Blog Tour: Interview with Laura Kaye {North of Need}, Excerpt & Giveaway!

AtM is pleased to have Laura Kaye stopping by today for part of her blog tour! She's here to give us a little more insight into her latest release, NORTH OF NEED, as well as giver readers a little teaser from it!

Welcome, Laura!

Please tell readers a little bit about yourself.

Glad to! And thanks for having me here! :) I am a multi-published author of paranormal, contemporary and erotic romance - yes, bit of a genre-hopper here! - with four books published in 2011. I've had the great fortune that two of my books have finaled in contests or won awards this year: my contemporary romance HEARTS IN DARKNESS has finaled in the EPIC eBook Awards for Best Novella of 2012, and my vampire romance FOREVER FREED won the NJRW Golden Leaf Award for Best Paranormal of 2011 and finaled for Best First Book of 2011. On the personal side, I am a wife, mom of two young girls, college professor, and vampire addict!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I first embraced the idea that I was truly a writer as I completed the first draft of my first manuscript. Not only was I filled with a drive to write--something I think writers share--but achieving the completion of a draft book made it feel like I could actually capitalize on that drive, and see it through to the end. That was about three years ago, and that first manuscript became my first published book, a vampire romance called FOREVER FREED.

Please tell us about your latest release, NORTH OF NEED.

Oh, I'd love to! Because I'm so in love with this book and this series! :) NORTH OF NEED is the first in a four-book contemporary fantasy romance series called the Hearts of the Anemoi. The Anemoi were wind gods the Greeks associated with the seasons, and each book in the series will feature one of the four Anemoi gods and be set in the season he controls. NORTH OF NEED tells the story of a snow god who falls in love with a grieving widow at Christmastime. Here's the blurb:

Her tears called a powerful snow god to life, but only her love can grant the humanity he craves...

Desperate to escape agonizing memories of Christmas past, twenty-nine-year-old widow Megan Snow builds a snow family outside the mountain cabin she once shared with her husband, realizing too late that she's recreated the very thing she'll never have.

Called to life by Megan's tears, snow god Owen Winters appears unconscious on her doorstep in the midst of a raging blizzard. As she nurses him to health, Owen finds unexpected solace in her company and unimagined pleasure in the warmth of her body, and vows to win her heart for a chance at humanity.

Megan is drawn to Owen's mismatched eyes, otherworldly masculinity, and enthusiasm for the littlest things. But this Christmas miracle comes with an expiration--before the snow melts and the temperature rises, Megan must let go of her widow's grief and learn to trust love again, or she'll lose Owen forever.

Was there a character you enjoyed writing the most?

I always enjoy writing heroes the most. For some reason, it's the guys who speak to me first, are most enjoyable to write, and with whom I most identify. Owen was a complete delight to write. He's incredibly sexy, very sweet, totally adorable and cute in his enthusiasm, and just has a yearning in his soul you just can't help but want to fix. So, yeah, I have a real soft spot for my snow god hero!

Without giving away spoilers, can you share your favorite scene from the book?

My favorite scene in the book is the Black Moment! dun dun dun! :D Seriously, when I was writing it, I was so tense and sad and edgy because I felt so bad for the characters and what I was doing to them! LOL But, ya know, sometimes writers have to do bad things to good characters. I can't really say more about what happens without giving it all away, so y'all will just have to read to see what I'm talking about! *winks*

Paranormal and Urban Fantasy genre worlds use different rules and aspects. Can you share how you approached either the characters or the world building in your story?

Greek mythology provided the basis for my world building in NORTH OF NEED, and will continue to do so throughout the series. The four Anemoi have an established mythology and lots of juicy stories about each of the four main gods. And I'll be using some of the stories about betrayals or broken hearts or brotherly infighting to build the characterization of these gods throughout the series. A lot of cultures also have traditions about the character or meaning of the seasons and of winds, so I'm adding some of that in, as well. The research for NORTH OF NEED was interesting because it had me delving into both Greek mythology and the diverse cultures' beliefs in the gods of winter, and there's just so much to play with!

What can readers expect next from you?

My writing journey for 2012 will be just as busy as 2011, and I'm so thrilled by that! So far, I have five books releasing in 2012:

February 1: In the Service of the King, Book 1 in my Vampire Warrior Kings Series from Harlequin Nocturne Cravings
Spring: West of Want, Book 2 in the Hearts of the Anemoi Series
May 1: To Save a King, Book 2 in my Vampire Warrior Kings Series
Summer: South of Surrender, Book 3 in the Hearts of the Anemoi Series
Fall: East of Ecstasy, Book 4 in the Hearts of the Anemoi Series

In addition, I have a completed women's fiction manuscript I hope to start querying, and a sequel to my vampire romance, FOREVER FREED, that I'd like to complete. So, this is the life of a writer--always more good ideas than available time to write them! But I wouldn't have it any other way! :)

Can you leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from NORTH OF NEED?

The men in her life wanted her to be happy, wanted her to let go of the pain. Wanted her to embrace life. To live.

John couldn’t. But she could.

Owen’s mouth dropped open when she dragged her exploring fingers across the deep red of his bottom lip. So soft.

For now, she’d start with what she knew. “I do want you, Owen. And I need you.” She swallowed. “So much.”

A deep sound of satisfaction rumbled low in his throat and ricocheted down her body. Those soft lips found hers, already open, waiting for his touch. With his kiss, he possessed her. His scent—winter spice and male—filled her senses. His body covered her. She could live on the cool, sweet taste of his tongue. And, God, his little moans and grunts reverberated right down to the wet heat between her legs.

He trailed open-mouthed kisses over her cheek to her ear, sucked her lobe between his lips and flicked it with his tongue. She gasped as goose bumps erupted everywhere and she offered her neck to his exploration.

“I want you, Megan. Be mine. Gods.”

He licked and sucked down her neck. She shivered and grabbed onto the firmness of his sculpted biceps. He nipped at the tendon where neck met shoulder. A moan exploded from her, loud and wanton, but couldn’t be helped. She threaded her fingers into his silky black hair and held him to her. “Again,” she rasped. He teased her with his teeth, then his tongue and lips. “God, Owen.”

She chuckled even as she whimpered at the spine-tingling nips and bites.

“What’s so funny?” His warm breath caressed her bare skin.

“Sorry, it’s just…” She covered her mouth with her hand, humor-induced tears now gathering at the corners of her eyes.

He pulled her hand away. “Never hide your smile from me.”

He pressed kisses to her knuckles, then pinned her wrist beside her shoulder.

She finally reined in her amusement. “I’m sorry. It’s just, I said, ‘God, Owen,’ and then”—the chuckles threatened again—“it hit me that, you know, you really are a god, and all.”

A playful smirk framed Owen’s face. “Are you amused by my godhood?”

She nodded. He thrust his hips into hers, rocking the ridge of his impressive erection against her right where she craved him. Her lips dropped open as she sucked in a breath.

His mismatched eyes blazed. “Still amused?”

She nodded and pressed up against him. Wrapped one leg around his waist and dug her heel into his firm ass. He grunted and ground down on her, just as she hoped he would. Then his mouth crushed against hers again, their tongue intertwining. He drew away with little kisses on the corner of her lips. “I like you amused. Smiling. Laughing. I want to make you feel that way.”

His words wrapped around her heart, mending, binding. She cupped his cheek in her palm. “Sweet, sweet man.” She took a deep breath and a leap of faith. “Make love to me.”

“Gods, yes.” In a flash, he’d pushed up from the couch, lifted her in his arms, and crossed the room.

Butterflies took flight in her stomach. His humor, his gentle kindness, his raw sexuality, his masculine beauty—he appealed to every part of her mind and body. And, maybe, just maybe, her heart.

Where can readers find you in the virtual world?

Website: http://www.LauraKayeAuthor.com
Blog: http://laurakayeauthor.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/laurakayeauthor
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/laurakayeauthor

Giveaway Details:

• Laura and Entangled Publishing are gifting one lucky commenter a digital copy of North of Need!!

• To be entered in the contest, leave a comment about something in the interview or a question for Laura.

• Extra Entry Possibilities:

• "Like" Laura on Facebook.

• Follow Laura on Twitter.

• Tweet about the contest (You can use the button at the top of the post, but make sure to leave the URL of your tweet for verification.)

• Contest is open Internationally.

• Contest will run from 11/8 - 11/12.

• Winner will be randomly selected and notified via email.

Make sure to check out Laura's website to follow her tour and find out more about NORTH OF NEED, as well as for additional chances to win a copy of this sexy book!!