**GIVEAWAY** + Interview with double RITA nominee Kristen Callahan about Winterblaze

Interview with double RITA nominee-Best First Book Firelight and best Paranormal Moonglow -   Kristen Callihan. When asked to describe Winterblaze she says––"Winterblaze is both a marriage in trouble romance and a high-stakes adventure story. I liken it to Mr. and Mrs. Smith with zombies. Lol...." See what else she has to say below

Those who aren’t familiar with the RITA Awards they’re sponsored by Romance Writer’s of America and named after their first president Rita Clay Estrada. Here’s their website’s description of the awards-“ to promote excellence in the romance genre by recognizing outstanding published romance novels and novellas.”

CONTEST DETAILS BELOW

• ISBN-13: 9781455520794
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
• Publication date: 2/26/2013
• Series: Darkest London Series , #3

Overview:
Once blissfully in love . . .
Poppy Lane is keeping secrets. Her powerful gift has earned her membership in the Society for the Suppression of Supernaturals, but she must keep both her ability and her alliance with the Society from her husband, Winston. Yet when Winston is brutally attacked by a werewolf, Poppy's secrets are revealed, leaving Winston's trust in her as broken as his body.

Here’s what’s being said about Kristen’s novels;
"Compulsively readable...a compelling Victorian paranormal with heart and soul."
--- Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Firelight
RT Book Reviews
"Top Pick! 4 1/2 Stars! Like all good things, Callihan just keeps getting better and better. The third installment in the Darkest London series is not only a gripping novel, but also one that elevates the genre with its depth of emotion, passion and mesmerizing storytelling. Callihan doesn't just create worlds, she moves readers into them with unforgettable characters and stunning revelations. Once begun, it's impossible to put down WINTERBLAZE."
Diana Gabaldon
"Callihan has a great talent for sexual tension and jaw-dropping plots that weave together brilliantly in the end."
Hannah Howell
"A dark, delicious tale of secrets, murder, and love, beautifully shrouded in the shadows of Victorian London."
Nalini Singh
"Evocative and deeply romantic, Firelight was fascinating from the very first page."
Larissa Ione
"A sizzling paranormal with dark history and explosive magic! Callihan is an impressive new talent."

Library Journal
VERDICT Dark, dangerous, and totally enthralling, this latest addition to Callihan's "Darkest London" series treats fans to a heart-tugging, satisfying romance, fills in a few series blanks with well-handled flashbacks, and nicely sets the stage for the stories that are sure to come.”
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Kristen, welcome to my blog
Thank you for having me, Debbie. :)


First tell us about your newest release Winterblaze.
Winterblaze is both a marriage in trouble romance and a high-stakes adventure story. I liken it to Mr. and Mrs. Smith with zombies. Lol.

Poppy Lane is the secret head of the SOS, an organization dedicated to keeping the human world safe -and ignorant- of supernatural beings. When her husband, CID Inspector Winston Lane survives a werewolf attack, he finds out about her double life and leaves her for lying to him. Poppy is just as angry over his abrupt departure without giving her an opportunity to explain.

Unfortunately, one of Poppy’s old enemies decides to threaten Win, and Poppy must keep him safe. Win has definite opinions on who is keeping whom safe, and they must learn to work together to survive, and perhaps, somewhere along the way, fall in love again.


On your website it says that you are both a romance reader and writer and you credit your Irish heritage perhaps for your love of the magical, mystical and in your words “a peek of what might lie beyond the curtain of our reality”.
What does that mean in terms of how you write?
I don’t know if it affects how I write, but definitely what I write. I love romance, and so I write romance. I’m attracted to dark tales, involving the supernatural, and so I write those too.


Your novels are all in the Darkest London Series.
How are the novels connected?
They are connected by the idea that all is not what it seems, that there is this secret world of demons, lycans, and other beasties hiding in London, and that for all of these beasties strengths, they need love, friendship, and understanding just as much as we do. 


Should new fans start with the first?
Well, they don’t have to, but there is definitely a character progression throughout the books. So the emotional impact will be greater if the reader starts from the beginning. 


You are described as “a child of the eighties,” and now all I can picture is K.T. Oslin’s 80’s Ladies.
Tell us how this reflects on your life and your writing, and then get that song out of my head please :)
Lol. I suggest listening to another earworm-worthy song. J You know, another author told me I really ought to say that I WAS a child in the 80’s, as opposed to a child of. Minor distinctions aside, I think that the era and culture we grow up in affects us in countless ways. It shapes our thinking, our humor, our style, etc.

And if I wrote contemporary romance, you’d probably see these influences a lot more. As I write historicals, the only real way that this comes out is in the comic book aspect of the stories. Superhero cartoons, Dungeons and Dragons, and thriving comic book stores were all part of 80s culture.


Your novels are constantly at the top of the charts with RT (who I review for too) and now you’ve been a double RITA award nominee.
Do the accolades validate your writing to you?
Accolades are definitely validating. Who doesn’t want to hear that they’ve done a good job? But it’s also a bit surreal. A small part of me always feels like that those accolades are a dream, or a mistake. And there is definitely more pressure to top, or at least match, the last book. Of course, that pressure would probably be there regardless; I want every book I write to entertain and to be a satisfactory experience in and of itself. 

What do you attribute to the huge success of paranormal romance?
I think it is the mystery of the unknown. But what makes it attractive to me is the idea that superhuman physical strength and the promise of immortality do not solve all problems. In fact, they just might lead to further isolation and loneliness. 


What type of reader would enjoy your novels?
My books are a mixed bag; there is a little of everything. If you enjoy historicals, paranormals, romantic suspense, even urban fantasy, you might want to take a peek. :)

But no matter what, I work hard to give readers a good, emotional love story.


What’s next for you?
I am finishing up Shadowdance, book 4 in the Darkest London series, featuring SOS agents Jack Talent and Mary Chase. These two have been at each other’s throats for two books now so it was fun to finally get them together. And I’m also working on Entwined, a Darkest London novella, featuring a shy, ginger-haired blacksmith who is desperately in love with his brother’s intended. 


Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions. Good luck to you in the future.
Aw, thanks! And thank you for having me! 

Kristen chats about her Darkest London Series with RT Book Reviews

 Connect with Kristen - Website - Facebook - Twitter - Pintrest

TO CELEBRATE HER RITA NOMINATIONS KRISTEN HAS OFFERED
BOTH HER NOMINATED NOVELS
FIRELIGHT & MOONGLOW
FOR THE GIVEAWAY
US ONLY
PLEASE USE THE RAFFLECOPTER ENTRY FORM BELOW
THANKS KRISTEN
GOOD LUCK!

        

        

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