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Cynthia Eden-Interview and Giveaway with the Author

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Cynthia Eden-Interview with the Author

With the new release of ANGEL BETRAYED (The Fallen), The Reading Cafe is pleased to welcome Cynthia Eden.

TRC: Hi Cynthia and welcome to The Reading Cafe. We would like to start with some background information. Please tell us something about yourself?

Cynthia: I’m Cynthia Eden—I’m a southern girl…I love horror movies and happy endings. 😉 I write romance novels about demons and vampires and fallen angels. I also write romantic suspense novels that can contain some very dark killers.

TRC:Your bio outline states that you have a degree in Sociology. How has the study about the interactions of people helped with the different storylines and novels?

Cynthia: My sociology major turned me into what I think of as a “people watcher”—okay, that sounds weird but…in sociology, I learned a lot about observing behavior. I learned the meanings of non-verbal behavior, and I definitely use those non-verbal behavior cues in my books. When I want to “show” what my characters are thinking or feeling, I always fall back on my sociology studies.

TRC:  What was the catalyst that sparked your desire to write?
Cynthia:  I was the kid with the hyper active imagination. I was always dreaming up stories, and, for as long as I can remember, the only thing that I’ve really wanted to do was write.

TRC:  Which genre do you prefer to write and why?

Cynthia:I prefer to write romances because the main goal of my writing is to entertain readers. To make them happy. I figure that real-life is depressing enough. We need the guarantee of a happy ending that comes from romance novels.

TRC: Have you ever considered writing a series of Young Adult storylines?

Cynthia: I’ll confess—I have! Years ago, one of the first novels that I seriously shopped around was a young adult novel. That book didn’t sell, but I still have the desire to break into the YA market. I’ve actually recently completed another YA story (the first one I did—seriously, like 18 years ago—was a YA horror). The recent one that I’ve written is a YA paranormal about a werewolf. I guess I just can’t get away from my shifters!

TRC: THE FALLEN is your latest series of books. What have been the challenges bringing this particular series to publication?

Cynthia: I’ve been really lucky with this series. When I presented the proposal to my editor, she loved the series. Kensington has been incredibly supportive of my Fallen books. The biggest challenge was doing the research, but, since I love visiting New Orleans (the main setting for these books), the research truly wasn’t a hardship.

TRC: Would you please tell us about the premise behind The Fallen? LINK TO: ANGEL OF DARKNESS (The Fallen #1)

Cynthia: When an angel falls from heaven, his (or her) wings burn in the fall. As the wings burn away, the angel also loses his inability to feel emotion. In a way, the wings were like armor, protecting the angel from all the dangerous emotions that humans feel. So my angels go through their entire existence, never knowing emotion…until they fall. Once an angel falls, he is hit with every emotion out there, and that sudden rush of emotions can be dangerously overwhelming.
In the Fallen books, I wanted to show how my powerful angels of death would deal with human emotions. I wanted to see if those emotions would drive them insane or if emotions could actually make them stronger beings.

TRC: ANGEL BETRAYED is your latest release (June 2012). Would you please tell us about the premise?

Cynthia: Thanks so much for asking about ANGEL BETRAYED! ANGEL BETRAYED focuses on a very dark angel, Sammael (Sam for short). Once upon a time, he was the leader of all the fallen angels, but Sam broke the rules. He killed, when it wasn’t his time to take souls. He fell from heaven as punishment, but, since that fall, Sam has been enacting his own brand of justice on humans and paranormals. Sam pretty much thinks that he is invincible…then he meets the heroine of the book, and everything changes for him.

TRC: ANGEL IN CHAINS will be released in November 2012. Would you please tell us about the premise?

Cynthia: ANGEL IN CHAINS is the story of Azrael (Az), an angel who makes an appearance in both ANGEL OF DARKNESS and ANGEL BETRAYED. Okay, let me be honest—SPOILER—Az doesn’t just make an appearance in those books. He’s a very bad angel in those books. Almost evil. (Almost?) ANGEL IN CHAINS is the book in which Az tries to seek his redemption, even as he falls in love with a mortal woman.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for The Fallen? If the series becomes extremely popular with the readers, will you consider extending the series?

Cynthia: I’ve written four books in this series. If readers should want more, I’d definitely be open to writing more. I’ve had a great time with my angels, and there are a few more stories in that world that I’d like to explore.

TRC: The BOUND stories are a series of short storylines. What was the factor or decision in writing a series of short stories instead of full-length novels?

Cynthia: The main factor was timing. I’d been wanting to write a series of fairytales with a paranormal twist (or, rather, with a vampire and werewolf twist), but due to contract deadlines, I knew I wouldn’t have time to make these stories into full-length novels. So, I decided to write them as novellas. I love writing novellas—writing these books actually relaxes me—so once I started writing them, I found myself addicted to the ideas. I didn’t want to stop!

TRC: Do you have plans for any of the characters and storylines to overlap within the BOUND series?

Cynthia: That is a great question. I wish I had a good answer for you! I’m actually not sure. I will say overlap could be a possibility, but I just don’t want to promise anything on that aspect yet.

TRC: Bound by the Night is the most recent release in the BOUNDS series. How many novellas do you have planned for the series?

Cynthia: I had originally planned to do four novellas for the series (focusing on my 4 favorite fairytales), but I am giving very strong consideration to writing a full-length Bound book.

TRC: Which do you find more difficult to write- short stories where the plot and conclusion must be reached within a short period of time –or- a full-length novel?

Cynthia: I think both are equally hard, it just depends on the story itself. There are some stories that flow so quickly that writing is like a dream. But then there are other stories that make me fight and claw for every single word.

TRC: Speaking of novellas-HOWL FOR IT-your anthology with author Shelly Laurenston will be released in September 2012. What is the premise behind WED or DEAD?

LINKS TO PRE-ORDER Howl for It:
The Book Depository
B&N Nook and Paperbook
Amazon Paperbook
Amazon Kindle

Cynthia: For WED OR DEAD, I wanted to do a Little Red Riding Hood story, with a twist. (Can you tell I like twists?) My Red is a hunter, and she has just married herself to the big, bad wolf (literally).

TRC: You and Shelly have been included in many anthologies together. Is this something that is planned with your publishers or are you friends and make the decision together?

Cynthia: The anthologies are a decision that Kensington makes. The editors group different authors together for different projects. (Though I will say that I think Shelly is an amazing lady!)

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information between each other, and family and friends. With whom do you bounce ideas?

Cynthia: I bounce ideas off my husband. When I do that, he mostly just nods at me. 😉

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Cynthia: I’m writing the third book in a phoenix shifter series for Kensington Brava (I turned in the other two books in this series earlier this year). My phoenix shifters are dark and dangerous, and they sure like to play with fire.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Cynthia: I would just like to say thank you very much for the interview! It has been a pleasure!

LIGHTNING ROUND
Favorite Food: Pizza

Favorite Dessert: Chocolate anything

Favorite TV Show: Castle

Favorite Movie: The Mummy

Last Movie you Saw: Brave

Dark or Milk Chocolate: Milk chocolate

Favorite Song: Take Me Out To The Ballgame 😉

TRC: Thank you Cynthia for taking the time to answer our questions. We are looking forward to all of your new releases this year. We wish you all the best.

Website Link

NOTE:  Do NOT click on the giveaway post below to enter the contest. It will only take you to the picture.  Please post a comment-click replies-thank you

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Bound Series by Cynthia Eden – a Synopsis

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Bound Series by Cynthia Eden – a Synopsis

The Bound series by Cynthia Eden, is about vampires and werewolves, and is a super romance in each of the 4 novellas out so far. I did not know what to expect when I read the first book, and was so pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed them.

These novellas are now on my must read, as they are Hot, Sexy and so much fun to read, and being a short novella is perfect.  Below is a description and review of each book.

 

 

Bound by Blood
Description:
It’s an Immortal War…

Vampires and werewolves have been blood enemies for centuries, but now a new threat is rising…demons are escaping from hell and those demons are intent on wiping out both the vamps and the werewolves.

When you have no one to trust…

In order to stop the demons, pureblood vampire princess Morgan LaBeaux agrees to the treaty offered by werewolf alpha Jace Vaughn. She’ll mate with him, share her blood with him…and in return, the wolves will aid the vampires in this battle.

The enemy of my enemy is my husband…

But Morgan doesn’t realize just how dangerous the wolves can truly be. Jace has been waiting years to claim her. He’s set a trap for his princess, and now that he has her, Jace doesn’t plan to let her go.  He’ll send the demons back to hell, and he’ll keep his vampiress—forever.

Because the blood binds all.

Review:

Bound by Blood by Cynthia Eden, is a novella, and a very quick read.  I was surprised how fast I began to enjoy the book.  Eden gets you hooked pretty quick, and with the short novella, this is what made it a fun and exciting read.  I really was impressed how much Eden is able to show us of this unlikely romance between a vampire and a werewolf.  I loved both Morgan, a vampire princess, and Jace, the werewolf alpha.    

Jace, has been watching Morgan secretly for years, having become enamored by her, when she had been turned.  He makes a deal with the Vampire Council to join hands & help eliminate the demons coming out of Hell to destroy both Vampires and Werewolves.  The cost was that Morgan would become his mate, and they would work together.  Each side has their own ulterior motive, but in the end, this turned out to be such an awesome pairing. 

It is an action filled story, and the romance between them was wonderful.  The Vampires and Werewolves have a hard time working together in this uneasy alliance.  It is only Jace and Morgan’s growing attachment that keeps everyone working together.  Eden does a great job giving us a detailed description of the wolves in action.  In this short story, I was pleasantly surprised how well Eden pulls us into this romance, the love scenes, and blood exchanges between Jace and Morgan was well done too.  Wonderful short story, and makes me want to read the next book right away.

Bound in Darkness
Description:

Hunter…

When it comes to killing vampires, werewolf Cade Thain is the best slayer in the Northwest. So when a witch hires him to take out a pureblood vamp, the assassin thinks it will be just business as usual. One less vicious vamp on the streets…one more undead parasite gone from the earth. Then he meets her.

Protector…

Allison Gray isn’t the prey that Cade expects. Beautiful, innocent, she stirs a dark desire within him. Allison hasn’t transformed fully into a vampire, not yet, and it’s Cade’s job to make sure that she never does. Allison thinks that he’s at her side to keep her safe, but Cade is supposed to pick the right moment—and kill her.

Lover…

Killing Allison is soon the last thing that Cade plans. As she begins the transformation that will turn her into a vampire, her bloodlust and their desire merge in an explosion of need that neither can control. But Allison’s enemies are closing in, and the coming battle will take Cade and Allison beyond life, beyond love…and into a deadly darkness that waits to claim them both.

Review:

When I first started this series, I wasn’t sure if I would want to stay with it, as they were all short stores.  But when I read the first and loved it, I wondered if Eden can do it again.  I really enjoyed Bound in Darkness just as much as the first book. I am thoroughly enjoying the fast read of a series that hooks you right in when you open the book.  Kudos to Cynthia Eden for having the ability to create such wonderful stories, great characters, wonderful romance and excitement, all in a short story.   

Bound in Darkness is different then the first book, but the same concept.  A female vampire and a werewolf.  In this book, Cade is the unlikely hero, as he seems early on to have no redeeming qualities, accept his immense hatred for vampires.  Allison is the heroine, who is pure vampire, but when Cade meets her, she has not fully turned. 

Allison has been hunted most of her life, and comes to Cade for help.  Unbeknownst to her, he has been hired by a witch to kill Allison.  Cade immediately senses something is not right when he meets Allison, and she openly trusts him.  He become attracted to her beauty, innocence, and toughness as things get rough.  I loved the romance building between the two, and enjoyed how Cade began to change as he finally found someone to love, even if she was a vampire. 

The story with the witch, other vampires hunting Allison, and the romance between Cade and Allison was really fun.  I thought the story was fast, exciting, lots of action, and their intense sexual attraction to one another was explosive.  I am glad I discovered this series by Cynthia Eden.  It is a fun and perfect read, when you want something fast and enjoyable.  Some writers take an entire book to get in what Eden does in this short story.

Bound in Sin
Description:

What’s the price of sin?

Human Paige Sloan once loved werewolf Drake Wyler more than life, but then that life was taken away from her. Attacked by vampires, Paige was bitten, and, on a cold, dark night, the life she’d known ended. She was reborn as a vampire–a werewolf’s deadliest enemy.

Paige ran from the vampires who attacked her, and she ran away from her lover. She didn’t want Drake to know what she’d become, and she didn’t want to face the fury of his pack. But a girl can only run for so long until the past catches up with her.

Some sins mark your soul.

When Paige learns that Drake is being targeted for death, she knows that she can’t hide in the shadows any longer. She has to return to him, and she will do anything–anything–in order to make sure that he keeps living. The vampires might have destroyed her chance to live and love Drake, but they won’t take him. Not over her undead body. She’ll slay them all…and maybe, just maybe…she’ll even have the chance to sin–one more time–with the werewolf who’d marked her as his mate.

Some sins are worth dying for…

Review:

Bound in Sin turned out to be another wonderful story, in Cynthia Eden’s Bound series.  I love this series, and hope she continues them.  Bound in Sin continues the theme of female vampire and alpha werewolf.  However, this one was different, and I loved every moment of it. 

It is the story Paige, a turned vampire, who loved and left Drake, the alpha werewolf, almost 10 years ago. She comes to Drake for help to kill a vampire, who has hunted her for these past 10 years.  Drake, who loved her, and wanted her as his mate, could never find Paige all these years.  Though she is now a vampire, a hated enemy to the werewolves, Drake’s love of Paige was still very strong, but he needed to understand why she left.

I really like Paige the most of all of Eden’s heroines.  She turns out to be a strong female, who loved Drake enough to give him up, in order to save his life.  The action is throughout the book, fast and furious.  The romance between Drake and Paige is very emotional, and when the truth comes out….wow … what a great story. Once you start, you can’t put this down.  Eden does pull out all your emotions, and amazing considering this is a short story of love, betrayal, & deception.  Awesome. 

Bound by the Night
Description: 

For the last fifteen years, vampire queen Iona has been dead to the world.  Trapped under the power of a brutal curse, she has been helpless.  A prisoner, locked within her own still body. Then alpha werewolf Jamie O’Connell fights his way to her side.  After defeating the guards that surround her, Jamie gives Iona his blood…and she rises.

The world has changed a great deal in the last fifteen years, and Iona has changed, too. Once known as the Blood Queen because of her dark reputation, she now finds herself longing for the blood of only one man…only he isn’t just a man. She wants the blood of her werewolf—Jamie’s blood.  But Iona doesn’t realize that Jamie has been keeping secrets from her. Very dark, dangerous secrets.  And Iona may have traded one curse for another.

Now that he has Iona, Jamie vows to never let her go. He needs his Blood Queen in order to defeat his enemy, he needs her to make his own beast stronger, and…he just needs her.  Jamie has risked his life to claim Iona, and he won’t let anything break their bond. Not time. Not spells. Not even a wild and reckless vampire queen…

Review: 

Bound by the Night once again is another wonderful short story by Cynthia Eden, in her Werewolf/Vampire series.  I have become addicted to this series, which is a fast and fun read always.  Eden does not disappoint in Bound by the Night. 

The heroine in this book is Iona, who is also known as the Blood Queen. Iona is a pure blood vampire, and is also a witch, which makes her unusual and extremely powerful. Iona was tricked years ago by an Alpha werewolf into a paralyzing curse, and 15 years later, another Alpha, who needs her help,  frees her from the curse.

Jamie O’Connell is the Alpha werewolf who breaks the spell that has entombed Iona all these year.  By giving her some of his Alpha blood, Iona opens eyes and smells a werewolf, and immediately attacks.  But Jamie is ready for her and keeps her at bay.  He tries to reason with her that he has saved her, and they both have a common bond…..to kill the other Apha, who did this to her, and who killed his family.  What Iona doesn’t know yet, is that the other powerful Alpha, Latham is Jamie’s hated brother. 

Despite her wanting to get vengeance on her own, Iona realizes that she is bonded to Jamie, and can only take his blood to survive.  You love Jamie from the start.  He is a great hero, and so sweet and loving to Iona, despite her denials.  Jamie is also a tough Alpha on his own, and knows his brother has more power due his taking Iona’s blood, while she was paralyzed all those years. 

But as in all of the Bound series, the attraction between the two of them heats up quickly and there is a lot of steamy hot sex.  They made a great couple, very nice romance, despite Iona’s stubbornness.  

Finally, after a few traps along the way, Jamie and Iona work together to stop first Iona’s former coven members, who joined hands with Latham to trap her, as well as kill her other coven members.  Then it’s Jamie and Latham in a fight to death.  Iona herself turned out to be such a powerful female heroine, and she could stand up to any werewolf.   It was an excellent ending, allowing love and romance to complete the story.  This is a perfect read, when you want some romance, some excitement, action and hot sex; not to mention a fast and fun read. 


Reviewed by Barb


 

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