Spotlight: Caris Roane

As promised, we have a treat for you today, because awesome author Caris Roane is visiting to take her time in the Spotlight. She's also got a ton of goodies to give away, so it's like an early Christmas or right on time Hanukkah present, too! But before we roll into that, let's get anyone who doesn't know her up to speed on the magic that is my friend Caris.

Caris Roane has published over fifty Regency romance novels and novellas under the pen name, Valerie King.  In 2005, Romantic Times gave her a Career Achievement award in Regency Romance.  Having had a long-time love affair with vampires, Caris tackled the paranormal genre and built a unique vampire world based on ascending dimensional earths.  Her series is called Guardians of Ascension. 

Her most recent self-published project, The Blood Rose Novella Series, launched in May of 2012 with the first title:  Embrace the Dark. 

Currently, Caris is working on a new vampire series set to launch in the Fall of 2013:   WARRIORS IN CHAINS with the first novel, BORN IN CHAINS.

Caris lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with her two cats, Sebastien and Gizzy.

So, without further ado, Caris, welcome to the Blah, Blah, Blah Blog!

CR: Hi, everyone!  I want to thank the BLAH, BLAH, BLAH BLOG for having me today as part of my WARM UP YOUR WINTER BLOG TOUR.  On the tour, I’m including excerpts from GATES OF RAPTURE (12/24) and today is no exception!  I also have goodies for you to win, details to follow!

But first, Gini asked me a bunch of questions and since she’s holding a gun to my head, a Glock without a safety – private joke – I must obey her!

GK: Yes, you must, you truly must! So, let's roll, babe. What prompted you to become a writer? Was it voices in your head, a burning desire to tell a story, or just too creative for your own bad self?

CR:  Oh, definitely too creative for my own bad self, lol!  Although ‘bad’ might be the right word. You only have to read my books to find out how bad I really am!  As for what prompted me to become a writer, it’s kind of cliché:  I was standing in a book store many moons ago, staring at a bunch of romance novels, and I thought, ‘I could do that’.  So I did…sort of…just not right away.  It took me 9 years to hit my stride. It’s been a fabulous journey.

GK: What was the first book or piece that you wrote and why? Is it published, being shopped, on the shelf waiting for you to get back to it, or in a heap of ashes at the bottom of the fireplace?

CR:  I started and completed my very first novel a long time ago, mostly to prove to myself that I could start with ‘Once upon a time’ and finish with ‘The End’.  I hold onto the fact that I was able to finish that major project especially when I hit a low spot in the course of a writing day, week, month, or even a year.  I did it once.  I can do it again.  But that book remains as a personal testimony only to myself and is buried somewhere in my house, and no, I don’t have a clue where it is, a scary fact all by itself.

GK: Give us a funny story about writing your latest release. It’s okay if your funny story involves a nervous breakdown as the deadline loomed, btw.  I like to relate to my guests.

CR:  GATES OF RAPTURE (12-24) was an absolute roller coaster writing experience from start to finish – many highs, many painful lows.  I wrote three different major drafts of this novel, which isn’t exactly funny, but it had to happen because my pub house shifted direction mid-stream.  Mucho angst followed.  By the time I’d turned in the third draft and my editor approved it, I had no idea if I’d written a good novel, or something that readers would be throwing against the wall!  One HUGE fear I had was focused on the review that would eventually come from Romantic Times Magazine, because those reviews matter.  In the end, I hoped to at least get a 3 rating because I couldn’t tell about this book, not even a little!  When the review came in, I was stunned:  a 4 ½ , and TOP PICK, no less!  And I do mean I was stunned!  So, you never know with a book.  In the end, I’m just hoping that my fans enjoy GATES OF RAPTURE.  It will be very interesting to see what the they have to say!

GK: Having been in those situations, and also gotten an RT Book Reviews Top Pick, I truly know what you mean -- it's a great feeling. And you totally deserve it, too! And I know your fans are gonna love it! So, in a related question, what’s your most and least favorite things about being an author?

CR:  There are three things that are my favorite, and yes I know it’s not possible to have three favorite things, but I don’t care.  FIRST, I love the written word.  Period.  SECOND, I adore my writer friends, like you, Gini!  I admire you tremendously, more than you know.  THIRD, and maybe this is my fav-favorite, I love hearing from readers that my books have touched their lives.  Okay, YOU choose among those three things!  I dare you!  As for least fav, that’s easy:  I don’t like editing.  The job has to be done and I embrace it, but I much prefer the creative process.  If I could hire someone to take my first draft and edit it, believe me, I would!

GK: I love editing, but then again, I'm with DAW and they believe that less is NOT more. LOL But I agree with all your faves, and we are not control freaks here -- three faves is a-okay with the Alien Collective! (And btw, having someone you look up to say they look up to you is now on my fave things list. Just sayin'. :-D) Moving on from our Happy Mutual Admiration Society, what’s one fact about you that someone who didn’t know you well or hasn’t read this blog wouldn’t know? Make it juicy, my readers expect. 

CR: When I was a tour guide at Disneyland, in those days when I was young and innocent, a photographer asked if I would like to pose for him with some off-the shoulder looks.  I wasn’t sure if I should do this, but being polite I said I would be happy to discuss this with him at his studio.  Yeah, yeah, super naïve, but I was young!  Anyway, when I arrived at his small, dark, work-space to talk things over, he showed me all these prints of completely nude women.  I still remember standing by his desk and thinking, “Uh, say what?”  I hightailed it out of there, but honestly, could I have been more naive!  Sheesh!

GK:  ROFL, i think far more of us have been that naive than we'd care to admit. But, onward! Let's have an excerpt, shall we?
CR: We shall! This is from the sixth book of my vampire series called, GATES OF RAPTURE (coming 12/24) with the hope that you might get to know my Guardians of Ascension, my most beloved winged vampire warriors.  I know the covers have wings on them, but the books aren’t about angels AT ALL…just vampires…with wings.  

GATES OF RAPTURE is the sixth installment of Guardians of Ascension and features Warrior Leto, a famous, ancient Warrior of the Blood, six-six, long straight black hair, piercing blue eyes, and built to battle death vampires for centuries, not to mention drive the ladies crazy!  So yummy!  Romantic Times Magazine gave GATES OF RAPTURE a 4 ½ Star, TOP PICK review!  I couldn’t be happier!

Here’s today’s excerpt taken from Chapter 15:  Leto and Grace are in the middle of a fight for their lives and for the future of their world.  In all the books of this series, I’ve tried to show the complete scope of human and vampire existence.  In this brief excerpt, you’ll see Grace expressing her spirituality and Leto, his commitment to her.

Destiny, I have found, is one of the strangest phenomena in any dimension, for it consistently works against common sense and every practical goal man can conceive.

Memoirs - Beatrice of Fourth

Chapter Fifteen

The next morning, Grace slipped on a simple white linen gown, something she’d made for herself while on Fourth Earth.  Leto snored, a sound that pleased her more than she could say.

She left the room and crossed the narrow hallway to a second guest bedroom.  The sun rose on the opposite side of the house, so as she dropped to her knees in front of the window, the very tops of the White Tank Mountains were lit in a rosy glow.  Militia Warriors still patrolled, a constant, slow, vigilant movement back and forth.

She saw a fainter movement past the tree line that separated the desert-like mountains from the traditional villa landscaping.

She extended her vision and saw that the same doe waited patiently for breakfast.  She smiled, lowered her head, and closed her eyes.  By long habit she ran through a litany of prayers most of which she had constructed throughout the centuries.  They eased her heart and mind and seemed to settle something deep within her so that she could move forward with the day’s enormous challenges. 

Today she would practice once more with the women and at eight o’clock, the spectacle event would take place. Because she hadn’t put any blocks in place, she felt Leto rise from his bed and when he found her, he didn’t speak but sank to the carpet behind her, joining her in her meditation.

She continued to pray until her soul felt at ease. 

Her last thoughts were a basic giving of thanks for the simple gift of life.

When she opened her eyes and turned, she found Leto still on his knees behind her, one hand shading his face, his shoulders bowed.  She saw in an instant the weight that he carried as a powerful ascender, as a warrior, as a trainer of Militia Warriors, as a gifted leader.  She had often seen this same demeanor in Thorne.

Leto, she sent, thank you for joining me.

He lowered his hand and met her gaze.  He pulled her back toward him and cradled her, his head bent over her shoulder and nuzzling her face.  He smelled so beautiful, of the forest.

She shifted in his arms and put her hand on his face.  “What is to become of us?”

He kissed her and rocked her.  “I will love you, I will work hard for you, and I will do everything I can to bring the stars down for you to hold in your hands.  And I will strive to make this world a finer, better place for you.”

His vows, he was speaking his vows to her.

CR: I hope you enjoyed the excerpt!  I’ve had an extraordinary time creating and writing this series!  Let Guardians of Ascension be a new journey for you.  GATES OF RAPTURE releases on December 24^th. 

To Learn More about Gates of Rapture and to read the opening chapter:  CLICK HERE!!!

To Pre-Order GATES OF RAPTURE   Amazon   Barnes & Noble  iTunes    

GK: Wasn't that great? Now, tell us about the awesome giveaways that are going on!

CR: Here are the giveaway details (all international with appropriate compensatory prizes as needed):  On each stop of the tour, I’ll be giving away the same awesome collection of prizes as listed on the Rafflecopter form, so be sure to stop by each blog on the tour for a chance to win at each blog.  Be careful to follow the directions on the Rafflecopter form at each site.  And be very careful of the dates!  The contest at each site will last 3 days only, and those dates will be listed on the Rafflecopter form as well!!!  

For links to all the other blogs on the tour:  CLICK HERE!!!

The Grand Prize Drawing - VERY IMPORTANT:  to be eligible for the Grand Prize drawing of the Nook with Glowlight, you must leave a comment at the bottom of this blog (as well as at all the sites on the tour if you want to go to every site and enter that many times—totally up to you!  But comments must be left!)  The grand prize drawing will be selected by random.org in the following manner.

On January 18^th, three days after the tour ends, I will enter the number of blogsites into the random number generator, which will deliver up the winning site.  I will then go to the winning site, count up the comments one by one, and enter that number into random.org.  Random.org will then provide the Grand Prize winning number matched to the comments on the winning blogsite.  This means, that if you travel to all the blogs on this tour, you can enter the GRAND PRIZE contest on every single blog you visit by leaving a comment at each blogsite!  Good luck to all! 

The Goodies as listed on the Rafflecopter form are:  a $10 gift card to Barnes & Noble (or similar for International);  a replica, antique typewriter key bracelet that spells ‘dream’; a signed copy of ASCENSION (the first novel in the Guardians of Ascension series); Romance Trading Cards; and bookmarks.    

The Grand Prize drawing for a Nook with Glowlight, will take place on January 18^th, three days after the tour officially ends!  Good luck! 

For links to all the other blogs on the tour:  CLICK HERE!!!

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TO FIND CARIS ROANE ON THE WEB…
Website Home Page:  www.carisroane.com
Blog:  http://carisroane.com/journal/
Twitter handle:  @carisroane
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/caris.roane
Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3500801.Caris_Roane
Email:  carisroane@gmail.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway