Thursday, June 30, 2011

Guest Author Chastity Bush - KILLER KISSES


Thanks for being on the blog today! Tell us a little about KILLER KISSES.

My new book Killer Kisses is a very funny, very sexy, paranormal romance about adult novelty storeowner Tina James, and five hundred year old vampire detective Alex Monroe. Here’s a little blurb to get you going. 

The man straddling the Harley was, in one word…juicy.
Adult novelty store owner Tina James loves a good adventure, and the man peering at her through onyx black eyes is the closest thing to adventure she’s ever come across. Unless of course, you count the mugging at gunpoint she experienced only hours earlier.
Leather clad Alex Monroe and his big bike just moved to number one on Tina’s sexiest man alive list, and with every searing kiss, every white hot caress, Tina finds herself living out her wildest fantasies with the man of her dreams.
But is it all too good to be true?
There’s something about Alex, from his unusual habit of only leaving the house at night, to his amazing speed and strength that has Tina wondering what exactly the man she’s falling head over heels for is hiding?

Meeting Tina James is the best thing that’s happened to Alex in the last five hundred years. She’s spunky, sassy, and beyond sexy.
But there’s a problem…or three.
Alex is a vampire, Tina’s a mortal, and he’s searching for a rogue vampire who just so happens to have his sights set on her as his next victim.
Now, not only does Alex have to find a way to tell the woman he loves what he is, he has to catch the killer before he loses her forever.


Where were you when you got your first book contract? Who did you tell?

My first book contract was with a horrid company whom I’m still fighting to get my rights back from. But my second contract was a thrill to receive. I was at home having a pity party (like we all do at times) and opened my email to a contract offer from Solstice Publishing. I told my husband first, as he is my best friend and I tell him everything. While I’m no longer with that company, I still remember how excited I was to see that someone believed in my work as much as I do.

What draws you to write your paranormal/erotic thriller?

I have this crazy love for anything paranormal/supernatural and hot romance. I always have. So writing in that genre was inevitable. Being able to create your own beings, or adjust others like vampire, werewolves, demons, etc. is something I love doing. You can do anything in the paranormal world; I can really let my imagination fly.

Do you have any tips for new writers?

Research! Before you submit to a company or agent, do everything in your power to learn everything you can about that company/person. Unfortunately, there are publishers and agents out there only interested in lining their pockets. Also, write what you love. What’s hot today might not be so tomorrow. And last but not least, READ! I find that nothing gets my imagination rolling faster than reading a good book.

What is your guilty pleasure?

True Blood or Dexter, and Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream. My husband and I always enjoy a pint of ice cream and watch True Blood or Dexter. It’s a lot of fun. 

Where can your readers reach you?

I’m just about everywhere, but here is where I’m most active.

http://www.facebook.com/chastitybush
http://chastitybush.webs.com
http://www.goodreads.com
http://www.twitter.com/chastitybush
http://www.linkedin.com/chastitybush

Are you working on another book?

Always! At the moment I'm working on two books. One is a contemporary romance entitled, The Stranger Next Door that for some crazy reason took a turn toward the Mob, and the other is another paranormal romance entitled Reluctant Angel. Both are still works in progress that I can’t wait to finish.

Do you have an excerpt you’d like to share?

Certainly! Here’s a short excerpt from Killer Kisses. Hope you enjoy!

The cold, night air swirled around Alex as he rode down the desolate streets. The motorcycle beneath him rumbled, sending a wave of comfort throughout his tired body. He was a long way from home, and for Alex Monroe the old saying was true; there’s no place like home.
He’d spent the entire night in his hotel room searching through cold case files, going back years and years, looking deeper at unsolved murders, trying his hardest to find something, anything that would lead him in the right direction. He needed to find this murderer and fast. It was only a matter of time before he slipped up and exposed their kind to the entire world, spelling disaster for them all.
Only sparkly, vegetarian vampires appealed to most people nowadays, and he was neither sparkly, nor vegetarian.
Rounding the corner, Alex wondered if his contact inside the precinct would have any new leads to share with him. He doubted it; the local authorities didn’t have a single shred of evidence to help lead them toward who the killer might be. He’d hoped to find some connection between the recent murders and some of the unsolved ones from the past, but so far, he’d hit a dead-end.
The sooner he got this mystery solved, the sooner the women of this city would be safe...from this killer anyway. There would always be others wreaking havoc somewhere, and he would be there to hunt them down.
It was his job. As an Immortal Detective, he would do whatever it took to end the terror rogues caused with their senseless killing.
Pulling next to the curb in front of the police station, a flash of gold caught his attention. Taking a closer look through the dim streetlight, he frowned. A lone woman walked along the desolate sidewalk. Her long, sandy-blonde hair whipped in the breeze as she pulled her lightweight jacket tighter around her small frame.
“What the hell is she doing?”
Didn’t she know there was a killer on the loose? Why would she be walking the streets alone at three o’clock in the morning? Sometimes Alex couldn’t help but wonder how humans had lived so long without being overrun by his—or any other—species.
Before he knew what he was doing, Alex pulled away from the curb and rolled his bike along the street beside the woman. Alex wasn’t your typical knight in shining armor. He wasn’t even what someone would consider valiant. It just wasn’t in his nature, but something inside him wouldn’t let him turn his back on this woman.
“Are you all right?” he called loudly over the rumble of the motorcycle.
Stopping, she turned to face him, and all thought fled his mind at the beauty revealed before him. Large, sea green eyes bore into him as her gaze widened cautiously. Despite her petite stature, her legs, encased in tight, distressed jeans, were long and shapely.
Letting his eyes sweep over her boldly, he took in every inch of her lithe body as though admiring every brushstroke of a masterpiece. Her skin was a flawless, creamy ivory with a pinch of rose color staining her cheeks and nose from the bite of the crisp night air.
“Listen,” she said wearily, “if you’re looking to rob me, you're too late. Someone beat you to it about three hours ago.”
Smiling, Alex shut off his bike.
“Actually, I was just wondering why a beautiful woman such as yourself would be walking alone in the dark when there’s a killer on the loose.”
She is beautiful, he mused.
Stunning even. He’d lived a long time and faced countless women, but could remember none who matched her in beauty. The impulse to reach out and grab her, to pull her against his chest and explore every delectable inch of her, rocketed through him like a bolt of lightning.
Taking a deep breath, Alex struggled to rein in his fast-rising desire.
What had gotten into him? There was one rule he refused to break; never get involved with a mortal. Once they found out his secret, it was all over, but something about this sarcastic little bundle pushed him, urging him to learn more about her.
Just the sight of her held him on a razor’s edge. The silky glide of her voice only added to his desire.
Cocking a brow, she tilted her head. “I didn’t have much say in the matter. Some skuzz-bucket robbed me after I left work. He took my purse, which had everything in it, and the creepy cop who took my statement didn’t offer to give me a ride home or let me call anyone to come pick me up. So, here I am.” She finished, waving her hand in the air with exasperation.
She was feisty, and much to his surprise, he found he liked it. Alex never cared much for loud sarcastic women, but something was different about this one, and he couldn’t fight the feeling that he was supposed to know her. If he’d learned one thing in all of his years, it was to follow his instincts, and at the moment, his instincts were screaming for him to grab hold of this woman and not let go.
He couldn’t let her continue on her way. Not only was it dangerous for her to be out alone this time of night, the knee-high, black leather boots over her jeans looked like they would cripple her before she reached the end of the block.
How the hell do women wear those things?
“What was the cop’s name?”
“Briggs.” She grimaced. “He even tried to give me his number.” She shuddered as though the thought disgusted her, and he chuckled.
He would have a little talk with his contact about Officer Briggs’s unacceptable behavior, but for now, he needed to get her on the back of his bike and her thighs pressed firmly against his hips.
“Let me give you a ride.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t think so.” She laughed cynically.
“Why not?”
Suppressing a groan, Alex watched as she propped her hands on her wonderfully curved hips.
“Because, I’ve already been mugged tonight and I don’t wish to add raped and murdered to the list.”
Alex couldn’t contain the laughter that burst from his lips.
She’s witty, too.
“What’s so funny?” she snapped irritably.
Calming his laughter, Alex dismounted his bike. “I’m sorry. I have no intention of harming you. My name is Alex Monroe, and I’m here helping the local authorities catch the Monthly Murderer.” He extended his hand to her.
He was also a five-hundred-year-old vampire, but didn’t think she would appreciate that little tidbit of information. She was already baring her claws like a cat backed into a corner, and he’d learned a long time ago it was never good to put stress on an unstable structure.
Based on the night she just described having, one false move and he would catch a swift kick to the balls before she ran away, leaving him to wonder who she was, and aching to see her, and he would ache, he realized.
Just the thought of never seeing her again sent a piercing pain through him. It was absurd, these feelings he was experiencing. He didn’t even know her name and yet, he felt...connected to her somehow.
He watched silently as she gazed at him and some of the wariness left her expression. The wind gusted around them, and her sweet scent flowed over him. She smelled exotic, sweet, and wild. He felt his fangs try to shift, yearning for just a sample of her sweetness. Taking a calming breath, he willed them back into place.
“Can I see some I.D.?”
“Why?” he asked curiously.
“Well, you expect me to believe you're a cop. It would help if you could show some I.D.”
Nodding, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a wallet, flipping it open to reveal a silver badge given to him by his contact inside the precinct.
Taking a small step forward, she examined the badge, and then nodded once.
Reaching out cautiously, she shook the proffered hand and cast him a small smile. A frisson of excitement tingled through him at the feel of her small hand cradled within his. Gently, he rubbed his thumb over the inside of her wrist discreetly, savoring the feel of her soft, warm skin.
“I’m Tina James,” she said confidently, before asking, “You’re really a cop?”
A smile tugged at his lips.
“Something like that.”


How did you come up with the title?

Titles are always hard for me to come up with, but the way I pictured Alex to look would easily make a woman swoon, and he’s a vampire. So, Killer Kisses popped into my head. 

Do you work on one project at a time or multiples?

Always multiples. If I were to work on one at a time I’d go crazy.

Is there one particular thing that you find challenging about writing?

Other than coming up with titles ? I’ve always had a slight problem with writers block. If I'm more stressed than usual, or running on little sleep, I get a horrific case of writers block. Fortunately, after a couple of days, and the help of reading a good book, it subsides.

Who is your favorite author?
It’s a toss up between Kresley Cole and Hannah Howell. They’re both so wonderful at making the story real; making you feel as though you lived the story they were telling. I’ve always thought that’s what a great book did, made you feel like it was your own.

What are you reading now?

I'm ashamed to say that my to-be-read pile is empty. I just finished reading Hannah Howell’s Compromised Hearts. It was fantastic. And I’m looking forward to reading Lynsay Sands, The Reluctant Vampire. I have her entire Argeneau Series and love it.

Are your characters a reflection on you or anyone you know?

Some of the heroines in my stories take on some of my sarcasm, or snarky comments, but other than that, that are 100% original.

What is your favorite thing about writing?

That I can do it at home and not have to worry about who’s going to be taking care of our children while I'm working. Being able to work at home is a fantastic thing.

If you were a supernatural creature, what would you like to be and why?

Of course I’d have to say either a Valkyrie from Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark series. They’re so completely bad ass that I would have to pick them over anything else. And not to mention, my sarcastic attitude would fit right in? 

How long have you been a writer?

I’ve been writing for a little more than three years now. It’s been a blast and I hope to be able to continue to do so for many more years to come.

How many books have you written? How many have been published?

I’ve written six books in total and all have been published. I have been very blessed in this aspect. It takes a long time, but I’m adamant about my work being published and won’t stop until it is.


Do you find love scenes difficult to write?

At first I did. But after writing so many, it’s become a piece of cake. But I have to admit, every now and then when someone mentions how hot a particular scene from one of my books is, I still get a little red in the face.

What is your writing day like once you start a book?

Once I start writing I can’t stop. I’ll drop the kids at school, run any errands I have, then once I’m back home my head is in the computer until time to pick the kids up from school. When my muse takes over, it’s hard to stop.

Do you promo your backlists when you’re writing a new book, or dedicate your time solely to writing?

I write and do promo as much as possible. I’ll do promo in the early morning, and then take over writing. It’s a lot of work, but worth it in the end.

How many books do you write in a year?

I try to write at least two, but this year I’ve been a bit lax, which is why I’m working fast to finish my works in progress and get another book started.

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for being on my blog today Chastity! I can't wait to get my hands on this book!

    ReplyDelete