I want to welcome J.L.
Shappard! First I’d love you to introduce yourself.
I’m J.L. Sheppard.
Tell us about your
latest release.
My latest release, Awaiting
Fate, will be released March 27, 2015. It’s the first book of a spin-off
series to my original series, Elemental Sisters. Awaiting Fate is the love story between Cain and Olivia. Cain is a
demon warrior and Olivia is the princess to the Waden werewolf pack. This is a
series, but like my original series, it is a standalone.
Here’s the blurb:
Cain Thaler’s lived more than four hundred years fighting rogue immortals, avenging the family he’d lost. It’s all he’s needed, all he’s wanted. That changes the fateful day he lays eyes on his fated mate. Olivia Waden, a werewolf princess, is nothing like him. Unwilling to give her up, he sets a plan into motion: ignoring his need to claim her, he befriends her.
Despite Cain’s best efforts at friendship, Olivia has fallen hard for him. It is him she dreams of, him she wants as her fated mate. But she is sure he doesn’t feel the same way. In way over her head, she has no option but to run away from the only man she’s ever loved.
Will Cain find Olivia before it’s too late or will their differences tear them apart?
Now I have a few
questions for you – I have found readers do like to know fun things about us
writers.
1.) Who is your
favorite villain – it can be from a book (even one of yours), movie or TV show.
And why?
I don’t have one in books. As far as television shows, I’d
have to say the Reaper (George Foyet) from Criminal Minds.
2.) Who is your
favorite character out of your books? Why?
Cain is my favorite character. When I started writing, I had
the idea of writing a series about sisters with extraordinary abilities,
abilities that don’t evolve until they meet their fated mates. I titled the
series Elemental Sisters. In the first book, Demon King’s Desire, I created
Cain as a secondary character. He’s a warrior, second in command to the demon
king, Lucas who is the hero. I never thought Cain would have his own book, but
as I wrote Elemental Sisters II then III, I fell more and more in love with him
(with his carefree, lightheartedness) and decided he needed his happy ending
too.
3.) What do genre do
you write? What made you pick that one?
I started writing paranormal romance because that’s what I
liked to read the most. I have since branched out and started writing
contemporary romance. I’ve completed two contemporary romance novels and I’m
writing the third now, although none of those are published as of yet.
Hopefully, within the next year, the first will be contracted.
4.) What are you
working on now?
I’m currently working on a different series, a contemporary
romance series.
5.) What got you to
start writing?
I loved to read. I always wanted to write (even as a little
girl). One day, I thought ‘if I don’t do it now, I’ll never do it.’ So I did.
6.) Where do you get
your ideas from?
My ideas come spur of the moment and usually at the most
inopportune times.
7.) What would people
who read your work be surprised to find out about you?
Since I write romance, I’d say the fact that I love crime
shows and watch them over and over again would surprise people.
8.) Do you have any
special talents?
Sadly, no.
9.) What was the one
piece of advice you received when you were an aspiring author that has stuck
with you? Why?
Ignore reviews. Everyone has an opinion and not everyone is
going to like what you write. It’s hard to keep that in mind when you spent so
much time imaging, writing, editing and promoting your book, but for the sake
of keeping my sanity, I’ve made it stick.
10.) If you could talk
to any famous figure (present, past or fictional) who would it be and what
would you talk about?
Well, this will sound odd, so I’ll preface it by saying
criminology intrigues me. Literally, the channel Identification Discovery is on at all times of the day in my house.
If the television isn’t on ID, then
that’s because Criminal Minds is on
(which will be changing very soon as my baby boy turns into a toddler). That
said, I’d like to talk to the Zodiac Killer, just because I want to know who he
is.
11.) What song would
you say describes your life?
It would depend on the time in my life. I’d say a lot of
songs hit home. There are certain songs that I hear every now and then that
take me back to certain times in my life. For example, Good Riddance by Green Day reminds me of my high school graduation.
I have no idea why, considering it wasn’t our class song. The Fray’s album How to Save a Life reminds me of my
junior year in college. I used to listen to that whole album in entirety over
and over again. LOL. That’s the way I am with music though. When I like a song
or album, I listen it on replay.
12.) If you could come
back as any animal – what would it be?
Dolphin because they always look so free and happy.
Will Cain find Olivia before it's too late or will their differences tear them apart?
Blurb:
Cain Thaler’s lived more than four hundred years fighting rogue immortals, avenging the family he’d lost. It’s all he’s needed, all he’s wanted. That changes the fateful day he lays eyes on his fated mate. Olivia Waden, a werewolf princess, is nothing like him. Unwilling to give her up, he sets a plan into motion: ignoring his need to claim her, he befriends her.
Despite Cain's best efforts at friendship, Olivia has fallen hard for him. It is him she dreams of, him she wants as her fated mate. But she is sure he doesn't feel the same way. In way over her head, she has no option but to run away from the only man she's ever loved.
Will Cain find Olivia before it's too late or will their differences tear them apart?
Excerpt:
“What?” She managed the strength to mumble.
He drew closer, pressing his chest against hers. The heat of his body caressing hers, she grew warm with craving. Helplessly, her gaze drifted to his thick full lips. Her mind wandered. What she’d give for a kiss, a single mind-blowing kiss?
Cheeks flushing, her gaze darted toward his again. “Why are you…” Her body’s desires overwhelming her, she gasped for breath.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were leaving?”
He wasn’t just angry. He was livid, and he was livid with her because she’d left.
She didn’t know what to say, had no excuse, not one she could tell him anyway.
Shutting his eyes firmly, his anger intensified, coiling rapidly against her until she not only felt it but tasted it. Still, she wasn’t afraid. With each passing moment, all she felt was heat, his and hers, and how badly she wanted him.
“Answer me,” he demanded harshly. “Tell me why you left without telling me!”
His tone startling her, she jolted against him, her body rubbing his. A desire so powerful rippled through her and spiraled inside her, pooling liquid between her legs. It clouded her every thought and every action, so as she stared straight into his eyes, she couldn’t remember what he’d said.
Clenching his jaw, he ground his teeth in anger, so close to losing it. “Olivia, tell me!”
BIO:
J.L. Sheppard was born and raised in Miami, Florida where she still lives with her husband and son.
As a child, her greatest aspiration was to become a writer. She read often, kept a journal and wrote countless poems. She attended Florida International University and graduated in 2008 with a Bachelors in Communications. During her senior year, she interned at NBC Miami, WTVJ. Following the internship, she was hired and worked in the News Department for three years.
It wasn’t until 2011 that she set her heart and mind into writing her first completed novel, Demon King’s Desire, which was published in January of 2013.
Besides reading and writing, she enjoys traveling and spending quality time with family and friends.
Previous Releases:
Demon King’s Desire, Elemental Sisters I: January 2013
Burdened by Desire, Elemental Sisters II: January 2014
Heavenly Desire, Elemental Sisters III: September 2014
Contact:
I LOVE your cover! The excerpt's conflict is also excellent. And I agree that ideas come at the most inopportune times...congrats on this newest release!
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