Interview + Giveaway: Matt Dunn

Today we have a special treat on the blog. Matt Dunn, a British novelist living in Malaga, Spain (lucky!) has stopped by for an interview and a giveaway. His novel Ex-Girlfriends United, the premise of which includes a website with reviews about people which people can check before they go on the date with them, has just been released in the US by Sourcebooks!

Welcome to Nikola’s Book Blog! We are so happy to have you here.

Thank you for having me!

You write fiction that has, if I may say so, traditionally been reserved for women, if you don’t count certain bestselling authors like Nick Hornby, Dan Begley or Tony Parsons. Have you felt any anxiety of authorship? Do you think men and women write differently?

I don't feel any anxiety, perhaps because I don't feel I'm writing for any particular gender, and while I'm aware that more women than men read my books, I actually enjoy the fact that I'm 'different'. I've been told that one of the reasons women like my books is because I give the inside track on what men really think about life, love, and relationships - if that's my 'USP', then I'm happy to oblige. 

As to whether men or women write differently, I think they often write about different things, mainly because they're often interested in different things, but good writing is good writing whatever sex the author is.

Your novel Ex-Girlfriends United is coming out in the US this month. You must be pretty excited, even though you’ve already had the book come out in the UK like three years ago?

I'm very excited. The prequel, The Ex-Boyfriend's Handbook, came out in the US last year and got a good reception, so I'm interested to see how this one does.

The premise of Ex-Girlfriends United doesn’t seem very far-fetched. Were you inspired by any websites that really exist? Do you think this instant-getting-to-know-someone is typical of relationships nowadays?

No – I wasn't aware of anything like SlateYourDate, although it's a mystery to me why a website where people can rate their exes doesn't exist yet. Surely it'd be an ideal add-on to some of the bigger dating websites – it'd save people a lot of time and effort! And yes, internet dating in particular has meant that people know an awful lot about each other before they've even met – assuming what's written on their profile is true – meaning the early fun part of relationships, the 'getting-to-know-you' bit, is accelerated, and in some cases bypassed. It adds an interesting dynamic, but I think it also makes people feel relationships are a lot more disposable. Which isn't a good development.

Do you read chick or lad lit yourself? Do you have any favorite or inspirational authors?

Nick Hornby's High Fidelity was the book that made me want to write in the first place, John O'Farrell's The Best A Man Can Get was the book that almost made me want to stop, it was so funny. In terms of chick lit, Sophie Kinsella is hilarious (and was kind enough to give me a quote for the cover of Ex-Girlfriends United) , but I read a variety of authors– most recently, I've enjoyed David Nicholls' One Day. David Mitchell is possibly my favourite writer – Cloud Atlas is the most amazing novel I've ever read. I also love Haruki Murakami, Jay McInerney, Iain Banks, Douglas Coupland... Too many to mention, really. I've just read my first Jonathan Tropper – How To Talk To A Widower – which was excellent, so I'm looking forward to reading more of his work. 

You write on your website that From Here to Paternity may become a movie! How do you feel about this? 

I'd love it if it happens – but I know a lot of authors, and while many of them have had their books optioned, only one  - Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic - has actually made it to the big screen, so I'm not holding my breath. Of all my books, I'd love  The Ex-Boyfriend's Handbook to be made into a movie – not only because I've already written two sequels – but because I'd love to see Ed and Dan brought to life. So if any producers are reading this, feel free to get in touch.

Thanks for stopping by the blog! And a big thank you to Beth from Sourcebooks who graciously offered one copy of Ex-Girlfriends United to one lucky reader!

Here are the rules of the giveaway:

To enter, simply leave a comment below and make sure you include your email address! The giveaway ends on June 25th. You can win extra entries by doing the following:

+2 follow my blog

+2 tweet about the contest (leave a link)

+2 link to the contest anywhere else (leave link(s))

+4 visit Matt's website and come back with the title of the book of his you'd most like to read and why!

The giveaway is open to US and Canada residents only.

Interview + Giveaway: Tom Dolby

Today, we welcome author Tom Dolby to Nikola's Book Blog! Tom's YA novel The Trust has just recently been published and it is the second in his very successful and popular Secret Society series. This is why I am so excited that Tom is here today to answer some questions and, wait for it, do a giveaway for a SIGNED copy of The Trust! Welcome, Tom!


First of all, congratulations on The Trust being published last week! There must be much excitement in your camp!

Thanks! I'm excited to continue the Secret Society journey for my characters. I'm very fond of Nick, Phoebe, Lauren, Patch and Thad.

Why should people go and buy the Secret Society books right now?

Secret Society is the type of book that I like to curl up with on a snowy winter day - and now that its followup, The Trust, is out, the story has completed its arc. The Trust picks up right where Secret Society left off, so there's no more waiting around to see how those cliffhangers will turn out.


Your earlier novels, The Trouble Boy and Sixth Form, both have gay protagonists and could be dubbed coming-of-age novels. Do you think YA fiction is a good field for writing gay fiction?

I love good adult fiction with gay characters. I haven't written many fiction with gay main character that is "YA" per se, but The Trouble Boy and Sixth Form do have a lot of teenage fans, as they are about teenagers and twentysomethings. I think the teenage years are ripe for exploration, and doing it through young adult fiction is a great way to speak to young people while they are going through these formative years.

Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys, an anthology of essays including your own, has just been adapted for the small screen. Would you like to see your Secret Society novels adapted for the screen as well?

Of course! It was thrilling to see Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys become a reality show on the Sundance Channel! Like any author, I would love to see my novels as films!

What is the biggest challenge you face as an author? Also, what's next for Tom Dolby?

I am working on a screenplay now, as well as starting work on a new novel. I think my biggest challenge is simply balancing work with new fatherhood (my husband and I had twin girls several months ago) - it's very rewarding as well as often exhausting!

Congratulations on your new family member as well, Tom!

Tom is offering one SIGNED hardcover copy (how cool is that?!) to one lucky winner. The contest is open to US (48 states) and Canada only! Contest ends February 22nd! To enter, leave a comment with a way to contact you in the comments. The winner will be randomly selected.

BONUS ENTRIES (not mandatory):

+2 for following my blog

+2 for tweeting about the contest (leave the link!)

+2 for linking to the contest somewhere

+4 for blogging about the contest

+4 for visiting Tom's website and coming back with a title you'd read other than the Secret Society books and the reason why!

Interview + Giveaway: Tina Donahue

Today, we welcome author Tina Donahue to Nikola's Book Blog to celebrate the release of her latest novel, The Yearning! In the interview, we talk about ebooks, pet peeves and, believe it or not, privacy! Welcome, Tina!

You write for many different publishers - Kensington, Ellora's Cave, Samhain... Does this mean that you are an eclectic writer?

Never thought of myself that way. Although I write in many subgenres, I am a romance writer, first and foremost. And the reason I write for many publishers is because it’s the best way to get my work out to fans in a steady and quick fashion. With print publishing, the journey from contract to publication could take a year or longer. It’s faster with ebooks. Therefore, I always have something out for publication whether it’s print or digital.

Are there any romance cliches or stereotypes that bug you?

I guess my biggest peeve is misunderstandings, rather than complications, in plots. In every romance, it’s necessary to keep the hero/heroine apart (at least for a time) to build sexual tension. What’s keeping them apart should be a complication. For example, he’d hurt her deeply in the past and she’s afraid to trust him again, even though he said he’s changed. Or he lost his wife/girlfriend in a tragic accident that he feels responsible for (even though he’s not) and now he feels guilty for liking her, so he’s pulling back.

A misunderstanding, on the other hand, is something you or I would consider silly. Something that could be cleared up easily between the couple if they simply talked about it.

One of your earlier hit novels, Close to Perfect, uses tabloids and the paparazzi to drive the plot. Do you think a person's privacy has been compromised by the modern age?

Absolutely. And it’s gotten worse with social networking sites. It used to be that only celebrities and politicians had their most embarrassing moments broadcast for the world to see and comment on. Now, cyber-bullying is a reality for many teens. And adults may find photos of themselves on YouTube, Facebook, etc. without having given permission for those pictures to be used.

I love the sexy covers of your books. How did these come about? Did you have any input when it came to the visual representation of your stories?

My publishers have cover artists who come up with the wonderful art you see. For my ebooks, the publishers provide a cover art form, asking for the hero/heroine’s ages, physical descriptions, a brief synopsis of the story (to get its flavor) and what I, as the author, would most like to see on the cover.

Congratulations on releasing The Yearning! What's next for Tina Donahue?

I have another paranormal coming out in October. This one will be the start of a series, my very first. I’m also currently working on another contemporary erotic romance on the lines of Sensual Stranger, Lush Velvet Nights and Adored, my other works.

Since Tina is uber-cool, she has an awesome (international!) giveaway in store for all the readers. In order to celebrate the release of The Yearning, one lucky commenter will get to choose one of the following books:

1. Lush Velvet Nights (ebook)

2. Adored (ebook)

3. Deep, Dark, Delicious (ebook)

4. In His Arms (ebook)

5. Bad Boys with Red Roses (trade paperback)

6. Take My Breath Away (trade paperback)

Winners will be chosen at random. Winner in continental US has his/her choice of one of the six. Winner outside the continental US wins one of the ebooks. In order to enter, leave a comment with your email. 18+ only.

WIN BONUS ENTRIES:

+2 for following my blog

+2 for tweeting about it (leave the link!)

+2 for linking to it

+4 for blogging about it

+4 for visiting Tina's site and coming back with

the cover you find sexiest!

The giveaway ends February 16th. Good luck!

Giveaway: TLA Releasing DVDs

As you may have noticed in my sidebar, I am participating in the 2010 GLBT Reading Challenge, that explores and celebrates the GLBT culture in art. The November mini-challenge has to do with watching a queer-themed movie and I decided I should do a guest post on their blog. In the post (click here to check it out), I talk about what makes a movie queer and the difference between Queer as Folk and Brokeback Mountain. I think you'll like what I have to say.

It is now my honor to have my email answered by Mike from TLAVideos, the biggest online retailer dedicated to gay cinema. Mike is really cool and has offered three romantic titles for a giveaway on my blog Boy Culture, Coffee Date and the hot new release, Is It Just Me? What are you waiting for? The rules are below and the DVDs are waiting!

Giveaway rules:

US only

Giveaway ends December 11th

Enter by commenting and leaving your EMAIL

18+ only (as the movies are unrated)

Bonus entries:

+2 for following (old and new followers)

+2 for leaving a link in your sidebar (+4 if you leave a graphic)

+2 for tweeting about the contest

+4 for blogging about the contest

+4 for visiting TLA and coming back with a title that seems interesting to you.

GOOD LUCK!

Giveaway Winners Galore!

Finally, here are the winners for the giveaways that were just standing there on my blog for a very long time. I hope the winners are happy to receive the books and that I will see those reviews up soon! :)

Kiss of the Rose goes to:

Stacey

The Human Bobby goes to:

Aik

His Last Letter goes to:

The Book Pixie and Spring

Thanks for entering, everybody! I have the next giveaway in store, and it is going to be epic! Think a celebrity author, whose book has been made into a cult TV show and who has recently published her first YA book... If anyone can guess, well, let's just say I'll keep that in mind. And you'll want to win that signed copy, trust me!

Interview & Giveaway: Gabe Rotter

Today we welcome Gabe Rotter, whose sophomore novel The Human Bobby is out today for an interview and a giveaway. Welcome, Gabe!

Thank you for featuring The Human Bobby on your blog!

The book seems heavier in tone than your previous, Duck Duck Wally. Is this a good observation?

Yes, The Human Bobby is certainly much darker than Duck Duck Wally, which had a decidedly sillier tone. I wanted to attempt to write something in similar voice to my first book, but that went on a completely different place. But at their core I think they could both be said to be about the unraveling of a man, which is a theme I'm very interested in writing about.

Where did The Human Bobby come from?

I've always been completely fascinated by homeless people. I look at them and I desperately want to know their back-stories. How does one get to that point? What was their childhood like? Did they ever have a normal life? A spouse? Children? What are they like in their moments of clarity?

What would you say the most rewarding part of getting your book published is - seeing it on the shelf at your local bookstore, doing a book signing or receiving fan mail?

I think those are definitely three of the best things about it! Seeing it at a book store or in a library is always a thrill. Book signings are completely awesome. I think getting fan mail is probably the most rewarding. There's nothing cooler than when someone enjoys your book so much that they take the time to write you a note about it. That always makes my day and makes it worth all the hard work.

What's your focus group when it comes to readers of The Human Bobby? What's the emotion you're trying to provoke in your readers?

My focus group consists of my wife, my father and a few of my closest friends and family. In this book, the emotion I was trying to provoke was surprise. I was very taken by the idea of writing through the POV of an unreliable narrator. Someone you come to trust but whose perspective you are forced to question at some point during the story.

Would it be okay to say that The Human Bobby is a story about the state of the modern man?

I think with the state of the world economy, natural and man-made disasters, wars, etc. that most people today have a sort of tenuous grasp on their possessions, because the reality is that most of us could lose everything very easily. One of the themes of The Human Bobby is, "What are we?" - in other words, are we the things we own? Is that what defines us? The house we live in? The car we drive? Is it the people we love that makes us who we are? Once these things are taken from us, who are we?

One copy of The Human Bobby has generously been offered for a giveaway. Here are the giveaway rules:

-US/Canada only

-the giveaway ends August 31st

-make sure you leave your email in the comment (no email, no entry!)

-one winner

BONUS ENTRIES:

+2 for following (old and new followers)

+2 for leaving the link in your sidebar (+4 if you leave a graphic!)

+2 for tweeting about this (leave a link!)

+4 for blogging about this

Good luck!

Interview & Giveaway: Kate Pearce

Today I have a very special treat for you - a mix of the Tudors, vampires and romance. That's right - please welcome the prolific romance author Kate Pearce, here to talk about her latest novel, Kiss of the Rose, the first in the upcoming (and I'm sure, bestselling) Tudor Vampire Chronicles. It seems like Henry VIII will never go out of style!

Henry VIII is a pretty popular guy nowadays, don't you think? The Tudors are everywhere, so tell us what your particular reason was to use him in your novel. And where do the vampires fit in?

I studied Tudor politics as part of my degree and I've always enjoyed reading novels about them so when my agent suggested I try and write Tudor Vampires, it all seemed to click! As my starting point, I used the notion that the Tudors came to power unexpectedly and that it would've been a great opportunity for them to win the crown with some paranormal help. In my mind, this resulted in an alliance with the Druids. The Tudor family are from Wales and I reckoned the young Henry VII might well have been exposed to some pagan religion as well as Christianity. In my paranormal world the Vampires are an offshoot of the Druids, so there is a natural enmity between them which leads to all sorts of problems over the centuries.

Did the book require a lot of research?

Yes it did. But then as a history major I love to research and know how to do it competently. For example, the costume book I consulted had about 6oo pages of text in it which proved a little time consuming! And after all the research only a tiny proportion of the history ended up in the book because it is primarily a paranormal romance.

Tell us a little bit about the heroine.

Rosalind Llewellyn is an anomaly in her own time, the first woman to be born with the mark of Awen which means she is entitled to train as a Vampire slayer - a most unladylike thing to do. She is very strong and a great match for the arrogant hero, Christopher Ellis who begins by underestimating her and ends up respecting and loving her.

How is this book different than your other titles - and there are many of them!

I've written a few, haven't I?! My books for Kensington Aphrodisia, Ellora's Cave and Virgin Black Lace 'Cheek' are all classed as erotic romance and brought out as e-books or trade-size paperbacks. Kiss of the Rose is different because it is a paranormal, historical romance in mass market format. I like to write different things and this was a new challenge for me.

Tell us about your writing routine. Also, what's next in store for Kate Pearce?

I write about 4 hours a day when the kids are in school and the house is relatively quiet. Along with writing new stuff I also have to deal with edits, copy edits, galleys, blog writing, promotion, etc. This means it gets very busy sometimes. I try and write a minimum of 2000 words a day to keep on my tight deadline schedule.

Coming up next is a novella in a Kensington Brava anthology called "Lords of Passion" with Virginia Henley and Maggie Robinson, which comes out in early December and then next year I have 2 books out around February, 2011 Simply Forbidden from Kensington Aphrodisia which is the 6th book in my Regency erotic romance House of Pleasure series, and Blood of the Rose, part two of the Tudor Vampire Chronicles which centers around Anne Boleyn.

Brace yourselves - Kate has generously offered to give away a copy of Kiss of the Rose to one lucky winner. Read it before it's all over the blogosphere! Here are the giveaway rules:

-the contest ends August 25th.

-there will be one winner.

-make sure you leave your email in the comment - no email, no entry!

-the giveaway is open internationally! (Kate rules!)

BONUS ENTRIES:

+2 for following (old and new followers)

+2 for leaving the link in your sidebar (+4 for leaving a graphic)

+2 for tweeting about this (leave a link!)

+4 for blogging about this

+4 for visiting Kate's website and coming back with the title that you find most interesting

This giveaway has been advertised on Giveaway Scout.

Giveaway Winners: Notepad/Bookmark and Lisabet Sarai E-book

After traveling to Dubrovnik (seriously, one of the most beautiful places I've ever traveled to) and the magical Greek island of Zakynthos, it's time to announce the winners of the two fabulous giveaways I've hosted.

First, here are the winners of Lark's lovely creations. Make sure you visit her store here for many other beautiful and unique hand-made beauties.

***The notepad goes to JUDYLYNN***

***The bookmark goes to ADDICTED BOOK READER***

And now, here is the winner of the Lisabet Sarai giveaway. Make sure you visit this author's website here - her books will surely get your blood flowing faster!

***The e-book goes to SHERRY***

To all the winners - you have been emailed and I ask to please reply ASAP with your postal addresses so the prizes get sent out as soon as possible. Sherry, make sure you tell me which book you'd like to receive.

To the people that didn't make it - in a little while, there will be an impressive giveaway on the blog, so keep reading. Here's a little hint - two authors of gay fiction who share the same name and write their books together. If you know who this might be, leave a comment. The first one to get it right gets 3 extra entries for when the giveaway is ready!

Interview & Giveaway: Lisabet Sarai

Please give a warm welcome to Lisabet Sarai, a successful romance author, who is here to talk about writing steamy fiction, what bothers her when it comes to romance fiction and finally, about her latest book, Necessary Madness. Welcome, Lisabet!

Thanks for inviting me to chat on your blog, Nikola!

Let's get straight to the point - how does one get into writing steamy fiction?

I don't think there's a single answer here. I've always loved to write (I penned my first short story at six and my first poem at seven), and I've always been fascinated by sex. I was a shy nerd during high school and college but "blossomed", sexually speaking, when I was in grad school. Making up for

lost time, you might say! My first erotic stories were fantasies written for a lover.

I was inspired to write my first novel, Raw Silk, after reading Portia da Costa's Black Lace classic Gemini Heat. I loved its diversity and intelligence. Then I thought, "With my imagination, I'll bet I could write something like that." So I did! I now realize how incredibly lucky I was to have my first submission accepted by a top publisher.

The romance market is huge right now. What sets your books apart?

Well, for one thing, I don't tend to write real alpha heros. I'm more interested in nuanced characters who might not look like Greek gods but who have brains instead.

I tend to take genres and twist them into possibly unrecognizable forms. For example, I wrote a shape shifter romance (Serpent's Kiss) but the shifter isn't a were-wolf, were-cat, were-stallion, etc. He's the reincarnation of the Mayan god Quetzlcoatl, who takes the form of a half-bird, half-snake. My paranormal books tend to be minimalist in their allocation of power, rather

than playing off rival races of super-creatures. And I write BDSM that's simultaneously extreme (by romance standards) and intensely emotional.

Compared to many romance authors, I pay a great deal of attention to setting. All my books are set in real places: Bangkok, Boston, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Worcester, Guatemala. With the exception of Guatmala, these are all places I know well. I feel that a rich sense of place helps better define my characters.

Your latest book, Necessary Madness, is your first full-length gay romance. What was it like writing it?

I really enjoyed writing the book. I felt a deep connection with both Kyle and Rob, but particularly with Kyle because of his experiences with the psychiatric establishment. I spent nearly three months in a psychiatric institution when I was in my late teens, and I drew on those memories to bring Kyle's anguish to life.

As far as the sex scenes are concerned, I believe that desire is a universal experience, so I don't have any problem writing about relationships between two men (or two women for that matter). My perspective is more or less pansexual. I'm obviously concerned about whether I've accurately portrayed the dynamics of gay sex. I've read quite a bit of gay erotica, written by men, so I'm hoping that I'm more or less in the ballpark.

What's the hardest thing when it comes to writing a romance?

I think the most difficult aspect is convincingly portraying the powerful emotional connection between the lovers. Real romance isn't about fun and flings. It's about a spiritual bond that goes far beyond the physical, even though it is expressed in the material world. As Joni Mitchell wrote:

I remember that time you told me

Love is touching souls

Surely you've touched mine

'Cause part of you pours out of me

In these lines from time to time.

Touching souls. Conveying that mystical dimension of love is tough to do well --at least for me.

Is there anything that bugs you about romances?

They're too predictable. Because you know that the ending will be happy, it's difficult to create convincing suspense in a romance. I prefer to read, and write, stories with more ambiguous conclusions. My erotic thriller Exposure is a good example. It doesn't have an unhappy ending--you just don't know what the main character will decide to do.

Romance these days also has an unfortunate me-too quality about it. Vampire books are popular, so everyone writes a vampire book and after a while, they all sound the same. Originality does not seem to be highly prized. Now M/M romance is

the latest hot fad. My M/M work sells much better than my heterosexual work, but I really don't want to confine myself to writing one genre. I enjoy variety in both my reading (as you obviously do!) and my writing.

What's the process like when it comes to hot covers?

Usually the publisher will ask you to submit ideas for the cover, with a questionaire that covers things like the appearance of the characters, the setting, the tone, and so on. Very often the author will get to see the initial draft of a cover and have the chance to request changes. That happened with my latest cover, for my upcoming (in August) vampire menage Fire in the Blood. In the first version of the cover, two of the characters were perfect but I thought that the third looked kind of like a zombie! (He isn't.) I requested a change and the final version is far better.

Necessary Madness was an interesting deviation. I had found photos that I used to build my mental images of Kyle and Rob. The artist agreed to use them on the cover, a rather unusual situation. My favorite cover, I think, is Raw Silk. I love Exposure, too. The former was designed by Ann Cain, who is also responsible for the graphic design of my website. The latter was done by Stella Price, who's also a romance author.

What's next in store for Lisabet Sarai?

Well, despite my comments above about not wanting to be typecast as writing only M/M, I'm currently at work on a M/M science fiction tale. It's a dystopic tale of the near future, set after a devastating plague that is blamed on the gay community. It's fairly political, as you might guess. I don't want to say any more, though.

Since you've given me this forum, I'd also like to mention that I'm the series editor for the Coming Together Presents series of single-author charitable erotica. We've already published two volumes, by M.Christian and Remittance Girl. I'm currently working on two more, which I

hope will be out by the end of the year. The first two books support Planned Parenthood and the ACLU, respectively. As an erotic author, I'm proud to work for the benefit of responsible sex education, women's rights, and free speech.

That is so great! Lisabet, thank you so much for this chat and the very best of luck with Necessary Madness!

Lisabet has graciously offered a choice of two e-books to be given away to one lucky person. The winner will get to choose between the contemporary M/F novel Getaway Girl and the M/M Tomorrow's Gifts.

Giveaway rules are as follows:

-ends July 25th

-open INTERNATIONALLY

+1 for tweeting about this contest

+2 for following my blog (old and new followers)

+2 for adding the link to the sidebar

+4 for posting about it

+4 for visiting Lisabet's site and coming back with the title that you found most titillating!

Book Goodies Giveaway #1

Have you ever heard of the website Etsy.com? It's a fantastic online store of many unique hand-crafted items, created by many talented individuals. There are many book-related things to find on there and I am going to try and feature some of the artists (because that's what they are!) on my blog.

Today's spotlight is on the art by Lark, of "larkscountryheart" (click here to visit her store). She has generously offered two prizes for our giveaway today. The 1st prize is the beautiful hand-made notepad/pen set, pictured above. The 2nd prize is the unique chain and charm bookmark, featured on the other picture.

Giveaway rules:

1. Open to US residents only.
2. The giveaway ends on July 16th.
3. There will be two randomly chosen winners.
4. You can obtain bonus entries by doing the following:

+2 for following my blog (old and new followers)

+1 for tweeting about the contest (leave the link!)

+2 for adding the link to the sidebar

+4 for blogging about this

+4 for visiting Lark's store and leaving a link in the comment about what item caught your eye

Those are pretty great odds for winning, right?

Good luck and big thanks to Lark for trusting me with this giveaway!

Giveaway Winners - The Second Coming

Finally, I am posting the list of winners of David H. Burton's debut novel, The Second Coming! The winners will be contacted by David himself with information on where to download their ebooks. I am looking forward to reading your reviews! And the winners are...

Ryan G
Dr Bill Smith
Samantha
cpullum

Congratulations! Watch this space for another giveaway soon!

Interview and Giveaway: The Second Coming by David H. Burton

I have recently been contacted by a self-published author David H. Burton, who is hard at work promoting his debut novel, The Second Coming (see trailer here). It's my pleasure to announce this interview, as well as host a giveaway of the book. Welcome, David!

Please tell us a little bit about your debut novel, The Second Coming.

Well, it's hard to categorize other than: paranormal/fantasy/horror. It's not for those who are sensitive about their religious beliefs, as it will likely offend.

The religious context of the novel is very delicate. Where did this come from?

From my past where I was immersed in it. In my early years, I grew up as a Jehovah's Witness. Later, after my father was excommunicated and became a born-again Christian, I was brought up in a nondenominational congregation. I've never seen so much judgment and hypocrisy, which I have very little tolerance for. For instance, people will use various biblical passages to justify their own bigotry and skip the passages that don't suit them. As for my book, I decided that if others can pick and choose passages to suit their own purposes, why can't I? The Old Testament God is jealous, pompous and blood-thirsty, so it was easy to "demonize" him.

You mention on your blog that you are a person of "queer persuasion".

In other words, gay. I live with my same-sex partner near Toronto. We have three boys, brothers that we adopted two years ago. We're lucky to have them. I often blog about adoption, particularly older child adoption. Our children were truly the greatest thing that ever happened to us. And being gay has had an influence on my writing, as well. A couple of the main characters in the book are queer, and I have a children's fantasy novel finishing up that will include two dads. Sometimes you write what you know.

Your blog is used for both promotional purposes, as well as a personal blog. How important do you think it is to communicate with one's readers?

Extremely important, especially in today's connected world. I like being able to share both my experiences as a writer and as a human being with others. And I love hearing from readers! I think that, moving forward, authors will be more connected with their readers and that's a great place to be. It allows us to get feedback directly about what they like and don't like about a book. It might even help shape a series, for instance, which is very exciting (and a little scary!).

Do you have a ritual when it comes to writing?

I often write on the commuter train - that's as close to a ritual as I can get. It seems to be the only time I have to sit and be creative. Basically, I just need uninterrupted time and music. I like dark, Gothic music like Evanescence when I write. The Open Door album is perfect for writing this particular series. It's dark, tragic and brings out one's anguish. It may sound weird, but it really works.

What's next on your agenda as a writer?

I'm currently working on the next novel (tentatively titled The Blood of Isis). I'm self-published so I also have to spend considerable time peddling my book. I'm hoping a traditional publisher will pick it up at some point. Also, I've mentioned I'm working on a steampunk fantasy novel for children. There aren't enough boy books out there! I hope it will be ready soon.

What book is on your night stand at the moment? Could you share some authors whose works have influenced you?

George R.R. Martin, both on my night stand and as an influence. When I first read his novel A Game of Thrones, I was aghast that he killed off one of my favorite characters. That was a huge influence on me, realizing I shouldn't be afraid to kill off a character. I also realized I didn't need to use traditional fantasy settings, nor the dichotomy of good pitted against evil. Some people can do evil things, despite their good intentions, and vice-versa.

I also love Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan, Margaret Weis, Mark Anthony, J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert J. Sawyer and Dan Brown, to name a few.

Finally, are there any literary trends you particularly like or dislike?

I hear angels are the new vampires. I suppose my angels are not what you'd expect. Sadly, publishing houses latch onto some trends and flog them to death. Right now the focus seems to be on urban fantasy and it's killing the authors who write something different. I don't follow trends as a writer or a reader and I think the vampire/werewolf thing is way overdone.

David has generously offered 5 E-book copies of his novel for a giveaway, in the format of your choice.

The giveaway is open to all and will end on April 28th. Leave a comment to enter. Extra entries are as follows:

+2 for following (never too late to start)
+2 for tweeting about the contest (leave a link!)
+2 for linking to the contest, sidebar is okay (+4 for using a picture!)

The giveaway is now closed.

Giveaway Winner - P&P&Z/S&S&SM

After a long, long delay, I am lett ing you know the winners of the contest. These three people will win a set of both books, sent to them by the publisher. I hope they will love the books and I'm looking forward to the reviews! And the winners are...

Ryan G

brizmus

Trisha

Congratulations! xoxo

Many thanks to Melissa Monachello, without whom this giveaway wouldn't be possible!

Giveaway: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies/Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters

Finally, the giveaway I've been so excited to host, but good things are worth the wait, right? Welcome to the biggest contest on Nikola's Book Blog yet, where three (3) lucky winners will be walking away with a combo of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters! That's right, this is your chance to win two of the most talked-about books of 2009!

Giveaway rules:

1. The giveaway is open to America, Canada, New Zealand and the UK.

2. The giveaway will have three (3) winners, each winning a copy of each book.

3. The giveaway will close on December 2nd.

4. In order to enter, please leave a comment and make sure you leave an email address. No email address, no entry!

5. The winners will be notified by email, as well as advertised on the blog.

6. The giveaway is open to followers only.

7. Special entries are awarded on the following basis:

+2 for tweeting, facebooking, leaving the link in the sidebar, etc. (leave a link!)

+5 for linking to the contest using the image above

Big thanks to Melissa Monachello for making this giveaway possible!