Goddess Fish VBT~Leia Shaw/Contest

Contest Information: Leia Shaw will award a backlist eBook, and $25 Amazon or BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour and to the host with the most comments. Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/04/virtual-book-tour-destiny-bewitched-by.html

Welcome to my Reading Nook, Leia Shaw. Please make yourself at home and let my cabana boys/girls get you a drink.

Ooooh…sexy!

Comfortable? Wonderful. Now let’s get started.

For readers who may not know about you or your work, please tell us a little about yourself.

I live in New England with my husband and two kids. I have a thing for biceps, I love everything Johnny Depp does, I have six tattoos, my Kindle goes with me everywhere, and I’m the author of the bestselling paranormal romance series Shadows of Destiny.

How long have you been writing? What genre do you write in?

I’ve been writing about two years and I write paranormal romance mostly. I also have a contemporary erotic romance that released July 3^rd with Loose ID, co-written with Cari Silverwood.

Where do you get your ideas for your stories, characters?

I have lots of sources for inspiration. Music, TV shows, movies. The rough idea for my first book, Destiny Divided, came to me in a dream. Most of the time, I get an idea for a character or situation and build the story around that. Characters are huge for me. There’s no book without compelling characters. Especially a romance story. The dynamic has to be sizzling or I’m not interested.

So tell us a little about your latest book. What inspired this masterpiece?

Masterpiece? I like that ;)  Destiny Bewitched is the 4^th book in this series. My 3^rd, Destiny Unchained, is darker, sadder. So I wanted to mix it up a little and do something really fun with lots of action and adventure. Destiny Bewitched features a side character from the first book, Destiny Divided. It takes place almost entirely in the Underworld, which was a lot of fun cause I could really go crazy with world-building and creating nasty creatures. Samantha is a witch who’s gone to the Underworld to find her younger sister, who’d been taken to the Underworld Games – a supernatural version of Gladiators. She meets a sexy but dangerous demon, Geo, who happens to need a favor from a witch to return home to…well, I won’t spoil it. They make a deal to help each other. This is a book that will make you sigh, smile, laugh, and fall in love with the characters.

If you had any super powers, what would they be and why?

Flying. I love heights and I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie. Plus I have friends that live far away I’d love to visit without having to pay a ridiculous amount of money.

What genre haven’t you tried yet but want to in the future?

Urban Fantasy. It’s my next project.

What is one thing readers might be surprised to know about you?

Hmm. I play the cello. Both my kids are adopted. And I was hypnotized in a comedy show. But don’t worry, I don’t bark when the doorbell rings or anything. I don’t think.

If we asked your muse to describe you in three words, what do you think they might say?

Playful, irreverent, loving.

What authors can be found in your library of books?

Lots. Kresley Cole, first and foremost. Ilona Andrews, second in line. Nalini Singh, Christine Feehan, yes, E.L James. I’m not a picky reader and can find something I like in almost every book.

Have any guilty pleasures you want to share with us?

Anything with chocolate and peanut butter together.

Is there anything you’re currently working on that you can give us a taste of?

Sure. From Destiny Forgiven – book 5 in my Shadows of Destiny series.

She peered up at him, a cold sense of dread sliding through her. Those eyes…the ones that had always represented warmth and fun, hardened then narrowed into cruel slits. This was not the Maddox she knew and loved – the light-hearted, mischievous boy she’d spent summers chasing and laughing with. No, this was a very different Maddox. One that made her chest ache and her knees tremble with fear.

God help me.

Maddox had turned into her worst enemy.

What is your favorite way to relax after a hard day working and writing?

Hanging out with friends. I’m an extrovert so being around people gives me energy. Writing is a lonely job. I need to socialize.

What is the one era you would love to go visit and why?

The late 60’s. Love the music. I’m fascinated by the whole hippy thing. I’d attend Woodstock.

What is one historical figure you would love to chat with and why?

Jesus. He seems like a cool dude We’d go out for ice cream ;)

Would you care to mention any upcoming or WIP projects that readers can look forward from you in the future?

Destiny Forgiven, the short excerpt from above, is my next project. It’s a little darker, very emotional, but will still have my typical sense of humor. It’s a story of redemption. Maddox, a sorcerer who’s spent the last two years being tortured and brainwashed has Felicity, a shapeshifter, imprisoned for leading a rebellion against the sorcerers. She recognizes him as her childhood sweetheart and fights to bring the real Maddox back. It might be a tear jerker but still my style – which is a fast pace, lots of sarcasm, and hot sex

Out of all your books, do you have a favorite one? If not, then which one is closest to your heart?

It’s so hard to choose favorites when it comes to my babies. Lol. But if I had to pick, I’d say Destiny Divided just because it’s the first book I ever wrote. As for which did I put the most heart into, Destiny United. The heroine has major trust issues due to trauma and the hero, Marcelo, helps her on her journey to healing. I poured a lot of myself into that one.

What character out of all your books is the closest to your personality?

Samantha from Destiny Bewitched. She’s my most…balanced character. Lol. She’s a very funny girl – I put a lot of my humor in her. She’s smart and resourceful, but most of all, just an average girl-next-door. The only difference is, when put in extraordinary circumstances – traveling through the Underworld and facing creatures straight out of a nightmare – she rises to the challenge and conquers.

Anything else you want to mention?

Only one other thing. All of my books are stand alones and can be read out of order. And I keep my price low at only $2.99. Thank you for having me and I hope readers will take a chance on my series!

Destiny Bewitched by Leia Shaw

 Deemed “trailer trash” by humans and the daughter of the most disgraceful family of witches and warlocks since the Puritan age, Samantha is used to fighting her own battles. When her younger sister is taken to the Underworld, Sam doesn't hesitate to rescue her. To survive the harsh land, she makes a deal with a demon — the most dangerous of creatures in the realm. Even with those lustrous horns, Geo is as hot as the hell she's stuck in. Fighting nasty beasts in a supernatural version of the gladiator games is easy compared to falling in love with a man who has no future to offer.

Teaser Excerpt:

A growl tore through the cabin, startling her. She spun toward the noise so fast she fell on her ass. A giant…dog would be an understatement, flew out of the shadowy corner and landed on thick paws in front of her. Pitch black in color, covered in bulging muscle, it bared its oversized teeth and snarled at her. Holy mutant flea bag!

She crab-walked backward a few feet, never taking her eyes off the beast, until she felt her sword under her hand. “Nice doggie,” she whispered, dragging the sword closer.

She jumped to a crouch, the sword unsheathed and at the ready. The thing’s eyes glowed red as it stared at her weapon. “Nice possessed doggie.”

The fur on its back rose up and its chest rumbled menacingly. Heart pounding, she kept her sword steady in her hands though inside she was shaking. “Okay Kujo, I’m all for animal rights – I support PETA and all that – but if you attack me, I’ll stick you with this nice sharp sword.”

In answer, the oversized mutt growled.

“Erebus.” Geo’s voice filled the cabin. She hadn’t even heard him come in. “Down, boy. She’s a friend.”

Great. The demon had the equivalent of a pet mastiff on steroids and already the thing didn’t like her.

Apparently Erebus wasn’t the obedient type. He growled again, and a line of drool dripped from his mouth. Ew. “Not very well trained, is he?” she said to Geo, gaze still locked on the dog.

“He’s not a pet. Put your sword down.”

“What? No way.” In the middle of a showdown with a dog-beast that looked like it wanted to gnaw on her bones – the sword was going nowhere. “One of us is making it out of this alive. I’d prefer it be me.”

“Samantha.” She eyed Geo from her peripheral vision. “Put down the sword. Trust me.”

About the Author:

I began my writing journey while I was stranded at the airport waiting for my delayed flight. I browsed the Border’s kiosk and grew frustrated that I couldn’t find the “it factor” — the perfect combination of alpha male-ness, ass-kickery, strong females, magic, and sex.

So I spent the next four hours on an airplane writing my first book on scraps of paper and an airsick bag (which thankfully I didn't need to use).

Now I spend too much time in my head, plotting evil villains and the hot men (and women) who ruthlessly kill them. I think far too much about fae politics, dragon power games, and how fast werewolves can change forms. But writing my paranormal romance series has given me a productive place to express those dark places in my mind.

I live in New England with my husband and two kids. Though I will go to my grave denying it, my husband insists I would be thrilled if he suddenly sprouted fangs.

Website: www.leiashaw.com

Blog: www.leiashaw.blogspot.com

Twitter: @LeiaShaw

Facebook: www.facebook.com/leiashaw

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/leiashaw