Interview of Author Jianne Carlo

Today I'm pleased to present an interview of romance author Jianne Carlo.

Latest Book: Malice Striker (Viking Vengeance #1)
Buy Links:   ARe  B&N  Amazon


BIO:
Award winning author, Jianne Carlo’s motto is simple: Alpha Me Please.

While strong heroines, exotic locations, and cultural differences are her forte, she goes weak in the knees for warriors and alphas. Send her a man with an attitude and she’ll find the right woman to tame him.

Jianne loves hot and spicy food, stomach-plunging park rides, and is kept on her toes by her Viking husband of thirty-five years, and three, handsome grown sons. There’s nothing she likes more than hearing from readers.

GIVEAWAY ALERT:  One person who comments will receive a copy of Malice Striker...please put your email address in with your comment!

Q: What’s the first thing you did when you received word you’d sold a book?
A: I literally jumped up and down and screamed! The dh ran into our room – I never scream – and there was a ton of confusion for a few minutes. I couldn't get a word out and he thought I had injured myself (I'm a bit of a klutz). Then he took me out for a lovely, romantic dinner.

Q: What part of the book is the easiest for you to write? Why?
A: The first two chapters. I always begin with a chapter from the hero's point of view and then the second is the heroine's (it could be vice versa). During those chapters, the characters tell me who they are and where the story's going (I'm a punster), and I'm completely obsessed with them. The outside world ceases to exist until I've finished those chapters. It's as if the characters are channeling me.

Q: What part of the book is the hardest for you? Why?
A: Since I'm a punster and most of my books have at least one mystery to be solved – the ending. Because, until, the last couple of chapters, I'm never quite sure who's done it or why.

Q: If one of your books became a movie, which celebrity would you like to star as one of your heroes? Tell us about your hero.
A: Gerard Butler would play Linc Chapman, aka Sinner, in A Paratrooper in a Pear Tree, the first book in the Hades Squad Series.

Sinner's an ex-Seal, a Master Parachutist, a bad-ass opera singer, and the middle child in a Irish-Jamaican catholic family of 10 siblings. When he was young, his older sisters made him play 'Barbie' with them (he made Ken into a mercenary warrior).

Q: What hobby do you enjoy when not writing?
A: Cooking. Honestly, cooking relaxes me. When I'm stressed out, I plan an elaborate dinner (5 or 6 courses) or, another favorite is English High Tea for a group of friends.

A couple of years back we redid our (read MY) kitchen and my pride possession is my new robo-stove. It's gas, has four burners, a grill, and a griddle. Oh what fun it is to play with my Mace (I named robo-stove)!

Q: What genre would you like to try writing in but haven’t yet done so? Why?
A: Sci-fi. It's one of my favorite genres to read, but I have great author friends like Belinda McBride who are incredible in that genre and I'm totally intimidated.

Tell us where to find you: website(s), publisher’s page(s), blog(s), Facebook page(s), etc. List them all!
Email - Jianne@jiannecarlo.com
URL - http://www.jiannecarlo.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Jianne123
Twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/jiannecarlo
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004D8XOLM
Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/jiannecarlo
Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2508742.Jianne_Carlo

BLURB:
Scotland’s King Kenneth orders his death and kidnaps his sister, the Viking Brökk—the Malice Striker—plans his vengeance: he’ll steal the king’s bastard daughter from Sumbarten Abbey and use her to buy his sister’s freedom. But his schemes go awry when his liege lord commands him to wed Skatha—and when he finds five women instead of one at the Abbey, none of whom will claim the King as father.

When the Viking abducts Skatha and her women, she’s bewildered. Why did Brökk seize her? Why does he want her for his wife? She weds him willingly enough when he threatens to kill her companions, but she vows to control her own destiny and escape. For if the Viking discovers her secrets, the laws of his people will force him to cast her aside…or kill her. And even Skatha, daughter of a goddess, might not escape the Viking’s wrath.

EXCERPT:   
Brökk pushed back his hand-carved chair, rose to his full height, slid his dagger from the leather sheath attached to his belt, and bounded off the dais. He landed not an arm’s distance from the older woman.

Four of the five females hastily stepped back. The fifth, the smallest of the group, shuffled into place beside the rest moments later. Brökk took one long stride, hooked the older woman’s neck with his elbow, and laid the tip of his blade to the pulse beating in the hollow of her thick throat.

“I ask the four of you for the last time. Which one of you is the daughter of King Cináed mac Maíl Coluim? Think you carefully on your answer, for I will punish mistruth by slitting your servant’s throat.” The woman smelled of lard, apples, and sour sweat. All the color drained from her plump cheeks.

The tallest female stepped forward, fingers twined, knuckles pale, the skin over them stretched taut. “I am Lady Skatha, daughter of Kenneth of Scotland.”

A muffled squeak drew his attention. The two other women each held a hand of the smallest female, the one who had not reacted immediately when he jumped from the dais.

“Cease.” The petite female shook off the other women’s grasp. “That is the Lady Gráinne, Abbess of Sumbarten Abbey. Forgive her deceit. She seeks only to protect me. I am Lady Skatha.” She lifted her chin, but averted her gaze. “The one you threaten is my nurse, Dagrún. She is but a simple woman whose birth is of no import. Pray, set your dagger to my throat, not hers.”

Brökk blinked. He had not expected such courage and plain speaking from one so small and timid in appearance.

She bowed her head and the hideous wimple fell forward, concealing her features. Clasping her hands loosely at her waist, she asked in a low, soft voice, “What want you of me, my lord?”

A smirk chased his lips, but he flattened them and pulled his brows together, giving her his berserker scowl. He chose words designed to discomfit her composure. “Why lady, you are to be my bride.”

She gasped and her jaw sagged for a moment, but with a toss of her wimple, she titled her head and said, “I am to belong to the church, my lord.”

He glimpsed her profile for a mere breath. She had not the lush beauty of his first wife, Etta, but none could label her unattractive.

“Nay. King Harald has ordered us wed. In the Christian way. I give you a choice, lady. Say the marriage vows, or watch your nurse and your companions die.”

She did not flinch as he expected. Nay, her nostrils flared, and rosy color stained the slash of chin not covered by her drab habit.

A commotion at the entrance to the longhouse drew Brökk’s gaze.