Guest Author Sandra Sookoo

Welcome to the blog Sandra!
What is the name of your most recent published book?
Well, considering today’s the Release Day for CHANGING TIDES, I’d have to say this book! LOL Feel that excitement? Yup, that’s the enthusiasm behind this book.

Here’s the blurb:

Born of water.

Neadra is an Undine, yet the thought of being in any body of water besides her bathtub terrifies her. In Strange Hollow, she lives on the side a the mountain, content and out of harm’s way, even as she yearns to be understood for her fears and loved in spite of them.

Drawn to water.

Caelan, a water dragon from the wilds of Ireland, has been shunned by his clan for his inability to shift and terrorize. Lonely for too long, he meets Neadra one moonlit night and becomes enchanted by her kindness and her unique beauty, but how could anyone love him if he has no heroic ability whatsoever?

Threatened by water.

When late spring rains, coupled with warm temperatures, melt much of the snow pack on Mt. Mitchell, a flood sweeps through the outskirts of Strange Hollow, putting Neadra’s life in danger. Caelan fights his way to get to her, pulling out the hero he never thought he could be while she, in turn, works through her fears to find him. Only through acceptance of the world around them and of each other will they find the life they’ve always wanted.

Sounds like Neadra and Caelan have quite an adventure. I can't wait to read more. So tell us Sandra, what inspires you to write your books?
Writing is always what I’ve wanted to do ever since I was a kid. I’m inspired everyday to write something different, put a unique spin on everything I do and I’ll be writing until the day I die.

What genre do you write and what draws you to it?
I write romance. What draws me to it? The promise of a happy ending, of course! I love seeing how two different people can put aside their issues and come together to make something beautiful out of a relationship.

Do you have a favorite author, book or series? I can’t narrow it down to just one. In any given sub-genre, I have favorites, and oftentimes, they change according to my mood. Variety is the key to life.

Who designed Changing Tides sexy cover?
The talented April Martinez. Don’t you just love how mysterious and sexy the cover is?

Do you have any tips for new writers?
Absolutely! The only way you’re going to learn how to write well is to keep writing. Oh sure, folks will tell you to read this book or take that class, but I firmly believe you can only get better by writing and doing it often. And above all, don’t give up no matter what bump in the road you hit.

I agree completely! Who is your favorite character and why?
In Changing Tides? I’d have to say it’s Neadra. She was very interesting to write and I felt for her during the project. But if you want to know who my favorite character in all of literature is, my answer would be Rhett Butler. I’d love to see someone write his story.

I'm sure Rhett would have quite the story to tell. It would be interesting to hear what he'd have to say about Scarlett. Where can your readers reach you?
At my website http://www.sandrasookoo.com From there you can connect with me on Twitter, my blogs and Facebook.

What are you writing now?
At the moment I’m finishing up a series for a different publisher that is scheduled for release later in 2011. After that I plan to work on a funny contemporary/paranormal book as well as a hot historical novella. A writer’s job is never done!

I'll look forward to those. Do you have an excerpt from Changing Tides that you’d like to share?
Watching the moon’s reflection on the lake surface, two glowing blue objects caught her attention. Neadra narrowed her eyes, straining forward. It was too early in the season for amphibian life and the orbs were too large to belong to a snake or fish. In the space of a heartbeat, they vanished. Relief swept through her body. She didn’t want to encounter some of the more fierce wildlife rumored to live around the mountain.
As suddenly as they disappeared, the blue objects came back into view, almost staring at her with weird, electric light. She shivered and pulled her feet beneath her, out of the water. Were they eyes? How was it possible? If an Undine didn’t want to be seen, no one except another water sprite could see them--unless she failed at the camouflage aspect of her culture as well. She’d never had an opportunity to test the theory.
The eyes came closer, confirming the fact the objects belonged to something. Her pulse steadily increased until it drummed out a frantic rhythm. Too fascinated to move, she watched as it closed the distance, only ten feet from the shore and her.
Threads of nameless anticipation slid over her skin, invoking goose bumps, but she felt no fear. Five feet of dark water separated her from whatever lurked beneath the surface. Her throat went dry as she wondered what kind of being it was.
With the smooth movements of someone accustomed to spending time in and around water, the placid scene shimmered. The top of a male head appeared, bobbed for an instant, his gaze never breaking eye contact with her, and he swam forward. The closer he got, the more of his body was revealed until he stood, dripping, on the shore near her.
For a few seconds, Neadra forgot how to breathe as she stared at the naked form of the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. She gasped and realized beautiful was not nearly an appropriate way to describe this particular male. He was at least six feet tall, and she had to tip her head back in order to properly take him all in. Black, coarse hair sprinkled his winter-pale skin, and as he lifted his hands to slick his thick, black hair from his face, the muscles in his broad chest rippled.
Unable to breathe without sounding like a dog in heat, Neadra licked her lips as her gaze moved from his clean-shaven, square jaw, over wide shoulders, thick from daily gym visits or hard labor, and down along his torso, following the sensual black ribbon of hair past washboard abs to his partially erect penis.
“Wow.” She’d barely forced the word out when her sex contracted with a strong aching need and she had to squeeze her thighs together to stave off the sensations. Quickly snapping her gaze to his face, she sought to distract herself from his body--except his brilliant eyes caused havoc with her insides. She felt an insane desire to trace the strong lines of his face, run her fingers over his jaw, and feel his lips against hers. “Wow.”
The man smiled. The ordinary action lit his face into a softer version, twinkling his eyes and causing gentle creases to appear at the sides of his mouth and across his forehead, as if he indulged in grinning often. “It’s not often I get such a reaction from the ladies, especially not one as pretty as you. I’m Caelan Burke.”
Neadra melted a tiny bit further at the slight Irish accent in his baritone voice. “Hi.” At a disadvantage from her position on the ground, not to mention the tempting distraction of his naughty bits at eye level, she struggled to her feet. The small pebbles that made up the shore cut into the soles, but she barely noticed as she held out her hand. “My name is Neadra.”
When she moved forward to shake the hand he offered, her toes tangled into the hem of her long skirt and she stumbled, taking a few unsteady steps backward and teetering into the lake with a resounding splash.

Book video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D_rDgGd8xA
Publisher’s website: http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com