Monday, February 14, 2011

Valentine's Day Giveaway

* ENTRIES ARE CLOSED ON THIS GIVEAWAY *
CONGRATULATIONS JIM!

It's high time I offer my dear readers another giveaway and seeing as how it's the season for romance, I thought nothing would be more perfect than an autographed copy of FADE TO MIDNIGHT, the most recent romantic suspense novel by my favorite romance writer (and good friend), Shannon McKenna.


If you are not familiar with Shannon and her work, let me introduce you . . .

"Shannon McKenna is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous romantic thrillers and several novellas. After a bizarre assortment of jobs, from singing cocktail waitress to medical secretary to strolling madrigal singer, she decided that writing hot romantic suspense suits her best. She lives with her husband and family in a small seaside town in southern Italy."

And to find out even more about Shannon, I asked her a few nosy questions . . .


What was the plot of your very first piece of fiction?
It was a story I wrote back in the fifth grade. From the feel of the first few chapters, it wanted to be a novel. A fantasy coming of age story about a maladjusted twelve year old girl who discovers she has magical powers and gets recruited by a wizard and sent to a school for witchcraft. Hmm. Too bad I didn’t know how to finish a story back then or I might have started a global bandwagon before the exalted Ms. Rowling did! But alas, that was not to be my destiny, the wealth and the fame and the movie franchise, and taking tea with the Queen and all that. 

Do you have any rituals or routines when you write?
Well, it takes a long time for me to get revved up, that’s for sure. I scribble ideas in a notebook for literally months until I hit on something I think of as a decent starting place. And once I get that starting place, the first few chapters are an eternity, because everything about the story is still up in the air, and everything that happens is a decision that I have to make that could determine the whole story, and the omni-potentiality of it all is absolutely crippling!

What draws you to write in this genre?

Oh, I just love romance. I always have. I used to gobble up regencies and Georgette Heyer and Barbara Cartland novels by the dozens per week, from age ten onward. So I had the necessary shape of a romance burned into my brain at an early age—the structuring, the way that they are carefully calibrated to give the reader an emotional high, and satisfy all of those clamoring but otherwise unsatisfied desires and fantasies. Those fantasies may be unrealistic, but we all still have them, and romance novels really feed those secret cravings. It’s better than drugs, or chocolate or overeating, that’s for sure. 

When you’re not writing, what do you like to do?

Well. Hmm. I’m a mother of small children, so right now I have just made a bargain with my daughter that as soon as I finish these questions I will go and play paper dolls. So what I do is very much conditioned by what they’re doing. I LOVE to read. I love to see movies. I am a singer, and I love to make music. I have done very little of all this since my kids were born. Plus, I live in Italy, which can be very all encompassing. It’s hard to describe it without writing a book, and who has the time with my schedule? So, all I do really is just get from day to day. I love the sun, I love cooking, I love the food here, I love the coffee, I love my kids. It keeps my mind flexible to juggle languages and cultures. 

And now, a little bit about FADE TO MIDNIGHT to whet your appetites . . .

Gone But Not Forgotten
Davy…Connor…Sean… Three brothers who have conquered their demons, but they’ve never forgotten their long lost brother, Kev, whom they believed to be dead. When the McCloud brothers discover Kev is alive, they won’t rest until they find him...
Beaten and tortured almost to death, Kev Larsen was found eighteen years earlier in a warehouse alley. He survived his brutal ordeal, but his memories before that night were completely erased. When he nearly dies from trying to save someone from drowning, the brain surgery he has to save his life triggers fragmented, terrifying memories. With only these memories and the name of his torturer to guide him, Kev is determined to unlock the secrets to his past.
Edie Parrish has always been good at not letting anyone get too close to her. If someone were to learn of her unusual gift, her life would be immediately jeopardized. But when Kev Larsen discovers who she really is, Edie has only one choice: to trust him. And soon, Edie can’t resist her consuming desire for him—even though she knows she’ll have to pay a price for it.
Now Kev and Edie must race against time and place their faith in each other to stop a deadly legacy...

*  *  *  *  *

One lucky Amid the Olive Trees reader will win an autographed copy of FADE TO MIDNIGHT

Giveaway Rules
Open to everyone!
Contest ends February 262011 @ midnight CET.
The mandatory entry must be done for any other entries to count.
MANDATORY
(leave a comment saying you have completed this step)
Follow Amid the Olive Trees publicly through Google Friend Connect (see righthand side of page) and visit Shannon McKenna's website and tell me one thing you learn about her or her books.
Optional extra entries (make a separate comment for each)
Follow Amid the Olive Trees on Networked Blogs
Like Amid the Olive Trees on Facebook

Follow me on Twitter
Blog about the giveaway (leave a link to the post on your blog in your comment)

* Be sure I can find your email in your comment or profile so I can contact you when you win! *
Winner will be chosen using random.org and will be contacted via email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

40 comments:

mverno said...

writes interesting books mverno@roadrunner.com

Kristy @Loveandblasphemy said...

Sounds like a good book. I'll have to check it out online!

Barb said...

Hi There!
I'm following you on GFC and I found out that I love her covers!! Outstanding! I can be found at sugarbeatbc AT gmail DOT com

Barb said...

Hi There!
I'm also following you on twitter!
sugarbeatbc AT gmail DOT com

Francesca said...

I don't know the author, thanks for the introduction, and I agree that living in this country can be very encompassing!

Cafe Fashionista said...

Ooh, what a fantastic interview and Giveaway for Valentine's Day!

I'm a follower!! :)

Kla505 said...

Great giveaway!
I followed via GFC as kla505
I found out that her books seem really full of passion and mistery! I really like that! :)

kla505[at]hotmail[dot]com

Kla505 said...

I liked your facebook page

kla505[at]hotmail[dot]com

Kla505 said...

I followed on twitter as @kla505

kla505[at]hotmail[dot]com

Kla505 said...

I followed on networked blogs :)

kla505[at]hotmail[dot]com

Clisty said...

I am excited to find a new author to read!! Thanks for sharing!

I stumbled you. Here's mine.
http://ruralgrace.blogspot.com/2011/02/molten-chocolate-lava-cakes.html

Clisty said...

I'm now a follower!

Penelope said...

Found you from Stumble Tuesday…would love a stumble back here: http://penelopesoasis.com/2011/02/a-love-story.html

LindyLouMac said...

I do not usually enter this sort of thing but I cannot resist the chance of a book!
I am still reeling from a visit to the post office this am to post a book to the UK, which I do fairly often. Prices have gone up and it cost 6.50 Euros! What I may be forced to stop sharing books this way soon.
Apologies for the rant, but you have another entry.

dorottyazsofia said...

I loved reading about her first writing of stories in secret, on a fake worksheet... that's so like me, I write stuff in secret, too :).

badorka@vipmail.hu

dorottyazsofia said...

I also follow you on fb, too (under the name Dorottya Zsófia Bacsi).

badorka@vipmail.hu

Julie said...

I follow you on GFC and I thought it was neat that she wrote an erotic novel.

juliesimpson73@hotmail.com

Julie said...

I follow you via networked blogs!

juliesimpson73@hotmail.com

Julie said...

I follow you on facebook

juliesimpson73@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

I follow you on GFC as Suekey--and I learned that she has sometimes lived in Italy.

farrell@crosslake.net

organizedfairy said...

I follow on GFC and I learned that the author has her own fantastic love story.

shopgirl said...

Awww, this was lovely. I loved reading about Shannon and her writing!

Great post Sara!

I'm already a follower.

clynsg said...

Follower via GFC, and I learned that she originally wanted to be a professional singer.

cgclynsg0 at gmail dot com

saturdaynightfever said...

She now lives in southern Italy.

edgenemmers@gmail.com

Spav said...

I found out that she has written 12 books.

GFC Follower
Twitter follower: (@Sparima)

spav05(at)gmail(dot)com

Timshaun said...

GFC Follower
I learned that Shannon started writing her first book in secret while at her temp job.
Shaunda.Eppes at gmail dot com

Timshaun said...

Follow via Networked Blog
Shaunda.Eppes at gmail dot com

Timshaun said...

Like you on FB
Shaunda.Eppes at gmail dot com

Timshaun said...

Follow you on Twitter
Shaunda.Eppes at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

I follow via GFC and I learned that Shannon has recently been to Italy

jim.coyne2@verizon.net

Anonymous said...

i like you on facebook

jim.coyne2@verizon.net

Anonymous said...

I follow via twitter

@JCoyne1031

jim.coyne2@verizon.net

mom2girls said...

I follow you on GFC as Tracy Taylor, what I learned from Shannons Diary part of her blog is that she also lives in Italy and that a witch visits at Christmas LOL I think I need to come to Italy someday! She has also written alot of books!
tracyschultz@yahoo.com

PoCoKat said...

I follow on GFC

littleone AT shaw DOT ca

PoCoKat said...

Follow on Networked Blogs

littleone AT shaw DOT ca

PoCoKat said...

Like Amid The Olive Trees on Facebook

littleone AT shaw DOt ca

PoCoKat said...

I checked out her website and she has written quite a few books!

littleone AT shaw DOT ca

AEKZ2 said...

Google follower. I love that she wrote her first romance novel in secret.

annettekz2@yahoo.com

susansmoaks said...

i am a follower and i learned that shannon starting writing her first novel in secret
susansmoaks at gmail dot com

Kati said...

Sending you fan love! Great blog, thanks for sharing! Visit my blog if you get a chance!