RED:
A Sexy Shifter Fairytale Romance
Jessica
Aspen
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Abracadabra Publishing
Date of Publication: January 2015
Number of pages: 73
Word Count: 33,853
Cover Artist: Viola Estrella
Description:
When Red runs into the hot new
forest ranger she thinks it will be just a quick fling but passions ignite and
soon Red is scrambling to hide all her secrets.
Fraternizing with humans is taboo
but when feisty werewolf, Red, runs into the hunky new forest ranger, Evan
Brewster, she jumps on the opportunity to let loose her desires. Evan is stoked
when he meets the petite red haired hottie, and combined with his new discovery
of wolves in Colorado, thinks his career and life are made. Then Red pushes him
away, her hostile brother threatens his life, and things begin to spiral out of
control.
Caught between her sexy lover and
her pack can Red trust Evan with her secrets? Or must she sacrifice her human
lover—and her heart?
Excerpt:
RED
A
Sexy Shifter Fairytale Romance
Red entered the
deep woods, sniffing in appreciation of the cool damp piney scent. The familiar
narrow path was little more than a deer trail through the brush. It would get
her to Grandma’s in good time. Grandma was a bit of a lone wolf who refused to
have a phone. She lived up on the mountain in an area of the forest you
couldn’t get to by road. Her independence drove Red’s mother crazy but Red
admired the sheer rebelliousness. Good old Grandma. She insisted the old ways
were best and she would live off the land until she died.
No wonder Mom
had sent her to check on Grandma. Red’s lips curved in a smile. Kill two rebel
birds with one stone. Her mother was ever-efficient.
She moved deeper
into the woods musing about ways to get the old she-wolf on her side of the
argument. Each stride loosened joints tight from a week trapped in the kitchen
with her mother. The warm morning sun coming though the trees dappled the earth
in an ever-changing pattern and increased her pleasure in her body’s movements.
Her pace slowed and she became lulled into feeling there wasn’t any danger.
She wished she
dared to change into wolf form and really move. Feel the trail under her paws,
smell the true scents of the woods, taste the air. But her mother’s warning
about the hunters in the park was fresh. Hunters wouldn’t hesitate to shoot a
wolf.
All they would
have to do was say it had attacked them, their dogs, or their squeaky duck
lures and the new park ranger would side with them. No, ever since the new
ranger had taken over, all the pack had become more cautious.
Her body moved
her up the trail on auto-pilot while her brain continued to re-hash her
problem. She was stuck in limbo, like a lamb before the slaughter. Alive, but
going nowhere. She was desperate to get out of town. Her mating instincts told
her she should search out a mate. But they conflicted with her personal
instincts that told her to go find a career and separate from her controlling
family.
But instead of
taking charge of her own destiny like a human woman, here she was, checking on
Grandma like a good girl. She even had a Tupperware box of goodies stuffed in
her pack in case Grandma wasn't eating anything but rabbit.
Zoned out on the
familiar path, her sensitive nose picked up a smell. An appetizing smell, of
cloves and wood smoke and something…something male.
She froze, all
her senses on alert.
Her ears and
nose almost twitched forward.
There, in the
shadows on the side of the trail, was a man. A man in a ranger uniform standing
next to a large frame backpack. How could she not have noticed him before? How
long had he been watching her?
About
the Author:
Jessica Aspen always wanted to be
spirited away to a world inhabited by elves, were-wolves and sexy men who walk
on the dark side of the knife. Luckily, she’s able to explore her fantasy side
and delve into new worlds by writing spicy paranormal romance. She loves
indulging in dark chocolate, reading eclectic novels, and dreaming of ocean
vacations, but instead spends most of her time, writing, walking the dog, and
hiking in the Colorado Rockies.
Interview
Hi, thanks for having me on the blog today. I’m
super excited to be here and sharing my news about my latest paranormal
romance.
I grew up in Boulder, Colorado and have lived all
over the front range within a thirty mile radius of where I grew up. I love
living in Colorado and playing in the Rocky Mountains, and that’s one of the
reasons I set so many of my stories either here, or in other areas of the West.
Tell
us your latest news?
Thanks for asking. I’m releasing RED, book number
one in the Sexy Shifter Fairytale Romance series today at a special release
price of 99cents. RED is a cheeky twisted modern fairytale where the wolf is
actually the heroine, Red and the hero is the forest ranger. There’s a bit of
suspense and lots of tongue in cheek references to the original fairy tale,
Little Red Riding Hood. I also have the next two books out and on special for
99cents, so if you like the first one, you don’t have to stop reading.
When
and why did you begin writing?
I always wrote, but I wasn’t really serious until
2008. That’s when I started writing THE DARK HUNTSMAN, and actually finished
it. Of course it took a few more years of re-writes to get it where it needed
to be, but it was worth it. As for why I began writing, I’ve always wanted to
be a writer, ever since I was a little girl. But I was discouraged from
pursuing it as a career. It wasn’t until my kids were older and I had the time
that I was able to really say, yes, this is what I want to do and I want to
pursue it seriously.
When
did you first consider yourself a writer?
That’s a really good question. I didn’t really
consider myself a writer until I went up to a workshop at Margie Lawson’s.
Margie does a week long immersion program and I was with authors who had been
published, had contracts with big presses, and had won prestigious prizes, and
they treated me just like I was one of them. That was the day I realized that I
was more than just a hobbyist, I was a real writer!
What
inspired you to write your first book?
Well, maybe not the first one, or the second,
because none of those got finished and are still lurking under the bed waiting
for a second go round, but The Dark Huntsman was inspired by my love of
fairytales. When I wrote it in 2008 most paranormal romance was vampire based,
but I wanted to write about the fae. I also had been reading twisted fairytales
(not romances) and was inspired to mix the twists with romance. Little did I
know that twisted fairytales were going to be all the rage by the time I
published it in 2013.
Do
you have a specific writing style?
Yes, I do. I love fast paced romance that keeps you
on the edge of your seat. I believe in love at first sight and chemical
attraction where you just can’t stay away from your destined match, even when
he’s dark, moody and an alpha male. Even when he drives you crazy! I also have
to have some kind of adventure in my books and you’ll find a good element of
paranormal suspense in each and every story.
How
did you come up with the title?
This book was originally titled Little Red Riding
Wolf, when it came out with in 2012. Way too long to type! I’m super excited to
give all of these books new titles that pop: RED, SNOW, GOLDI, SCARLETT, SILVER
& CINDER. I think you get the fairytale theme in one simple word and the
modern feel to the short titles helps give you the idea that they are all also
contemporary twists.
Is
there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
This book is a fun adventure. There is a rebellious
heroine, a shape-shifting granny, and lots of hot, hot romance. Read if for
fun, and if you get a message from it, let me know. J
How
much of the book is realistic?
It is set in modern day Colorado, so there are cars
and cell phones, etc. But the rest of it is pure fantasy.
Are
experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
I did base the locale on my experiences in small
mountain towns. Other than that, it’s really based on: what if Little Red
Riding Hood was a wolf shifter and met a sexy ranger in her woods?
What
books have most influenced your life most?
I’m actually an English Literature major, so I’d
have to say all the books I read in school, but especially fairy tales,
Bronte’s Jane Eyre, and modern day books, like Jim Butcher’s and Anne
MacCaffery’s. I think you can especially see this in the Tales of the Black
Court series where magic and fantasy intersect with fairy tales and all things
Gothic.
If
you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
I’m not sure if I can choose. I read so widely that
many, many authors have contributed to my style and writing choices.
What
book are you reading now?
Right now I’m reading Thea Harrison’s Elder Races
series. I love how she brings in supernatural and fantasy elements with myth
and modern setting. And the romance, she really can write romance!
Are
there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
I actually have been reading out of my genre a lot
lately, so I’ve been reading JF Penn’s dark thrillers. I love that edgey feel
that supernatural thrillers have.
What
are your current projects?
This month I’m busy getting out all of the Sexy
Shifter Fairytale Romances—by the middle of February there should be all six
out. But they’re all written, so I’ll also be writing book four in the Tales of
the Black Court. I’ve had a nice break from the elves and witches while I wrote
my fun contemporary twisted shifters, but it’s time to get back to the bigger
books. I really like to alternate the longer, weightier books with these super-fun
shorter novellas.
What
would you like my readers to know?
I’d love readers to know how much I enjoy writing
these stories and all the little ways I bring in the fairytale elements into
what is essentially a contemporary romance with shifters. It literally makes me
smile as I write. A good example is in RED, where I have her hauling her
goodies up to granny’s house in a red hoodie. Love the hint of modern
fairytale, and it was super fun to write.
Thanks for having me on today. I hope you all take
advantage of the release day prices and stock up on twisted fairy tale fun. And
if you like RED, SNOW and GOLDI then be aware that the next three are on their
way. I know it’s tough to wait when you love a series.
Cheers!
Jessica
To sign up for Jessica Aspen’s
new release email and to get your FREE bonus book, please go to: http://eepurl.com/zs4Sj
Website: http://jessicaaspen.com
Tour
giveaway
5 e-copies RED
I absolutely love shifter romances! I definitely want to read this one!! Very intriguing!!
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