and Docia.

The world has been set up nicely, and I can't wait to see more romance blossoming in the next installment.   

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Purchase Links: Amazon