Love Ancient Warrors? (Me too!): Q&A with Alexis Morgan and W*n MY LADY MAGE

First, a bit of housekeeping. Susannah Sandlin continues her Redemption blog tour today at Read 2 Review--check it out for another chance to win book prize packs and a chance at the $50 Amazon gift card!

Now...onward!

Today, I’d like to welcome Alexis Morgan, an award-winning author of “hunky heroes and gutsy heroines” across a wide span of romance genres, from contemporary to paranormal. She’s here to talk about her new fantasy romance, My Lady Mage, first in the Warriors of the Mist series (out today!), and will be giving away a signed copy to one commenter. You can learn more about Alexis by visiting her website.

ABOUT MY LADY MAGE: A cursed destiny. A band of warriors. And one troubled kingdom.

      It is whispered in Agathia that the legendary warriors of the mist—cursed by the gods—can be summoned only when a champion is needed and the cause is just. Gideon, their captain, knows this to be the one path that will lead his men to redemption—lest they face an eternity of damnation.
Years have passed since anyone has journeyed to the river's edge, but times are desperate.   

     Oppressed by a cruel guardian whose dark magic threatens to destroy her people, the beautiful and courageous Merewen calls upon the bespelled warriors. In Gideon she finds more than a champion, and in his arms, more than protection. However, their enemies are fighting with a power darker than anything than they imagined, and should Gideon fail, she will lose everything she holds dear—including her heart 

Now, let’s hear from Alexis. Welcome! 

Give us the “elevator pitch” for My Lady Mage. Five ancient warriors, who serve as the avatars of their gods, are called upon to risk their lives to save Lady Merewen and her people from evil, but end up risking their hearts as well.

What is your favorite scene in the book? I love the opening scene where Lady Merewen stands at the riverside to call forth the Warriors of the Mist to aid her people and meets Captain Gideon and his men for the first time.

Hardest scene you’ve ever written: I’m working on an e-novella that will introduce my new Snowberry Creek series, which will be out in August 2013. It’s the first contemporary romance I’ve written in a long time, so it’s stretching a few writing muscles I haven’t used in a while. There’s a long combat scene that I really want to get right, so I keep going back over it to polish the details. Somehow it’s easier when I can throw in magic, swords, and make my own rules like I have done in my paranormal romances and my new fantasy romance series. Reality is definitely tough!

What’s on your nightstand or top of your TBR pile? Prey by Linda Howard, Warrior Ascended by Addison Fox, and I just finished The Last Warrior by Susan Grant.

Favorite book when you were a child: Black Beauty or anything by Louisa May Alcott.

Your five favorite authors: Anne Stuart, Patricia Briggs, Ilona Andrews, Charlaine Harris, and Ann Aguirre—but there are so many others whose books I love!

Book you've faked reading: The Scarlett Letter and Huckleberry Finn when I was in college. I still aced the test on them, but I’m not sure if I should be proud of that fact or embarrassed by it.

Book you're an evangelist for: One I’ve encouraged people to read who say they don’t read romance is Morning Glory by Lavyrle Spencer. She’s such an amazing writer. This particular book was set during World War II. After reading it, I felt compelled to talk to both of my parents about what it was like for them to live during that era. My dad was in the Coast Guard in the North Atlantic. They met after the war, but she had one brother who served. It was interesting to hear about what the war was like for both the civilians and for those who were in the military.

Book you've bought for the cover: I love the artwork on Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar series. Whenever I see a cover designed by the artist, Jody Lee, I always find myself reaching out for it. I also love the cover on Jim Butcher’s book, Dead Beat. Love a guy in a duster!

Book that changed your life: I think it would have to be Midnight Rainbow by Linda Howard. I hadn’t read romances in years when my friend gave me this book to read. It was the first time I read a book with a really strong lost soul warrior hero. His name was Grant Sullivan, and even though that book came out in mid-1980s, I can still remember its powerful impact.

Book you most want to read again for the first time: Lover Awakened by J. R. Ward. I think Zsadist’s story is one of the most amazing and powerfully emotional books I’ve ever read. He just about broke my heart. Seriously.

Favorite line from a book: From Lover Awakened by J. R. Ward, Zsadist is thinking about how broken he is: “He thought about all the holes in him, the blank places, the voids where others felt things. When it came down to it, he was really just a screen, more empty than solid, his emotions blowing through him, only the anger catching and holding.” I think that is amazing writing and description. (Suzanne agrees—amazing book, amazing series, amazing writing!)

Most horrifying moment while reading a book: When I run across a bit of brilliant writing and it hits me that I would never have been able to think of that particular piece of prose myself. However, when that happens, it inspires me to try harder to make my own writing better.

Favorite book about books or writing: The Complete Writer’s Guide to Heroes and Heroines (Sixteen Master Archetypes) by Tami Cowden, Caro LaFever, and Sue Viders. This book has helped me learn to make my characters stronger with more depth.

What’s next?
After My Lady Mage (July 3, 2012), I have a Harlequin Nocturne coming out in September called Savage Redemption, which is set in a world populated by humans, vampires, and half-breeds called chancellors. My second Warriors of the Mist novel, Her Knight’s Quest, will be out in March 2013.

Thanks, Alexis!

You know the drill to win a signed copy of My Lady Mage. One entry for comment, another for blog follow, a third for a Twitter follow @Suzanne_Johnson, and a fourth for a Tweet or Retweet. Now...Go forth and comment!