Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Writing Romance: Save My Soul Blog Tour (Interview & Giveaway)



Today we have Zoe Winters, author of Save my Soul, over for our event and a stop on her blog tour! You can find my review of Save my Soul *Here* And don't forget to stop by Secrets of a Book Lover to say hi to author Jennifer Turner!

Zoe Winters writes quirky and sometimes dark paranormal romance. She lives with her husband and two cats, and her favorite colors are rainbow and clear. For more information visit http://www.zoewinters.org or her blog at: http://zoewinters.wordpress.com

Welcome Zoe! Thanks so much for stopping by on your blog tour and joining us during our Writing Romance week! Why did you choose to write romance, and what are your favorite aspects about it?

In 8th grade I had a teacher who really encouraged my dream to write and told me about a friend she had who was a romance novelist. I thought “those aren’t real books”. (And I really hope I just “thought” it and didn’t say it out loud.)

But eventually I realized that when I would watch a TV show or movie or read a book, what I really cared most about was the sexual tension between characters and what happened on the romance front. Once I figured that out, I kind of just fell into it and lost my snobbery about it.

Can you tell us about the second novel in your Preternaturals series, Save my Soul?


Save My Soul is about a woman who buys her dream house only to learn it’s haunted, but not by what she thinks. She spends a lot of time and effort trying to get the demon out of her house while trying to avoid falling for him and risking her life and soul.

In a today’s paranormal reading world, where vampires and werewolves seem to reign, what inspired you to write about an incubus?

I was trying to write about something besides vampires and werewolves. When I originally wrote Save My Soul everyone was saying that vampires were “over” (which obviously isn’t true). And so I wanted to write something that would stand out and be different. Of course there are also other great demon books out there now. Larissa Ione’s Demonica series comes to mind.
Of course, we're big fan's of Larissa Ione and her yummy demons here!

Tell us about Save my Soul’s couple, Luc and Anna. What do you think readers will love most about them? What makes them perfect for each other?

I actually can’t tell you what makes them perfect for each other without introducing major spoilers, and I don’t want to do that. But I think readers will love that Luc is not ashamed of who or what he is. (He isn’t whiny and broody about his dark past.) Even though he does have darkness in him, he’s a noble guy who is trying to protect Anna. Anna is brave, generous, and a smart ass. These two have some great banter between them. The banter is always my favorite part.

What do you feel are five must have ingredients for a great romance?

1. Banter/wit
2. Sexual tension
3. Alpha-male (Sorry, that’s just my preference. I’m not saying it’s not a romance if it has a beta, but these are just what I feel a romance “must have”, at least for me to like it or write it.)
4. Something else happening in the plot besides the characters just staring into each others eyes or having everything revolve around the “big misunderstanding”.
5. A happy ending

What is your favorite type of male to write about? Alpha, beta, hero, villain, brooding, charming, ect.

Alphas and villains. My favorite character in the series is Cain. He’s the villain in SMS but he gets his own book later. I don’t actually think he’s that evil in SMS to be honest, though I know some readers’ mileage may vary on that one.

Save my Soul is bursting with tension-laden scenes; is there one specific scene that stood out for you while writing?

A lot of it is a blur now. I originally wrote it about four years ago, and it went through so many drafts and permutations. The only things that really stick out for me are things I can’t talk about without major plot spoilers. (The stuff I always want to talk about is the stuff I can’t talk about without ruining it for a reader, which sucks!)

Blood Lust (Preternaturals, #1)
Do you have any more novels planned for the Preternaturals series? If so, how many and can you share with us what we can expect next? 


I have ten planned out so far, but the way the series is written I can expand it indefinitely. It just depends on how I feel about it and if I want to keep going after ten and how fans feel about it. I might retire this pen name after ten. I haven’t decided.

Right now I’m working on the third book which features a panther therian and an agoraphobic witch. I’m really having fun with their story. And book 4 will be Cain and Tam’s book.

What was the first romance novel that you read? Do you still have it?

I didn’t start reading romance until my twenties, unlike a lot of people who started in their teens. So there really isn’t some big “moment” that made me remember the first book. I know the first paranormal chick lit I read was MaryJanice Davidson’s “Undead and Unwed”, but that’s not really romance. I wish I could remember the first actual romance book I read, but I have no idea what it was.

Thank you again for joining us today Zoe!

Thanks for having me!


~*GIVEAWAY*~
Zoe is graciously giveaway away one print copy and one digital copy of her novel, Save my Soul
To enter, just fill out the form below AND leave a meaningful comment or question for Zoe. 
One winner each will be chosen at random. Giveaway will end on July 8th, 2011 at 11:59pm. You are welcome to enter for both forms of this novel. Open Internationally. 




Make sure to check out the next stop on the Save my Soul tour at Book Lover's Hideaway!

29 comments:

  1. I really adore the covers of your books and I'm wondering how much input from your side goes into creation of covers?

    danaan at gmx dot at

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  2. I agree that Banter is necessary but how do you make it realistic or not overboard?

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  3. I love a story with witty banter that leads to an uncontrollable lust. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  4. This sounds like a great book. It's paranormal but without the likes the vampires or werevolves so it's a little different. I like how Luc has darkness and yet is still noble. All the more he's right for Anna, who can hold her how with her snarky attitude.

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  5. I have to giggle because I'm a book blogger. I'm obsessed with books, paranormal books especially. But it was my completely computer iliterate MIL who said to me "have you read any Zoe Winters yet?" and I was like "who?"... okay I still haven't read your stuff Zoe but I bought a couple of them. Too many books, so little time.

    I'm gonna have to get my butt on that. Your answers really make me think this series is for me!

    Thanks Crystal for having this event!

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  6. Zoe your books sound really great. I can't wait to read your books. Tore923@aol.com

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  7. I'm always looking for new authors to discover and reading this interview I knew that your books are ones that I would love to consume!

    I would love to win this book!

    Thanks for this giveaway Crystal!

    redfirewood888(AT)yahoo(DOT)ca

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  8. Love your book cover, if you could write a story with any author who would it be?

    Ktalley28@gmail.com

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  9. This sounds like a great book I loved bloodlust I can't wait to read it! Great giveaway thank you so much!

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  10. I agree banter is one of my top ingrediants for a great romance. There is something about laughing while experiencing the sexual tension that is just so seductive and draws you in. The books look fabulous and I would love the chance to read one. Thanks for the insights and contest.

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  11. I think your five must have ingredients would be mine too. I need my interest held & a quick wit will do that. I do need a satisfactory ending, not necessarily 'happy'.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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  12. <3ed the interview!

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  13. I always enjoy haunted house stories, especially if it's not a scary story. Sexy demons are always good - I'd be happy to have one of them haunt my house LOL.

    jen at delux dot com

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  14. Hi Zoe
    I totally agree with the 5 elements you mentioned and if your book has it I definitely want to read it!
    I’d like to win an e-copy of it :)

    Daniela.
    dany7578@hotmail.com

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  15. @Birgit: I'm an indie author, so I am in full control of cover art. I pay a cover artist and get the cover how I want it to be. And thanks!

    @Lisa: Sometimes my banter DOES go overboard. Like in an earlier draft I had to cut a lot of Anna's snark because it was making her come off like a mean B*itch. Usually that's how I know... if it alters the positive perception of one of the characters. I also try to keep a strong thread of emotion going through the story so that it isn't all just shallow/surface snark with no depth beyond that.

    @Rhianna, that's so cool about your MIL! However did she hear about me? ha! Wow. :)

    @Keisha: I'm not really much of a collaborator, I'm too much of a control freak. Any author I'd admire enough to want to collaborate with them, I WOULDN'T collaborate with them, because I'd want them to still like me later! :)

    @latishajean, thanks so much re: Blood Lust! Hope you enjoy Save My Soul!

    I tried to answer all the specific questions, but thank you to everyone else for your interest in my work! (I've been bad about checking comments through this blog tour, so all these questions have me really worried I've missed a lot of things. I'm going to have to go back to other stops and make sure no one is asking me stuff that I appear to be ignoring!)

    Z

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  16. great interview. your book sounds very good and i love the cover! Whats my favorite part in save my soul? Whats your favorite part in blood lust? thank you!

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  17. zoe your book sounds realy cool, withhout vmp and werewolves
    i would like to win a e book copy

    rogcaprino@hotmail.com

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  18. @Shadow: My favorite part of Save My Soul is a tie between the ending (the twist that I resisted FOREVER while writing it, then realized that's really what had to happen), and also one of the dream sequences of Luc's.

    In Blood Lust my favorite part is probably the beginning of Mated when Cole takes Jane from Paul.

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  19. I wish I could remember my first romance book too. I was way, way back. I love me a nice alpha-male too. :) thanks for the giveaway!

    Lindadao2060 at yahoo dot com

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  20. This seems like a great read,
    I love books with alpha males, and women with great and strong personalities, and sex tension, and high and flamy confrontations

    thanks for the giveaway

    recupefashion@hotmail.fr

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  21. I prefer reading about alpha males and I think banter is important because this type of communication forms a different type of bond.

    smccar1 at hotmail dot com

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  22. Great interview, I've heard your books are good and would love to read some. I also can't remember which was the first romance book I read (though I did start reading in my teens), which is weird because it seemed like a big deal but I have no idea what the book was.

    jessicamariesutton(at)msn(dot)com

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  23. I love your five ingredients, and I'm sold on reading this series!

    I'd love to enter the draw.

    I'm following on GFC (Darlene), and my email address is darlenesbooknook at gmail dot com.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  24. I havent read many demon books, so yours sounds delicious! I agree chemistry/tension is important between characters... It's what keeps us coming back!
    Thanks for a chance in your giveaway!

    eyesofblueice(at)gmail(com)

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  25. These books really look amazing, I love the idea of the dark mysterious brooding Luc. What about the paranormal beckons to you? I mean, like how do you think makes your books a little more unique in their paranormal elements?


    Suz @ A Soul Unsung
    susanhaugland@att.net

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  26. the books have amazing covers!
    the question i'd like to ask is that are the characters from your book inspired by someone you know personally or do you just come up with them through your imagination?

    GFC-Janhvi Jagtap
    justjanhvi at gmail dot com

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  27. These books sound so good! I'd love to read them!

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  28. Haven't read anything by you yet but have you on my TBR list!

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  29. Thanks for the interview! Zoe would be a new-to-me author so it was great getting to know her a bit and I totally agree with her five must have ingredients for a great romance! Luc also sounds great with his alpha-maleness :)

    chibipooh(at)gmail(dot)com

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