Tantalizing Tuesday

Please welcome a fabulous author and a dear friend, Rie McGaha, into the moonlight. Rie's newest book, Ancient Blood, was released yesterday, Monday, May 31st, and is the sequel to Blood Line, both released by Noble Romance Publishing. Other books written by Rie include, Cocked and Fully Loaded, Deadly Dreams, Grounded, My Soul to Keep, One Good Man, Two for Hire and Ghosts of Valentine's Past (a review will be posted here on June 5th for Ghosts of Valentine's Past). Rie has over 20 grandchildren, is a dog lover, even finds time to rescue them, while carving out more time to free lance edit, produce fantastic book trailers, manage a promotions business and be a review editor for The Pagan & The Pen. She's involved with several blogs and I'm sure she'd love for you to visit them all:

Sizzling Releases: http://sizzlingreleases.blogspot.com/

Author Offerings: http://authorofferings.blogspot.com/

An Authors Tale: http://anauthorstale.blogspot.com/


To learn more about Rie or her books, please visit her website: http://www.riemcgaha.com/

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Now, let's get to the good stuff...

GRACEN: When you stop to consider trends and traditions, June marks a time of beginnings (marriages, commencements). What about you, any weddings, anniversaries or graduations to attend this month?

RIE: Not this year, but next year my oldest grandson will graduate from high school.

GRACEN: While April 22nd marks Earth Day, June 5th is World Environment Day. What will you do to celebrate our environment?

RIE: I am big on garbage. I don’t just wait for certain dates on the calendar, whenever I see garbage on the roads around here, I stop and clean it up.


GRACEN: Speaking of the environment, do you strive to be more energy efficient or more environmentally conscious? How you accomplish this goal?

RIE: We are environmentally conscious, although it’s a way of life for us and not some bandwagon we’ve jumped on. We live in a very remote area and have solar power, bio toilets that turn human waste into compost for the garden, we compost instead of throwing stuff away, grow most of our own food, and don’t run to town for every little thing. Instead, we wait and go once a month or less.


GRACEN: What traits make the men in your life good father figures? Will you do anything special to celebrate these men? If so, what will it be?

RIE: My husband is a great father. He married me with 5 kids in tow, and had never been around children. He accepted them as his own and even though there were some of the normal problems for a man coming into the lives of pre-teens and teens, he was willing to deal with whatever happened. He’s always treated the kids as if they were his own and they all refer to him as their “dad” not step-dad. This year is going to be a really great Father’s Day because he is turning 50 and retiring, all about the same time as Father’s Day. The kids are all coming home with their kids and we’re having a family BBQ, going to the lake, taking the boat out, going for a motorcycle ride, and he is planning on taking the grandkids for a campout.


GRACEN: While the summer solstice occurs on June 21st, warmer weather usually arrives earlier than that, encouraging people to get out and enjoy the weather. What activities do you usually start in June?

RIE: Getting the motorcycle out and going riding. And this year is awesome because we will be touring the wineries of Oklahoma for my contribution to William Maltese’s Wine Diaries.


GRACEN: While people generally clean in spring, they need to do something with all the stuff the find they do not need. If it isn’t given away or donated, many people have rummage or estate sales. What about you, do you like to hit the rummage sales on a nice warm morning? Do you go alone or with someone else? Is it a family tradition?

RIE: I’m not big on rummage sales. Sometimes, if I happen to be out and see something that might be interesting, I’ll stop but in general, I don’t go looking for yard sales.


GRACEN: In many areas, private community schools tend to schedule festivals and bazaars as fundraisers throughout the summer. What about your area? What kind of festivals and bazaars can be found and when will they occur? Do you make appearances at them, or do you avoid them? If so, why?

RIE: We live in a very small community and schools rule around here with the ball games, fund raisers, etc all school year but in the summer we have the town home coming and the streets are blocked off. There’s a street dance, BBQ, arts and crafts booths, and a lot of things for the kids to do, like water balloon fights, and other activities to stay cool. We also have rodeos on the weekends, huge 4th of July picnic/bbq and fireworks. This is a very close knit area and everyone goes to everything!


GRACEN: The weather in June seems to be a great mix in almost every state, and most people tend to plan vacations in June. What about you, are you a June traveler? If so, where will you be going? If not, when do you prefer to travel and why? Where have you gone or will you be going this year?

RIE: As I said, this year June is booked, and in July we will be heading to Calif. to pick up three grandsons and bring them back to Oklahoma for a couple of weeks. While in Calif. we’ll visit more of, our kids and grandkids and then take the long way home stopping at some of the water parks and other places for the grandsons to cool off.


GRACEN: We’ve had our fun now, so let’s put the focus on your writing, Rie…While there are many genres to choose from, what specifically brought you to romance? Why this genre over the others?

RIE: I used to read a lot of romances by authors like Karen Marie Moning, Sherrilyn Kenyon, and many others, so that was a genre I was familiar with. When I decided to start writing for publication, I went with what I knew the best. This is not my favorite genre though, I really prefer writing non-romance in the suspense or paranormal genres.


GRACEN: Even though the popularity of the romance genre continues to grow, it’s still not always a highly respected genre. What, in your opinion, is the reason for the continued interest in the genre and for the lack of respect it receives?

RIE: I think the romance genre has actually gained a lot of momentum in both popularity and respect lately. I have seen several men reading Nora Roberts’ books while waiting in line or at the airports!


GRACEN: Earlier, we asked about what traits make the men in your life good father figures. Now, we want to know, have any of these men, or their traits, been inspiration for characters in your stories? If so, which men, what characters and/or traits and why?

RIE: Absolutely. My husband Nathan is my biggest fan and a lot of what I write in the hero comes from what I know about him. I always tell him he’s a really bad boy, but such a good man. To me, that’s a very attractive quality. To find a man who is still the little boy who likes to play, but the very protective man who will slay the dragons is my ideal man. I found him in my husband.


GRACEN: For a writer, inspiration can be found everywhere and in almost anyone, but sometimes specific people, places and events can inspire certain characters, personality traits, events or situations that happen in our stories. In your current story that we’re promoting here today, Ancient Blood, did any one particular person, place or event inspire you? If so who/what was it (were they), how did it/they inspire you and how is this inspiration reflected in your story?

RIE: Not so much in Ancient Blood. This is the sequel to Blood Line and the men were established in that story, so it’s just a matter of carrying the story line on into the sequel. However, in Comes An Outlaw (coming soon) the hero is based on a very dear friend I have known for nearly thirty years, so it really just depends on the story.


GRACEN: Without giving away anything pertinent to the story, tell us about the hero and heroine (s) of your story. What do they look like? How do they meet (or “did” if this is not the first book with these same characters)? What are their personalities – Are they comical cut-ups, are they serious or are they a mix of the two? Please give us a little bit of dialogue from the story that can illustrate this. (Not much, but just a few lines and from a different section than the main excerpt – Thanks!)

RIE: I tend to use my youngest son’s looks for my heroes. Cody is a United States Marine, with black hair, the bluest eyes and is just gorgeous, so it’s easy to describe him as the heroines lost love, Colin. Colin is described as being a bookworm, with the desire to travel and has a love of learning. Ganda is the heroine in this story and her looks are actually based on Catherine Zeta-Jones, who I think is one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. Ganda is smart, loving, kind, but ruffle her feathers and she’s a bitch you don’t even want to mess with.


GRACEN: The main characters are usually great, but sometimes, secondary and tertiary characters are known to steal the scenes, even if the author did not intend this to happen. Who are the secondary/tertiary characters in your story and what do they look like? What’s unique about them? What is their relationship to the hero/heroine? Have any of these characters gone on to become scene-stealers? If so, who and how did they do it? Is there the possibility for them to get their own story? (Again, please give us a small bit of dialogue to illustrate this – thanks!)

RIE: Since this is the sequel to Blood Line where Josh and Jessie Kaine were the main characters, both are now secondary characters. They are young, in love, married right out of high school, and really enjoy throwing verbal jabs at one another. This is really insight into my relationship with my husband!

Excerpt:

Josh shined his flashlight up the stairs and called out to Jessie and Ganda. “Come on down and bring the equipment!”

Jessie looked at Ganda and rolled her eyes, as she hoisted her pack onto her back and grabbed Josh’s as well. “You’d think they were leading an expedition,” she said as she started down the stairs. Ganda chuckled as she followed.

“I heard that,” Josh said with a wry grin as Jessie descended the stairwell and joined him and Garan in the dark space below.

“I meant for you too,” Jess said with a laugh.

Ganda shined the beam of her flashlight around and found they were in a small room approximately twelve by twelve feet square. The walls were etched with carvings and paintings that had to date back at least four thousand years, perhaps longer. As they each took a wall to examine them for doorways and clues, Ganda found another painting that closely resembled the original on the Colonnade floor above them.

“Garan,” she said softly. “Look at this one.”

Garan examined the wall closely and walked slowly down its length following the designs. “I think this is a warning,” he said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen anything like this, but as I recall, it says something like “beware the night, beware the beast of the night, beware the . . . hmmm, I’m not sure on this last part but it looks like blood, or feeding on blood or something like that.”

“Beware the beast who feeds on the blood of man. Beware the beast who consumes the flesh of man. Beware,” Ganda said as she followed Garan along the wall.

“Sounds like someone had a run in with a werewolf,” Jessie said.

“Or that a werewolf lies behind this wall and someone put this warning here to keep anyone from trying to free the beast beyond,” Garan said. “Get the sonar.”

“Ganda, are you okay?” Jess asked as the two men set about their task.

“I’m fine. I just felt goose bumps run over my body as I read that. It’s almost as if I can feel Colin.”

“Is he there?”

“I don’t know,” Ganda said with a shrug. “I think I can feel him, but then I wonder if it’s my mind playing tricks on me again. I spent so many years mourning him, I’m afraid to trust my feelings anymore.”

Jessie placed an arm around Ganda’s shoulders and hugged her. “Don’t worry. This is an emotional thing for you. It has to be difficult to deal with.”

“Thank you. I’m fine now.” Ganda inhaled deeply and slowly released the breath. She closed her eyes and placed one hand against the wall. A low hum came from somewhere deep inside of her, barely audible to those around her.

Garan stopped what he was doing and looked at Josh. He placed a finger over his lips and shook his head once from side to side. Josh stilled, as did Jessie and the trio watched as Ganda continued to hum.

Placing her other hand flat against the wall, Ganda began to emanate a glow that began at the top of her head and swirled around her body until it reached her toes. Then the glow swelled and brightened until the others had to shield their eyes from the intensity. Ganda hummed louder and began to chant in a language no one could understand. She began to levitate, rising off the floor a few inches as she hovered in the air. Suddenly, a wind kicked up and Ganda’s hair whipped around her and then just as suddenly, the wind was gone and Ganda stood firmly on the ground.

“Wow,” Jessie muttered.

“Yeah, wow!” Josh agreed.

Garan smiled at both of them. “This would be the first time you actually saw any of Ganda’s power, isn’t it?” Josh and Jessie both nodded mutely. Garan chuckled. “You should see her when she’s angry. Fire falls from the sky.”

BUY LINKS:
https://www.nobleromance.com/BrowseListing.aspx?author=8

BLURB:

Half witch and half wolf, Ganda is like no other being on earth, but more than 3,000 years ago the love of her life, Colin, was killed and since then she's remained an old black woman in the swamps of Louisiana. That was until Joshua and Jessie Kaine showed up and brought her back to life. Now on a mission to put her past to rest, Ganda visits the land of her birth and the land of Colin's death--Egypt. What she finds there isn't the answer she's looking for, but a mystery that will change her entire future.


EXCERPT:

At precisely seven that evening, Willard knocked on the door. He’d dressed himself in a black suit and tie and combed his wispy strands of black hair over his balding head. His round belly notwithstanding, Willard thought he looked very dapper indeed. Ganda nearly laughed out loud when she saw him. She wasn’t sure what century he’d lived in prior to being made a wolf, but he certainly hadn’t learned a thing about fashion in all the years since.

“Good evening,” Ganda said with a smile as she opened the door for him.

Willard nearly swallowed his tongue when he saw her. She wasn’t just beautiful, she was exquisite and he knew why Amcor had pursued her for so many long years. He knew why any man would risk all that he owned to have her, would give her anything her heart desired if she would cast her attentions his way but for a moment. He took a deep breath and swallowed hard. “Good evening,” he said with some effort.

“You’re very prompt, Willard. Shall we go?” He simply nodded as she picked up her small bag and went to the door.

The restaurant was plushly decorated and dimly lit for romantic effect. They were led to a small table in a dark corner of the room and the maitre` de held the chair while Ganda sat. He lingered just a little longer than necessary while his eyes roamed over her body, and he didn’t even try to disguise the lust that darkened his eyes. Ganda smiled, amused with the man’s reaction and with the thoughts she read from him. She gave him a sly smile. Willard didn’t miss the look on the man’s face either and cleared his throat rather loudly until he had the man’s attention.

“Perhaps we could have a bottle of wine?” Willard gave the man a hard look and the man quickly looked away from Ganda and hurried to bring the wine.

Ganda chuckled softly and said, “I have forgotten how easily the male of the species is swayed by a feminine smile.”

“Any man would be swayed by you, Ganda. You’re a very beautiful woman.”

“Is that why you brought me here, Willard? To wine and dine and seduce me?” Ganda shot him a wicked grin and sat back in her chair as the wine steward opened the bottle Willard ordered and poured a swallow into his wine glass. He swirled the pale liquid, inhaled the aroma, and lifted the glass to his lips. He nodded slightly and the waiter filled Ganda’s glass first, then Willard’s. He set the bottle back into the bucket near the table and bowed curtly before leaving them alone once again.

“No,” Willard continued the conversation, “but if I thought a little wine and dinner would seduce you, believe me, I would give it a try.” He hoped to sound light and not reveal the tightness he was feeling in his loins.

A wolf’s senses are keen, his urges intense; his sense of smell, sense of taste, sense of hearing more keen than any animal. His eyesight so much better than ever as a mere mortal, and his sexual drive was sometimes so powerful as to be overwhelming. Tonight, even as a man, Willard’s wolf senses were raging as he looked at Ganda. She was a feast for the eyes, the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. In fact, she was a feast for all of his senses, as her scent wafted on the air, her voice like music to his ears, and both man and beast desired her with an intensity he’d never before known. His mouth had gone dry and the wine did little to help. He inhaled slowly and deeply, using all of his willpower to control his urges. It helped only minimally.

The waiter took their order, steaks ordered rare for both of them. Ganda regarded Willard carefully, sipped her wine slowly, kept the conversation light, and skirted around the real reason for this dinner. Her expression never changed as she sensed Garan’s arrival. Waiting for a lull in the conversation, she politely excused herself from the table to go to the ladies room.

Willard stood as she rose and she could feel his eyes on her rear as she walked away, so she slowed her pace slightly and swayed her hips a little more than necessary just for effect. Pausing at the hallway, she glanced over her shoulder and shot him a cool smile; he quickly looked away knowing he’d been drooling as he watched her walk away.

BUY LINKS: https://www.nobleromance.com/BrowseListing.aspx?author=8