Today, we are pleased to have Amanda Ashley stop by BLI and chat with us. Amanda has numerous books under her belt, writing under the name Amanda Ashley as well as Madeline Baker. Here she shares with us a little insight into her latest release, Desire the Night, and how it differs from other vampire novels. So, please help me give a warm welcome to this lovely author!

Stella: Hi Amanda, can you please tell us a bit about yourself?

Amanda: Well, I’m married. We have three grown sons, the greatest grandkids in the world, a dog, a wild house sparrow, and a tortoise. I love to read, go to movies and plays, and collect all things Star Wars, Phantom, and Beauty and the Beast. And I love to write, of course, but that’s a given.

Stella: Describe a typical day of writing? Are you a planner or pantser?

Amanda: Definitely the seat of my pants. I’m not a very disciplined writer….when I’m in the mood, I write on and off all day long, except Sunday. When I’m not, I do something else until the mood strikes me. I don’t believe in sitting in front of my computer if nothing’s happening. Seems like a waste of time to me. But when my Muse is hot, I can write anywhere, anytime – on a scrap of paper in the car, in the bowling alley, on a napkin at dinner.

Stella: What do you think is the difference between a reader and a real Book Lover?

Amanda: I think readers read a book and forget it. Book Lovers live the story, think about it for days afterward, and have shelves filled to the brim with books they just can’t part with, even if they never read them again.

Stella: Your latest release Desire the Night just released on August 28th, congratulations! Can you tell our readers what they can expect of it?

Amanda: Vampires, witches, and werewolves, oh my! I love this story. I love this hero and this heroine. Gideon is such a hunk. I put him through such torture (at my editor’s request). For me, he’s the perfect vampire hero. My heroine, Kay, is half-Indian and half werewolf. She was such fun to write, plus she’s stronger than most of my heroines. She kicks butt a few times. And then there’s my villain, Vera, a black witch, complete with a black cat. Gideon and Kay join forces out of necessity, but, of course, they soon fall in love, and into lots of trouble with Kay’s father, who isn’t thrilled with his daughter’s choice of a mate. Her father is also her Alpha. This is one of my very favorite stories.

Stella: Could you introduce Gideon and the hero and heroine of Desire the Night?

Amanda: Gideon Marquet – tall, black hair, dark gray eyes. Rugged. Looks 27. Been a blood-sucker for 360 years.
Dangerous, but only to his enemies. Has been imprisoned by Vera for two years.

Kiya (Kay) Alissano – Half-Indian, half-werewolf on her father’s side. Long black hair, golden brown eyes. Medium height. Betrothed to a man she despises. Longs for independence that is denied her as a member of the pack.

Stella: Desire the Night is a vampire/werewolf novel, in what way is your story/setting/world different from the other vampire/werewolf books?

Amanda: The werewolves are typical in most ways. Except for the Alphas, the werewolves can only change at the full moon. My vampire is pretty much a typical vampire. I think maybe it’s the setting and the addition of the witch that makes this book a little different from others. I love writing villains, and Vera is all evil. There’s also another bad guy – the werewolf Kay is betrothed to, at her father’s insistence. I think my readers will hate him.

Stella: Now can you tell us 3 reasons why people should read Desire the Night?

Amanda: Hmmm, no one’s ever asked me that before. Because 1) readers will fall in love with Gideon. 2) To see Kay kick butt. 3)And to find out how Gideon destroys the witch, which I thought was kind of clever.

Stella: Can you summarize Desire the Night for us twitterstyle (140 characters or less)?

Amanda: Witch captures hero & drinks his blood to stay young. Witch captures girl to feed vampire. Girl turns into werewolf. Girl & hero escape, fall in love. Trouble ensues.

Stella: Desire the Night features both a vampire and werewolf, if you had to choose which supernatural creature would you pick and why?

Amanda: Vampires are my favorite paranormal creatures, but I couldn’t handle the blood thing. I also love wolves, who are family-oriented, so I think I’d be a civilized werewolf.

Stella: Is Desire the Night part of a series or a standalone novel? In case it is part of a series, how many more books are you planning on having in this series?

Amanda: At the moment, it’s a stand-alone book.

Stella: What made you choose to write in the genre that you write in? Do you still remember your introduction to the paranormal world? Was it a book? A film, or a TV series?

Amanda: I started out writing historicals set in the Old West because I have always loved cowboys, Indians, and horses. I think Lori Herter’s vampire books were the first ones I read. I also remember reading some by Nancy Gideon, and Anne Rice. I never thought about writing vampire books myself until my agent asked if I’d be interested in writing a short story for a paranormal anthology. I said yes, and wrote Masquerade. I loved it, and I’ve been writing vampires ever since.

Stella: What is next on your schedule? Any future plans you’d like to share with us?

Amanda: My next book is scheduled to be released in May of next year. Titled As Twilight Falls, it’s set in a town owned and occupied by vampires – sort of a roach hotel for people. They check in, but they never check out.

In October of next year, I’m hoping to see my 5th and final book in my Night series published. This is Mara’s story, one my readers have been anxiously waiting for.

About the book:

Desire the Night by Amanda Ashley

Held captive in a basement prison, wrapped in silver chains, the vampire Gideon is too weak to fight the monster who enslaves him. For years, she’s tapped his precious blood like a fountain of youth – sustaining him with human females she captures for his pleasure. But with the latest victim she brings him, he senses something intriguingly different. Something dangerous, yet oh so tempting.

Buy at:

Amazon

Kindle store

Book Depository

Author bio:

Amanda Ashley is one of those rare birds  –  a California native.  She’s lived in Southern California her whole life and loves it (except for the earthquakes). She and her husband share a home with  a fluffy Pomeranian named Lady, a tortoise named Buddy, and a wild sparrow named Tweety. Amanda and her alter ego, Madeline Baker, have written over 70 books,  many of which have appeared on various bestseller lists, including the New York Times Bestseller List, the Waldenbooks Bestseller list,  and the  USA Today list.  Not bad for someone who started writing just for the fun of it. 

You can visit Amanda’s website at www.amandaashley.net, follow her on Twitter here, check her out on Goodreads here, as well as contact her by email at: DarkWritr@aol.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~*~*Giveaway*~*~

Amanda has generously offered winner’s choice of book by either by Amanda Ashley or Madeline Baker + a cover flat for Desire the Night and assorted bookmarks to one lucky commenter!

All you have to do is answer Amanda’s question: Which paranormal creature is your favorite: Vampire, witch, shapeshifter, werewolf, ghost, demon, zombie? Something else?

(You can read our full giveaway policy here)

Please leave us a way to contact you.

(Email or twitter name – no way to contact you – no entry).

This giveaway is open worldwide!

Giveaway ends on Saturday 15 September 2012 and we will announce the winner on Sunday.

Good Luck!

About Stella

Stella is a proud bookaholic and a self-taught multilinguist in training. Besides reading, her other great passions are travelling and baking. When she is not globetrotting she lives in sunny Budapest, where she loves to spend her free time preparing (and feasting on) delicious cookies or devouring equally yummy books. Her favourite genres are urban fantasy and romance and she couldn't live without her daily dose of sunshine. Besides being the Latin Lover on BLI Stella also blogs about books and a bookish life on Ex Libris.

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