Guest Post & Excerpt: A Very Russian Christmas by Krystal Shannan

I know, I know, Christmas was several months ago but there's nothing wrong with making the holiday spirit last.  "A Very Russian Christmas" by Krystal Shannan was released in December, before Christmas, and is an erotic romantic suspense and we know how I love romantic suspense. Today I have a short guest post from Krystal and an excerpt from the book. Read on and enjoy!

About the Author:

Krystal Shannan lives in Texas with her husband and young daughter. She teaches in the public schools and writes as much as she can in her free time. If any more spare time can be squeezed from her day, she enjoys reading romance in all genres, but especially paranormal. In addition to a doting husband and a spunky daughter, a stubborn Welsh Corgi completes the household, adding hours of entertainment and fun to their lives.

Connect with Krystal Shannan:

Website:  http://www.krystalshannan.com

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/WXRMDE

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KrystalShannan

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6543639.Krystal_Shannan

Amazon:   http://www.amazon.com/Krystal-Shannan/e/B009FLVHTS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KrystalShannanAuthorPage
Blog: http://www.krystalshannan.blogspot.com

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Book Blurb ~

For most of her adult life, bodyguards have shadowed Ksenia Sharanov, daughter of a Russian mobster. Her one serious relationship left her broken hearted when she learned he only sought her father’s power and money.

A ski vacation with her college roommates ends on a terrifying note. Her father’s enemies have been following her more closely than anyone could have anticipated. The mistake will cost a life…but will it cost her heart? Or will she find love in the arms of a complete stranger?

Matt O’Reilly, a retired Marine, generally keeps to himself. Working as a deputy in a small country sheriff’s office, provides just enough seclusion for him to cut himself off from his family’s pity and the heartache of losing his wife. He never thought love would be in the books for him again. Will the sudden arrival of a spunky dark-haired Russian beauty change his mind?

Warning: This title is intended for readers over the age of 18 as it contains explicit sex scenes and/or situations and adult language which may be considered offensive to some readers.

Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Genre: Romance, Erotica, Suspense
Format: ebook
Release Date: December 7, 2012
Buying Links:  Amazon   Barnes & Noble  Decadent  Smashwords  ARe

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Excerpt

Too much vodka.

 

Ksenia Sharanov groaned and rolled over on the downy comforter covering the huge king-sized bed in her room. Last night had turned into a lopsided game of “I’ve never.” Stupid game. Her roomies, Kate, Maria, and Patti quickly figured out she’d never done a lot of things and turned the game on her. Morning was not a close friend, and a pounding headache was helping her greet the rising sun.

Usually, she spent her whole winter break with her dad, but he’d had some last minute business to deal with. No need to ask what business dared interrupt their winter holiday. The daughter of a Russian mobster just nodded and moved on with life. And she always did. Top of her class in computer science and engineering at NYU, Ksenia kept as much distance as possible between herself and Papa’s business. Even so, he’d still assigned a trusted friend, Yuri Borodin, as a permanent bodyguard. Yuri wasn’t so bad though. He gave her space when needed, and she’d barely noticed him around the lodge. Her roommates didn’t seem to care either. He was her driver as well as her bodyguard, making him a very familiar face.

Ksenia sat up, stretching her arms above her head until the joints popped. She slid out of bed, walked to the window, and pulled back the curtains. The snow-covered mountains around the Denver ski lodge were breathtaking. The morning sun reflected through the fluffy white clouds, creating long rays of light.

A knock at the door made her turn.

“Sen? Are you awake?”

“Coming, Patti.” She left the scenic view to open her bedroom door.

Patti, one of Ksenia’s three college roommates, strolled into the suite—petite, blonde, and a live-wire business marketing major.

Ksenia laughed. “Why are you so perky? You know we have to leave today.”

“I know.” Patti waved a dismissive hand. “You know that cute banker, Bryan, flirted with me all week. He asked for my number this morning.” Squealing commenced and Ksenia winced at the high pitch. She loved Patti to death, but the girl had a voice like a strangled toy poodle when excited.

“You’ve already been downstairs?” Ksenia yawned.

“I wanted to see Bryan one last time before we left. We ate breakfast together. You know, if you don’t hurry you will miss breakfast. It’s ten o’clock already…. When is the limo picking us up for the airport?”

“Oh my God, Patti. Slow down. I haven’t had my coffee yet.”

 

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Guest Post

 

Thank you so much for having me here today! I’m so excited to be your guest.

 

Just a little research! Mmmm, more like a lot of research. I did a lot for this story, even though it was a novella. I researched the Denver area – studied maps, roads, terrain. I’ve never been to Denver, but I really want to go now! I studied weather reports, the police department, and sheriff’s office. I read Russian dictionaries and chatted with people from Russian to make sure I got the phrasing right for Ksenia’s character and the other Russian characters. (That was fun!).

 

This was also my first story ever with a crime scene. That was a huge learning experience and I loved every bit of it. I can’t wait to write another high action, gunfight, chase, kidnapping… the possibilities are endless.

 

What? You know you like to see characters in trouble before they get together. Or is that just me? Well…don’t read this book if you don’t like action, kidnapping, shoot-outs, near death experiences for the hero and heroine, and steamy fabulous sex.

 

 

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Krystal is giving away a $10 Starbucks GC (Grand Prize) or 2 eBook copies of "A Very Russian Christmas" (secondary prize; 1 each to 2 winners). Contest is tour-wide, open internationally and ends Mar 6. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. 

Follow the tour for more excerpts, guest posts, etc., and chances to enter: The tour schedule - http://www.cblspromotions.com/2013/02/vbt-very-russian-christmas-by-krystal.html


 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cat Thursday - Cats Are Liquid

I decided to join in this weekly meme hosted by  The True Book Addict that celebrates cats; their foibles and humorousness and the joy they bring. You can join in by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you made or came across, cat art or share with us pics of your own felines, then post your link up at  The True Book Addict.   I saw this pic on facebook and it made laugh; it's so true!         Or is it?
My cat's version:  

  As you can see, he wasn't entirely successful in filling his container. :D  

Cover Reveal: Out of Play by Jolene Perry & Nyrae Dawn

Entangled Teen has a new romance coming out this summer, "Out of Play", by Jolene Perry and Nyrae Dawn. Pitched as Gayle Foreman's "Where She Went" meets Miranda Kenneally's "Catching Jordan", a self-absorbed eighteen year old rock star is sent to Alaska to get himself together after a drug overdose, but the cute hockey player and her grandfather who live next door challenge him to think beyond the baggie of pills he's still sneaking. 

Blurb ~

Rock star drummer Bishop Riley doesn't have a problem. Celebrities—especially ones suffering from anxiety—deserve to party, right? Wrong. After taking a few too many pills, Bishop wakes up in the hospital facing an intervention. If he wants to stay in the band, he’ll have to detox while under house arrest in Seldon, Alaska.

Hockey player Penny Jones can't imagine a life outside of Seldon. Though she has tons of scholarship offers, the last thing she wants is to leave. Who'll take care of her absent-minded gramps? Not her mother, who can’t even be bothered with the new tenants next door.

Penny’s too hung up on another guy to deal with Bishop’s crappy attitude, and Bishop’s too busy sneaking pills to care. Until he starts hanging out with Gramps. If Bishop wants a chance with the fiery girl next door, he’ll have to admit he has a problem and kick it. Too bad addiction is hard to kick…and Bishop’s about to run out of time.

Buying Links (pre-order):  Amazon   Barnes & Noble

What do you think? Does the cover grab you? Give you a clue what the story is about? 

Interview with Sarah-Jane Lehoux

Today it's my pleasure to have fantasy author Sarah-Jane Lehoux to the blog. We first "met" on Twitter when she did a Twitter giveaway of her book, "My Sanctuary". We've chatted a few times since then and when she asked me about being part of her blog tour for her new book "Masquerade", out on the 26th, I said yes.

Sarah-Jane has always had a passion for storytelling. From grade school tales of cannibalistic ghosts, to teenaged conversations with God, to her rebellion against adulthood with fantasy kingdoms and fairy magic, she has attempted to share her love of the quirky and unconventional with her readers.

She currently resides in Southern Ontario with her husband and her horde of Machiavellian cats. In addition to her own writing, Sarah-Jane works as an editor and freelance cover artist.

Bea: Masquerade is the third book in your Sevy series. Is this the end or will there be more? 

Sarah-Jane: Yes, there will be two more books in the Sevy Series. I knew halfway through Shades of War (the second in the series) that Sevy’s character arc and journey were far from over. I figured out the end of the series soon after, and realized that I needed five books in total. Definitely not what I was expecting when I first sat down to write Thief. Back then, I didn’t even think there would be enough material for one book! Shows how much I know. 

Bea: The blurb mentions flesh-eating fairies; what was your inspiration for that?

Sarah-Jane: I’ve always wanted to create a balance between the magical and realistic sides of Sevy’s universe. So to create the fairies in Masquerade, I turned to the folklore and mythology I adored when I was a child. Fairies are not what Disney has made of them. Traditionally, they are tricksters. Willful, easily offended, with a completely different morality than humans have. Fairy tales often are very dark and violent, and some varieties of fairy are more like demons in the way they behave. The moral of most of these old stories is to avoid fairies at all costs, and if you do cross their paths, do not trust them for an instant! 

Bea: How did you come up with Sevy’s name? 

Sarah-Jane: I opened a blank word document, and typed in various syllables from real world names until I got a combination that I liked the sound of. Funny thing though, is that Sevy is actually a real name! According to baby name websites, Sevy is a Spanish boy’s name. I thought that was fitting, as Sevy is definitely a tom-boy. 

Bea: You have a degree in anthropology and you have a day job as a veterinary technician. What promoted you to make the move to writing as a career and not just a hobby?

Sarah-Jane: It wasn’t until I finished the first draft of Thief that I gained confidence in my writing. Before then, it had been something very personal, something guarded. But once I reread and edited Thief, I sort of leaned back in my chair and thought, “You know what? This is good.” Once I recognized my own ability and how deep my passion for story telling ran, I knew that I had to pursue a career. Luckily, my degree ended up helping me world build because I had a strong grasp of kinship systems, different cultures, world history, etc. So it seems as if this was where my life was leading me all along.

Bea: Do you see yourself branching out into different genres or continuing with dark fantasy?

Sarah-Jane: I absolutely don’t want to be a one-trick pony, so I experiment with different genres all the time. In addition to fantasy, I have also published YA lit and erotica, and I am currently working on a YA paranormal. I read all sorts of different genres, so it just makes sense to write all sorts as well.

Bea: What is your ultimate dream as an author?

Sarah-Jane: I’d like to be able to earn enough from my writing to quit other day jobs for good. But the ultimate dream…I’d love to see Sevy up on the big screen. I think I’d faint and squee and faint some more. (That would be so exciting, I can hardly imagine! ~ Bea)

Bea: If you could be a character in any book (sidekick, lead, villain, comic relief, etc), who would it be and why?

Sarah-Jane: Oh goodness! Well, I wouldn’t be any character from my books! Too much drama and danger for my liking. 

I’m gazing over my book shelf now and laughing, as the vast majority of the books I own are all quite gloomy and have not-so-happy endings. I suppose I’ll go with Cruikshanks in the Harry Potter series. A big ass half-magical cat whose owner dotes upon him, and can basically just do whatever he pleases. Plus, he gets to hang out with Sirius Black, and that would be sweet. 

Bea: What would your perfect day look like?

Sarah-Jane: Sleeping in until noon, followed by a massage, and a long soak in a nice, hot bubble bath. Decadent food available all day long, but the food is such that it won’t make me feel sickly full or make me gain any weight. A comfy couch to snuggle up on with my husband, and then ooh! Looks what’s on tv! A Sevy Series marathon, all five movies one after another. Le sigh. 

Bea: You’ve mentioned that your dreams are the basis for your books, they provide the inspiration. Have you ever written one that wasn’t inspired by a dream? If so, did you find it any more difficult to write?

Sarah-Jane: I can’t honestly say. My dreams are very intense, due to a sleep disorder, and they stay in my subconscious long after I’ve forgotten about them. Every story I write is full of bits and pieces of a multitude of different dreams. 

Thinking hard about it, I’m pretty sure the only story I’ve written that wasn’t influenced by a dream was a flash fiction called “Socks and Brains.” That particular story (which can be found in my anthology To My Demons), was the result of a writing prompt at a writing forum I used to visit. The idea was to create a story that showed the downside of superpowers. I didn’t have any trouble writing the story because it was so short, but I can imagine that if I had tried to expand upon it into a novel or even a proper short story, I would have had to draw inspiration from a dream or five. 

Bea: We’ve talked on twitter. How important do you feel it is to your career to be active on social media?

It seems that nowadays, social media is the only way to reach a wide audience. I’ve tried book signings and other in person events, but found them discouraging. To get my books into the hands of people who actually love the genre, online was the only way to go.

However, this does pose a bit of a problem for me. I have an anxiety disorder which makes it hard for me to be social. Even answering an email can send me into a panic attack. It’s challenging to be as vocal and engaging online as one needs to be in order to attract attention. But I see this as all part of the process, and force myself to carry onwards because I have such a strong belief in my writing. 

Thank you Sarah for taking the time to answer my questions and best of luck with “Masquerade”.

Thank you so much for the interview. J Newbie authors like me rely on bloggers like you to help get the word out. Without book bloggers, we wouldn’t have a platform to jump off of. Thank you for everything you do.

Want to know more about Sarah-Jane's new book?

Blurb ~ 

Never trust a liar, especially when they’re telling the truth

Starting over isn’t easy, especially when the world isn’t ready for you to change. Sevy, thief turned assassin turned mercenary, isn’t having any fun adjusting to a normal, law-abiding life. Luckily for her, an old partner in crime arrives with an irresistible proposition: a getaway to a tropical island, an adventure of a lifetime, and an amazing friendship ready to blossom into an even more amazing romance.

Things are looking up for Sevy. That is, until a pack of maniacal fairies with a taste for human flesh arrive on the scene.

Now she must unravel a web of magical intrigue hidden behind the outwardly idyllic atmosphere of the islands of Belakarta. Nothing is as it seems, and no one can be trusted. Trapped under the spell of a handsome and mysterious stranger, Sevy must fight fairies and tricksters to regain her freedom.

Or spend an eternity as a sorcerer’s plaything.

 Publisher: Mundania

Genre: Fantasy

Format: ebook, print

Release Date: February 26, 2013

Buying Links: Mundania Press