12 Flavours of... Author Dana Taylor

Today, we learn twelve very fast favourites of Dana Taylor author of HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS, a collection of heartwarming holiday tales. She also has several romantic comedies available, including DEVIL MOON: A MYSTIC ROMANCE.

1. Favourite book : Tattoos on the Heart by Gregory Boyle
2. Favourite genre: Romance, for sure!
3. Favourite movie: Hmm. Hard question--The Quiet Man with John Wayne & Maureen O’Hara
4. Favourite TV show, magazine or newspaper: I still subscribe to the LA Times to keep the tradition alive. They go after the bad guys in LA.
5. Favourite kind of music: 1940’s (and I wasn’t even born yet!)
6. Best invention ever in the history of humankind: The Diaphragm
7. Favourite subject in school: Theatre!
8. Favourite website/blog: Kindleboards.com is where I hang out.
9. Favourite #hashtag: #HealingEnergy
10. Favourite way to decompress/relax: water aerobics with other older-but-wiser women
11. Best thing about writing (or what you do involving books): Getting in the zone where the characters take over.
12. The best thing about/in your life: My three year old grandson and dinosaur expert, Will.

Dana Taylor writes uplifting stories filled with inspiration and humor. Born and raised in California, she graduated from the University of Redlands. She has been published in various magazines, including the Ladies Home Journal. She hosted the Internet radio program Definitely Dana! at HealthyLife.net and won various contests with the Romance Writers of America, including Best First Book from the Desert Quill Awards. Her published works include ROYAL REBEL, AIN’T LOVE GRAND?, HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS, and DEVIL MOON: A MYSTIC ROMANCE. Her non-fiction book is EVER-FLOWING STREAMS OF HEALING ENERGY. Visit her blogsite Supernal Living with Dana Taylor at www.DefinitelyDana.wordpress.com.

12 Flavours of... Author Lanie Barnes

Today, we learn twelve very fast favourites of Lanie Barnes author of Fade Into You, which will hit e-shelves in early 2012!

1. Favourite book: Can't choose just one, books are my life! But I will go with…Acheron by Sherrilyn Kenyon.
2. Favourite genre: Romance (paranormal)
3. Favourite movie: Beaches
4. Favourite TV show, magazine or newspaper: True Blood and Weeds
5. Favourite kind of music: I love and listen to all kinds, but my favorite band is Apocalyptica.
6. Best invention ever in the history of humankind: Caffeine. I can’t function without it.
7. Favourite subject in school: English and Psychology
8. Favourite website/blog: www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/life
9. Favourite #hashtag: I don't even know what that is lol. Yeah I feel dumb now.
10. Favourite way to decompress/relax: A good book and a deserted part of the beach.
11. Best thing about writing: I’d have to say writing what I love to read. Being a fan of your own work; not just because you wrote it, but because it interests you.
12. The best thing about/in your life: My son, Evan. He’s 4 and hilarious. When he grows up he wants to be a monkey and a horse rider haha (this is what he said this morning.)

Lanie Barnes is a newly published author from western Ohio who claims that the most exciting thing in her small town is her wild imagination.  She has been writing her entire life in the forms of short stories, poems, and songs.  Her first published book, Fade Into You, will be out early 2012 through Rebel Ink Press.  She is a fan of all genres, but prefers to read and write paranormal romance.  Books are her addiction, and she considers 24 hours a day of reading her favorite books to be the absolute euphoric experience, and hopes to one day have the time to do that for at least a week straight.  She enjoys traveling, cooking, Massage Therapy (in which which she has her degree), and reading books to her son. Visit her at www.laniebarnes.webs.com and follow her on Twitter @Lanie_Barnes!  (Bio from www.manicreaders.com/LanieMBarnes) 

She blogs at http://www.laniebarnes.webs.com

12 Flavours of... Author Blair McDowell

Today, we learn twelve very fast favourites of Blair McDowell, author of The Memory of Roses, a mainstream novel with strong romantic elements, set on the Greek Island of Corfu. Published by Rebel Ink Press and available in e-book format through Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble, in October and in paperback in November, 2011.

1. Favourite book: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
2. Favourite genre: Long family sagas with involved plots that cover two or three generations and that take 600 to 800 pages to tell a story
3. Favourite movie: Casablanca. Of more recent vintage: Under the Tuscan Sun
4. Favourite... TV show, none I think they’re all equally inane. Magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, Newspaper, The Globe and Mail. The writing is of literary quality.
5. Favourite music: Opera. I have every recording Pavarotti ever made.
6. Best invention: the Printing Press. It led to all the rest.
7. Favourite subject in school: Music. Always music.
8. Favourite website/blog: www.deanwesleysmith.com
9. Favourite hashtag: Don’t have one, don’t want one.
10. Favourite way to decompress: Jump in the pool, then sit in the hot sun long enough for my bathing suit to dry. This only works some months of the year. The rest of the year, I just stay tense. Get more writing done that way.
11. Best thing about writing: It takes me into another world.
12. The best thing in my life: The two friends who have seen me through thick and thin.

Blair McDowell lives on the West Coast of Canada in the quaint fishing village of Gibson’s Landing, where she and her partner run a Bed & Breakfast. When the tourist season is over they travel for a month in Europe and then spend the winter months on a small Caribbean island where Blair has had a home for many years.
For more on Blair McDowell check out her website and blogs at: www.blairmcdowell.com

12 Flavours of... Author George Berger

Today, we learn twelve very fast favourites of George Berger, author of Mendacities and Stanley and His Sword.

1. Favourite book: War For the Oaks, Emma Bull's classic 1987 urban fantasy novel. It never gets old.
2. Favourite genre: To read, urban fantasy. To write... genres happen to other people, I'm afraid.
3. Favourite movie: Kelly's Heroes. I can neither confirm nor deny that Donald Sutherland was a role-model in my formative years.
4. Favourite TV show, magazine or newspaper: I have an incredible fondness for Corner Gas, possibly the best comedy television show ever to come from Canada.
5. Favourite kind of music: Symphonic rock.
6. Best invention ever in the history of humankind: Antiperspirant. Just imagine a world without it.
7. Favourite subject in school: English, predictably enough.
8. Favourite website/blog: Shorpy never fails to amuse and educate.
9. Favourite #hashtag: #bookswithalettermissing, or anything similarly nerdy and irreverent...
10. Favourite way to decompress/relax: Classic video games from the Sierra/LucasArts era.
11. Best thing about writing: The ability to deceive yourself into believing that people care about what you've written.
12. The best thing about/in your life: I have not only the world's most awesome and understanding partner, but the world's most awesome and understanding cat.

"George Berger was born in a hospital, on his birthday. He came into the world crying, and it's been all downhill from there. When not battling evil or writing fiction described by a professional reviewer as a "train wreck" (genres happen to other people), he tinkers with electronics, makes inane comments on Twitter (@mendacities), trains as a pole-vaulter for the 2014 Summer Olympics, and invents exciting but absolutely untrue things to add to his biography. He lives in a house with people and cats, rides an antique bicycle, writes with fountain pens, and refuses to take life too seriously. Follow his failings as an author at http://www.mendacities.net. Or not."

12 Flavours of... Author Ruth Madison

Today, we learn twelve very fast favourites of Ruth Madison, author of (W)hole and Dev Dreams, romances with "imperfect" heroes.

1. Favourite book - Treasure Island. I read this book when I was eight years old and I fell in love with Long John Silver. I loved the complexity of the characters, and him in particular because he couldn't be easily classified as bad or good.
2. Favourite genre - Literary and Chick Lit. When I'm looking for something to read I either go for dark, serious, and intense or else really light and funny. It all depends on my mood.
3. Favourite movie - Born on the Fourth of July. I saw this movie when I was twelve and it affected my world view significantly. It was my first taste of disability rights issues and that's something that has become a huge part of my life.
4. Favourite TV show, magazine or newspaper - Dr. Who is my favorite current TV show. I'm also a huge Firefly fan. I love quirky characters and dry humor.
5. Favourite kind of music - Musicals like Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, and Les Miserables. I have a particular soft spot in my heart for Man of la Mancha; seeing the world not as it is, but as it should be is a big theme with me.
6. Best invention ever in the history of humankind - Language. I am endlessly fascinated by languages and I wish I could learn all of them. Currently I am only fluent in English, but I can speak a little bit of Hindi. I really want to learn Irish Gaelic, German, Russian, Dutch. I could go on and on!
7. Favourite subject in school - English. That's probably predictable!
8. Favourite website/blog - Oh this is a tricky one, there are lots of sites I enjoy! Website: www.paradevo.net I spend a lot of my time there and I've made great friends. Blog: www.rachellegardner.com She is an agent writing posts about questions that writers often have
9. Favourite #hashtag - #novelines - I love reading those enticing little sentences from people's books or books that people enjoy.
10. Favourite way to decompress/relax - Watch something funny on TV with my dog laying on my stomach.
11. Best thing about writing - Connecting with people. I wrote something very personal and very difficult, but it has connected me with people like me from around the world who have expressed gratitude that I was willing to put our experience into words. That feels amazing.
12. The best thing about/in your life - I am so grateful to live in this era where there is so much freedom to choose what we want in our lives. I also think there has never been a better time to be an author. As a woman I don't think there has been any other time in history where I would have the freedom to live on my own and pursue my dreams.

There isn’t enough fiction out there with characters who have disabilities. Ruth Madison aims to fix that. After years of combing through the dusty back shelves of libraries looking for her elusive, imperfect hero, she started writing her own. Ruth’s romantic tales are full of wounded heroes: men physically challenged by life, but not defeated. These men overcome the difficulties of amputation, paralysis, or cerebral palsy to find acceptance, happiness, and heroines who love them exactly as they are.

12 Flavours of... Author Jasmine Aherne

Today, we learn twelve very fast favourites of Jasmine Aherne, author of Stranded and Outfoxed.

1. Favourite book - Born in Shame by Nora Roberts
2. Favourite genre - Contemporary Romance
3. Favourite movie - X-Men 2 (I am a comic geek)
4. Favourite TV show, magazine or newspaper - Bones
5. Favourite kind of music - Classical
6. Best invention ever in the history of humankind - The oven. I LOVE to bake.
7. Favourite subject in school - English Lit
8. Favourite website/blog - www.lakeland.co.uk
9. Favourite #hashtag - #replacesongwordswithbacon
10. Favourite way to decompress/relax - baking or reading
11. Best thing about writing - emails from readers!!
12. The best thing about/in your life - great friends and tasty food.

Jasmine has been making up stories since she can remember, and is now thrilled that people would like to read about the men, women and fae running amok in her head. She lives in Cardiff, UK, with a very understanding boyfriend and a bearded dragon.


Drop her a line and say hello at www.jasmineaherne.com.

12 Flavours of… ME!

Drawn by Amanda Wood.

Today, we learn twelve very fast favourites of ME! Anne Holly, romance and erotic romance author of Strings Attached and Like Magic, among a handful of others.

1. Favourite book: Jane Eyre and Pride & Prejudice (tie)
2. Favourite genre: Contemporary Romance
3. Favourite movie: City Lights
4. Favourite TV show: Are You Being Served?
5. Favourite kind of music: 60s-80s singer-songwriters (Cat Stevens is my Fav!)
6. Best invention ever in the history of humankind: I have to go with the printing press
7. Favourite subject in school: English and History
8. Favourite website/blog: Twitter or IMDb
9. Favourite #hashtag: #amwriting
10. Favourite way to decompress/relax: Read, watch a movie, play with the tot, sleep
11. Best thing about writing: Seeing it in pub-ready condition, all polished up
12. The best thing about/in your life: My son

Anne Holly is likely one of the most awesome persons she's ever met. She enjoys all sorts of music and movies, way too many to list above (so she's cheating here). She comes from Nova Scotia, but now lives in Ontario, where she writes, teaches, hangs out with the coolest 3yo ever, and generally tries to keep all her balls in the air.

I also had an interview at Miz Love and Crew Love Books, yesterday!

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Authors, artists, editors, reviewers, readers, book-people everywhere, would you care to share 12 Flavours of yourself on this blog? If so, answer the above questions and send them, along with a picture and links to your website and one or two books, to me at anneholly2010@gmail.com.

12 Flavours of... Author Lisa Day

Today, we learn twelve very fast favourites of Lisa Day, author of a very new release (just yesterday, in fact!), The Stepbrothers.

1. Favourite book- “Wolf & the Dove” it's an oldie
2. Favourite genre -Historical/Native American romance
3. Favourite movie- The Day after Tomorrow
4. Favourite TV show, magazine or newspaper- The Closer
5. Favourite kind of music-Soft and low
6. Best invention ever in the history of humankind- Electricity
7. Favourite subject in school-recess
8. Favourite website/blog - Sex marks the spot
9. Favourite #hashtag-#SampleSunday
10. Favourite way to decompress/relax- alone and quiet
11. Best thing about writing - To be carried away within your own thoughts that eventually materialize on paper.
12. The best thing about/in your life- Still Being Alive

Lisa Day grow up in the New Jersey suburbs across from New York City. This made her believe she was sophisticated. Wrong. She was just a girl from Jersey. In junior high right before the English teacher destroyed her love of reading completely she discovered novels for teenage girls. Saved by a love story. As an adult she became a ferocious reader and easily read two, sometimes three books a day. And yes her housework suffered.

Many years later now retired and living with her husband and the dog they rescued from doggy prison. She renewed her love of novels and this time started to write a few of her own.

Congrats on the new release, Lisa!

12 Flavours of… Author Kiki Howell

Today, we learn twelve very fast favourites of Kiki Howell, author of Torn Asunder, a Regency-set, paranormal erotic romance.

1. Favourite book – Cabot Sisters Series by Teresa Medeiros, After Midnight and The Vampire Who Loved Me
2. Favourite genre - Romance
3. Favourite movie – Pride and Prejudice (2005) with Keira Knightley
4. Favourite TV show – True Blood
5. Favourite kind of music – Alternative/Hard Rock
6. Best invention ever in the history of humankind - Laptop
7. Favourite subject in school - Literature
8. Favourite website – Addicted to Facebook!
9. Favourite #hashtag - #AmWriting
10. Favourite way to decompress/relax – Read, Watch a Movie, or Knit
11. Best thing about writing – Getting to escape reality
12. The best thing about/in your life – My Boys

Ever since she was young, Kiki Howell has loved to listen to a well-woven tale with real characters, inspired plots, and delightful resolutions. Kiki could spend hours lost in a book, and soon she knew that creating lives, loves, and losses with just words had to be the greatest thing that she could do. To that end, she pursued her study of literature and writing, earning a bachelor’s degree in English. She then followed in a Master’s program in Creative Writing.

She has now had over twenty stories published between seven different small presses. She could not be more thrilled or grateful to see her creations polished and out in the real world. Although, a bit of caution, most of her stories tend to hang out on the graphically sexy side of town. Visit her at http://www.kikihowell.com.

12 Flavours of…Author Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy

Today, we learn twelve very fast favourites of Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy, romance author of Witness Protection Program and Kinfolk, among many others.

1. Favourite book - this is always the hardest question - King's Oak by Anne Rivers Siddons
2. Favourite genre - romance
3. Favourite movie - Australia
4. Favourite TV show - Supernatural
5. Favourite kind of music - vintage rock and roll!
6. Best invention ever in the history of humankind - the internet
7. Favourite subject in school - Lit class
8. Favourite website/blog: http://sexmarksthegspot.blogspot.com
9. Favourite #hashtag - #Fridayreads - because I find so many good reads that way
10. Favourite way to decompress/relax - sitting out on porch or deck with a beverage based on grain or malt
11. Best thing about writing - I love reading and writing is like reading intensfied because I'm in the driver's seat
12. The best thing about/in your life - my kids

Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy is a full-time romance author. A native of the old historic city of St. Joseph, Missouri, one time home to both Jesse James and the Pony Express, she now lives and writes in the beautiful Missouri Ozark region. Her romance novels include Wolfe’s Lady (December 2010 Evernight Publishing), Love Tattoo, (March 2011, Evernight), Love Scars (June 2011, Evernight), Love Never Fails (May 2011, Rebel Ink Press), Kinfolk (July 2011, Champagne Books),The Marriage Cure (Astraea Press, July 2011), Love Scars, July 2011 (Evernight Publishing). Love Tattoo, Love Scars, and Love Knots are the first three volumes of her Love Covenant paranormal romance series. Next out and coming soon are Witness Protection Program (Rebel Ink Press), A Time To Love (Champagne Books), Sing We Now of Christmas (Rebel Ink Press, December 2011).

12 Flavours of... Author Sara York

Today, we learn twelve very fast favourites of Sara York, romance/erotica author of M/M novels Working it Out and Surprise Sleep Over.

1. Favourite book - One For The Money - I love all Stephanie Plum books, but my first is my favorite.
2. Favourite genre - Suspense and thrillers
3. Favourite movie - The Bourne trilogy
4. Favourite TV show, magazine or newspaper - Eureka - I love the comedy of it all.
5. Favourite kind of music - It depends. I've always loved alternative music and right now I'm into Christian alternative. Power FM 89.7 is national so you can listen to them anywhere.
6. Best invention ever in the history of humankind - Hmmm - electricity. It runs everything.
7. Favourite subject in school - Science. I loved biology but I wasn't super good at it.
8. Favourite website/blog - Amazon, because I can always get a good book from there.
9. Favourite #hashtag - #erotic #literature - Love those two together.
10. Favourite way to decompress/relax - Sex. Thank God I'm married and have easy sex whenever I want.
11. Best thing about writing - I love making up characters and thinking about them and their lives.
12. The best thing about/in your life - My husband and kids. Without them it wouldn't be worth it.

Sara York lives in the southern United States with her family and dogs. Sara loves romance that takes you to distant worlds where you could be a princess or a warrior. She enjoys reading about far away places, but writing erotic romance is her passion. Sara York writes erotic scifi romance that takes place on sex planets where pleasure is the mainstay. With pleasure planets and deserted planets anything can happen. It is erotic fiction! Writing M/M, gay romances is new to Sara York, but the passion and freedom of expression in the gay world is refreshing. Sara also writes menage a trois and cougar stories. Take the passion of two and ramping it up to the passion of three. Sara’s favorite vacation would be to spend the day at the beach while reading or writing a good book. ("I love beach reads!")

For more information on Sara York books check out her website.

12 Flavours of… Author Siobhan Kinkade

Today, we learn twelve very fast favourites of Siobhan Kinkade, author of erotic paranormal romances Marked and the upcoming release She-Wolf.

1. Favourite book: "The Dark Half" by Stephen King
2. Favourite genre: Paranormal Romance, Horror
3. Favourite movie: The Lost Boys
4. Favourite TV show, magazine or newspaper: Looney Tunes
5. Favourite kind of music: Dark Electro/Industrial
6. Best invention ever in the history of humankind: The Book
7. Favourite subject in school: English
8. Favourite website/blog: Facebook (I'm a complete junkie)
9. Favourite #hashtag: #amwriting
10. Favourite way to decompress/relax: I play World of Warcraft
11. Best thing about writing: Cleaning the crazy ideas out of my brain for others to enjoy
12. The best thing about/in your life: My friends and my family - they're all so supportive!

Siobhan has been writing since she was able to hold a pencil. She currently writes a variety of things, including paranormal, erotic,and contemporary romance, steampunk, and horror. Most days she can be found lurking on Facebook, Twitter, or her blog, and she loves to hear from everyone.

12 Flavours of... Author Nathan J. Morissey

Today, we learn twelve quick favourites of Gay erotica writer Nathan J. Morissey, author of My Best Friend's Hot Dad.

1. Favourite book: Close Range: Wyoming Stories
2. Favourite genre: Romance/Erotica
3. Favourite movie: Titanic
4. Favourite TV show, magazine or newspaper: The Simpsons
5. Favourite kind of music: Pop
6. Best invention ever in the history of humankind: Sex ;)
7. Favourite subject in school: English
8. Favourite website/blog (not your own, please; give the link): www.wikipedia.org
9. Favourite #hashtag: none
10. Favourite way to decompress/relax: TV and music
11. Best thing about writing (or what you do involving books): creating worlds
12. The best thing about/in your life: creating worlds

Nathan J. Morissey is a young author living in North America. When not writing romance and erotica, he is watching movies, rock-climbing, swimming, working out, reading romances/erotica or chilling with his friends. Nathan has always enjoyed gay erotica, and will continue to write them for a long time.

Blog: http://www.nathanjmorissey.blogspot.com

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Nathan was also kind enough to let me visit his blog over the weekend. You can find my interview here.

12 Flavours of... New Author Wendy Smith

Today, we learn twelve very fast favourites of Wendy Smith, author of the upcoming novel Chase’s Love, from Rebel Ink Press.

1. Favourite book - Magnus Pack Series by Shelly Laurenston - first Adult Romance books I read
2. Favourite genre - Adult Romance - Paranormal/Shifters
3. Favourite movie - any Sandra Bullock movie
4. Favourite TV show, magazine or newspaper - Rookie Blues
5. Favourite kind of music - Country/Pop
6. Best invention ever in the history of humankind - Computers
7. Favourite subject in school - Food Service at Franklin Tech
8. Favourite website/blog - http://www.bethwilliamson.com/
9. Favourite #hashtag - ?
10. Favourite way to decompress/relax - I love to read period it has to be funny and exciting but reading is great!
11. Best thing about writing - I get to develop and bring my characters to life through words
12. The best thing about/in your life - Family, my kids, hubby and friends

Wendy Smith was born on Feb 8, 1971 in Neosho, MO, she was raised in Joplin, MO and graduated in 1989 from Joplin High School. She currently lives in central Arkansas with her husband of 14 years, 2 grown children, 5 dogs and a cockatiel. The idea of writing a book was suggested by her husband while swimming with friends, "Since you read books all the time and buy them you should just write one" with this idea and support from her friends Wendy Smith wrote her first book Chase's Love.

12 Flavours of…YOU?

Authors, artists, editors, reviewers, readers, book-people everywhere, would you care to share 12 Flavours of yourself on this blog?

12 Flavours of…

(Your author/personal pic, banner or book cover)

Today, we learn twelve very fast favourites of… author of… (one or two titles with sales links; your main genre(s), if applicable).

(Try to keep your responses short, with only one or two favourites chosen – hard, I know!) 

1. Favourite book
2. Favourite genre
3. Favourite movie
4. Favourite TV show, magazine or newspaper
5. Favourite kind of music
6. Best invention ever in the history of humankind
7. Favourite subject in school
8. Favourite website/blog (not your own, please; give the link)
9. Favourite #hashtag
10. Favourite way to decompress/relax
11. Best thing about writing (or what you do involving books)
12. The best thing about/in your life

(Bio of 2-6 sentences, with website or blog url.) 

NOTES:

• If you are yet-unpublished, you can give a current work-in-progress name or just genre.
• If you are not a writer, you can tell me what to substitute (cover artist for…, editor at…, blogger at…, Reader/reviewer of/at…, etc.)
• It’s best if you can at least supply a blog, website, Twitter or FB url, no matter what you do. Your link will be posted every time your name is (hyperlinked), except in the blog post title.
• Posting is first-come-first-served and open to anyone. I will post no more than one per week, and may skip weeks as needed. I will try to get the post url to you once the post goes live.
• Email me the above information to anneholly2010(at)gmail.com (with "@" instead of "(at)"), and I'll post one a week as I get them, usually on Thursdays.
• It may be the easiest interview you ever did, and I hope it should be a bit of fun, as well!

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In addition, I'm still interested in posting guest posts about what inspired your book - a behind-the-scenes look at how you came up with the idea, what inspired the plot, what the process was like. Again, full links, bio, blurb, cover, etc, will be included. Email me!