Monday, April 16, 2012

Mythological Romance: Enraptured by Elisabeth Naughton (Guest Post/Giveaway)

As part of our Mythology event this month and to kick off our week of Mythological Romance book features, I would like to welcome the fabulous, Elisabeth Naughton, over who is joining us with her absolutely mind-blowingly awesome new release, Enraptured



Thanks so much to the crew at Reading Between the Wines for inviting me to stop by during the release of ENRAPTURED! I’m so excited about this book because it’s the first book in my series where readers get to meet the Sirens.

What’s a Siren, you ask? Well, if you’re familiar with Greek mythology at all, you know the sirens were these beautiful women who lived in the sea, had amazing voices, and used to lure sailors to their deaths. Gorgeous, seductive, deadly. In my Eternal Guardians series, the Sirens are female warriors who serve Zeus. Basically, they’re assassins, and anytime Zeus has an issue with someone, they get sent to take care of the problem.

The Sirens are super fun to write. They’re hot, kickass, tough women who are as alpha as the Eternal Guardians themselves. And even though the sirens from Greek mythology are different, I tried to pull from the myths when creating my female race of warriors.  Staying true to the myths is important to me, even though I often take those myths (like in the case of the sirens) and twist them around to fit my world. For that reason, my kickass alpha Siren heroine—Skyla—has an amazing voice. Even if she doesn’t rely solely on that voice to lure and kill as the original sirens did. 

I’m a big fan of parallels. For that reason, readers will see parallels in my books with stories from Greek mythology. For example, in Greek mythology, Orpheus was the hero who ventured into the Underworld to try to rescue his wife. While that myth ended tragically, lovers of the ancient myths will easily pick up on the fact my Orpheus, the hero of ENRAPTURED, also ventures into the Underworld, but to try to save his brother, not his wife. The Sirens are another parallel—especially their link to Orpheus the legendary hero. In the ancient myths, Orpheus was the one hero who was able to tame the dangerous sirens with his lyre so the Argonauts could sail past on their quest with Jason for the Golden Fleece. In ENRAPTURED, my Orpheus is the only person who’s able to break through my tough, kickass Siren’s shield and tame the warrior within.  Again…parallels.

For me, writing about Greek mythology is fun because there are so many different stories to pull from. And as a romance author, I love taking the tragedies and twisting them around in the modern world so that the characters get their happily ever afters. It never gets boring for me, and it’s especially fun when readers recognize the myths I’ve pulled from. And for those readers who aren’t familiar with a lot of Greek mythology…? They’re getting a lesson in the ancient myths and don’t even know it!

To celebrate the release of ENRAPTURED, Sourcebooks is giving away two copies of the book. Just tell me what your favorite Greek myth is to be entered in the drawing!


ENRAPTURED BY ELISABETH NAUGHTON – IN STORES APRIL 2012


Orpheus—To most he's an enigma, a devil-may-care rogue who does whatever he pleases whenever he wants. Now this loose cannon is part of the Eternal Guardians—elite warriors assigned to protect the human realm—whether he likes it or not.
Orpheus has just one goal: to rescue his brother from the Underworld. He's not expecting a woman to get in the way. Especially not a Siren as gorgeous as Skyla. He has no idea she's an assassin sent by Zeus to seduce, entrap, and ultimately destroy him.
Yet Skyla herself might have the most to lose. There's a reason Orpheus feels so familiar to her, a reason her body seems to crave him. Perhaps he's not the man everyone thinks... The truth could reveal a deadly secret as old as the Eternal Guardians themselves


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A former junior high science teacher, Elisabeth Naughton traded in her red pen and test-tube set for a laptop and research books. She now writes sexy romantic adventure and paranormal novels full-time from her home in western Oregon, where she lives with her husband and three children. Her work has been nominated for numerous awards, including the prestigious RITA Awards of Romance Writers of America, the Australian Romance Reader Awards, the Golden Leaf, and the Golden Heart. When not writing, Elisabeth can be found running, hanging out at the ball park, or dreaming up new and exciting adventures. Visit her at www.elisabethnaughton.com to learn more about her and her books. Her next book in the Eternal Guardians series, Enslaved, will be in stores in November 2012.


~*GIVEAWAY*~ 
As Elisabeth mentioned, Sourebooks is giving away a copy of Enraptured to two US or Canadian readers! To enter, just leave a comment on this post answering the author's question and then fill out the RaffleCopter below. Additional entries are available but no required. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


43 comments:

  1. I would probably choose Persephone and Hades. I love the books based on mythology but the myths themselves aren't my favorite.

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  2. My favorite greek myth is the story of Medusa's death by Perseus. Medusa has always been my favorite since I saw the original Clash of the Titans as a little girl

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  3. Do you remember the story of Icarus? The one who built wings of wax and feathers to escape I think it was prison or an island but he flew to close to the son and his wings melted and he fell to his death. I love Greek mythology! I love reading about minotaurs, sirens ;), cyclopes, oh and nymphs. Hmmm my favorite being pegasus the winged horse.
    :) Can't wait to read your book!
    savannahm1987@gmail.com

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  4. I have always loved Orpheus. I read his story when I was a pre-teen and it has always haunted me how he made one simple step of looking at his wife again on his way back earth and he ended up losing her again. I love your version of Orpheus though. Can't wait to read it!

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  5. As a kid I always had a thing for Ares. Being the God of War made him appear to me as a strong intelligent male. Then I became an adult and Kevin Smith portrayed him in Hercules and Xena. Yes, the drool formed.
    vsloboda(at)gmail(dot)com

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  6. Persephone was my favorite myth as a kid. My mom used to tell me the different versions of her story before bed. I, personally, like the ones where she was a willing participant in her "abduction." I even hosted a party for my Latin club as Persephone when she was the Queen of the Underworld.

    AquarianDancer at gmail dot com

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  7. I wrote a paper on Theseus in college! A hero who just can't win. I got an A on that, so I'm kind of attached to his story.

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  8. My favorite is the story of Icarus and his wings made of wax who flew too close to the sun and his wings melted and he died.

    e.balinski(at)att(dot)net

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  9. One of my favorite Greek myths is The Judgment of Paris. It's interesting to read about the events that led up to the Trojan War. Plus, it's the first story that featured Eris, goddess of discord, that I've read.

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  10. Glad to see you here Elisabeth!
    I love the sound of your sirens! Your series is just awesome, I love how you take Greek mythology and bend it and twist it to create your own version. The result is uber hunks that has me wishing they were real!

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  11. I would probably choose Persephone and Hades myself. I Cant wait to read this book. butterfli262002@yahoo.com

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  12. I like the Labors of Hercules stories. I've loved Greek mythology ever since watching Hercules and Xena shows years ago.

    Your books sound great, Elisabeth and I look forward to trying them. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity.

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  13. I loved Hercules story. Him being half god/half human and being bigger than life with a good guy heart. Oh the struggles he went through, sigh.

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  14. I'm really bad with remembering specifics when it comes to Greek mythology. That's why I need to read these books lol. I loved watching Xena and Hercules when they were on the TV and I can name a bunch of the gods.

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  15. I like the love story between Cupid and Psyche. I also liked the 12 labors of Hercules. And even though she's so evil, Meisa was always my favorite because how cool was it to have snakes for hair?

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  16. Hmmm, I don't know a whole lot about Greek mythology. About all I know I have read in stories, like Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series. And I don't know how close to being correct any of that is.

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  17. I loved the Labors of Hercules and the story with Perseus.

    mythic021@gmail.com

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  18. Me i jsut love to read and then i blog on t hem i some time have 7 8 at one time do but i get t hem dwn right way

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  19. My fav Greek myth is of Persephone! Can't wait to rad this series!!!

    yadkny@hotmail.com

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  20. Thanks for the great post and giveaway! I've read such wonderful reviews about Elizabeth's series :)

    It's been so long since I've read about Greek mythology but I remember enjoying them. The only one that I can really remember the details was Hercules but some of that could be due to the Disney movie :)

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  21. Sad to say, but what I mostly know about Greek myths mostly comes from movies & tv shows, but I've never been that thrilled with the tragic aspect of so many of the stories, so to read that you've changed things up to give an HEA is great. So for may favorite myth, I'll go with the cinematic stand by - Hercules.

    sallans d at yahoo dot com

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  22. I love Hercules and Persus. Tore923@aol.com

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  23. Greek mythology is fascinating - I've always liked the story of Achilles.

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  24. I would have to say Hercules. I loved the weekly show on tv. Kevin Sorbo was sooo dreamy. But I like all mythology, I took a semester in Greek Mythology when I was a sophomore in high school.
    luvfuzzzeeefaces at yahoo dot com

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  25. I love Greek Mythology. And for a favorite story. Its so hard to choose. Theres Zeus disguising himself to seduce, the birth of Dionysus, the epic Hades and Persephone. I really dont have one favorite.

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  26. I really don't know all that much about mythology. Like another poster about all I know is what I've read through Kenyon's books. Hm. Should probably fix that ;)

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  27. I love all these comments! Keep them coming! (You never know which one I'm going to twist around next!)

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  28. Since I was a preteen when I was really into Greek mythology, I was rather into the stories of Adonis and Ganymede, young men caught up into the mythologies of gods and demigods.

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  29. I'm not really into Greek myths though I did enjoy Hercules and Xena when they were on tv.

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  30. I really loved the story of Persephone and how it explained the various seasons.

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  31. I really loved the story of Persephone and how it explained the various seasons.

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  32. Another to add to my ever-growing tbr list.

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  33. I love this series. Looking forward to reading about Orpheus an the Sirens. I'd have to say Hercules and Medusa are two of my favorites.
    Carol L
    Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

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  34. Hercules/Ares and Zeus and Hera were some of my favorites,but
    Ares definetely became a favorite because of XENA.

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  35. I really don't know alot of mythology... I always confuse Greek and Roman mythology.

    andieleah78@gmail.com

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  36. I have always liked the ad guys t sirens and lie Medusa

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  37. I like Circe and also Hades and Persephone

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  38. My favorite was always Persephone and Hades. Hades always struck me as a tortured hero type, stuck down there in the Underworld, so I was always hoping that Persephone brought him some happiness, even if it was only for 6 mos.

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  39. I would pick Pandora's Box as a favorite.

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  40. I absolutely love the story of Orpheus and his wife. I remember the first time i heard the story i felt so sad for him. I'm so excited to read your take on Orpheus!

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  41. Favourite would be Persephone :)

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  42. I'm gonna have to go with Persephone and Hades. Thx for the giveaway op! :)

    barbbattaglia @ yahoo.com

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