Welcome Liena Ferror and Special Guest,

Keara McCabe.

JHS – Please give a huge PR welcome to Liena Ferror. Liena’s the author of Queen of the Ghost Drakon, the first story in The Risen series. Liena's visited with us before and we had the pleasure of meeting Gannon Langon. I’d like to welcome you both to Paranormal Romantics and thank you for taking the time to talk to me. Can you tell us a little about who you have with you?

LF - This is Keara McCabe-Langon. She is mated to Gannon, whom you’ve met earlier. Go ahead and introduce yourself Keara.

KM - Thanks, Liena. As you can tell, I am of American-Asian ancestry. I got the taller height from my Dad. Anyway, you are more interested in what I am. I am a ghost drakon and fae hybrid. Both bring me unique abilities such as disappearing from sight, the ability to use lightning blasts, and the ability to do things like create clothes from mid-air. In my drakon form I’m covered in blue-gray colored scales that look much like the Hope Diamond in shade. My eyes are cat-like. I have large bat like wings and claws that are sharper than hell. Other than that, I’m normal.

JHS – Liena’s laughing and I have to smile myself at that. It all sounds normal. Liena, can you tell us a little about yourself?

LF - I’m from South Central Pennsylvania. I live with my wonderful husband and my beautiful daughter. I have a son who is currently serving in the U.S. Navy. I grew up amongst a family of readers. My mother and father instilled a love of reading and all things written into my brother and me. In my adult years, I found myself working as a data analyst and once again discovered my love of reading. I began to frequent the library more than once a week. My husband went to so far as to hang a hammock in the spare bedroom so I could have a comfortable place to read. My husband suggested I try my hand at writing since I read so much. I tried and fell in love. I still like to read but writing has become a big part of my life.

My heroes are vampires and lycans. My heroines are fae, vampire and drakon. A world I created through my erotic paranormal writing. I am planning a contemporary or suspense series in the future.

JHS - How long have you been writing?

LF - I have been seriously writing for about two years now. Prior to that, my nose was always buried in a book. One day my husband commented that as much as I read, I should try to write a book. The rest is history as they say. My first release is due out November 20, 2009 and the second in the series on April 16, 2010. Both from Eirelander Publishing.

JHS - Can you tell us a little about your favorite character? Is there one you prefer/like better than the others?

LF - I love all the characters that I’ve created in the world of The Risen. The Risen are females of drakon, fae, lycan, vampire, or demon parentage. The males are lycans and vampires and hard-headed as hell at times and sexy all the time.

KM - I’ll second that, Liena.

LF - I thought you would, Keara.

JHS - Who inspired or inspires your writing most?

LF - My bookshelves consist of books by Nora Roberts, JD Robb and Clive Cussler just to name a few.

KM - Her bookshelves are packed with many different authors, Ms. Steele. She’s even got books from the early turn last century.

LF - Keara’s right. I love books and have been inspired by many authors.

JHS - When you’re not writing, what are some of your favorite things to do? Do you and Keara ever hang out together?

KM - No, Liena doesn’t hang out with us. Even though she is welcome at the Mansion at any time.

LF - Thanks, Keara. Gannon made the same offer. When I’m not writing, I’m reading or making jewelry. I’m a huge sports fan so I watch a lot of sports on TV. I’m pretty much a home body.

JHS - Are you working on anything new?

LF - I just finished up the second in The Risen Series, Frost at Dusk which will be release on April 16, 2010. The story is about an ice drakon or dragon and vampire hybrid heroine named Lena Erickson who uses her unique and deadly blood as a weapon to avenge the death of a family member. She is the mate of the Master Vampire of the Northeast Region, Andres Kaden. Together, they learn to deal with Lena, her unique abilities, and the changes she’ll inevitably go through.

JHS - Do you have any advice for new writers?

LF - First and foremost is to have fun doing what you do. Writing should never feel like a chore. It should be something you love to do. Second, find a good critique partner or group who can be honest with you and about your work. Someone to tell you when you are on track and when you’ve left the tracks. My critique partner has been invaluable to me.

JHS - How can readers get your book?

LF - I can be found at the following sites: http://www.lienaferror.webs.com/, http://www.lienaferror.blogspot.com/, http://www.eirelander-publishing.com/

JHS - Heres an Excerpt from Liena’s book and I have to tell you, this book has some exciting battle scenes. And you’ll need to turn up the a/c when you read it because it gets pretty damn steamy.

“Did you see the tall guy with the long black hair?”
Keara heard her best friend Donna ask. The two women had just left Maelstroms, the local nightclub, and enjoyed the walk to Donna‘s car. The streets were nearly deserted, as it was three in the morning. Her rich and husky laughter filled the night air. “You mean the one with all the bulging muscles?”
Donna nodded. “That wasn’t the only thing bulging.” She winked as they reached the alley where she had parked.
“You would notice.” Keara frowned when she saw Donna pull out a pack of cigarettes and leaned against her car. “Such a nasty habit,” she scolded.
Donna frowned. “This is the first one I’ve had since we went into Maelstroms.” She pulled out a smoke and lit it. She inhaled, obviously savoring the nicotine that flooded her lungs. “I’m down to less than half a pack a day. Give me a break.”
Keara leaned against the car. Why would anyone pollute their systems with such obnoxious smelling toxins? She tried one cigarette in her life and didn’t like the feeling she was going to pass out or vomit. She never smoked again and wasn’t a heavy drinker, even on her nights out with Donna. Only two drinks in case she needed to drive. Coffee was her poison of choice.
“Anyway, what did you think of the guy? He had to be at least six-foot tall,” Donna said as she took a drag from her cigarette.
Keara had to laugh, again. Donna stood at five foot three if she was lucky. Keara had a good seven inches on her. Donna was forever attracted to men who were much taller than she was. “Why is it you go for the men who’ll give you a crick in your neck?”
Donna chuckled as she exhaled. “I just like my men tall, dark and absolutely gorgeous, which he was by the way.”
“I have eyes, I saw him.” Gorgeous but not my cup of tea. She preferred her men taller with athletic builds and shorter hair. She was partial to men dressed in jeans and a t-shirt over a man in dress clothes. She liked them more ruggedly handsome than drop-dead gorgeous. “Have you ever seen him there before?”
“No, come to think of it. I wonder if he’s going to become a regular,” she said, and a wistful note entered her voice.
Keara shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe he’s new to the area.” A small sound had her turning her head to the opening of the alley. An involuntary shiver overtook her. A single harsh light outlined a tall figure walking into the entrance of the alley. “Uh oh, we got company, Donna.” She reached to open the passenger side door. Damn, it was locked. Her eyes turned to her friend. Unease
filled her with dread. “Unlock the car, Donna.” Urgency made her voice tremble and her pulse pound.
“Relax, Keara. It’s Mr. Tall, Dark and Absolutely Gorgeous.” Donna said, waving away Keara’s concern.
Keara relaxed marginally as she, too, noticed who it was. She still wasn’t fond of the idea of being pinned in a dimly lit alley as a hulk of a stranger approached them.
Donna smiled. “Are you lost? Do you need directions?”
The man smiled in return, which showed perfect white teeth glowing in the harsh light of the alley. “Yes, as a matter of fact I am. I noticed you two were talking and was hoping you could give me directions.”
The man was indeed gorgeous, Keara thought. Almost too gorgeous. His face was heavenly, like a dark angel. His eyes were an amazing shade of blue. His thick hair fell around his face and reached his shoulders. Still, something about him wasn’t quite right. She couldn’t put her finger on it.
“Sure. Where are you heading to?” Donna asked, totally at ease with the stranger.
“While I was in Maelstroms, I overheard a couple talk about a diner close to here. I didn’t catch the name of it.” He walked to no more than three inches away from Donna.
Warning bells rang in Keara’s head. Trepidation crept into her voice. “Come on, Donna. Let’s get out of here.” She tried the door handles again.
The stranger laughed as he gazed deeply into Donna’s eyes. “Your friend appears to be afraid of me.”
Keara felt her eyes widen and gasped. He had fangs. People don’t have fangs. Panic gripped her. The other possibility was absurd. Maybe not. The stranger ran a finger down Donna’s face and tilted her head to the side slowly as if he were about to caress the skin of a lover.
He looked directly into Keara’s eyes. “You will stand where you are and not move. You will not make a sound,” the stranger said. His voice dropped an octave and wrapped around Keara’s mind, first like wisps of mist then like fog rolling off the ocean, thick and dense.
She couldn’t move. The stranger entranced her. She watched helplessly as the stranger leaned down toward Donna’s exposed neck. The stranger licked his lips in anticipation. He swirled his tongue gently over Donna’s skin. Once. Twice. Keara’s mind screamed when the stranger sank his fangs into Donna’s jugular vein. Donna moaned in what sounded like bliss as the stranger drank in long pulls from her neck.
Holy Shit. A real live vampire drinking from her best friend. She tried to move but was unable to. She struggled with the hold the stranger had put on her body and mind, but it was useless.
The vampire continued to drink from her friend. After what seemed like an eternity, he lifted his head. He licked his blood-coated lips until he’d gathered the final drop on his tongue.
She watched in horror as the vampire lifted his hand, and one of his fingernails lengthened into a razor sharp point. Her mind screamed again as the vampire drew the fingernail over Donna’s throat, cutting her from one ear to the other, effectively covering the signs of his bite.
“What is your name, human?” he asked.
Keara felt the fog in her mind lift enough to answer his question. “Keara McCabe.”
The vampire smiled sinfully as he gazed into Keara’s eyes. “Asian American,” he commented as he walked around the car.
She tried desperately to turn and run, but her body was like lead. She wanted to vomit when he used the same razor sharp fingertip to turn her neck to the side. The tip of his talon nicked her skin.
“You are indeed a beautiful woman. It’s a shame I’m as hungry as I am or I might spare you, make you my pleasure slave,” Evil laughter erupted into the night as he lowered his mouth to her neck. The tip of his tongue gently followed the trail of blood that trickled from the wound. His tongue swept back up to her jugular.
A moan broke from her throat when she felt his fangs puncture her skin. After the initial shock and pleasure, bile rose into her throat. I need to run. The trance had her rooted in place. She stood and waited for her life to be drained out of her. To her utter surprise, the vampire lifted his head and his eyes widened.
“What are you?” His body started to convulse wildly as he dropped to the ground like a felled tree. “Oh, fuck,” he wailed. His body thrashed as spasms wracked his body.
Keara felt the enthrallment of her mind weaken and finally she was released. Running out of the alley and literally running for her life, she panted hard against the residual fog still weighing down her legs. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest as she ran away from the pure evil she had encountered, a creature that only inhabited legends, novels and movies. She could barely think it. Vampire

JHS - Readers love to find out new things about their favorite authors, before you leave, can you tell us one thing about you that no one knows?

LF - I’m addicted to computer solitaire. I can play it for hours at a time and never get bored. I also love to play Mahjong Titans.

JHS – Liena, thanks for stopping by and for bringing Keara along. Trust me, you guys want to pick up a copy of Queen of the Ghost Drakon, the first in The Risen series, as soon as it hits the shelves at Eirelander Publishing.

And don’t forget to stop by next Friday. I’ll see who I can wrangle into the hot seat. In the meantime - Growl and roar-it’s okay to let the beast out. - J. Hali Steele