Tuesday Teases: Ellen Keener

This week for Tuesday Teases we have new Decadent Publishing author, Ellen Keener. Her novel, Blood Moon, was released earlier this month and features shifters--one of my faves!



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Fugitive shifter, Aria Legreve, is always on the run. With her own life at risk, she helps a badly beaten shifter to his Pack, knowing the danger her meddling entails. Hoping to use her status as an Outcast and be set free, her world changes when she meets head on with no other than her Mate—who is dead.

Alpha Lukas MacLeod has been searching for his wife for the past year, until Aria walks straight into his lair. Fate intervenes and gives them a second chance. Caught up in an intricate web of lies and prophecies in the making for generations, Aria and Lukas must discover a way to balance the darkness in their world, but will their love be strong enough to save their pack and each other?

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Welcome to Ramblings and Romance, can you tell us a little about your path to publication.

Let's see... I don't know that it was a path so much as a stumble and faceplant. Lol. I have been writing as long as I can remember, but only seriously started working on it about three years ago. I started Blood Moon more times than I care to remember, but I finished it about two years ago, and finished it. I became part of a great critique group, but ended up leaving adult novels for a while and went to YA. In the meantime, I had Blood Moon sitting around and decided to give it a shot. Decadent accepted it, and the rest is history!

Funny  how things we put on a shelf can catch an editor's eyes. So what did they see when they read it? Give me one of your favorite lines/passages from Blood Moon

Oh man, a tough one. I like the part where she sees him again the first time, and I also like this passage:



Shaking off his hand, she rose. He pushed away from the table, and she waved him back to his seat. Two could play this game. She leaned over the table to pick up his plate, subtly pressing her upper arms against her sides and exposing her generous cleavage to his gaze. The shirt she wore already had a scoop neck. Bent over, she knew he could see all the way down to her lacy bra. Lifting his plate, she tilted it just enough that his fork slid off.

“Oops. Let me get that.” She moved to his side of the table, curling one hand over his thigh to brace herself, leaning over his lap, and wiggling her denim-clad rear end under his nose. Her breast pressed into his inner thigh and she snagged the fork. As she pushed away, her hand “accidentally” grazed the zipper of his jeans. A choked sound passed over her head.

She turned away, smirking, as she noticed the considerable bulge in his jeans and the involuntary twitch of his fingers. Good. Her nipples were stiff through both her bra and shirt. If she was going to be worked up, he should be too. She sauntered across the kitchen and opened the dishwasher, bending over to put the plates in and making sure he got an eyeful.

“Dude, pay up. I totally win.”

She whirled around so fast, her hair snapped across her face. Thaddeus and Lawrence stood in the doorway behind Lukas. Lawrence’s mouth hung open as he slapped a twenty-dollar bill into Thaddeus’ outstretched palm.

“Holy shit, Lukas.” Lawrence cleared his throat and eyed the two of them. “She got any sisters? Cousins? Remote relatives of the female persuasion?”

Her blush started at her collarbones and burned its way to her hairline.

Thaddeus smacked his Alpha’s shoulder. “Why’d you leave that bedroom again?”

Lukas growled, and Thaddeus grinned, raising his hands in surrender. “Hey, we were just coming in for dinner. Totally unintentional.”

“Thaddeus?”

“Yeah, Lukas?”

“Shut up.”

When writing, do you "cast" your characters, if so, who do you envision as your leads?

Actually, at first I write and they are kind of vague. Lukas was actually modeled after a man who is a recurring character in my dreams. Although I can never remember what his face looks like when I wake up. So I frequently substitute Gerard Butler.  lol Aria I cast as Kate Beckingsdale. Thaddeus (I know he's not a lead, but he's my favorite) is Paul Bettany.  :)

Sounds like a stellar cast! Do you have a specific place/time of day you prefer to write, if so why?

I like to write late at night. I'm NOT a morning person, even though I have to be for at least 180 days of the year. But usually I write at night, in my "art room" (junk room) or anytime there's a thunderstorm. Something about them just makes me itch to write.

Night owls unite! Are you more interested in series or stand-alone stories? Why?

I'm selfish. I like series ONLY if all the books are already out. There are a few exceptions, but I get sidetracked easily, and I hate waiting. Part of it is that I get a little bored sometimes if they drag out too long. I've been known to abandon entire TV series for that reason. That being said, my new story is going to be part of a series, because it just works out better. Famous last words and all that.

So since you're working on a series, how far in advance do you plan for your novels?

If you mean, do I have an order I plan to write them, then the answer is no. I ususally (like now) work on two or three at one time. When one starts calling me over the others, I put them to the side and work on that one until its finished or I get stuck.

When you sit down to write, do you have a certain heat level in mind or do you let the characters dictate how hot things get?

Usually the characters do the talking. I haven't actually sat down and written something while thinking about that part, other than maybe when they are going to "have at it," so to speak.

Is there anything you aren't willing to write?

I'm not sure. Probably won't write erotica, because I don't think I'd be good at it. I'm also not good with contemporary. I mean, real life is boring! I want lions and vampires and werewolves, oh my! lol

What are you working on now? Can you give us a little teaser?

Right now I'm working on the first book in a series about a set of brothers Who are called "seals" and are the guardians of the Shards, a powerful but not particularly nice form of power. That's an overly simple explaination. But they all have a Soul Mate they must find in order to be free of their duty and have a real life. And there is lots of magic and demons and mystical creatures for good measure. :)

Sounds great! Now it's time for the Speed Round

Brains or muscles?

Nerd with muscles?

Beer, wine or martini?

There's a specific kind of Eiswine and my brother has promised to buy me a case if I hit the bestseller list. Here's hoping.

Horses or Harleys?

Harleys

Boxers or Briefs?

Boxers

Weres, Vamps or Demons?

OOO hard. *snicker* Weres.

Thank you so much for visiting, Ellen! It was great having you here.

Thanks so much!  I appreciate it!

Readers, you can find Ellen on both Facebook and Twitter, and Blood Moon is available now at Decadent Publishing.