Chatting with Toni LoTempio about Raven's Quest, Virtual Book Tour (#Giveaway)

Welcome to Immortality and Beyond Toni. May I offer you a drink?

·      

I’ll have a Vampires Wine – Love to know how to make that LOL

I realize wine was spelled wrong on the menu, my apologies. Here's your drink...

Now that we're all settled in, I would like to let readers know that Toni will be giving away 2 e-copies for your choice of any of her books - Raven's Kiss, Raven's Quest, or No Rest for the Wicca. I've read Raven's Kiss and No Rest for the Wicca, and you guys are going to love Toni and her books. Thank you Toni.  

BK:  When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

TLT:  When I was about ten years old, I wrote a book of fairy tales. I called it “12 Tall Tales” and I even had a classmate who could draw illustrate it.

BK:  Please tell us a little bit about your current release...

TLT:  “Raven’s Quest” is the follow up to”Raven’s Kiss” another adventure for Raven Grace and her psychic lover, Finn McPhee. It involves trailing a demon who’s committed a murder through parallel time.

BK:  What inspired this particular novel/book?

TLT:  People were clamoring for a sequel to “Raven’s Kiss”, so I wrote up this novella.  Now they say it’s too short LOL.  I’m hoping once I finish with several other commitments to write a third, and longer, adventure.

BK:  How do you keep your writing different from all the others that write in this particular genre?

TLT:  I’m a big lover of mysteries, and I always like to put a”twist” in the story that no one (at least I hope no one) sees coming.

BK:  What was the hardest thing about writing this story?

TLT:  Keeping plot points straight – I have notebooks on everything that I constantly refer to, because I work full time at a job so sometimes in between writing sessions the old memory cells need recharging. J

BK:  Which character was your favorite to write for in this story? Why?

TLT:  Raven’s always my favorite, because I love to add different layers of her character each time.

BK:  Tell us about the one scene you had the most fun writing…

TLT: That would be Raven and Finn’s romantic pool interlude. J

BK:  What inspired it to become a series?

TLT:  It is a series, by popular demand. 

BK:  Now for a little fun, and into your everyday life, What is a day in your life like?

TLT: Well, I have a full time job, so I work from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. then I run errands, come home, feed my kitties, and then ROCCO and I usually closet ourselves in the den for an hour, either to write my latest novel or work on ROCCO’s blog.  Eat dinner, watch a little Tv, and tumble into bed by 9 p.m.  So I’m afraid I’m not very exciting LOL

BK:  What do you like to do when you're not writing?

TLT: I enjoy going to plays (I’ve seen Phantom every year since it came out) and reading. I used to bowl, but back problems forced my early retirement from that sport.

BK:  What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to learn about you?

TLT:  That I’m deathy afraid of bees.

BK:  What do you like to read? Who is your favorite author?

TLT:  I usually gravitate toward mysteries, both cozy and pararnormal. I have quite a few favorite authors: I love Casey Daniels, Jeff Cohen, and right now I’m reading Midnight Louie series by Carole Nelson Douglas. A big black cat that talks like Bogart? What’s not to love?

BK:  What is one piece of advice you can give to aspiring writers/authors?

TLT:  Never, ever give up, even when the rejection seems unsurmountable. Something will happen, exactly andprecisely when it’s supposed to.

BK:  What are you currently working on?

TLT:  I’ve just finished a mystery my agent is shopping, and I’m working on getting a paranormal romance/mystery series, entirely new, ready for self-publication next Spring.

BK:  Where can readers connect with you?

TLT:  The best place is on ROCCO’s blog!  www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com 

About Toni: In addition to being a vampire addict, Toni is also a freelance writer, a columnist for Night Owl Reviews, and the author of several paranormal romances, the latest of which, RAVEN’S QUEST, RAVEN’S KISS AND NO REST FOR THE WICCA, can be found on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords.com.  She lives with her muses, ROCCO, MAXX, LJ and TRIXIE in New Jersey where she is at work on two more projects.  Sometimes ROCCO (also a Night Owl reviewer) will let her on his blog, www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com and assist him in the charity work he does as the official spokescat for KIDS NEED TO READ, a charity co-founded by Nathan Fillion of CASTLE fame.

About The Book:   Raven Grace and her psychic lover, Finn McPhee, are back, traveling through parallel time in search of a demonic killer!

  

Excerpt:

The woman staggered into the center of the floor, weaving like a drunk.  She looked to be in her early thirties, her full red lips matching the nearly non-existent dress she wore of the same color.  “Death to all” she rasped, staggering forward.   Her hand shot upward, and the large butcher knife there gleamed with fresh, red blood.

Raven pushed forward, her eyes darting around the large room, desperately seeking Finn.  She caught sight of him. He’d been pushed back against a marble pillar, and was slowly inching forward.

His voice, inside her head:  Got your weapon?

She nodded grimly, even as her fingers reached inside the useless purse slung carelessly across one slim, bare shoulder.  She pulled out her weapon, cocked the safety, and plowed forward.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Hedy do the same.

And then the air was rent with another, commanding voice, a feminine one.

“Drop it. Drop the knife now.”

The knife wavered wildly in the air as the woman took a step backward, her eyes glazed over and glassy. The speaker moved into the center of the room, and both Raven and Hedy stopped in their tracks, taking in the tableaux before them.  The woman who stood calmly training her stunner on the knife-wielder, was thirty if she was a day and looked to be in perfect shape, if the curves beneath the form-fitting white Dior number she wore gave any indication.  Her black silk fall of hair, parted in the middle, framed a face Raven knew George would describe as “million-dollar”, but there was a steely set to her jaw, a coldness in the thin set of her lips, that kept her from being beautiful. Still in all –  she was a package no man would kick out of bed, of that Raven was certain.

The newcomer moved with the speed of a striking cobra, gripping the knife hand and twisting it backward. “I said drop it.”

Fingers went limp, and there was a sharp clink! as knife met floor.   The woman whipped one hand out, and the next second shiny handcuffs had been slapped on the offender.

“I need help here,” the brunette snapped.  “She needs a doctor, she’s obviously drugged.  Someone get a medic – what are you all waiting for?”

On the podium, Sully cleared his throat.  “You’d all best listen to her, and get used to it.  I realize this isn’t exactly the best introduction, but…” His arm swept out, indicating the woman. “My successor…Captain Darla Barnes.”

 Giveaway

Thank you so much for stopping in Toni and chatting. Don't forget that you get a chance to win your choice of E-copy of one of her books, so be sure to leave a comment with your email address.

Follow The Tour

October 24 - Introduction at VBT Cafe' Blog
October 25 - Interviewed at Mass Musings
October 29 - Guest Blogging at AZ Publishing Services
October 31 - Guest Blogging at Wise Words
November 2 - Interviewed at Immortality & Beyond
November 6 - Interviewed at From The Mind of Omegia
November 8 - Book Feature & Excerpt at All Things Books

November 8 - Book Feature & Excerpt at My Escape
November 10 - Review & Giveaway at Faerotic Prose

November 12 - Book Feature & Excerpt at For The Love Of The Reading
November 13 - Book Feature & Excerpt at Two Fantasy Floozies

November 15 - Guest Blogging at Lori's Reading Corner
November 19 - Guest Blogging at Waiting On Sunday To Drown
November 21 - Interviewed at Angels & Warriors Radio
November 23 - Review & Guest Blogging at A Book Lover's Library