Characters in Love: Sandy McDermott from The Survivors

Welcome to Unwritten's 

February Blog Series

 Characters in Love! 

Each day will feature a different fictional character from various books and genres, and a personal interview about their love lives. It's sure to be enlightening, and if you find yourself dying to know more about them, pick up a copy of the the book! 

  "Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of Characters In Love!  We're here today with Sandy McDermott, the heroine of the The Survivors Book I: Summer, and the newly released The Survivors Book II: Autumn!  Sandy, welcome.  How are you today?"

  "Grumpy.  I feel sick and my foot hurts.  Can we just get on with this?"

  "Uh… sure.  Let's start with the basics.  Please tell us a little about yourself."

  "What, me?  I'm just…  I don't know, I'm just a regular girl in an irregular situation.  Ten years ago, my world was hit by a killer virus, which wiped out almost everyone and left me on my lonesome.  I

learned to be pretty self-reliant after that, but let's face it, it really sucked.  Still, what can you do, right?"

  "Not much, I suppose.  But you've got Michael now, right?  Where did you two first meet?"

  "In a zombie-infested hospital at midnight.  It was so romantic.  That was sarcasm, by the way."

 "I can tell!  Was it love at first sight?"

  "Not quite.  He thought I was a zombie and tried to shoot me, but he missed.  I punched him out and ran for my life.  Poor Michael.  I nearly broke his jaw!"

  "Sounds like the start of a healthy relationship.  When did you know for certain that you were in love?"

  "I'm still not entirely sure, to be honest.  It just sort of happened.  I'm not really a loveable girl.  I mean, I'm a good person at the core, but I'm cantankerous, bossy, and tend to assume the worst of people.  He's the complete opposite of me.  He's positive, up-beat, patient, and just an all-round good guy.  I've had some really bad stuff happen to me over the years, but he's… helping me to get over that.  I think I knew for sure when I realised that I wanted to be a person for his sake."

 "Awww, how sweet.  But every relationship has its ups and downs, right?  Have you ever done anything to compromise your love – or vice versa?"

 "Not yet."

  "Not yet?"

  "I can't talk about it.  You'll just have to wait for Book III and Book IV to find out."

  "Ooh, mysterious!  Well, let's try this question instead: has anyone ever come between you?"

  "Not really.  There's a bit of gender disparity amongst out groups, because… well, women are more vulnerable than men, so there aren't a lot of us left.  I was lucky to survive what they did to me – don't ask, I don't want to talk about it.  Anyway, that leaves us with a lot of men and not many women, so there's bound to be some tension.  I know that at least one of my men has a crush on me, but they also know that a broken jaw would be the least of their concerns if they tried to get between us. "

  "Haha, feisty!  Okay, if you could take Michael on the perfect date, where would that be?"

 "Anywhere that we don't have to fight for our lives.  It's nice to know that someone always has my back, but I wish that we didn't have to be like that.  But if I could take him anywhere, anytime… oh, never mind.  It's silly."

  "Oh,  go on!  Tell us anyway."

  "Okay, okay.  If I could take Michael anywhere, then I'd want to take him back in time to meet my parents.  They would have loved him.  He was a cop, so at least then they'd know that I'm well taken care of.  He's definitely the kind of guy you want to meet your mother."

 "Awwwww!   It can't be that perfect, though.  Is there anything Michael does that completely annoys you?"

 "Well, yes. The positivity gets a bit much sometimes.  He's so 'glass-half-full' that the glass overflows, and he can be a bit naïve at times.  Still, he's new to this, so I can forgive him.  He's learning, I'm learning, everyone's learning.  That's what life is about, right?"

 "Very true.  Speaking of which, what's the biggest challenge you've faced together as a couple?"

  "Coping with the loss of loved ones, and trying to protect the people we've got left from the dangers of the world.  It gets really hard sometimes, but at least I know that he's always got my back, and I've got his.  He's totally my shield maiden, but don't tell him I said that.  He likes to think that he wears the pants, but the truth is that I own his pants and he likes that even more."

  "Oh my!  Is there a happily ever after in store for the two of you?"

  "You know, I really wish I knew.  The future is all up in the air right now.  I really hope there is, but my writer is pretty mean to me at times, so anything could happen."

  "Dun, dun, DUUUUN!  And that's all we have time for today, folks!  Thanks for your time, Sandy – and good luck searching for your happily ever after."

Will Sandy and Michael ever find a zombe-less happy ever after? Find them here:

The Survivors Book I: Summer
Amazon:    http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E9O790W/
Kobo:    http://store.kobobooks.com/en-nz/books/The-Survivors-Book-I-Summer/ZTGdzDSalkm2mCCob7G0yw?MixID=ZTGdzDSalkm2mCCob7G0yw&PageNumber=1&s=ZG7EJEgpH0G0dImRWJ1Avw&r=1
Nook:    http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-survivors-book-i-v-l-dreyer/1116351793?ean=2940045193368
Smashwords:    https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/342909
iBooks:    https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-survivors-book-i-summer/id685059327?mt=11

The Survivors Book II: Autumn
Amazon:    http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HYRLHIG/
Nook:    http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-survivors-book-ii-v-l-dreyer/1118356225?ean=9780473274368
Smashwords:    https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/400042

Characters in Love: Eve Petersen from Mind Me Milady

Welcome to Unwritten's 

February Blog Series

 Characters in Love! 

Each day will feature a different fictional character from various books and genres, and a personal interview about their love lives. It's sure to be enlightening, and if you find yourself dying to know more about them, pick up a copy of the the book! 

Today we welcome Eve Petersen from Mind Me Milady:

1. Please tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Eve Petersen.  I’m a lawyer in my thirties.  I grew up in the Yorkville section of Manhattan, before it became the high-flying Upper East Side.  I was something of a rebel as a kid, mostly against my mother -- also a lawyer who worked essentially 24/7 out of a storefront on 92^nd Street.  She seemed to specialize in representing people who had no money, especially women being abused by their husband/lover.  Now that she is dead, I miss her and I have found myself drawn to the kind of practice that she maintained, although I will take on a top payer just to keep some money in the bank.

2. How/where did you first meet your love interest?

Jack was actually the teaching colleague of a client and a main suspect in a case I was working on.  He was kind of weird, skulking around Central Park at strange hours, always with a pack on his back and a pair of binoculars.  He claimed to be a birder, but I thought otherwise.

3. Was it love (or attraction) at first sight?

He was good looking, but who can be attracted to a possible rapist?  However, the more I knew him, the more I recognized that he was an intelligent and sensitive man.  The problem was that he was obviously hiding something from me and from the world.  His past was revealed to me in part by an ex-boyfriend who was trying to smear him.  The fact was that his wife had died under mysterious circumstances.

4. When did you know for certain that you were in love?

I have a hard time trusting people – especially trusting men.  When I saw I could trust Jack, I started to realize I loved him as well.  He’s a cool person – for a guy.

5. Have you done anything to compromise your love (or vice versa)?

There was a time when I was very suspicious of him.  It was hard to get past that. 

6. Has anyone ever come between you?

He is a very loyal guy.  I prize that.  It’s something I have inherited from my mother, who was crazy/loyal.  Her clients adored her.  So I can’t see any guy getting between me and Jack.  For that matter, I don’t feel a lot of jealousy either, because I know he has the same loyalty hang-up that I do.

7. If you could take your lover on the perfect date, where would that be? 

Neither of us like going out very much to fancy restaurants.  I think I would get an expensive bottle of wine or two and a nice cut of steak and make a dinner for him at home.  It would be something that is still good when it’s cold, since we might be distracted along the way.  I’d buy the dessert, since I don’t like to bake.  My mother never baked either. 

8. Is there anything your lover does that completely annoys you?

He’s a man!  He’s quiet sometimes and I want to know what he’s thinking and he’s not always honest.  He says he likes to figure out what’s bugging him before he starts talking.  I can understand that, sort of.  But really?  The strong silent type can get me down.

9. What's the biggest challenge you've faced together as a couple?

Our biggest challenge was getting together in the first place and surviving the Gentleman Rapist.  Everything has been downhill since then.  But I have my fingers crossed as I say that.  My mother was sure the Evil Eye was always watching.  She wasn’t religious, but she was very superstitious.

10. Is there a happily ever after in store for you?

Jack wants to have kids.  I haven’t said ‘no.’ But I haven’t said ‘yes’ either.  It’s a huge responsibility.  I’m not sure I’m up to it.  Jack says I would be a terrific mother.  I think he doesn’t know me well enough to say that.  If we have kids, we’ll probably want to get married.  I don’t know.  My mother was very suspicious of marriage and the superstition is embedded in me.

Want to know more about Eve and Jack and if he'll finally pop the question? Check out their story here: 

www.barbarianbooks.com  

Characters in Love: Zenobia from The Winemaker

Welcome to Unwritten's 

February Blog Series

 Characters in Love! 

Each day will feature a different fictional character from various books and genres, and a personal interview about their love lives. It's sure to be enlightening, and if you find yourself dying to know more about them, pick up a copy of the the book! 

Today we welcome Zenobia from The Winemaker:

1.     Please tell us a little about yourself.

I’m Zenobia, Zenna for short. I was born in London but now live with my husband, Etán, on his wine estate in Santiago, Chile. I used to be an English/Spanish teacher before I met Etán, and then I worked at his estate, Sol y Sombra, for a while as his PR agent. Recently, Etán helped me fulfill my dream, to run my own travel agency, Zenobia Travel. Oh, and I have a special gift to see visions of the future, and sometimes the past. It used to be my curse, but with the guidance of my mother-in-law I more look at it as a gift, these days, putting it to good use.

2.     How/where did you first meet your love interest?

Um-hum, well, you see, Marcos–my ex-fiancé–dumped me and Etán witnessed the whole, humiliating scene outside our rented house, on the pavement. Looking back I guess I was a bit harsh, lashing out at Etán for something that wasn’t his fault, but he had this way of staring at me…

3.     Was it love (or attraction) at first sight?

Oh, yeah. From the minute I saw his handsome face I knew I wanted to get to know him. As for Etán, he later told me that I affected him in a way no woman ever has. And he showed me too, at every opportunity he got. But I was protecting my heart, and he was protecting his soul … and Luca, his brother, who he thought loved me too.

4.     When did you know for certain that you were in love?

There was this awful moment when family commitments and trying to save the estate forced Etán to marry Clara, the neighbor’s daughter. I think when I saw the wedding preparations taking form in their garden, I knew, for sure, that I love Etán like I’ll never love anyone else. I still shiver thinking that he could have actually gone through with it.

5.     Have you done anything to compromise your love (or vise versa)?

Etán is a very passionate man. When he loves, he loves deeply. He once loved another woman, his first wife, Sanita, to the point of obsession. When I kind of crashed into his life and Sanita became jealous, trying to get it back together with Etán, I thought that he’d risk what was developing between us for her. But he only compromised what we felt for each other when he almost put his responsibility for his family’s estate above what we could mean to each other by becoming engaged to Clara. And I think that Etán believed I compromised our love when he pushed me away and Luca and I became really close. I’m happy that those uncertain days are over, that we now know what we are to each other, and that Etán can once more open himself up and give his love to me freely.

6.     Has anyone ever come between you?

Like I said, plenty of times. There were Clara, Sanita, and of course Luca. And my kidnappers… If they managed to pull off their scheme … I don’t even want to think about that.

7.     If you could take your lover on the perfect date, where would that be?

I would take him right back to Tahiti, where we eloped to to get married and where we spent our honeymoon. Bora Bora will now always be the perfect place for me, because of the memories we made there. If I have to take Etán someplace local, I will take him into the vineyard, and set up a table overlooking the valley with his favorite wine and food, my spicy dishes that he came to love so much. Yep, our date will have to involve wine and food. After all, wine is the medium Etán chose to communicate to me, like I chose food. It still is our special code of conveying emotions. (Smile.)

   8.   Is there anything your lover does that completely annoys you?

There is this thing about Etán that you have to understand. It’s a bit difficult to explain. He has an overdeveloped sense of smell, and he claims that the unique fragrance of my skin intoxicates him, which is wonderful, but he can also tell by smell, by how the chemistry of the oils in my skin change, when I tell a white lie, or when I’m upset. I can never hide the way I feel from him. And he blames the way I smell, like my shampoo or my body lotion, for losing his control, instead of just acknowledging that he can’t keep his hands off me.

     9. What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced together as a couple?

We were both rejected by our past lovers and had to work hard at trusting and loving again. I have to say that it was harder for Etán than for me. But Etán is a man who, when he loves, gives everything. I am such a lucky girl.

   10. Is there a happily ever after in store for you?

Oh yes. We’re still on honeymoon, but this is it … for life. Etán so badly wants to be a daddy. I guess we won’t wait too long before we start working on our own little family.

Want to dive into the wine-making world of Zenobia and Etan? You can find The Winemaker by Charmaine Pauls here:

Amazon (Kindle & paperback)

http://www.amazon.com/Winemaker-Charmaine-Pauls-ebook/dp/B00EPXFVH0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1392132816&sr=1-1&keywords=the+winemaker+charmaine+pauls

Lulu (eBook & paperback)

http://www.lulu.com/shop/charmaine-pauls/the-winemaker/paperback/product-21131433.html

Mélange Books (eBook & paperback)

http://www.melange-books.com/authors/charmainepauls/winemaker.html

Characters in Love: Daniar Dragonkin of The Draconica Series

Welcome to Unwritten's 

February Blog Series

 Characters in Love! 

Each day will feature a different fictional character from various books and genres, and a personal interview about their love lives. It's sure to be enlightening, and if you find yourself dying to know more about them, pick up a copy of the the book! 

Today, let's welcome Daniar Dragonkin of the Draconica Series:

1. Please tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Daniar Dragonkin. I’m one of the Dragonkin sisters and Queen of Brittana. I’m kind of a big name on Draconica, being a legendary hero – though I try not to let it go to my head.

2. How/where did you first meet your love interest?
I first met Kalak (my husband) on a quest to stop the Baalarian Empire. His people had been wiped out and I let him join us – though I must say I did find his reasons questionable.

3. Was it love (or attraction) at first sight?
To be honest, at first I thought he was really annoying, obnoxious and arrogant. He really got on my nerves. Though, I must say he was quite attractive – so maybe I was willing to look past that to an extent.

4. When did you know for certain that you were in love?
When I learned the truth about him – and saw that behind that hard exterior lay a gentle soul – I knew that he was the one for me. It wasn’t easy though as he was quick to deny it whenever possible. But I knew that he

loved me the way I loved him when he was possessed by a monster called Mordak – and my love for him helped him overcome that beast.

5. Have you done anything to compromise your love (or vice versa)?
I have never betrayed Kalak’s trust – despite what he believes. Although he did break my heart when I found out that he was seeing my sister in secret. And he nearly revoked our marriage as well. But in the end, our love was stronger than anyone could ever believe.

6. Has anyone ever come between you?
My sister has tried to steal him away – and come close. But then, she’s always been jealous of me. It’s not the first time she’s tried to steal my lover.

7. If you could take your lover on the perfect date, where would that be?
Just being with him would be enough for me. But, for me, it would be a lake. Just him and me, nothing else, just relaxing by the lake.

8. Is there anything your lover does that completely annoys you?
Sometimes he can be a bit too keen to get into a fight. And he used to be extremely bloodthirsty and kill without remorse, but I’ve hopefully calmed him of that. He does do other stuff as well – but I’m not sure I can say that here.

9. What's the biggest challenge you've faced together as a couple?
My last adventure with the Kthonian Knights was the worse. Kalak had been poisoned against me by both Zarracka and Mordak. He saw her behind my back and almost ended our marriage – then he was completely possessed by Mordak and tried to kill me.

It was my own fault I guess – I was so busy with my duties as Queen I did kind of neglect him. But we survived that and now I’m making sure I never do anything to hurt him again.

10. Is there a happily ever after in store for you?

We’ve been married over ten years, have a wonderful son called Benji – and we are expecting our next child soon. Hopefully there is a happy ending for us. All I do know is that there isn’t a man in the world I’d rather spend my life with.

Follow Daniar's exciting adventures in the latest Draconica novel, Legacy of the Dragonkin by Dan Wright:

http://www.amazon.com/Legacy-Dragonkin-Dan-Wright-ebook/dp/B00BK848K4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391447515&sr=8-1&keywords=Legacy+of+the+Dragonkin

Characters in Love: Kate Roberts from Waiting for Dusk & Call of the Canyon

Welcome to Unwritten's 

February Blog Series

 Characters in Love! 

Each day will feature a different fictional character from various books and genres, and a personal interview about their love lives. It's sure to be enlightening, and if you find yourself dying to know more about them, pick up a copy of the the book! 

Today, let's welcome Kate Roberts from Waiting for Dusk & Call of the Canyon:

1. Please tell us a little about yourself.

Hi, my name is Kate Roberts.  In Waiting for Dusk, I’m a sixteen year old girl who’s on her own for summer break. I’m an only child and most of my friends weren’t in town for the summer. I was totally bored. Little did I know life was about to change and take a surprising turn all because of a book! I kept dreaming I was at the Grand Canyon, over and over again. Strange thing…it was always 1927.

2. How/where did you first meet your love interest?

I met Drew at the Grand Canyon. I was climbing a fence, not too gracefully I might add, and fell to the ground. I heard someone laughing right along with me. When I looked up, he was leaning against the back of El Tovar Restaurant enjoying the view.

 3. Was it love (or attraction) at first sight?

Instant attraction for sure. Being sixteen at the time, I doubted love at first sight. It took awhile to realize it was. Drew tells me it was love at first sight for him.

4. When did you know for certain that you were in love?

I was home, in the present, and my mom supposedly lent the book to one of her students. (Not really, but that’s another story.) Even though I thought it was a dream, I was desperate to get that book back. I had finally figured out it was the link to 1927.  I loved Drew and that world meant more than the real one.

5. Have you done anything to compromise your love (or vice versa)?

Sure, doesn’t everyone? After all, I’m a teenage girl who’s trying to find herself. My best friend from childhood decided we should get together. I went along with it. Pretty dumb but I saw it as casual dating, a way to not think about Drew. Tyson saw it as something much more than that.

6. Has anyone ever come between you?

Oh, yeah. My friend, Tyson, more than once. He’s practically a stalker now. In Call of the Canyon he does something very dark to get my attention. Drew has a jealous streak when it comes to him.

7. If you could take your lover on the perfect date, where would that be?

Drew loves nature and football. If I wanted to spoil him, I’d get a private loge for the Super Bowl and then whisk him away to a cabin in the woods. For me, a candlelit dinner anywhere.

8. Is there anything your lover does that completely annoys you?

He still has some hang ups, old-fashioned values that he brought right along with him. Sometimes it drives me crazy. He’s overprotective because of that, too. I can do things on my own

9. What's the biggest challenge you've faced together as a couple?

In the soon-to-be-released Stealing Time we face our biggest challenge in New York City. We’ve gone back in time to visit Drew’s family. All’s not as it seems.

10. Is there a happily ever after in store for you?

Drew is an old-fashioned guy in a futuristic world, if that makes sense.  I’ve done some growing up and don’t think life’s a fairytale anymore. Once you realistically face life as a couple, you definitely have a fighting chance. Most YA stories have happy endings. I think mine does, too.

Will Kate and Drew stay together despite their time travel woes? You can find them here:

http://www.amazon.com/Waiting-Dusk-Nancy-Pennick-ebook/dp/B00AF47ELO/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1391695382&sr=1-1&keywords=waiting+for+dusk

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/waiting-for-dusk-nancy-pennick/1114286882?ean=9781612355238

http://www.amazon.com/Call-Canyon-Waiting-For-Dusk-ebook/dp/B00F6DEYHG/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_2

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/call-of-the-canyon-nancy-pennick/1116974130?ean=9781612356983

A Ranger's Tale is Featured on Kindle Books and Tips!!!

Hiya peeps!! We interrupt this month's programming to let you know that A Ranger's Tale, the first book in my standalone fantasy romance series, is featured on Kindle Books & Tips today, a very popular blog/newsletter that brings you all the latest free and discounted books from Amazon Kindle. 

You can grab your own copy for just $0.99, or you can share the news with all your peeps. Here's a shortened link and prepared Tweet for anyone who can spread the word:

Featured on Kindle Books & Tips HERE

Today on Kindle Books & Tips @fkbt -A Ranger's Tale-Just $0.99 during February. #BookSale #ElvesAreHot
http://wp.me/p2b82w-5rK

Since A Ranger's Tale is just $0.99 all this month of February, it fits right in with all the other great titles you'll find there. If you love to read, sign up for their daily newsletter to find the best deals on books for your Kindle: www.fkbooksandtips.com/subscribe

Authors, if you'd like to list your books there or want to find out about all the other sponsorship opps there, visit this link: http://www.fkbooksandtips.com/for-authors/

Characters in Love: Maria from Mind of the Machine

Welcome to Unwritten's 

February Blog Series

 Characters in Love! 

Each day will feature a different fictional character from various books and genres, and a personal interview about their love lives. It's sure to be enlightening, and if you find yourself dying to know more about them, pick up a copy of the the book! 

Today we welcome Maria from Mind of the Machine:

1. Please tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Maria and I’m a conscript in the 27^th Nest Exterior Patrol Squad, located near the old site of Las Vegas NV. My daily duties mostly consist of making sure that nothing which could threaten the Nest or the Queen gets close enough to do so.  Being so close to the site of the Battle of Henderson, we often find

unexploded ordinance as well as occasional pieces of Machine tech, so my job is vital to the security of the Nest.

J-Lo as inspiration for Maria

2. How/where did you first meet your love interest?

I first met … ok… I first *saw* Roy slumped over the steering wheel of what is called a “car”. A “car” is a piece of Machine tech that was used for transport before and during the Battle of Henderson. As tech objects, they are of course, banned, so I was surprised to see a) a complete one and b) one that was occupied. I didn’t really *meet* Roy until I woke him up to find out why a Drone would be outside the Nest in banned tech.

3. Was it love (or attraction) at first sight?

Well, Roy is a sex Drone, so what do you think? {wink} Six feet five inches of lean, grey eyed, black haired awesome.

4. When did you know for certain that you were in love?

I remember the exact moment that I knew I was heading that way, that’s for sure. I had hidden him away because he was uncollared, unlicensed, and obviously extremely illegal and I wanted time to formulate a plan for getting rid of him. I was talking to a good friend, and I said, “I don’t know what I’m going to do with it”. Roy interjects, very matter of fact, “It prefers the pronoun ‘he’. I’m a DRONE, not a DROID. I am human, you know.” Well, I have to admit, I hadn’t known. How would I? Like I’ve ever seen one before!

5. Have you done anything to compromise your love (or vice versa)?

No, never.

6. Has anyone ever come between you?

If you consider having to run for our lives from the Queen coming between us …

Ian Somerholder as inspiration for Roy

7. If you could take your lover on the perfect date, where would that be?

I wish I could take him to Henderson before the War, meet him again in a time when men and women were actually part of the same society.

8. Is there anything your lover does that completely annoys you?

He takes completely ridiculous risks. I have tried to explain to him over and over that there is never going to be a reconciliation between the Nest and the Machine, but he just won’t listen.

9. What's the biggest challenge you've faced together as a couple?

I have to admit, when I found out that he wasn’t some random wilder Drone but was actually the person who had led the Machine army at the Battle of Henderson and had a big personal hand in the destruction of the old Las Vegas Nest… well, that wasn’t easy, shall we say. And then the whole thing with the “car” isn’t really a transport device but is an extension of the Drone and keeps him alive… it was a lot to take in, it really was. I… I kind of just don’t think about it.

10. Is there a happily ever after in store for you?

Assuming we live through it, I don’t see why not!

Maria and Roy are stars of the novel-in-progress, 'Mind of the Machine' by Judi Chesley, hopefully coming to bookstores in the near future! You can follow Judi on Twitter @FulltimeJC