Hot Summer Read! Q&A with Laura Kaye and W*n WEST OF WANT

First the quick commercial messages. Check over at my Susannah Sandlin website for the latest stops on the Redemption virtual tour and more chances to win the Amazon gift card and other prizes. Today, it's the big ZOMBIE VS. VAMPIRE THROWDOWN. You need to weigh in on this one (psst...vote vamp). And there's still time to enter over at Dark Faerie Tales for a signed River Road ARC--click on the badge to your right.

I'm really excited for Preternatura to be a stop on author Laura Kaye's virtual tour. I read North of Need, the first in Laura's Hearts of the Anemoi series, and fell in love with the worldbuilding and the whole idea of these nature gods who get drawn into human affairs. And when West of Want came out, I was caught up once again. It's a great concept and a wonderful paranormal romance series. Read on to learn more about Laura and her series--and win a copy of West of Want or, if this is a new author and series to you, the first book, North of Need. (Although the books stand on their own very well.)

About WEST OF WANT: When Marcella Raines' twin brother dies, she honors his request to be buried at sea, never expecting the violent storm that swamps her boat. Though she's gravely injured--and still emotionally damaged from her recent divorce--Ella fights to survive. Zephyros Martius is the Supreme God of the West Wind and Spring, but being the strongest Anemoi hasn't protected him from betrayal and loss. Worse, he's sure his brother Eurus is behind it. When Zeph's heartbreak whips up a storm that shipwrecks a human, his guilt forces him to save her. Ella is drawn to the vulnerability Zeph hides beneath his otherworldly masculinity and ancient blue eyes. And her honesty, empathy, and unique, calming influence leave Zeph wanting...everything. When Eurus threatens Ella, she and Zeph struggle to let go of the past, defend their future, and embrace what they most want--a love that can be trusted.

Now...welcome, Laura!

Give us the “elevator pitch” for your the book: West of Want is the second book in the Hearts of the Anemoi contemporary fantasy romance series in which the powerful Supreme God of the West Wind falls in love with a woman he nearly killed but doesn’t know if he can trust, especially as the ancient feud with his evil brother reaches a breaking point.

What is your favorite scene in the book? Is it horrible that it might be the Black Moment??? LOL It was really painful to write, but it was also oh so good!

Hardest scene you’ve ever written: Ever written? Hmm… I think it would be a tie between my ménage a quatres book Just Gotta Say, because writing scenes with three men makes it difficult to find unique and clear ways to specify who’s talking and being referred to, and the pitch-black elevator scenes in Hearts in Darkness, where it was challenging to build sexual tension when the characters couldn’t see one another.

What’s on your nightstand or top of your TBR pile? There are over 75 books on my nightstand – I know that because I wrote a blog post about it once!!! LOL But…at the very top of my TBR pile would be J.R. Ward’s Lover Reborn, which I still haven’t let myself read.

Favorite book when you were a child: As a child the thing I most enjoyed reading were real life ghost stories, though I don’t recall a particular book…

Your five favorite authors: J.R. Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Stephen King, Anne Rice, the writing team of Preston/Childs

Book you've faked reading: LOL! Maybe Fifty Shades of Grey? It isn’t really that I’ve “faked” it – it’s just that I read (and enjoyed) the entire story when it was online, so I haven’t read the published books…

Book you're an evangelist for: J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series, and particularly Lover Awakened. I’m also a new evangelist for Lisa Kleypas’s Travises contemporary series. (Suz says: Okay, everybody sigh in unison: Zhadist!)

Book you've bought for the cover: Ooh! I can totally answer this! Amanda Hocking’s Switched. Gorgeous and striking blood red cover.

Book that changed your life: Stephenie Meyers’ Twilight. I read the entire Twilight series about two weeks after I had a head injury, and the rewiring in my brain combined with the inspiration that if Stephenie could do it, maybe I could too, led me to write my first novel, the vampire romance that became my first published book, Forever Freed.

Book you most want to read again for the first time: Lest I pick another Black Dagger Brotherhood book (!), I’ll go with The Hunger Games – I just think it’s brilliant.

Most horrifying moment while reading a book: When Bella and Edward’s honeymoon faded to black in Breaking Dawn??? LOL

Favorite book about books or writing: Stephen King, On Writing

What’s next? For the next few weeks I’ll be celebrating the release of West of Want and writing the follow-up book to my recent contemporary romance release, Her Forbidden Hero, tentatively set to release early this fall. After that there are more gods and even some vampires to write, plus, you know, whatever characters happen to take over my brain and demand my attention between now and then!

GIVEAWAY: One commenter who leaves their email address will win an ebook of West of Want. Open to international! Good luck!

Also: Don’t miss the West of Want Scavenger Hunt (thru 7/14) and the West of Want in the Wild (thru 8/24) giveaway events, too! 

About Laura Kaye: Voted Breakout Author of the Year in the 2011 GraveTells Readers’ Choice Awards, Laura is the bestselling and award-winning author of over a half-dozen books in paranormal, contemporary and erotic romance. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with all things paranormal. A published non-fiction author, Laura’s work as an historian and training as an archaeologist help her create vivid and accurate portrayals of other times and places. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

So...slightly different giveaway rules today: Just leave an email address in the comments for a chance to win!