PHANTASM FRIDAY

Please welcome Raine Delight, creating some magic in the moonlight today. Raine is the author of numerous books. I was excited to learn that Raine's muse was male like mine!! To learn more about Raine, visit her website.

Gracen: For many of us, September brings the start of NFL and College Football. In the confines of these games, many writers find inspiration for stories and heroes. In honor of these forces of nature, we want to know: Do you watch NFL or American College Football or both? Neither? Or, are you the type of person who thinks of a round, black and white ball when you hear the word, "football"?

Raine: Oh egad, no. I am not a sport nut whatsoever. For me, Fall means apple picking, hiking in the hills with Fall foliage and cooler temps not tailgating and screaming hoards of fans. LOL


Gracen: What is/are your favorite NFL (or college) Football team(s)? If you don't watch the game or have any favorite teams, do you know someone who does? Who is this person to you and what is (are) his/her favorite team(s)?

Raine: Again, I don’t watch it but my mom and siblings love the local NFL team, Buffalo Bills (though they are not great the last several years). My mom asks for Bills items at Christmas and watches the games when she can on Sunday when they play.


Gracen: As with any sport, many of us American Football fans have favorite players. Do you have a favorite NFL (college) player? Who is it and why do you like him? If not, does anyone you know have a favorite NFL (college) player? Who is this person to you, who does he/she like and why?

Raine: Nope no one I know watches or enjoys College Football.


Gracen: While not every area has an NFL team to call their own, most areas have a college team, and in some cases more than one and books like Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger have brought to the forefront the popularity of college football and how it can make or break careers and people's lives while the movie We Are Marshall told the true story of how college football can impact an entire town. How strong is college football (NCAA or lower divisions) in your area? If American Football isn't present, what is the big college sport in your town and what college(s) is (are) the best in that sport?

Raine: No idea. I don’t follow that sort of thing here.


Gracen: If not into American Football, what sport is your favorite? What's your favorite team and why? Who is your favorite player?

Raine: Again I don’t get into sports at all. To me it is not a fun activity but to many others it is the best thing since sliced bread. *Shrugs*


Gracen: Some fans cookout, gather with family and friends or go to a sports bar to enjoy good food and beer while watching the game. What kind of festivities do you (or have you) participate(d) in for a game of your favorite sport?

Raine: I don’t do tailgating or parties for this.

Gracen: Watching a game on TV certainly isn't as exciting as actually being part of the crowd. In many areas (Wisconsin and Alabama being big ones since this occurs everywhere for every sport as long as weather permits), people arrive at the stadiums early to cookout, drink beer and socialize with other "tailgaters". Some even get into the act by playing a rag-tag game of impromptu football with people they don't know. What kinds of pre-game activities and food can be found in the parking lot before, "the big game"?

Raine: I think I went to one Super Bowl party long ago and they had pizza, wings, and snack food as pre-game stuff then at half time brought out chili, sandwiches, etc. It was fun but again, I just watched for commercials. :-)

Gracen: As with any sport and any fan with favorites come the not-so-favorite and sometimes downright hated teams and or players due to rivalries, ethical or not-so-ethical reasons. Are there any teams and or players that just get (or got) on your nerves more than any other? Who is the team/player and why?

Raine: No idea on that.


Gracen: We've had our fun, now, let’s switch gears and focus on your writing.

Raine: Oh thank god…all that sport talk had me in a panic. LOL


Gracen: LOL Sorry about that, Raine. Since we enjoy reading as much as we enjoy writing, tell us, what books/authors are you reading right now? Why these books, why these authors?

Raine: Currently I am reading Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins whichis phenomenal. Then my stack includes: Sparks (Laura Bickle), Devil’s Playground (Jenna Black), Night Myst (Yasmine Galenorn), No Mercy (Sherrilyn Kenyon) and many more.

I love these authors’s writing style and frankly, I am in my paranormal/urban fantasy kick right now. There are just so many talented authors out there with some great books that I miss all the time. :-(


Gracen: There are many reasons that bring us to the genres we write in and many more that keep us from writing in the genres we love. Is there an element or genre that you love and enjoy reading but will never use yourself? Why?

Raine: I cannot write a good suspense (Romance or otherwise). I like reading it but for the life of me, I cannot get the right components in this genre in a story.


Gracen: Heroes and heroines can be anything we choose to make them, whether the girl next door or the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks. With your latest novel/story that we're promoting here today, Devon Falls 5: Moonlight & Magic, how would you classify the hero and heroine? Why did you choose (do you think your muse chose) to write them that way? (Without giving too much of the plot away, please share with us a bit of dialogue between the hero and heroine to demonstrate what makes you classify the hero and heroine the way you have, thanks!)

Raine: Oh man, Dixie was a secondary character in earlier Devon Falls books and the muse loved her wit, spunk and humor. She was cynical in romance but wanted what her cousins’ found-love. Michael was a quiet man who was hurt by a past betrayal. When these two characters met, my muse went “WOOT-a winner”. They clicked and in Moonlight & Magic we see how two cynical people find a way to each other. Now the question is can Michael convince Dixie to take a chance on him for longer than one night?

My muse is very particular. He keeps my characters on their toes and gets testy when I decide to change things. Case in point, early drafts of Moonlight & Magic had Michael almost wimpy and man, was he not happy. Between my muse and Michael ganging upon me to let them tell the story, it was enough to drive a woman nuts. *Laughs*

Ok *thinks* Let me see what I can find to show you the dynamics of Michael and Dixie (please remember this is rough draft as my edits are unfinished as of right now-it may change for release).

Scene set up: Dixie is coming home after a long day at work.

Opening her door as she grabbed her mail from the floor, “Honey I am home” she shouted. “Damn no man in site.” Putting water on for tea, Dixie took off her shoes with a sigh of relief and sat down on the couch. Looking at the mail, she tossed aside the junk and bills and rested her head on the back of the couch. “I need to kill Alicia tomorrow for leaving me like that. I swear whenever she or Jax is not around, all things go to hell. Right, Mr. Fish?” She tapped the fish bowl by the side of the couch. “Great I am talking to fish now. I must be mental now.” Disgusted with herself, Dixie got up and poured herself a bowl of cereal for dinner. “I need a date or something. This dry spell of mine is making me go psychotic or something. First I get every electric device at work out to get me, and I am left with a hoard of customers all wanting coffee. Is there a shortage or something in this town?”

Scene set up: Michael just came to town and spies Dixie at a local bar. Roped into walking her home, he finds himself drawn to the spunky Dixie and finds himself falling for her.

Michael leaned forward and when he finally touched those kissable lips, he felt the spark that hit me the first time he touched her turn into an inferno. Pulling her close, he felt her body mold itself around him, fitting against his and it was pure perfection. He couldn’t get enough of her. Kissing her was like the pure molten fire. She was a drug he craved and he was determined to have it. Feeling her kiss him back had him aching in more ways than one. Sliding his tongue along her lips had her gasping and taking advantage of that, slipped in and began to duel with hers. The deep kisses made him want more and before he took her against the trees, he gathered his last shred of control and with a last deep kiss, he took a deep breath as he leaned his head against hers, his breath choppy and his jeans a tad bit too tight at the moment.

“I am not going to say I am sorry, Dixie.” Michael said, as he tried to get his equilibrium back. Dixie had him so off-center that it was amazing he didn’t collapse from it. “I wanted to kiss you the moment I spied you dancing around the table. You looked so free and happy.”


Gracen: Since every good story needs a villain to make it interesting, tell us about Moonlight & Magic: Who is the villain (if a big part of the story is the mystery of the villain, we'll let you be vague,:-) !)? What does he/she look like and what is his/her personality?

Raine: I don’t have a villain per say. My characters are the main props and their personal issues are the villains.


Gracen: Besides a villain to create havoc, every good story needs conflict (some problem to be resolved) to make it interesting, tell us about Moonlight & Magic: What is the major conflict? How does it affect the characters' lives in the story?

Raine: The major thing between Dixie and Michael is that Dixie doesn’t believe in fairy tales, happily ever after or that she deserves love. Too many broken promises, heart been broken numerous times and cynical after all that, she is a woman who doesn’t believe in the Disney version of HEA.

Michael is a man haunted by his past. Tossed out of his pride by a coup by his uncle, forced to roam like a gypsy, he longs for a mate and a home. Something that he can call his own. Meeting Dixie was like a breath of fresh air for him. She got him to laugh, smile and believe. Michael got Dixie to believe in forever again.

Their past has them questioning their present and future and it was fun to show how they got past that even as they fell in love.


Gracen: What scene did you have the most fun creating and why? (Please, without revealing too much of your plot, share some of that scene with us!)

Raine: By far the dining room table scene was fun. *grins* I am not going into too much detail but I can safely say no china dish was hurt in the creating of this scene. *giggles*


Gracen: Some authors have trademark elements or personality traits that can be noticed in every book they write. Do you have any trademark elements or personality traits that tend to pop up in your books whether you want them to or not? (Example: Many of Amanda Quick's Regency era heroines are considered "originals" and are on the fringe of society even if socially accepted in certain "polite" circles.) What are some examples?

Raine: Not sure…have to think on this.


Gracen: What is your favorite kind of ending for a book (dramatic, action-packed, typically tied with a big red bow, suspenseful, cliffhangery, low-key, etc.)? Is this evident in the ending of Moonlight & Magic? Why or why not?

Raine: My stories have that happily ever after or even a Happy for now sort of ending. I love seeing the characters ride off into the sunset, arms around one another.


Gracen: What do you hope readers take with them after reading your story?

Raine says: I just hope they enjoyed the story and that they were able to get into the character’s lives a little bit.

Gracen: It was a pleasure having you join us today, Raine. Sorry for the SNAFU on Tuesday. I really appreciate you swapping to today instead!

BLURB:

Can a were-tiger convince one stubborn woman that she is his for all time and show her that falling in love is just as sinful as a chocolate kiss?

Dixie Sinclair has watched her cousins all fall in love and now she wants the same. Dared to go to the annual Masquerade ball, Dixie finds the one thing she desires: love…one problem…can she trust that it will last after that one night?

Michael Barnes is a rare white were-tiger who was thrown out of his pride long ago for a trumped up crime, Michael roams the world searching for the one place to call home. Finding that peace in Devon Falls, he finds the one woman who stirs him like no other. Can he convince Dixie that she can trust in him forever?


EXCERPT:

*NOTE-this is unedited. It may change after editing*

Michael had to swallow hard in order to not give into his baser instincts of tossing Dixie over his shoulders and going off into his den. The way she nestled into his body had him harder than a rock and ready to explode. With his hands on her waist he swayed to the music, letting the scent of peaches and flowers tease his senses and as the people around them faded, his entire being was centered on the one woman meant to be his. Growling low in his throat he couldn’t help the tightening of his hands as they drifted down to cup her ass even as he tried to keep a tight reign on his lust. Oh damn, I am in heaven and hell, was Michael’s thought when he lifted his head to stare down into the eyes that seemed to change color, of a woman who called to the tiger within him. The tiger that was itching to claim his mate. If he didn’t know better, it was as if his inner beast had decided that Dixie was to be his and was making its demands known in more ways than one.

“”Damn” Michael whispered as he felt her hips sway against him, teasing him while she smiled seductively. It was enough to drive him wild. Visions of having her on her knees while he took her from behind had him melting on the spot. It was wild the way he felt for this curvaceous woman. It was like another person was in his body; One that he didn’t recognize and was afraid to give into.

http://authorrainedelight.com/