Release Day: Starcrossed by Brenda Hiatt {Interview & Giveaway}

Starcrossed, a Starstruck novel by Brenda Hiatt, is out now!  To celebrate the release we are happy to share an interview with Princess Emileia and Rigel Stuart as well as an excerpt from the book.  Be sure to stay tuned to the end where there's a giveaway as well!

 The Starstruck adventure continues…

Synopsis:

Marsha spent the first fifteen years of her life as a nerdy nobody before discovering her true identity as the long lost princess of a secret civilization. Now M is dodging extraterrestrial paparazzi while trying to keep the truth from her adoptive aunt and uncle and everyone at school. At least she can be herself with her boyfriend and literal soulmate, Rigel. Whenever they’re together, it’s easy to forget the responsibilities that will eventually come with her new status. But when a new boy arrives at Jewel High, everything M thought she knew about herself and her future is turned upside down. Now the very destiny that lifted her from obscurity threatens to tear her away from Rigel and their happy ever after. But when two planets conspire against you, where is there to run?

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Recently Discovered Princess Grants Exclusive Interview

with Gwendolyn Gannett, Echtran Enquirer

I’m sitting here in a charming little ice cream shop in Jewel, Indiana, to chat with our newfound Princess Emileia and Rigel Stuart, the boy who recently saved her life when she was attacked by the dictator Faxon’s minions here on Earth.

Tell me, Princess, how did it feel to discover your true identity after being raises as a Duchas?

With great presence of mind, the Princess immediately shushes me. “Not so loud! And please, stick to English. I don’t want everyone in Dream Cream to freak out the way I did when Rigel first told me there are . . . people like us…living on Earth!”

Given the pains our Nuathan Ministry of Terran Obfuscation has taken to keep that secret, I suppose she has a point. I lower my voice as I continue.

Is that true, Rigel? Did the Princess ‘freak out?’

“Only for a day or so,” he replies. “Really, she handled the news like a champ—way better than I did when my parents first told me.”

So you were raised Duch— I catch myself. Like a regular Earthling, too?

“Until I was ten, yeah.”

Back to my original question, Princess—

“Please don’t call me that!” she interrupts me. “Not here. Just Marsha is fine, or M—that’s what my friends call me.”

Though it seems terribly disrespectful, far be it from me to disobey. M, then. How has your life changed since learning the truth?

“If you don’t count people trying to kill me, mostly for the better. I mean, back in August I was a complete nobody on the very bottom rung of the social ladder. Now I hardly get picked on at all—well, except by Trina, but that’ll never change. I even get invited to parties and stuff. Not that my aunt ever lets me go, but it’s still cool to be invited. But that’s not because of being, you know, who I am. Nobody at school knows about that.”

Unfortunately, this coincides with the rumors of her being mistreated by her adoptive Duchas family and the surrounding townsfolk.

Then why the change?

“Mostly because of Rigel. He’s pretty popular, what with being quarterback of our football team and just generally awesome. I’m just kind of along for the ride.”

“Not true!” Rigel interjects. “You’re the awesome one. It just took people a while to figure it out.”

The Princess laughs at this and claims, “Nobody would ever have called me awesome before—” She breaks off when Rigel raises his eyebrows at her.

Not wishing to pry, I move on. You must be dying to tell everyone the truth about yourself. Is it hard living with such a huge secret?

“Sometimes,” she confesses, “but when I think about what could happen if people found out, I’m a lot less tempted to say anything.”

And what was your life like, growing up as a—you used the word ‘nobody’ in a non-Echtran household? Was it difficult living in such primitive conditions?

She laughs again. “Since I never knew anything else, I never thought of my conditions as primitive. And it’s not like my aunt was ever actually cruel or anything, even if she isn’t always easy to get along with.”

All right, then, next question. Once a certain dictator falls, how do you see your future unfolding? Are you excited at the prospect of someday returning to the place you were born?

The Princess shrugs. “I guess so, though I have an awful lot to learn before I’ll be ready for that! All the stuff people will expect of me, I mean. Besides, I’m pretty happy right here in Jewel for now. For instance, I went to my very first Homecoming dance last week and it was amazing.”

Oh? With Rigel here as your date?

“Well, yes. He and I—”

“Went with a bunch of our friends,” Rigel butts in, cutting her off for the second time, something he’d never dare to do in Nuath, I’m sure.

This makes me very curious. You two have shared a few harrowing experiences since meeting and I’m sure that’s created a bond of sorts. (I notice they exchange a glance when I say that.) Tell me, just how close have you two become?

At this point, Rigel stands up, then the Princess stands, too. “We said we’d give you five minutes,” Rigel says, “and we’ve been here longer than that. You have your story. And please tell your readers she’s tired of being stalked, okay?”

The Princess is much more polite, but it’s clear she’s ready to leave, too, so I don’t detain them.

Overall, I’d say our Princess seems surprisingly content with her new identity and especially with her knight in shining armor, Rigel Stuart. It will be interesting to see how things progress there once she’s called upon to take up the position she was born to—but I’ll leave that story to my colleagues in Nuath, who will be on the spot to witness it firsthand. 
 

STARCROSSED EXCERPT:

 “Hey, did you hear there’s a new transfer?” Debbi Andrews asked the moment I sat next to her in Geometry class.

Petite and blond, Deb was my second-best friend after Brianna Morrison, though lately it seemed like the two of them were closer to each other than to me. Not that I could blame them, between the time I spent with Rigel and all the secrets I couldn’t tell them.

“Really? Two in one semester must be a record.” I grinned over at Rigel, who’d been the new kid at the start of the school year. “Boy or girl?”

“Boy. I haven’t seen him yet. I think he’s a junior or senior. Natalie said—”

The teacher cleared his throat then and Deb had to shut up. I was sure I’d hear more later, from Bri if not from Deb. New students were a huge deal at our little rural school.

Sure enough, the new guy was the first thing Bri talked about when we met up with her in the lunchroom a couple hours later.

“Hey, Rigel, looks like you’re off the hook for the basketball team.” Bri had been pestering Rigel for days to try out, egged on by her father, who was on the coaching staff. “This new guy, Sean, is just what our sucky team needs, according to my dad.”

“Sean?” Deb asked eagerly. “So that’s his name?”

I glanced at Rigel, who looked more relieved than curious. I, meanwhile, was having a mild deja vu moment, remembering when Bri had been all excited about the wonderful new quarterback we were getting—Rigel.

“Yeah, Sean O’Gara,” Bri told Deb.

“So, is it true he’s from Ireland? That’s what Natalie told me this morning.”

Bri nodded, her long, dark curls bouncing. “That’s what Dad said, too. I didn’t even know they played basketball in Ireland! But apparently it’s huge there.”

“Ireland? Really?” I glanced at Rigel again, remembering something he’d told me a while back, and saw he looked a little more interested. 

“Yeah, he and his family just moved here last— Ooh, that must be him!” Bri broke off to point.

Don't miss the first book, Starstruck, only .99 cents for a limited time!

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Brenda Hiatt is the author of nearly twenty novels (so far), including traditional Regency romance, time travel romance, historical romance, and humorous mystery. She is as excited about her new STARSTRUCK series as she's ever been about any of her books. In addition to writing, Brenda is passionate about embracing life to the fullest, to include scuba diving (she has over 60 dives to her credit), Taekwondo (where she recently achieved her 2nd degree black belt), hiking, traveling, and pursuing new experiences and skills. She is an active member of Romance Writers of America, the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and Novelists, Inc, an international organization of multipublished novelists, where she served as President in 2006. For the past dozen years, Brenda has also collected data on writers' earnings, which she shares at her website, http://brendahiatt.com. You can also find Brenda on Facebook, Twitter (@Brenda_Hiatt), Tumblr, Goodreads and Wattpad.

Giveaway:

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Book Blitz: Kiss the Tiger by Raquel Lyon

Kiss the Tiger by Raquel Lyon

Publication date: September 1st 2013

Genres: Contemporary, New Adult

Synopsis:

Amy’s love life sucks. At college, she thought she’d found the man of her dreams, but then she hadn’t planned on his brother’s sadistic intervention, and after that night, Amy’s life was never the same.
Deciding the only way to forget is to move on, she searches for comfort in the arms of other men, but the satisfaction she craves remains  elusive. No amount of one night stands can replace her lost love.

On a long awaited summer holiday, her sister hopes to change Amy’s luck, planning to find them both plenty of sexy fun on the hot summer nights. Sadly, an unforeseen turn of events threatens to drive a wedge into their sisterly love.

Purchase:

Buy on Amazon

Excerpt

The midday sun had heated the air to an unbearable level, and I understood why the word siesta existed in certain hot countries. In fact, it had turned into one of those days where the only thing you want to do is open the refrigerator door and stand in front of it. I couldn’t take it anymore, so I grabbed a quick bite to eat in the cool of the air-conditioned snack bar and returned to my room, intending to stick a film in the DVD player and chill out until the rays lengthened. The opening credits were rolling when there was a knock on the door. It couldn’t be the maid. When I’d returned, the bed was made and my top had gone to the big dumpster in the sky.

I pressed pause. “Who is it?”

“Manager.”

What? Why? Had someone reported my drunken antics? Had Nessie not cleaned up my mess properly and the maid had complained? Mum would love the excuse that we were forced to go home because I got us thrown out of the hotel.

“Just a minute.” I quickly tied a sarong around my bikini bottoms and opened the door, mentally preparing an apology, and totally unprepared for the sight that met me.

Casually leaning with an elbow against the door jamb and one ankle crossed over the other was a familiar figure. His dark head lifted with a crooked smile.

Our eyes locked, and for one brief moment I was too shocked to speak. A warm tingling radiated out from my chest, down my arms and legs, and my body weakened. What was he doing here?

I managed to find my voice. “Manager, huh?”

“Figured you might not open up if you knew it was me.”

I’ll open anything you ask me to.

Josh’s eyes flicked past my shoulders. “Are you alone?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

“Can I come in?”

I stepped back on shaky legs, and he squeezed through the gap, brushing my arm with his as he passed. His electric touch gave my nerves another jolt.

He walked over to the balcony access and slid it shut. “Are you going to close the door?”

Hadn’t he just done that? I faltered for a second before realising what I was holding. “Oh. Yeah. Right.” I let go of the handle. The door latch caught, and I leaned back against the fire notice. I needed to sit down before my legs gave way, but the only place to sit was the bed, and as much as I wanted to, I couldn’t go there. He might get the wrong idea. So I went to the dressing table and perched on the edge, hoping it was strong enough to support me. An uncomfortable silence ensued.

Josh stared leisurely through the glass at the view, and I stared at him. The white cotton of his T-shirt was fitted enough to show the contours of his muscular back, and his hands in the pockets of his beige, linen shorts stretched the material tight across his buttocks. My mouth went dry with an overwhelming need to touch him. I couldn’t believe he was here, in my bedroom. If I’d fallen asleep again, and was dreaming it all, I didn’t want to wake up.

Finally he spoke. “You stood me up.”

“I wouldn’t say that.”

“Okay, walked out on me.”

“Yeah.”

“Girls don’t do that.”

I bet they don’t. “Did I dent your pride?”

He swung around, and with two slow, purposeful strides, he was standing in front of me, his nose six inches from my face. “No.” He angled his head. “I understand why you left. It was a shock for me too.”

I struggled to keep my breath even. “It was?”

“You were the last girl I expected to see.”

“Sorry to disappoint.” Why was I smart mouthing him when he’d done nothing to deserve it?

His lips curved into a smile. I’d never noticed his dimples before, but then I’d never been lucky enough to see them this close. “I wasn’t disappointed,” he said.

“Really? You’re not pissed you didn’t get the quick leg-over you were expecting?” Shut up, Amy, before your mouth ruins everything.

His eyes fell to my cleavage. “That’s Jacko, not me.”

The way he was undressing me with his eyes said otherwise.

An Interview with Joshua Jackson Star of ‘Kiss the Tiger’ by Raquel Lyon

Welcome Joshua. Tell us a little about yourself and your background.

Not much to say, really. *rubs chin* I come from an average working class family: Mum, dad, brother, conventional set-up. Mum’s an admin assistant; Dad’s an accountant. It’s pretty mundane stuff. If you’re looking for drama you won’t find it.

But things with your brother were pretty dramatic, no?

We fought. What brothers don’t?

I believe there was a little more to it than that. Tell us about the events that led you to be in Greece.

My brother’s always been a taker, but when he stole something from me, something very dear to me. It caused a big upset in our family. I was in Greece at the request of my parents. They demanded my brother and me reconcile.

And did you?

Haven’t you read the story? All I’ll say is that, although the conflicts I’ve had with Jacko have made me a stronger person, I’m through trying to make it work.

So Greece wasn’t a holiday for you.

Hell, no. I had to work every damn day. Of course, things looked up after Amy arrived.

You first met Amy at college, correct?

Yep.

What was your initial impression of her?

She had a great rack!

And seriously?

What makes you think I wasn’t being serious? *shrugs* Okay, she intrigued me.

Why did you give up on her so easily, back then?

After what happened, I thought I’d be a constant reminder. I couldn’t put her through any more pain.

Have you ever discussed what happened?

Not in detail. And we never will. Amy dealt with it in her own way, and we’ve moved on. Can we change the subject, please?

Okay. What do you love most about her?

That’s easy. I love the way she stares at me when she thinks I’m not looking. She acts all cool and aloof when, secretly, I know she can’t wait to get into my pants.

I can see why *blushes* How did you feel when you first saw Amy again?

The old feelings came rushing back. I knew I couldn’t let her go again, but I was nervous about how we would overcome the barrier of my brother.

That’s understandable. So, what would you say is the overall theme of your story?

*Silently contemplates the question* Sometimes life throws you a curveball, but never give up hope.

Tell us about your tattoo.

Oh yeah, you like it? I’ve had it since college. My mate and I got bored, one time, and decided to get inked up. I chose something that represented personal power and the ability to overcome obstacles. *chuckles* My mate put his ex’s name in a heart. He’s still regretting that one.

Yes, I bet. So, tell me. What makes you happy?

Being with my girl.

Naturally. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to do a quick fire five.

Okay.

Where would your dream vacation be?

A secluded beach with only Amy for company.

What do you wear in bed?

Nothing, babycakes. *winks*

Who was your first love?

My motorbike.

Three words that best describe you.

Persistent, loyal, *cocks eyebrow* sexy.

Who would play you in a movie?

Hmm… A young Rob Lowe would be good, or, I know, Colton Haynes. Yeah, he’s a cool guy.

What’s next for Josh and Amy? A beach wedding in Greece?

*laughs* Good one. No. Amy wants to return to Greece for a holiday, but I’ll be taking her to a different island, far away from my brother. At the moment, we’re both busy with our careers and enjoying life. As for marriage, let’s just say you’ll have to watch this space.

Well, thank you for the interview, Josh. I had fun.

No problem, sweetcheeks.

AUTHOR BIO:

Most of Raquel’s childhood was spent taking long walks in the beautiful English countryside with only her imaginary friends for company. She has lived around Pendle Hill, a magical mysterious place, all her life and has always been interested in the folklore surrounding it. Some of her favourite places have been the inspiration for her books’ settings.

She currently lives near Pendle Hill with her partner, two teenage daughters, and bunny rabbit Florence.

Links

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