Author Interview: Eve Rabi

What is your name and where do you live now?

My name is Eve Rabi and I reside in the land of Crocodile Dundee (You call that a knife? No, this is a knife), and Russell Crowe (the phone-throwing dude), Sydney Australia.
However, I was born in beautiful South Africa, land of Nelson Mandela, where I owned my very own firearm which I carried around twenty-four-seven. (I was a lousy shot I must quickly add, in case you want to challenge me to a duel and stuff.)

First off, how has your week been?

My week has been good. Just getting back on the dating scene, so I’m skipping bread, chocolate, wine, fat, hot chocolate with marshmallows, dairy and … well, all that tastes good, actually. (Sad face)
But, oh, I started running again. Body is now banging – looking toned and sculptured and ...well, not quite banging, but it may be by 2015. Hey, a girl can hope, can’t she?
Btw, I was asked out by my gynaecologist. After a routine examination of my reproductive organs.  Yeah, I know, it’s kinda weird. But that’s another story.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how long you’ve been writing?

Been writing for about 8 years. Had about five almost-complete manuscripts lying around. So now all I’m doing is final edits and slapping them onto Amazon.com. Not interested in publishers.

I am known for my kick-ass heroines with potty mouths. When I was about 9, I read Valley of the Dolls and that book inspired me.

I grew up in the hood so my stories are about girls/ guys from that background. I’m also into bi-racial romances.

I like sparkling white in a long stemmed glass, Lindt chocolate and glorious sunsets.

I’m a former registered nurse/real estate business owner/magazine editor/make-up artist.

I’m nurturing by nature and a bit of a cry baby. (I cried when Simba’s father died in Lion King. There, I’ve confessed. )

I’m really into music – got over 12 000 songs on my iPod, all downloaded illegally so don’t tell anyone.

I like all kinds of music, even rap and country (it’s the song, not the genre). Music plays constantly in my home.

I have two daughters, Skye and Raine who share my love for music and my perverted sense of humour. 

Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?

Even though I wrote articles for a newspaper and I ran a glossy, upmarket magazine with my ex, I had no idea I could write novels. But once I started writing, I couldn’t stop. I write at the expense of everything and sometimes I even forget to eat!

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it what would you say?

My latest book is called (working title) Victim No More – Revenge of the Ex.

It's about an abusive and controlling husband who, when his wife breaks away from him, engineers revenge that almost destroys her.   

But as with all my female characters who are kick-ass and spunky, the wife decides to fight back. Even though I promised myself I won’t write another book till June 2013, (as I need to set my linen closet, among other things), it's a story that just won’t let me go, and I find that I just have to write it. :)

Please tell us about your current release.

My last release was Deception - A Palace Full of Liars

A beautiful, but wicked queen, a poor village girl, a gay prince and an unsuspecting New Yorker. 
Thirteen-year-old Henna Day was living in poverty when she was hand-picked by Queen Karisma of Asokastan, (a North West State of India) to be a bride for Crown Prince Vijay.
Shortly after her wedding, Henna learned that Prince Vijay was gay and that he had the mentality of a child. 
As the years go by, she is expected to produce an heir. But Vijay will not consummate the marriage. Out of desperation, Henna seduces Rusty Carrington, Prince Vijay's fencing instructor, who is on contract in Asokastan, and who has no idea who Henna is. 
The moment she falls pregnant, Henna disappears from Rusty life. 
Rusty is devastated as he is madly in love with Henna. Since his contract is over, he goes back to New York. 
However, things get complicated when Queen Karisma becomes obsessed with Rusty Carrington and tries to woo him back into the palace. 
Out of the lies and deception emerges a beautiful story about forbidden love. 

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

You don’t have to be a striking beauty to capture a wonderful man.  There are many doors to a man’s heart, not just through his eyes. (I have to remember to tell myself that when I see a good looking man and think I don’t stand a chance with him.) And if all that doesn’t work, do what Henna did, kick his ass. Hard. When he recovers from his concussion, he will think you are a nut-job, yes, but after that, he will become somewhat fascinated by you.  (And wear hooker heels when you kick his ass.)

What genre would you place your books into?

Modern romance with violence, strong language, sexual violence, sexual reference, racial slurs …I’m nuts, I tell you! But you will laugh and be entertained or your money back.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

I’ve had a few criticisms but a ton of compliments. As you can imagine, I don’t worry about too much about criticism. My best compliment is as a reader put it:

“As I raced through the two volumes of this book at breakneck speed, I kept wishing I was an editor at a big publishing house. No, not because of the typos, though there were a few; but because I'd love to 'discover' Eve Rabi and hand her a million dollar advance. Because I feel in my gut that this could be the next big thing, the funny, female, 3rd millennium version of M*A*S*H.
Eve Rabi is an honest, natural story teller with an amazingly strong voice. Her characters are real people, so alive that the externals of setting and historical events seem unimportant. Her style is so natural, she seems unaware of the risks she's taking.”  Amazon Reviewer.

What are you currently reading? Are you enjoying it? What format is it?(eBook, hardback or paperback)

Currently reading a dating manual. What to say to men to bag yourself a husband. ie.;

I love Playboy magazine, it has greeaaat articles.

You like cricket? I love cricket too. I could watch it all day.

Oh yes, beer is way better than chardonnay.

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Eve Rabi is the author of 14 novellas and is known for her kick-ass leading ladies.

Her books include:

GRINGA -In the hands of a Ruthless Drug Lord (Which has reached No 1 on Amazon)

CAPTURED - My Sworn Enemy, my Secret Lover

THE CHEAT - A tale of lies and Infidelity

ROYAL DECEPTION - A Palace full of Liars

BURN'S WORLD - A love Triangle

Books that, like GRINGA, are sure to offend, entertain and amuse readers in various parts of the globe. She is currently working on her 5th novel, which she hopes to release in the next couple of months.
Please direct all hate mail and death threats to everabi2012@hotmail.com as she would really love to hear from you, good and not so good and please ...write a review.

Find Eve's books on Amazon and follow her on Facebook or stop by her blog.

Why I write romance

I often get asked why I write romance. And usually it's asked with a sort of sneering tone. And why medieval? As if there's something utterly bizarre about that. Like a love of history, something solid and intellectual, is something that shouldn't be mixed with something fanciful and fluffy.

Fluffy be damned, I love romance. The fluffier the better.

Actually I'm doing romance a dishonour there. Those familiar with the genre and many sub-genres know well that romance can be gritty, heart-wrenching and devastating at times as we explore every aspect of a character's psyche  Yes, it's punctuated with moments of beautiful human connection but how far removed is that from real life? My daughter hugged me and told me how much she loved me today as I dealt with the inevitable moment of self-doubt that writers are so frequently swamped with. Ok, so its not very dramatic but do you get my point? The whole art imitates life thing. A friend of mine recently told me about how she met her husband. I swear to God, if you wrote it down you would probably get told off for being cliche. But it was a prime example of true love. Yes, people it does exist.

Anyway, where am I going with this? Why do I write romance? Because it shaped who I am today. My 'education' (as my dad likes to call it) in romance started in my teens, reading pretty steamy stuff. But it taught me (amongst many) two things. It helped me understand sex between two loving partners and it taught me to fight for what I want and believe in, be it a man or a cause or a career.

Romance is so much more than boy meets girl, happily ever after. It takes us on great journeys of self-discovery and sacrifice. Each character grows and learns. Criticism of this genre came about when men feared the empowerment of women. They recognised what romance could teach us and were scared by it. That fear should no longer exist, so neither should criticism of romance. Hell, I bet there are a lot of husbands out there who are thankful for the romance and erotica genres for putting some sexy ideas into their partner's heads. I know my hubby doesn't complain ;)

So there we have it. I write romance for my love of the journey. For my love of character growth. For my love of love. As for why I write medieval stuff...well, you tell me what's sexier than a rugged knight. If you find anything, then you've not met the guys in my imagination... :)

Blog Tour Stop: Kill Shot by Anne Patrick

Please welcome Anne who is sharing her latest release with us. Be sure to comment as Anne is giving away a $50 Amazon gift card to one randomly drawn commenter.

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Former combat medic Kory Wagner survived four war zones. Now she’s home and out of the Army for good and someone is trying to kill her in her own backyard. Just as disturbing is the handsome sheriff who’s on the case. Sheriff Sean Harding doesn’t quite know what to think of the decorated veteran that managed to outsmart an entire search party. What bothers him more is the body of a PI, whom she hired, was found dead in a building she owns. And Kory isn’t being very cooperative with helping him find the answers as to why someone would kill her sister and want her dead. Will he be able to keep her alive along enough to discover the truth?

Purchase Kill shot on Amazon, B&N and CBD

~~~~~~~~~~~~~EXCERPT~~~~~~~~~~~

Kory heard a sound a few yards in front of her. She quickly scanned the area. Three rows of huge metal shelves lined the interior. She inched forward, peering around the corner of the second row. Mr. Urlik lay on his side, facing her, clutching his chest. His eyes were opened and his mouth moved, but no sound came out. A heart attack? She ran to him, knelt down on the cement floor, and took his hand. It was wet, slimy. She looked down and saw his hand covered in blood. Her eyes shifted to his chest. A large crimson stain spread across the width of his white shirt from a small hole near the center. He was breathing erratically. Experience told her a bullet had pierced at least one lung and he didn't have much time. She immediately pressed the heel of her right hand against the wound.

"I'm sorry," he murmured.

"Where's your cell phone?" Hers was in her backpack but she didn't want to waste valuable time digging it out.

"No time. Get out."

"Who did this, Mr. Urlik?"

He grabbed her right hand and squeezed it tightly. "You were right -- no accident."

His hand went limp.

Kory felt something in the palm of her hand, looked down and saw it was a key. She shoved it into her jeans pocket. A whizzing sound buzzed past her, followed by the unmistakable clink of a bullet ricocheting off metal. She instinctively threw herself over his body as another bullet struck metal. Kory felt for a pulse. There was none. She lowered her hand to his chest and felt under both arms and along his waist. I thought all PIs carried guns. Just my luck this one didn't.

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Anne Patrick is the author of more than a dozen novels of Romance, Mayhem & Faith, including the award winning and bestselling WOUNDED HEROES SERIES, FIRE AND ASH, and TIES THAT BIND. Her books have garnered four-star reviews from Romantic Times, 'Top Pick' and 'Best Book' honors from Night Owl Reviews and Long and Short of It Reviews, and Five-Heart reviews from The Romance Studio. When she isn't working on her next novel she enjoys spending time with family and friends, and traveling to foreign countries to experience new cultures and adventures. Born and raised in Oklahoma, she now makes her home in Kansas.

You can find Anne on her website and Facebook.

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Book Spotlight: The Stepbrothers by Lisa Day

I'm spotlighting the lovely Lisa Day's book, The Stepbrothers, today. Read on to find out more.

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Childhood for Clint Hawks was wonderful until the day his mother remarried. His new stepbrother George was pure evil. George's only goal was to make sure Clint's life was a living hell. It never occurred to him Clint would grow up. Clint never forgot the misery and pain he suffered at his stepbrother's hand and his every thought focused on revenge. Along comes Georges fiancée Samantha Culpepper a sweet, young, innocent, bride to be. Inexperienced Samantha becomes the pawn in Clint's game of revenge. When the score is finally settled she'll have enough experiences with the stepbrothers to last a life time.

Purchase The Stepbrothers on Amazon

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Lisa Day hails from New Jersey before 'Jersey Girls' became famous. Since living in the south for so long she now thinks of herself as a southern bell, just born in the wrong century. So, what else is a girl to do but write those pesky stories that live within her head. Find Lisa on her website.

Book Tour Stop: The Difference a Day Makes by Barbara Longley

Please welcome Barbara to my blog today. She's sharing her new release with us and also giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Card to two randomly drawn commenters so be sure to comment below!

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Ryan Malloy has lost it all. After his fiancée dies in a tragic accident, he enlists in the army, only to lose his best friend in a roadside bombing. Wracked with guilt and grief, Ryan finds life unbearable—until a job offer from his former commander gives him a glimmer of hope. And in the tiny town of Perfect, Indiana, the man who thought he had nothing left to live for meets the only woman who can tempt him into risking his battered heart one last time...

Paige Langford has it all: wealth, beauty, and ambition. But when her boyfriend’s betrayal leads to the loss of her job and her reputation, she retreats to her brother’s rural Indiana home to regroup. There she meets Ryan Malloy, a gruff, hard-drinking loner whose surly temper can’t hide the haunted misery in his eyes. He is everything Paige never wanted, yet he may be exactly what she needs—if only they can overcome their personal demons to forge a love strong enough to save them both.

Purchase The Difference a Day Makes on Amazon.

~~~~Excerpt~~~~~~

Throwing her shoulders back, Paige knocked on Mr. Weil’s door.

“Come in,” he barked from inside.

Smoothing her face into a professional mien, she opened the door and strode in. One look at his expression, and she faltered. He looked serious. Seriously unhappy. What the hell?

“Have a seat, Langford.” He moved a pile of folders aside.

She took one of the chairs in front of his huge, imposing desk. “You wanted to see me?”

“Hmmm.” He scowled her way. “Meyer Construction needed our bid five business days ago. They never got it. They’ve gone with another supplier.”

An adrenaline shock hit her system, and her heart leaped to her throat. She gripped the arms of the chair. “That’s impossible! I sent that bid with a same-day courier two days before it was due.”

“Like I said—they never got it.” He leaned back in his expensive leather chair and fixed her with a baleful scowl. “I’ve also had two other accounts you handled complain that their bids were late, holding them up and delaying their contractors. If it weren’t for Anthony Rutger’s intervention, we would’ve lost those accounts as well.”

“Anthony’s…intervention?” Her mind spun with the implications. Anthony? 

Her mind flew back to the day the courier had come to the lobby for the Meyer bid. She’d been in the middle of a phone call, and Anthony had offered to take the envelope down to the lobby for her. At the time, she’d thought it was sweet. Come to think of it, he’d also offered to put a few of her bids into the office’s outgoing mail bin for her. No, he wouldn’t purposefully sabotage her. Would he? They were a couple. 

Heat filled her face. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“Damn straight it won’t. You’re fired.” 

“Oh, no. There’s been a mistake. I had somebody else put the bids in the mail for me. They must’ve forgotten, or…” Shit. Shit. Shit. She glanced around the office as the reality of Anthony’s betrayal sank in. “I won’t let it happen again, Mr. Weil. I’ll get the Meyer account back somehow.” She sucked in a breath. “From now on, I will personally put things in the out bin myself, and—”

“Miss Langford, you’re done here.”

About Barbara

As a child, Barbara Longley moved frequently, learning early on how to entertain herself with stories.

Adulthood didn’t tame her peripatetic ways: she has lived on an Appalachian commune, taught on an Indian reservation, and traveled the country from coast to coast. After having children of her own, she decided to try staying put, choosing Minnesota as her home. By day, she puts her master’s degree in special education to use teaching elementary school. By night, she explores all things mythical, paranormal, and newsworthy, channeling what she learns into her writing.

Find out more about Barbara and her books on her website.

Author Interview: Elodie Parks

Please welcome Elodie to my blog today who is sharing with us some inside info on her latest relase, The Last Time. Be sure to check out the rafflecopter giveawway at the bottom as Elodie is giving away a £25/$25 Amazon gift card and a bundle of all her titles in ebook format.

What is your name and where do you live now?

My name is Elodie Parkes and I live in rural United Kingdom presently. Close to a city but just far enough away to feel very countrified.

First off, how has your week been?

It’s been up and down. I’m really busy and sometimes this week I’ve wondered how I’m going to get through everything. More annoying for me is that I haven’t done any writing.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how long you’ve been writing?

I started writing when I was seventeen, but gave up for a number of years. I had a few things published back then in teenage magazines. Then a few years ago I had so many stories in my head that I started writing again.

Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?

I never knew what direction I wanted to take to be honest and life has pushed me around a little. I remember wanting to be a Vet at one point in time and then I stayed with the Arts.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it what would you say?

My latest release is from Eternal Press, titled The Last Time

She thought it was just another stalker case until she met Seth Carbery.

Please tell us about your current release.

Actor Seth Carbery swears he will never fall in love again, that is until he meets private detective Bethany Snow.

Something strange is going on. Seth and other members of the movie cast and crew are receiving threatening letters, but no threat has ever been carried out... yet. Bethany Snow is sent on location by the Black Agency to investigate, and guard Seth Carbery against danger.

The case is not what it first seems and even when Bethany thinks it could be over, a new twist means she becomes a target.

Seth and Bethany find they can’t keep their hands off each other.

Who is sending the letters and why? Does Seth have a secret admirer or stalker?

With steamy romance, graphic love scenes, and a quirky story of what people do for love this erotic romance is for adults only.

What was your favourite chapter to write and why?

I did enjoy writing the love scenes where my two lovers meet and fall for each other. So it’s over three chapters actually.

Are your books available as eBooks? Were you involved in that process at all? Do you read eBooks or is it paper all the way?

My books are mostly in eBook form. I only ever read eBooks now too.

Did you have any say in the title / cover of your book?

I titled the book. U had a huge say in the cover too. The artist was very good at negotiating.

Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?

Across all my books so far I’d like to write Jake Snow’s story. He’s a character from The Last Time and it feels as if he has a story that needs telling.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

I always have some little quirk in my stories that are not exactly message for readers but they highlight something I’ve noticed in real life. In The Last Time it’s about just what people do for and when in love. It can really knock a person around.

How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?

That really does vary. If the story is strong in my mind it can be four to six weeks. If I have an idea that I want to develop more then 10-12 weeks. That’s just the first writing not editing and re-writing, that takes more time.

Do you have plans for a new book?

I’ve just had a manuscript contracted by Hot Ink Press called The Winter Girl, set for a summer 2013 release. I’ve just finished a story that will go into editing for a time and is not submitted anywhere yet. A new story is bubbling in my mind right now but I might hijack it for Jake Snow’s story. (smiles)

What genre would you place your books into?

Erotic Contemporary romance, with a twist.

What made you decide to write that genre of book?

It just happened LOL

Do you have a favourite out of the books you have written? If so why is it your favourite?

I do love The Horoscope Writer but I do love The Winter Girl too. I think authors fall in love with some of their work more than other works.

Do you have a favourite character from your books? Why are they your favourite?

I can never pick. I change too. Right now it’s Starr Forrester from The Winter Girl. He’s so cool.

Where do you get your book plot ideas from? What/Who is your inspiration?

People I meet or just see I the street sometimes inspire me. Road signs, buildings, places I drive through. Ideas just drop into my head.

Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?

I’m generally into the story for a few days and then the title becomes clear.

How do you come up with characters names and place names in your books?

Names are weird for me. I have to know my characters’ names or they don’t gel properly. funnily enough I don’t always pick the names, the characters suddenly tell me as I think about the story.

Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?

No it just unfolds.

How do you go about creating the perfect "Swoon" worthy man?

He just unfolds too. LOL

Has anything surprised you about your writing life?

How much I miss my characters when the story is finished.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Marketing is the blight of my life and I bet most authors these days.

Is there a word, phrase or quote you like?

From someone else?

I like James Redfield,

“I don't think that anything happens by coincidence... No one is here by accident... Everyone who crosses our path has a message for us. Otherwise they would have taken another path, or left earlier or later. The fact that these people are here means that they are here for some reason...”

If you couldn’t be an author, what would your ideal career be?

To run a plant nursery, a garden shop, market  type place.

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Elodie Parkes lives near Canterbury, United Kingdom. It’s famous for the Cathedral, Chaucer, and there is a UNESCO world heritage site, which includes the ancient ruins of St Augustine's Abbey and St Martin's Church. There is also a ruined castle. It’s a pretty place too and the coast nearby is great.

She work in an antiques shop and writes. She has two dogs that keep her fit with their need for walks.

Elodie writes romance, contemporary and erotic with a twist of magic, paranormal, mystery or suspense. She likes to make the story unusual in some way, by a quirk in the tale.

Find Elodie online,

http://elodieparkes.blogspot.com where you can read lots of snippets from my erotic romance novels, meet other authors and read snippets from their books. Become a fan on Facebook.

Purchase The Last Time from Eternal Press.

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Just do it!

Boy, sometimes I get a little fed up with all the (usually) well-meaning blog posts telling me how I should write. I'm bombarded with them daily. Posts on characterisation,  plotting, the technicalities of writing... I could probably spend a good portion of my day reading about how to write and get very little actual writing done. I wonder how much time very successful authors spent researching 'How to Write'. I suspect many just sat down and wrote. And honestly, isn't learning 'on the job' the best way of leaning anything?

I am not a plotter. I don't write out character sheets (boring) and I don't delve deep and discover all their inner motivations. Mostly because, hello, these guys are living and breathing in my head. They are keeping me up at night with their problems and their fears. I don't need to spend hours writing that down because they are with me 24 hours a day, whispering their problems to me.

If you're a new writer, all this 'advice' can be really intimidating. Yes, strive to give your best but don't get bogged down with what others are telling you to do. We all work differently and at the end of the day, the best way to learn your craft is to do it. Whether you write a few pieces of rubbish and bin them or maybe resurrect them one day and improve them, it doesn't matter. It' all good practice.

I suppose I've just delivered a preachy blog post, just like the ones I loathe now, haven't I? But I hope people take this as an inspiration to take that leap and just write. Fear is something that holds back many a writer and unfortunately what is intended as friendly advice can turn into yet another obstacle for even the most seasoned author. Do what you feel is best and if you want to write out what your character's favourtie colour is, great, but I don't think any amount of answering random questions can make up for time spent actually writing.

On that note, I better practice what I preach...