Thursday, February 25, 2010

Destiny Blaine Interview & Book Tour

Strictly Reviews would like to welcome Destiny Blaine!




Welcome everyone and I hope you all enjoy reading our interview with Destiny.


SR: What was it about the appeal of writing that got you interested in becoming an author?

DB: There’s a certain amount of appeal in doing something I feel I’m supposed to be doing and it’s great to have a career where I can work from pretty much anywhere.



SR: Of all of your wonderful novels... Which has been the easiest to write?

DB: Lying Eyes


SR: Which has given you the most trouble to write?

DB: Winning Virgin Devotion: Hands-down this has been the most difficult to write. My readers will understand why once they read this fifth installment.

SR: What’s one day in the life of Destiny Blaine like?

DB: We keep a fast pace around here. My husband and children get up early so I’ve learned to adjust my schedule to theirs. We’re up at five-thirty most of the time and by seven o’clock, I’m at my computer ready to start the day.

SR: Did you have a hard time when you first started sending out your manuscripts for publication?

DB: No, but the rules didn’t apply to me then, thank goodness. My career began with ghost writing so I didn’t have to wait by the in-box or phone for an acceptance or rejection—someone else did that prior to hiring me. However, those rejection letters eventually found their place in my in-box just like they find their place in every writer’s mailbox. I just didn’t experience them in the beginning, which was nice.

SR: You have another wonderful addition to the Sport Wives saga… Can you tell us more about Damaged Goods?

DB: Damaged Goods releases Thursday, February 25, 2010. A short novella of about 24,000 words, Damaged Goods is Suzy Illiani’s story. She has some serious flaws. What I love about this story is that while Suzy wants to change for Marco Giovanni, she doesn’t make life-changing decisions based on her desire to please him. It’s more or less just something that happens because Marco points out the errors of her ways and she’s the kind of heroine who doesn’t mind to face the truth and plan for change. Best of all, after Suzy takes charge of her life, she really likes the end results.

SR: Now that Damaged Goods is about to be released, are you working on any other projects?

DB: Yes, I’m always working on other projects. I have a western series that keeps me pretty busy. As for Destiny Blaine projects, the Winning Virgin series has my full attention right now. Love’s Unselfish Gift will follow Damaged Goods soon so I’m working on the sixth installment for Sports Wives as well.

SR: Do you have a favorite couple, character from your books?

DB: I love Constance with Gabriel in the Winning Virgin books.

SR: What has changed for you the most since becoming a writer?

DB: Everything has changed. This industry can and will change a person. I’m not the same person I was five, or even two years ago. Whether it’s changed me for the better, who knows. Whenever a person is under constant scrutiny for the work performed, it changes their outlook; their perception of the world around them. I’m stronger than before and my family and friends believe I’m tough as nails so maybe this business made me into someone I should’ve been long before now. Bad reviews and ratings have only made for a more determined writer regardless of the whether or not the review was written by someone with venom in their veins or by someone ready to offer constructive criticism. The good or even excellent reviews are still cherished and used for motivation.

When I first started my career, I didn’t take into consideration that writers are in the entertainment business. Like it or not, anyone writing for profit should realize their lives can become an open book—and the pages within often contain more fiction than truths. I don’t let things upset me anymore and live by the words of Dr. Seuss: “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter, don’t mind.”



SR: What are some of your favorite place you’ve traveled to?

DB: Rarotonga in the Cook Islands and Tahiti.

SR: Do you enjoy watching horror movies?

DB: I used to hate them but I write horror under another name now so I watch some but wouldn’t say I truly enjoy horror movies. When I view any horror movie, it’s for research more than anything else.

SR: What’s the last movie you saw?

DB: Dear John

SR: Do you still get a thrill when you see your book being published on bookstore shelves?

DB: I don’t think so. That part is gone for me right now and the reason is based on the fact that I’m writing under so many names. I’ve even missed a few of my own release date notifications so I don’t always know when my books are out. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy my job because I love what I do, but I’m not biting nails until an e-book is released or another print book hits the shelves. The last time I felt that energy was when I received a GOOGLE alert that one of my real estate titles added to a public library and several more soon followed. Because of the new experience, I enjoyed those moments, but went right back to writing.



Quickies:

SR: Erotic or Paranormal Romances?

DB: Both
SR: (side not.. can anyone say duh from the obvious reason she writes in both these genres. lol)
SR: Werewolf/Shape shifter or Vampires?

DB: Vampires

SR: Day or Night?

DB: Day

SR: Indoors or Outdoors

DB: Outdoors

SR: Strawberry or Grapes?

DB: Strawberry



DB: Thank you for the interview today. I hope to visit your blog again soon.



Now here's the blurb for the latest Destiny Blaine novel, Damaged Goods:






A no-strings relationship works well until Suzy meets the man who can keep her bound to his bed with minimal effort. Marco Giovanni is young blood, a rookie quarterback with a bright career. Suzy Illiani has a reputation but Marco doesn’t care about her past. He’s only interested in how she fits into his future.

When Suzy discovers Marco is headed to the Dallas Rascals, she makes a strategic move. Calling in favors, she aligns herself with a man destined for football greatness.

Even though Marco’s peers view Suzy as damaged goods, Marco falls in love with a woman he plans to change, but taming a vixen isn’t as easy as it looks. Soon, Marco realizes the only way to win Suzy’s love is to train her for submission. But the real challenge he finds is in the lack of control he feels whenever he’s holding her in his arms.

Interview and Blurb Copyright ©2010 Destiny Blaine

 
 
Don't forget to stop by and leave your comments and questions for Destiny Blaine below for your chance to win some of her ebooks.
 
You can also purchase the latest novel, Damaged Goods (Sport Wives #4) here at Siren Bookstrand.
 
For more on Destiny Blaine check out her website at http://www.destinyblaine.com/

26 comments:

s7anna said...

Hey Destiny,
I'm blown away by the sheer amount of hats you wear...That's a seriously busy life you lead but I give you major kudos b/c all your hard work certainly reflects in your work. I discovered your books a couple of years ago and never looked back...they are exquisitely written and I'm always eager to find out what you'll work on next.

Congratulations on your upcoming releases.

Anna Shah Hoque
s7anna@yahoo.ca

Destiny Blaine said...

Good Morning, Strictly Reviews! I'm a little late signing on but I'll be back in a bit with a few random giveaways so leave a comment.

Love and hugs,
Destiny

Destiny Blaine said...

Hi Anna!

Thank you so much for such a generous comment. You're appreciated more than you know and I always look forward to hearing from you. Since you left the first comment, I have a free e-book surprise headed your way. You just won a free copy of DAMAGED GOODS! I'm excited to send it to you and hope you'll let me know what you think.

All e-books will be sent out later today.

Hugs,
Destiny

Anonymous said...

Good morning Ladies! Thanks for stopping by, Anna! And thanks again for letting us interview you, Destiny!

s7anna said...

Omigosh...I just saw this comment right now...Destiny YOU ROCK!!! Thank you so much for such an awesomely generous giveaway.

hugs & kisses
Anna

Faith Bicknell said...

Congrats on the new release!

And 5:30 AM for me in this house depends on if it has been an insomnia night or not, lol. My schedule is whacky, but it works. Luckily two of my kids are pretty much grown, the next-to-the-youngest can care for herself, and the li'l guy can do a lot for himself too, so Mom doesn't have to stand over them 24/7 and that helps with my writing/editing schedule.

But it can be hectic, as I'm sure you're well versed in, LOL!

Keta Diablo said...

Hi Destiny,

wonderful Interview. Good to hear you have a hectic home life too. (lol)

Damaged Goods sounds awesome and comes out today? Much good luck to you with the book and all future writing endeavors,

Hugs, Keta,
http://www.ketadiablo.com

Tracey H. Kitts said...

Hi, Destiny:) I've finally found someone who sounds busier than I am. LOL You have no idea how happy that makes me. It's encouraging:) Being a writer is difficult because you do end up wearing so many hats. Congrats on the new release! Keep them coming!

Tracey
Grab life by the fangs
www.traceyhkitts.com

Tabitha Shay said...

Hi Destiny,
Great interview...your books sound awesome...Oh, boy, my TBB list just keeps growing and growing...Hugs...Tabs

Jazzy's Reviews said...

Hi Destiny,

Awesome interview. I just want to know one thing. Where can I get the guy on the cover? He is HAWT!!!!

Cassie Exline said...

You're one busy lady. Great books! Damaged Goods sounds awesome. So far, Lying Eyes is my favorite.

Anonymous said...

WOW! Its great to have you all stop by and show somw support and love for Destiny!

Thank you all for stopping by!

V

Rosie said...

Wow, you are way busier than I could ever be!! Your books sound awesome and are now on my TBB pile (the list just keeps growing and growing, haha). Thanks for stopping by.

Destiny Blaine said...

Hey there!

I have a book to give away! The first person to post after this comment with their email address included will receive a free e-book of Sexy is Never Ignored, Book Three in Sports Wives. I'll be back to return comments in just a bit.

Hugs,
Destiny

Savanna Kougar said...

Hey, Destiny, you make me feel worn out just thinking about how busy you are and how many fab books you've written!!!
Incomparable should be your middle name!
Blessings to you for being the great person you are.
I'll let the next commenter win your book.

booklover0226 said...

I enjoyed the interview and can't wait to start the series. I have a lot of catching up to do!

Thanks,
Tracey D

Destiny Blaine said...

Now that Damaged Goods is out, I wanted to leave a quick teaser for Love's Unselfish Gift which is coming later this year to the Sports Wives series.


Love's Unselfish Gift:

Suzy Illiani had a wonderful life and a perfect love. Then, she was stripped of everything, or was it all a façade?

Destiny Blaine said...

Snippet from Damaged Goods:

Prologue

I’m damn good at some things. I believe everyone has a purpose in life, and mine is generally found on my back. Thing is, I’m tired of trying to figure out how I landed there, who stripped me last, and where I spent the night.

I’ve always lived in the moment, and I’ll be damned if I haven’t had some delicious moments. Lately, I just don’t remember all of them, and for some reason my lack of a good memory is starting to take its toll.

Divorced three years and still trying to forget Mark-whatshisname of the Professional Football Confederacy, I fed the tabloids with enough insight into my marriage and quickly became an overnight diva. Members of the press soon discovered, along with everyone else, my husband left me for my best friend, Cassie Teller, who in turn quickly added him to her hunk collection over at the Teller compound.

After the news broke, and with a little help from yours truly, I became an interesting topic for talk show hosts and gossip columnists. Every wife affiliated with the PFC had my name on their lips at least once. I guess some of them worried I’d move on to one of their husbands.

Cassie, of course, walked away from the whole ordeal without a scratch. Yes, she’s one of a kind, a woman who not only has her cake and eats it, too, but also sticks her fingers in another woman’s icing. Not that Mark was all sugar and whipped cream, but he served a purpose.

Thanks to alimony and a good attorney, he still pays for the short time we spent together. His generosity allows for the luxury of scouting for another husband. Best of all, since I have a lavish lifestyle to uphold, I travel on his plastic and in the same PFC circles I refuse to leave.

My name is Suzy Illiani. Sports reporters have labeled me a scorned wife, dumped lover, and my personal favoritefootball groupie.

What can I say? I get around, and when I do, I make sure everyone knows where I’ve been.


http://www.bookstrand.com/node/806205

Destiny Blaine said...

(((Waving wildly to my friends who have posted above))) Be back soon to tell you more about some of the fabulous authors posting above! I'll see if I can't find another excerpt too. ;)

Hugs,
Destiny

Rita Vetere said...

Hey Destiny,

Just popping in to say congrats on your new release. Didn't know you wrote in the horror genre as well, what a pleasant surprise! Enjoyed the interview.

Rita Vetere

Destiny Blaine said...

Rita- Thank you for being here. Bloggers, go check out Rita's website because it rocks: http://www.ritavetere.com/ You'll be glad you did. :))

ANNA—I’M GLAD YOU POSTED TODAY. ENJOY READING DAMAGED GOODS AND KEEP IN TOUCH, LADY. I ALWAYS LOOK FOR YOU WHEN I’M BLOGGING.

Veronica—Thanks so much for the interview questions and for sharing your blog with us today. It’s good to be here!


FAITH—YOU, MY DEAR, RUN CIRCLES AROUND ME. BY THE WAY BLOGGERS, FAITH HAS A PHENOMENAL GROUP FOR WRITERS CALLED “AVOID WRITERS HELL” AND IT’S HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR ALL WRITERS: HTTP://GROUPS.YAHOO.COM/GROUP/AVOID_WRITERS_HELL/AND TO CHECK OUT FAITH’S CURRENT AND UPCOMING WORKS, GO TO: HTTP://FAITHBICKNELLBROWN.COM/. Thanks for dropping in, Faith!

Hi Keta! Watch it, now, lol! I don’t know what to think about that ‘hectic home’ comment. ;)) Sounds like you’re read for someone to loan you a few teenagers. Lol. By the way, congratulations on your upcoming books. After looking at your website, I see who stays busy!!!

TRACEY-I LOVE YOUR SLOGAN, ALWAYS HAVE. IT MAKES ME SMILE EVERY TIME I 'SEE' YOU ONLINE, AND OF COURSE BRINGS TO MIND A FEW HOT VAMPIRE STORIES TO BOOT—LIKE WICKED CITY, DIARY OF AN INCUBUS, & THE LIST GOES ON!!! :)

LOL Tabitha! Your list sounds like mine. Thanks for the compliment too. ;) Witch’s Fire has everyone talking, lady! I’m very excited for you! :)

RAYNA—JINGER HEASTON GAVE HIM TO ME! HANDS OFF, RAYNA! LOL. AND FYI, IF I KNEW WHERE TO FIND HIM, I WOULDN’T BE BLOGGING RIGHT NOW. SPEAKING OF BLOGS, YOU HAVE SOME PRETTY HOT COVERS POSTED OVER AT YOURS! ;)

Cassie—I loved writing Lying Eyes. Maybe I’ll dig up an excerpt before the night is over. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

HEY ROSIE, I NEED TO FOLLOW YOU AROUND. YOU HAVE A LIST OF TERRIFIC BLOGS ON YOUR PROFILE. ;) GLAD TO KNOW YOU ADDED DAMAGED GOODS TO YOUR LIST BUT GUESS WHAT? YOU ARE ONE OF THE RANDOM WINNERS TONIGHT!!!! SEND AN EMAIL TO DESTINYBLAINE@YAHOO.COM AND I’LL SEND YOU A FREE E-COPY OF DAMAGED GOODS!

And Veronica Again—Wow is Right! You have a super blog, woman! Thank you again for allowing me to come in and dance around on your virtual ceiling. :)

LOL TRACEY, I CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR BACK FROM YOU. LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THE BOOKS. GLAD YOU MADE IT HERE TODAY. ;)

Hey Savanna, I’d love to send you a copy of any of the Sports Wives since you were the ‘next commenter’ so let me know which one you don’t have. ;) Everyone, Savanna is a fellow Siren author! Check out STALLION OF ASH AND FLAME, HER INSATIABLE DARK HEROES, and ALL SHADES OF BLUE PARADISE which was a Romantic Times: American Title IV Finalist!!! Thanks for stopping by, Savanna.


Be back later!

Hugs,
Destiny

Anonymous said...

Hey Destiny! Hope you have been having a great day! Btw..I just love your mini teaser of Love's Unselfish Gift

I look forward to reading any and all excerpts you'll be posting here. :D

Anonymous said...

Wow! I just noticed I got more comments posted here on your interview than I do for the two giveaways I am hosting.. Way to go, Destiny!!

Mariposa Cruz said...

Destiny,

I loved your outlook on the writing life.
Congrats on the new release and a great interview!

Destiny Blaine said...

A snippet from Lying Eyes


“You gonna call me, baby?” Max tossed in his chips with a raise around the same time he let go of the question. The man with the notorious reputation emerged and he didn’t waste time doing it.

As luck would have it, Audra became the center of attention. She swallowed hard. She hated to be taunted at the tables but knew how to deal with Reynolds. Even though the man she first met in Tunica didn’t remotely resemble the tough-talking poker player staring back at her now, she’d watched him play. She was ready for him because deep down she knew she needed to prepare for moments like these and men like Max.

“If I decide to call you, you’ll know it,” she fired back while trying to maintain some level of composure. Just hearing him say the word ‘baby’ shook her a bit but it didn’t rattle her enough to avoid a feisty comeback. Maybe it was because she anticipated words exchanged or maybe it was possible to sit there and imagine him in his underwear, an old trick she used back in high school whenever she stood in front of crowds. No, she didn’t think stripping him down to boxers worked, absolutely not. If she let her mind move too fast then she’d picture him at bare bones and her hours there would be limited. She tried to focus and just breathe. Most of the time the concept worked, she had nearly twenty-four years to serve as proof.

A player’s player, Max wasn’t just a dominant force at the poker table, he gained the respect of a true card playing powerhouse. From what Audra had heard, his skills reached far beyond the casino floor too, and one thing seemed certain, he earned quite the reputation with the opposite sex. In fact, his notoriety for being a ladies man proved legendary. A point she found hard to ignore after she began following his career.

Crossing his arms, he leaned back in his chair. “I’m right here waiting for you when you do,” he continued to tease her. Midnight blue eyes pierced through her with fierce intensity. Some would say they were as cold as the icy waters he often represented, but Audra saw something else beneath them, too. Thank goodness for Ray-Bans. She made a mental note to remember them on a daily basis now, right along with her iPod. If she covered her eyes and ears, then ignoring Reynolds wouldn’t present much of a problem.

“Waiting on a woman,” her voice hitched and the words spilled out like a song, “I imagine it’s something you’ll never tire of, kind sir.” She tilted her sunglasses down on the bridge of her tiny nose and tried to find a seductive smile—one just for him. She hoped it worked.

The men around the table appreciated the war of words. Snickers were followed by a couple of sound effects, not to mention outright laughter. The man seated on her immediate left slowly rippled his chips. Already, he irked her. It was a decision she reached in record time right after she sat down. His careful gaze, creepy really, made her very uncomfortable. Soon after she’d joined the table, the young man tried to profile her as she removed her chips from the rack.

Most of the time, profiling wouldn’t bother her. Players always tried to sum up the competition, but today wasn’t a day like any other, which is why she tilted the rack over. She even took her time to fumble around before gathering the fallen chips. Max chuckled on cue when it happened. He realized it was deliberate. The profiler didn’t have the brains to understand. He took her for a novice; a dumb brunette who had the audacity to show up at his table with boobs.



http://www.bookstrand.com/destiny-blaine

Destiny Blaine said...

Mariposa-I’m glad you dropped by and happier still that you enjoyed the interview. As the owner of the last comment posted you’re invited to choose any one of the four Sports Wives titles listed here: http://www.bookstrand.com/destiny-blaine. Simply drop an email to destinyblaine@yahoo.com with WINNER in the subject line and I'll send your free ebook right away. Also, congratulations on such a great blog--http://mariposacruz.blogspot.com/

Veronica—Thank you for such an incredible day here at your blog. I hope to visit again soon and will talk to you via email a lot before then. ;)

For those of you who like to blog, please keep an eye out here: http://www.destinyblaine.blogspot.com/ because I’ll visit other great blogs in the coming weeks and hope to see you live 'on the wire' again soon.

Until then, keep reading your books ultra-hot!

Destiny Blaine
www.destinyblaine.com