Monday, January 4, 2016

RED by Jessica Aspen Excerpt, Interview & Giveaway


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.
Where are you from?
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







Tour giveaway

5 e-copies RED








2 comments:

  1. I absolutely love shifter romances! I definitely want to read this one!! Very intriguing!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Did I win this? I never got an e-mail!! I've been looking in my e-mails for the past 30 min, and can't find anything!

    ReplyDelete