Q&A with Author Stacey Brutger--and a G*veaway or Two

First, sorry I'm off schedule--normally I do Royal Street annotations today, but I overbooked.

Second, I'm over at the Writers Digest/Chuck Sambuchino GUIDE TO LITERARY AGENTS blog today, talking about the seven things I've learned through my own publishing journey so far--and I'm giving away a copy of Royal Street (or a preorder of River Road if you already have Royal Street, although I'm only announcing that part here, for you, my beautiful blog readers!). So head over and comment.

But today, I have a special guest, author Stacey Brutger, whose new book The Demon Within, releases next week. And Stacey's offering your choice of a print or digital copy! You can learn more about Stacey and her writing at her website.

ABOUT THE DEMON WITHIN: As a punishment for failing his duty as an angel, Ruman finds himself encased in stone in the form of a guardian statue. Every few decades he is given a chance to repent. And fails. Until the totally unsuitable Caly Sawyer accidentally brings him back to life. Nothing is going to prevent him from gaining his freedom, especially some willfully stubborn human determined to kill him.

Caly doesn’t trust the mysterious stranger who came out of nowhere and risked his life for hers. As a demon hunter, she knows there is something not quite human about the sexy bastard. Her ability to detect demons is infallible. She should know. She used to be one.

War is brewing between demons and humans. The demon infection that Caly had always considered a curse might just be the key to their survival...if Ruman can keep her alive long enough. Despite the volatile attraction between her and her sexy protector, Caly’s determined to do whatever it takes to keep everyone alive. The more Ruman learns about his beautiful charge, the more he questions his duty and loyalty...and dreads the call to return home. If they can’t learn to trust each other in time, one of them will die.

Now...welcome, Stacey!

Give us the “elevator pitch” for your latest work?

When the balance in the world is threatened, human survival rests in the hands of two unlikely saviors, a disgraced angel and a reformed demon.

What is your favorite scene in the book?

My favorite scene would be their first meeting…all three times. lol

She first meets the hero when he was a statue. The second time they meet, they are fighting for her life. The third time is when they really meet; he stalks her to keep her safe, and she catches him.

Hardest scene you’ve ever written:

The first chapter! I don’t know how many times I’ve re-written the first chapter, trying to make it the perfect opening.

What’s on your nightstand or top of your TBR pile?

Have you seen my tbr pile? I have so many stacks that if I take the top book on each stack that would be fifty books. I’ll go with the two books that are on my blogs’ reader challenge this week:

Shelly Laurenston –The Mane Attraction and Lida Thomas-Sundstrom –Barbie and the Beast.

Favorite book when you were a child:

I loved Christopher Pike and Anne McCaffrey books and devoured them as a child. I came into reading late in grade school, so I had a lot of catch-up to do.

Your five favorite authors:

These change daily, but today they are:

Laurell K Hamilton

Lili St Crow

Karen Marie Moning

Shelly Laurenston

Nalini Singh

Book you've faked reading:

I read a lot of the classics in high school, but the one I could never get through was Oliver Twist. Oh, and this is really bad for me to say, but I’ve faked a few Stephen King books, too. I want to read them, but I lose steam and end up switching books a couple chapters into the book. That doesn’t stop me from buying his books, though!

Book you're an evangelist for:

There is no one book for me. I’m an evangelist for books that move me. I love feeling the emotions with the characters. If an author can make me do that, they’ll be an auto-buy for me.

Book you've bought for the cover:

I’m guilty of this. Oh, sparkles. Must have it! lol The last book I bought and read because of the cover was Firelight by Kristen Callihan. Great book, by the way!

Book that changed your life:

A Knight to Remember. Loved that book. I think it was the first book that made me go “I want to do that.”

Favorite line from a book:

I hate this question, because I can never remember any lines.

One that stuck with me was from Bewitched and Betrayed by Lisa Shearin.

“I was being chased by a pissed-off naked guy with a knife. A really big knife.”

Book you most want to read again for the first time:

I have a few series that I would love to read again:

Strange Angel Series by Lili St. Crow

Cast Series by Michelle Sagara

Magic Series (both Devon Monk and Ilona Andrews)

Retrievers series by Laura Anne Gilman

Most horrifying moment while reading a book:

Stephen King’s “The Fog.” I never drive in fog without wondering what it could be hiding. *Looks around suspiciously.*

Favorite book about books or writing:

Stephen King’s “On Writing.”

What’s next?

I’m working on a new book called BloodSworn (a new paranormal romance) as well as the second book in both my series : The Demon Slayer and Electric Moon.

Want to win a copy of The Demon Within? You know the drill: one entry just for leaving a comment; and extra entries for a blog follow, a Twitter follow, and a Tweet or Retweet. Now, go and sparkle!