Interview and Giveaway with Author Virna DePaul

Please join me, WildAboutBones , in welcoming author Virna DePaul as we talk about her upcoming book Chosen by Fate (Para-Ops #2) and other goodies.

Author Bio:
Virna DePaul is a former criminal prosecutor and now National Bestselling Author for Berkley (paranormal romantic suspense), HQN (single title romantic suspense) and HRS (category romantic suspense). Her recent and upcoming releases are Dangerous To Her (HRS, August 23, 2011) and Chosen By Fate (Para-Ops Novel 2, October 4, 2011). www.virnadepaul.com

Would you tell us a little about yourself?
I'm a mother of three young boys, a former criminal prosecutor, and a long-time romance reader who loves to travel and see Broadway shows. I was an English lit major in college, so I’ve always enjoyed writing, but I never thought I could actually write fiction. I went through this period in my life where I was searching for a creative outlet. I tried painting, acting, singing, etc, and I was fairly mediocre at all of them. I finally decided to write a romance novel. I had one false start, but then in late 2006 I joined RWA (Romance Writers of America) and met other writers, and that was key to finishing my first manuscript.

Do you have a process or any special rituals in your writing routine?
Honestly, I don’t have a process or special ritual. I can write almost anywhere. However, if I’m having false starts, it’s because something about the plot or characters is simply not working. A friend of mine once asked whether my story wasn’t working because the hero and heroine didn’t really belong together. My mental response was a heated, “Oh, no, they belong together all right.” I couldn’t accept it any other way, but I took her words as a challenge. Finally, I figured out how to make them belong together and the story flowed from there.

You write different genres. Which is your favorite genre to write and why? And what genre would you like to try writing?
I love writing paranormal romantic suspense, but I also like the challenge of writing contemporary romantic suspense, because I have to keep things more grounded in reality. Just for fun, I’d love to try writing a historical; it’s what I find most intimidating, and I love to overcome a challenge.

How did you come up with the idea for this Para-Ops series?
I was a big fan of romantic suspense novels that centered around specially trained teams. I took a look at the paranormal romances on the shelves and realized there wasn’t a single one about a special ops team made up of paranormal creatures. I immediately pictured a book that was a mix of Xmen and Romancing The Stone.

I love the characteristics of the wraiths in the Para-Ops series. How did you come up with such an intriguing paranormal species?
Thank you! I’m so glad you find the wraiths intriguing. I did a lot of research online, trying to pinpoint what kinds of creatures had been written about and what kind of attributes had already been established amongst them. Vampires are often called the undead, so I wanted to create a character that was truly the walking dead with a twist, a female with blue skin and no pulse or brain activity.

There are quite a few interesting characters in Chosen by Fate. Can you tell us a little bit about what’s next for this series? Who, from the book, might get the lead in upcoming books?
The next book I’m working on is about Dex Hunt, the team’s werebeast, and the female vampire he met in Chosen By Fate. The story is about dark forces trying to bridge the dreams of others in order to return to earth. Then I’ll work on Lucy Talbot’s story. Lucy is the team’s mage.

Out of the books you’ve written so far, do you have a favorite hero or heroine? If so, who and why.
I think my favorite character is Knox Devereaux, the half-vampire, half-human hero in Chosen by Blood. He’s also the most controversial character I’ve written. I love him because he was my “first” published hero, but also because, despite wanting so badly to do the right thing, he has many flaws and many lessons to learn.

Who are some of your favorite authors and what are some of your favorite books? And which has made the biggest impact on your writing career?
Three of my favorite authors are Linda Howard, Anne Stuart and the late Karen Keast/Sandra Canfield. Linda Howard is the author who has inspired me most because of the way she balances compelling suspense with a satisfying and emotional romance.

Do you have a hobby or something else to help you unwind and relax when you aren’t writing, if so, what?
I like to read and travel, and watch new movies in addition to Broadway plays. If I can multitask by traveling and squeezing in writing time, too, that’s the best!

Is there something you’d like to tell your fans that no one ever asks you in an interview?
Just that this is a crazy business and most writers suffer it because their biggest dream is to bring entertaining stories to readers. Unfortunately, though most writers start out as readers, writing can be all-consuming so that reading falls by the wayside.

Can you tell us a little bit about what you’re working on next?
I’m finishing up my debut romantic suspense novel, Shades Of Desire, with HQN. The book comes out June 2012 and is the first in a series about “SIG,” the California Department of Justice’s elite Special Investigations Group. These law enforcement officers are the “best of the best,” helping other departments solve crimes across the state. In Shades Of Desire, the heroine, a world-famous photographer, takes a picture she shouldn’t have just before she goes blind; in the story, she must grapple with her new disability and her attraction to the hero, a homicide detective, as well as help him stop a killer who soon puts her in his sights. The next book in the series, tentatively titled Shades Of Temptation, comes out October of 2012, and focuses on other SIG characters introduced in Book 1.

My next Harlequin Romantic Suspense (my debut Dangerous To Her released in August 2011) comes out in May 2012, and is about a woman and her former crush, a homicide detective, who reopens the investigation of her mother’s murder; the detective is the same man who caused the heroine and her mother to fight just before her mother was murdered, obviously leaving the heroine with unresolved guilt about her feelings for the hero.

Some Fun Quick Questions:
Boxers, briefs or commando for your hero(s)? Boxers. I was going to say commando, but there’s something about a sleepy-eyed, yawning, rumpled man in boxers that gets to me.
Tea or Coffee or Soft drink? Chai Tea.
Dog, cat or ferret person? Dog first, then cat. Ferrets seem scary for some reason; probably just lack of exposure on my part.
What are you currently reading? A werewolf anthology by Sarah McCarty.
What’s the first book you remember reading? Lover From The Sea by Bonnie Drake
Do you have a favorite food or place to eat? Sophia’s Thai Kitchen
What’s your favorite fairy tale? Red Riding Hood.
What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer? An aspiring writer. ☺
What is/are your favorite type(s) of paranormal character(s)? Why? Vampires. They’re usually elegant and charismatic, with a primal, passionate undercoat. Yummy and complex.

Thanks so much for having me here today!

For more:
A free prequel novella to the first book in the Para-Ops series is available: Chosen By Blood: Wraith's Awakening

Virna's Website
Virna's Blog
Virna on Facebook
Virna on Twitter

Purchase Links:
Amazon.com Pre Order Chosen By Fate
Barnes & Noble Pre Order Chosen By Fate
Amazon.com Dangerous to Her
Barnes & Noble Dangerous to Her

Thanks so much, Virna DePaul, for taking the time for this interview.
I'm looking forward to reading the continuing Para-Ops series books.

WildAboutBones' Review of Chosen by Fate
Laurie's Review of Dangerous To Her

GIVEAWAY
Giveaway and Contest Policy
Giveaway open September 13 - 15, 2011 (midnight)

Virna DePaul will be giving away a print copy of her Chosen by Fate to a lucky winner.
For US and Canada only.
To enter, make a comment and/or ask Virna DePaul a question,
along with your email address so we can contact you if you win.
Good luck, everyone!

Review Dangerous to Her by Virna DePaul

Title: Dangerous to Her
Author: Virna DePaul
Genre romantic suspense
Source: Author requested
Format Kindle 224 pgs or paper back

"I'm not afraid anymore."

For years, court reporter Mattie Nolan kept her child a secret. The man she once loved chose his dangerous job—undercover cop—over her. But now, Sacramento detective Dom Jeffries is all that's standing between her and the drug kingpin set on revenge against everyone who put him away. Including Mattie.

Though teetering on the edge of burnout, Dom goes undercover as a bailiff in Mattie's courtroom. While he pretends not to remember her, thoughts of her touch, her smell and the smile that had been his alone keep resurfacing. Then he uncovers the secret she's protecting. To save the daughter he's never known and the woman he's never forgotten, Dom's ready to sacrifice not just his job, but his life…

Virna DePaul writes romantic suspense with heat and that’s just the way I like it. Most romance suspense writers gets so tied up into the mystery suspense they forget about the romance but Virna keeps up with it all and writes one hot book that will have you holding on to your seat, all the long trying to figure out who’s doing it.

I enjoyed Alpha Dom, he is one tuff cop that will stop at nothing to get back what he lost years ago. Mattie while tuff she is skeptical about Dom and it takes her awhile to let him in. I did enjoy Mattie but I wish she would have let Dom in a bit sooner, then again I guess we cant have it all LOL. Tony is Mattie’s brother, he has some issues and I hope Virna will write a story about him. I would love to see what she could do with putting him and Linda together.

This is quick read with all the elements that makes a good suspense. I recommend this book to anyone who likes some heat with their suspense. 

ARC Review Chosen by Fate by Virna DePaul

Title: Chosen by Fate (Para-Ops #2)
Author: Virna DePaul
Source: Requested Review
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format: Paperback, 336 pgs
Release Date: October 4, 2011
In CHOSEN BY FATE (Book 2), you'll find out more about the heroine, Wraith, the team's ghost, and the hero, Caleb O'Flare, the team's human psychic shaman. Wraith feels pain anytime she's touched, but will Caleb convince her that love is worth any risk, even death?

Although he keeps company with a vampire and a were, human Shaman Caleb O'Flare can definitely hold his own. But neither his psychic ability nor his healing powers can help his sexy-as-hell teammate, Wraith-a ghost with no memory of her human existence, who cannot experience touch without pain. No wraith has managed to exist past its tenth year, so her time is about to run out. She wants only two things before accepting her fate: to learn her human identity, and experience one night with Caleb...

Rating -

Sexual -

My Review:

This second in DePaul's Para-Ops series features Otherborns - weres, vamps, dharmires, felines, shapeshifters, mages and wraiths; a shaman; a special FBI mixed species team; a prophecy; a Quorum of humans who want to "strip [the Otherborn] of their civil rights"; a goddess who wants to wipe all species from the earth to start over again and a very unlikely romance. She adds some inventive differences to the mythos for several of her paranormal characters.

This was a new author and new series for me but DePaul did a good job of writing a story that can stand alone. I didn't feel lost not having read the first in the series. This story takes place several weeks after Caleb is recruited by the FBI for the first team of its kind, humans and Otherborn working together.

Caleb, half-Indian and half-Irish, is a shaman, former army medic, human lie detector and healer. He is also able "to communicate with his ancestors, hear the Great Song, and occasionally walk the Otherworld". He thinks Wraith is "a heinous bitch, yes, but one whose attitude and mouth was designed to hide something textured and complex" and he loved it when she returned his kiss. When he first met her he’d felt a sizzling arc of connection that had only intensified with time. She seems to have no use for him and pushes him away all the time.

Wraith knows she has less than a year to "live" even though she is a "dead human", a wraith — "No pulse. No blood. No body heat or need to eat... Female—and a whole lot of angry going on. Oh, and immortality". She has "bluish-hued skin [and] stark white hair". She only sees in black and white. She's also the "the oldest known wraith in America". She feels pain much more than when she was a live human. And now "a simple touch from someone else was painful". She can touch animals and shifters in animal form without pain and kids without much pain. And she changing... and changing much more quickly than she thought she would when the end was coming close. She knows Caleb wants her and she wants him as well but refuses to give into the desire. She's begun to crave his touch.

There is a lot of good chemistry between Caleb and Wraith. DePaul know hows to write a steamy hot sex scene some of which are not very graphic but still have impact.

I laughed a little, I cried a little. That's when I knew DePaul had me. Up until about three quarters through the book, the story was good, but a lot was going on and the story nor the characters had drawn me in. Then when I cried in the latter part of the book, I realized the characters had pulled me in, made me care about them.

I ended up enjoying the story and now want to go back and read the first book book in the series and the sequel to this one when it comes out. I think both paranormal romance and urban fantasy fans will like this book.

A free prequel novella to the first book in the series, Chosen By Blood: Wraith's Awakening can be found here. Come back here on September 13th to read an interview with Virna DePaul.

Warning Spoiler Alert!!!
This has an HEA ending.

Review A Vampire's Salvation (A Vampire Romance) (The Beyond Human Novellas) by Virna DePaul

pmTitle: A Vampire's Salivation
Author: Virna DePaul
Source: Requested review
Genre: Erotic paranormal romance- vampire
Format: eBook
Length: Novella
Authors Website

Vampire Jake Rios heads up the CA governor's security team, but he's distracted by having just discovered his true mate, the human female who can give him love, children, and continuing immortality. Frankie Stewart's attracted to Jake but her priority is protecting her heart. Can Jake eliminate the person threatening her, convince her to trust him, and gain them both eternal happiness?

Word count: approx. 24,912

My review

Rating-

Sexual-

A Vampire's Salvation is short, sweet and very hot. This novella has danger, a hot alpha vampire and some hot sex. You get some bondage and mention of anal. One thing I loved there's mention of Cruelty free products; I am a freak about this, so it thrilled me to read it.

Frankie is one tuff sharp dressing lady. She had a bad experience with her first relationship and the scar on her face to prove it. There is a hunk she works with named Jake that has caught her eye. With her fantasy running wild about Jake the last six months, what will she say when he finally tells her he wants her? You’ll have to read and find out. I enjoyed reading both characters.

I recommend this to erotic paranormal romance readers.

Teaser
Jacob La Costa Rios watched color stain Francesca’s cheeks and felt a deep sense of satisfaction. Not because he’d flustered her, although he had to admit that was a charming sight, but because he was tired of waiting. He wasn’t a man normally prone to patience. Not when it came to getting what he wanted, and he most definitely wanted her.