Interview With Joan Swan + Giveaway

Title: Fever
Pheonix Rising #1
Author: Joan Swan
Publisher: Brava
Release Date: March 1, 2012
Pages: 342
Buy Here: Amazon|Barnes & Noble

When Dr. Alyssa Foster is taken hostage by a prison inmate, she knows she's in deep trouble. Not just because Teague Creek is desperate for freedom, but because the moment his fingers brush against her skin, Alyssa feels a razor-sharp pang of need...
A man with a life sentence has nothing to lose. At least Teague doesn't, until his escape plan develops a fatal flaw: Alyssa. On the run from both the law and deadly undercover operatives, he can only give her lies, but every heated kiss tells him the fire between them could be just as devastating as the flames that changed him forever...

Title: Blaze
Pheonix Rising #2 Author: Joan Swan
Publisher: Brava
Release Date: September 25, 2012
Pages: 400
Buy Here: Amazon|Barnes & Noble

The hotter they come, the harder they fall…
With a man like him, every mission becomes personal…
Ever since FBI agent Keira O’Shay started tracking a young boy named Mateo, she’s felt a connection even her empathic abilities can’t explain. She needs to save Mateo from the cult leader holding him hostage. Nothing can interfere with that—not even the reappearance of Luke Ransom, the hot-as-hell fire captain she’s regretted walking out on for three long years.
Losing Keira left Luke vulnerable—in every way. When they were together, the powers each possesses were mysteriously enhanced. But it’s the sexy, surprising woman beneath the tough exterior that Luke’s really missed. Even if she betrayed him utterly. And even if agreeing to help her uncover a government conspiracy means watching his life and his heart go up in flames again…

Kayla: What has been your favorite book to write, and why?

Joan: Oooo, hmmm. I’d say it’s a tie between BLAZE and INTIMATE ENEMIES, but for different reasons.

BLAZE was just a constant surprise. After being apart for three years with an unresolved breakup between them, Luke and Keira, my hero and heroine, are brimming with more pent up emotion than they know what to do with. Neither is over the other, yet both are still too hurt to too scared to put their heart on the line again. But they have to work together, and even though they won’t trust each other with their hearts, they have no problem trusting the other with their lives. Go figure! You can imagine the sparks.
Those two were just so fun together, even when they were fighting. Maybe more when they were fighting. They are snarky and sassy and just plain funny.

Then there’s Mitch – who I swear simply uses me as a conduit to get on the pages, because I have no idea where that man comes from! He is constantly making me shake my head. (And curse Elisabeth Naughton, who dreamed him up in the freaking first place!)

And then there is the plot. Twisty and turny and fast, fast, fast.

BLAZE was just seriously FUN to write. (And, no, FUN does NOT translate to easy…or fast…)
Now, INITMATE ENEMIES was a different story. This was a novel I originally wrote several years ago, one which finalled in the Golden Heart contest twice. I love this story and when I decided to self-publish it, I discovered that it didn’t need just a polish…it needed a rewrite to bring it up to my current writing standards.
This book is less speed and more tension. Less flash-bang and more shadows. Less secrets and more power games. An entirely different animal. Which means it pushed my writing in a completely different area. And I love challenge. I love growth. And I absolutely adore the depth and texture that developed in INTIMATE ENEMIES because of this rewrite. I’m proud of this work as my first self-published novel.

Kayla: What is one random fact about yourself?

Joan: Well, I’m glad you didn’t say interesting fact…because that would have been a deal breaker!

Okay…let’s see…let me find a shocker...those are always fun…

* crickets chirping *

Hmmm, no shockers coming forth. Oh, well…

“Hello, my name is Joan, and I’m a Diet Coke addict…”

Kayla: Is there a favorite term or word that you have, that is used throughout your books a lot?

Joan: It changes with every book! I think that is so funny! One book it was ‘evidently’. Another it was ‘just’. Then I was on a ‘criminy’ kick, but that was all the fault of Elisabeth Naughton and Larissa Ione. I was not responsible!

Kayla: Where does your inspiration to write come from?

Joan: Severe, incurable O.C.D. (Seriously. I’m compelled. It’s … a problem. Ask anyone.)

Kayla: What has been your best experience with "fans" while being an Author?

Joan: Oh, signings!

Every time I sit at a table to sign, I bring chocolate so at least someone will stop by my station…everyone loves chocolate, right? I’m usually part of some group giveaway so people ‘have’ to come by and get my signature to win something. And I quickly make friends with the authors next to me because I’ll need someone to chat with so I don’t look incredibly forlorn.
But I’m always surprised and delighted by the wonderful readers who come by and say they’ve enjoyed reading my books and they’re looking forward to another coming out. (Secretly, a little part of me is very suspicious of this behavior…) And…some don’t even take chocolate!!!

Kayla: Do you incorporate real life experiences in your writing? If so, could you give us an example?

Joan: LOL, I think teeny, tiny ones are all over the place. You know the way someone said something or the way you relate to someone or a particular habit someone has that you find interesting.
I’ve used actual places in BLAZE. For example, my husband and I used to live in Truckee and one of our favorite places to eat was a little café called Wild Cherries, which is still open and operating, btw.
In FEVER, I’ve been in that room as Alyssa was in the opening, scanning those prisoners with the guards talking about golf outside the curtain, oblivious.

Kayla: How can readers connect with you?

Joan: I’m a big Twitter girl. But I’m also available by email and get out to Facebook on an irregular basis J.
Here are a few places you can catch me:

Website|Facebook|Twitter|Twitter Giveaways|Goodreads

Kayla: Thank you so much Joan for being a Guest here at Reading On The Wild Side. I wish you the best of luck in everything you do and hope to have you visit again soon!

Now for the Giveaway. There will be one paperback copy of Blaze given away to one lucky winner. This contest is for US and Canada ONLY. All you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway