Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Love the One You're Witch by Randa Flannery (VBT, guest post, excerpt and GIVEAWAY) GFT ADULT Title







It is my pleasure to share a post by author Randa Flannery, who shares her response to the question...


Which author(s) has/have been the most influential to you and how or why?


Most of my readers will find this hard to believe considering what I write and how few would actually see the similarities between my books and hers, but the author who has had the most influence on me would have to be Jane Austen. I’ll be honest and admit that I did not always appreciate her books. When in school, talking about them, and any other classic literature was about as much fun as my annual OB/GYN visit. As in NOT fun. I did, however, watch the movies and found I really liked those, which convinced me to try the novels out without the assignment to dissect all the enjoyment from them. And BAM, I was hooked.

Austen writes about normal people in every day life (even if every day then is different from every day now, the basic principles are the same), her characters are normal people, and the situation they find themselves in is normal. Yet she tells their stories with such wit and subtle layers that it makes it all fascinating, entrancing. She writes the age old story of “boy meets girl” and, with such skill and precision, progresses the relationships in a natural way. The dialogue is smart and sharp. The characters are real and flawed and wonderful. Everything is real, from the happenings to the reactions to the feelings. It’s so easy and natural to put ourselves into the story. It’s so different from the stories done today, where they can be rather ham handed with everything in order to make it more thrilling, more suspenseful, more sexy. But they fall too far away from reality and it’s hard to relate to them and their circumstances. Austen’s books show how less can be more.

In my own writing, I sort of strive for this same sort of idea. Yes, I write some paranormal, like in Love the One You’re Witch, which automatically puts it a few steps outside of reality, but I keep the main parts down to earth. I want the dialogue to be funny and smart and the real chops of the story to come from the characters rather than the actions around them. It’s their reactions and feelings and thoughts that make things interesting. Just like, I feel, real life is made interesting. Like people watching. It’s why people are so excited to see reality shows or to have the judges’ reactions on talent shows; why we watch those videos on social media about people performing social experiments (pretending to be homeless, giving out free hugs, standing in the middle of a busy sidewalk in their underwear, etc). We want to see real people’s reactions. That is what I set out to do.

Obviously, my stories and Jane’s are not so alike that people would see the influence right off. My sense of humor is a little more obvious than hers, but I like to think that, if she were alive today (in a time when it is okay for women to show the sort of sass so openly), that she would appreciate it, as well.

Or she could, now, be rolling over in her grave at such a comparison. First Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and now this? The phrase “better off dead” may come to mind.

At any rate, here’s to you Jane. Ana and I thank you.



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Love The One You're Witch
by Randa Flannery

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GENRE: Paranormal Romance

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BLURB:

Sassy and snarky witch Anastasia Gregor does not work with vampires. Unfortunately, she forgot to tell her boss that. Now she's up to her neck (pun intended) in the night walkers as she attempts to help one family fix their love lives.

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EXCERPT

“Who would do this?” Dryfus persisted, his face dark and angry. “To steal another’s mate? What kind of person would do that?”

I shrugged and waved toward Lucas. “That’s a question we should probably ask Lucas. It was obviously someone he knows, since the spell was actually intended for him.” 


The sexiest man alive...or sort of alive...started in surprise. “Me?”

“Well, obviously. It was your CD. It was in your house, among your music. The note was probably meant for you. Erica was just unlucky enough to take it from your room before the caster actually activated the spell.” This seemed like it should be common sense to me, but he seemed a little stunned.

The family trained their eyes on Lucas. “Who would do that?” Tanner questioned. “Who wants you, man?”

I snorted a laugh. “Seriously? Again, have you seen him?” Damn. I really need to stop talking. But then I realized that no one else was talking again, so I kind of had to. “Sorry. That was not helpful. So, have you had any girls hanging around the last month and a half?”

The family shook off the surprise brought on by my lack of couth and began to think out loud.

“Brenda,” Tanner offered first. “And Lorrie.”

“I’ve seen Candace over a lot lately,” Dryfus added. “And the Carlton twins stopped by twice this week.”

Moira twisted her mouth in distaste. “Really, Lucas, the twins?” Then she shook her head and added her own. “Hannah, Natalia, and Victoria. And what is that new girl’s name? Denise or Delilah?”

“It was Dixie,” her mate provided.

Of course it was, I thought sourly. With each name, my stomach sank more until it was finally in the heels of my boots. I told myself it was because it would make my job more difficult. Because it shouldn’t have been shocking or upsetting at all to learn that the hot vampire guy with the intense green gaze was a playboy. I couldn’t resist a little snark, however, when the list we compiled had reached fifteen.

“Wow. So I guess Wiccans aren’t the only ones who have trouble with monogamy.”

He cast a dark look around at his family. “I haven’t been with all of those girls,” he snapped, frustration spiking in his aura. “And the ones I have been with would not have been wrong, since I wasn’t part of a mated pair or otherwise in a committed relationship.”

I shrugged with a nonchalance I usually didn’t have to work at. “Hey, no judging from me. Like I said, I can see the draw.” I winked to add a little insult to injury, totally objectifying him even as my stomach twisted.

“I see,” he returned in that deep and dangerously smooth tone I liked. “So would you like on the list, Anastasia?”

My name sounded like a caress and I resisted the urge to purr. This guy was too much. “Actually, no. I prefer my partners a little more lively.” I snickered at my own pun. I can be pretty funny.

“Was that a joke about us being dead?” Tanner asked with a wary glance around.

“Not all of us,” Moira responded wryly. “I’m pretty sure that was aimed specifically at Lucas.”

I continued to grin. “Sorry, we Wiccans might do some strange things, but I draw the line at necrophilia.”

Another pregnant silence followed, broken only by his growl.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Bio:
Randa Flannery has an a degree in English and writes a variety of romantic fiction, including suspense, comedy, and urban fantasy. Randa is a member of the Romance Writers of America and lives as an expat with her husband and children in FuYang, China.



Media Links:
Website
Twitter
Facebook 




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GIVEAWAY




a Rafflecopter giveaway

  The tour dates can be found here

 

33 comments:

  1. thanks so much for having me on today and for the great post question. i love austen's books and the movie adaptations of them. i'd like to think that her heroines and heroes would be good friends with mine. in a really weird parallel universe.

    i'm happy to hang out and chat about whatever, or answer any questions. leave a comment and good luck in the drawing!

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    1. That's an intriguing visual, Randa! I apologize, my life has been a little hectic lately, so I am perpetually late in welcoming folks to my blog! Thanks so much for coming by and interacting with my visitors, and I really enjoyed reading your excerpt and am fascinated by your place of residence. Good luck with the tour!

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  2. Who inspires you? Who do you aspire to be like?

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    2. a lot of different people inspire me. i have a lot of friends who are so much like i want to be in different ways. they make me aspire to be better and assure me it's all good when i feel i'm not getting there. i think it's important to surround yourself with those kind of people. they set the bar high, but can still get down and wallow in the trenches with me when needed. it's also important to be that kind of person for others, as well. equality in all relationships is vital to their success.

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    3. Thanks for another thought-provoking question, Mai. I am always entertained by your questions and the author's response. Keep them coming!

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  3. Thanks for your response. It's interesting to read who inspired an author and I like how you explained how your work and hers are similar.

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    1. thanks, amber. i like to think about that with the books i read, too. it's interesting to try and work out the influences in their work. gives it a new perspective.

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    2. Thank you for coming by, Amber!

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  4. Enjoyed the post and the excerpt, sounds like my kind of book, thanks for sharing!

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    1. thanks, eva. ms. austen and i appreciate it!

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    2. I agree, Eva, I love snarky heroines! Thanks for popping in!

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  5. Your title forced a giggle out me. Anastasia sounds like someone who could be my BFF. I loved the excerpt. Love the One You're Witch sounds like a very fun read....something I could use about right now.

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    1. funny you should say that. i thought the same thing when i read the "havebook willsurvive" name! ana is pretty awesome. i am on the look out for a bff just like her, so keep your eyes peeled for me. i hope you enjoy the story and it makes you laugh even more than you are expecting!

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    2. I agree, this definitely sounds like a book that would pick up your spirits (and make people stare at you as you giggle your way through it, lol). Thanks for visiting!

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    3. you guys might like the next one coming out, too. i can't tell you too much yet, but there are some great moments in the male strip club locker room.

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  6. Sounds like a great book, put it on my must read list.

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    1. thanks, teresa, for stopping by and for the comment! let me know what you think when you've read it. good luck on the drawing!

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    2. Good to hear, Teresa! Thanks for the visit!

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    1. thanks, rita! when i was writing that one, i had to look up necrophilia to make sure i had the right word (i get it mixed up with narcolepsy). that, along with some of the other strange things i've looked up in the name of research probably have me on a watch list somewhere...

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    2. Happy you liked it, Rita. Thanks for dropping by! (and Randa, I figured I am also, with all of the weird things I look up as I edit, lol).

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    3. they seriously need to put little notes next to whatever thick files big brother has on us. "not serial killers or deviants. just literary professionals". or we could have a badge...just like the cops that will come knocking on our doors. "i'll show you mine, you show me yours" kind of situation.

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    1. thank you, heather! i had fun writing this story and set out to make it a fast, enjoyable story the readers. it's a nice blend of cute, sweet, smart, and - best of all - fun.

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  9. I enjoyed the guest post & excerpt, thank you!

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    1. thank you, betty. talking about my love of austen's writing is definitely no hardship. comparing it to my own writing, however, was new for me!

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  10. Added this one to my TBR - I'm looking forward to reading it! Thanks for sharing :)

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    1. thank you, victoria! i look forward to hearing what you thought of it when you're done. happy reading and good luck on the drawing!

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