Anya Bast

As part of a mission with the Coven, Adam Tyrell rescues Claire from her enslavement—and finds himself immediately taken with the beautiful witch. But this charming playboy soon learns that it’s easier to steal Claire from demons than win her heart, for her life as a servant has ravaged her spirit. But with Adam determined to protect her from the warlocks who want to harness her magick for evil, Claire’s resistance starts to give way—and they find themselves in the heat of danger, surrendering to the lure of their deepest desires…

There’s a new excerpt up here. And *I* changed it…on my own, without my web goddess. If you knew how little I knew about web site design and html and all that stuff you would understand what a harrowing experience that was for me. (OMG! I even got a few italics in there!) So, PLEASE, go read it!!!

Set up is this — they’re being followed by two Atrika and have hidden the car in a woody area on the side of the road in the hopes of losing them.

The winners from my interview swap with Yasmine Galenorn are…Sara H & Cathy M! Congrats!! Drop me an email, Sara and Cathy, with your snail mail and I’ll get your copies in the mail

Hi all! Are you in a post-holiday stupor like I am? Well, to pull you out of it Yasmine Galenorn and I have teamed up to bring you some mid-winter heat. We have releases coming out on the same day, so we’re doing a little cross-promotion at each other’s blogs. Basically, we interviewed each other.

Here you can read Yasmine’s answers. Over on her blogs, you can read mine.

Oh, did I mention I’m giving away books? But of course I am! I’ll do a drawing from the pool of commentators. Two of you will win autographed copies of Witch Heart. The deadline to comment and be eligible is Monday. I’ll announce the winners on Tuesday.

Here are a list of the places you can find my answers to the interview:

Yasmine’s Blog Sites:
Yasmine’s LJ
Yasmine’s MySpace
Yasmine’s Web Site Blog

Seven Questions With Anya

Anya: Which hero/antihero of yours would you most like to play footsie with and why?

Yasmine: Talk about an unfair question. Almost all of them appeal to me, and if I could, I’d do what Camille does and keep all three of her lovers. But if I have to choose one…first it narrows to Smoky and Morio, and then…as hot as Morio is, and as much as I think he and I’d get along best, I’d probably pick Smoky the dragon because he’s the steadiest in some ways, the least unpredictable. He’s also an excellent lover, and not afraid to take charge of the situation. And because in the face of love, he bends his rather severe ways. His hair too…oh man, his hair and what it can do would be reason enough! I never expected to write about a dragon in the series, by the way—Smoky just popped up and made it known he was in the Sisters’ lives to stay. That was a surprise.

Anya: What’s your favorite scene (out of your published books) that you’ve written and why?

Yasmine: Another hard one. Out of this series, and probably out of all the books I’ve published, I’m going to have to say the scene where Camille undergoes her initiation as a Moon witch. The scene was so magical to me, and so vivid that it felt like I was right there with her, watching through her eyes.

Anya: What’s your favorite villain you’ve ever written and why?

Yasmine: I think, so far, Karvanak the Rāksasa, because even though he wasn’t on stage all that much, his presence in both Dragon Wytch and Night Huntress left an undercurrent of fear running through the books. Karvanak is a demon who loves what he does, who loves the pain he can inflict, and he’s cool-headed enough to know how to use his power to make people do what they normally wouldn’t. He’s one scary-ass dude.

Anya: If you could take one of your characters on vacation, which one would you take, where, and why?

Yasmine: For a passionate vacation—Trillian. I think we’d end up staying at five-star hotels, eating in fine restaurants, and still slip off for sex on the beach. For a girls-weekend, Camille. The shopping, the makeup, the clothes, working magic together—it would be a blast.

Anya: Who are some of the first authors you remember reading that made you interested in writing for a living?

Yasmine: I knew I wanted to be a writer from the time I was three, so it goes back to before I could read (I was learning right around that time). But as I got into the ages of, oh, around 10 and up, my inspirations began to include Ray Bradbury (still my greatest inspiration), L’Engle, Clifford D. Simak, Frederick Pohl, Arthur C. Clarke, I was reading so many of the SF/Fantasy greats by then. I also discovered Daphne du Maurier around the time I was twelve. And then, of course, I loved some of the YA authors like Frank Baum, Alcott, and I was an avid Trixie Belden fan.

Anya: Did you ever want to be anything other than a writer?

Yasmine: LOL, no. Although I wanted to be other things along with being a writer, including (as I was growing up—in my early teens): a parapsychologist, an exotic dancer, a volcanologist, a paleontologist, an archaeologist, and—inexplicably—leader of a motorcycle gang. Yes, I did have diverse interests and still do.

Anya: What’s our favorite Tony cover out of the ones he’s done for us?

Yasmine: Tony’s so brilliant it’s hard to choose one, and even my ‘least favorite’ is still incredible. But if pressed to choose, I think my very favorite is still Witchling—the first from this series. He captured Camille so completely with that pose and the curves. After that, I think in order: Demon Mistress, Night Huntress, Dragon Wytch, Darkling, Changeling.

USA Today bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn writes urban fantasy for Berkley: both the bestselling Otherworld/Sisters of the Moon Series for Berkley (Witchling, Changeling, Darkling, etc.) and the upcoming Elemental Magic Series. In the past, she wrote two mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime, and eight nonfiction metaphysical books. With both Darkling and Dragon Wytch, she hit the extended NYT bestseller’s list.

Yasmine can be reached via her website at www.galenorn.com, via MySpace: www.myspace.com/yasminegalenorn and via Live Journal: http://yasminegalenorn.livejournal.com she is also the co-founder of the Witchy Chicks blog (http://witchychicks.blogspot.com).

Doh! That’s a lot of books!

Witch Heart – January 6 (Berkley Sensation)

Taken – February 3 (Samhain)

Taking Hold, featured in the anthology Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance – April, 13 (Running Press) You know, I used to read these massive anthologies of short stories as a teenager. I never imagined I’d ever be in one.

The Promise, featured in the anthology What Happens in Vegas…After Dark – May, 1 (Harlequin Spice) This is the paranormal follow-up to the first What Happens in Vegas… anthology with the same authors. The Promise is a prequel to The Deal and occurs one year prior. If you’re familiar with The Deal, it tells Damian’s story and how/why he jilted Cassidy at the altar.

Witch Fury – June 2 (Berkley Sensation)

Tempted by Two, featured in the anthology Good Things Come in Threes – July 14 (Pocket Books) This anthology features my novella Tempted by Two with two other ménage stories by Jan Springer and Shiloh Walker.

Sweet Enchantment, featured in an as-of-yet unnamed holiday anthology – October, 2009 (Berkley Sensation) This anthology also features holiday themed novellas by Angela Knight, Lora Leigh & Allyson James.

Kiss of the Morrigan, featured in the anthology The Phantom Queen Awakes – Sometime late in 2009 (Morrigan Books) This anthology features the likes of C.E. Murphy and Katherine Kerr.

And… a late entry for 2008. It was kind of a surprise. It’s available now.

Crown and Blade

Sword and Crown by Lauren Dane

For most of Rhea’s life, she used her Talent as a Practitioner of sex magic to keep her world safe from a powerful dark menace. But tragedy struck and she found herself exiled to Earth.

Fifteen years later, out of the blue, a face from her past appears on her doorstep. The Nameless is back and stronger than before. Her people need her and they’ve sent her first love, Jax, to petition for her help.

As the stakes get higher, with the balance of the very existence of her universe in her hands, she’s also fighting the loss of her heart to a man who walked away from her once before. She knows her past has changed her in elemental ways but while she knows she can trust Jax at her back, she has to figure out if she can trust him with her heart.

Whisper of the Blade by Anya Bast

Emmia feels the emotion of all who surround her. Her Talent is empathy and it’s more curse than blessing. She employs her skill as a justice mercenary, discovering criminals and meting out punishment.

Magnus didn’t kill his lover, Caith, the way everyone suspects. Now he is lord to a keep filled with suspicious, angry people.

Quinn, part three of the ménage à trois that ended in Caith’s death, wants only to set things right and resume the loving relationship he once had with Magnus. He seeks out Emmia and employs her.

In a sexual tangle…

But both Magnus and Quinn are drawn to Emmia, just as they are drawn to each other. All three of them become lost in a weave of scorching and erotic desire coupled with emotional need.

Hi all! I hope you’re all enjoying the holidays. Seems like the whole world goes silent between Christmas and New Year’s.

Not totally silent, though! I have an interview up over at Drops of Crimson. Go check it out!

The winners of my holiday contest, chosen by random drawing, are as follows. Oh, there are FOUR, it turns out, just because. I like the number four better than three, much more stable and balanced. *g*

Lulu, who asked for Witch Fire
Martha Lawson, who asked for The Chosen Sin
Lori T, who asked for What Happens in Vegas
Rhyan Birch, who asked for Witch Fire

Winners, please contact me via the contact form on my site with your mailing address.

And…a special gift to you. Fury and Tranquility are now available for free download on my site! Crocodesigns did the covers and I think they’re amazing.

Happy Holidays to you all!!

And my good cover karma rocks on….

Meet Sarafina. Witch Fury is the final book of the Elemental Witches series and it will be out in June, 2009.

Scroll down for the holiday contest. This is the last day to enter. Check back tomorrow morning to find out who won. Also, I’ll have a surprise for all who visit my site tomorrow! A little gift from me to you.

You guys didn’t think I would go the entire month of December and not hold a contest, did you?

Pretend I’m Santa. Uh, except I’m not as round in the belly so it doesn’t jiggle like a bowlful of jelly, and I’m not male, or bearded, and I can’t fit down the chimney…. Okay, don’t pretend I’m Santa. Pretend I’m a merry, gift-giving Anya because that’s what I am.

List one book of mine that you would like to be gifted with. I’ll pick THREE winners next Wednesday (Christmas Eve Day).

So, go ahead and explore my site and decide on a title. Or you can just go here and look at this nifty printable booklist that Frauke (who is an incredible web site designer) placed on the site. Bet you didn’t even know it was there, did you?

List one book (ebook or print). There will be THREE winners chosen.

Okay…go!

*****THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED*****

Available January 6th, 2009

“WITCH HEART is a grand escape into a paranormal world brimming with sensual delight and everlasting love, even while fraught with unspeakable dangers. With a well-written story and an intriguing plot, readers can practically feel every emotion along with the characters, immersing them into the world completely Bravo to Anya Bast for another great story in this fascinating saga!”
–Jennifer Ray, Wild on Books

“”Smart, sexy and dangerous, the Elemental Witches are a force to be reckoned with…Always an exhilarating read.” –Sue Burke, Fresh Fiction

“This pursuit novel rockets forward as the protagonists fight to stay alive and face their growing attraction to one another. Fascinating secondary characters all cry out for their own books. Here’s hoping the talented Bast will oblige.”
4 Stars from Romantic Times BOOKreviews

“The third Witch Blood urban romantic fantasy is a fabulous tale as Adam risks his life and his heart to keep his beloved Claire safe.” — Harriet Klausner

The book releases on January 6th, but my publisher sent me a little taste yesterday. It’s a very pretty book. Perhaps the prettiest, in my personal opinion, of the first three. I really do love this cover very much.

And look at the spines! There are all my girls together.

Hee!!!

I always hesitate to discuss epirating because:

a.) It sounds like I’m lecturing and I don’t want to sound that way. I want my blog to be fun and have pictures of cats and amusing anecdotes and contests and stuff.

b.) It advertises the fact you can do it and I imagine one or two passers-by are saying, “Hey, cool! I can get books for free!” and then stop reading my blog post and go off to steal from me or others.

c.) I don’t think the regular readers of my blog would ever dream of stealing from me and probably are angry on my behalf that anyone else would (because you guys are awesome!) and therefore I’m probably just preaching to the choir.

But a couple days ago a friend of mine sent me a link with dozens of my books posted for free for anyone to take. I found another this morning. There’s nothing new about this. I fight epirating every single day, but I’ve been noticing more and more of it as the economy worsens. I honestly simply do not have the time to fight all of them. I have deadlines, edits, and a family to take care of.

So it’s an issue for me right now and I feel like I need to clarify where I stand on this issue and what’s wrong with it. First, let me explain the problem with “sharing” ebooks.

Okay, so you buy a paperback copy of a book. You like it, so you give it to your friend, who gives it to their friend, who puts it up on paperback swap or something. That’s okay. That’s okay because it’s ONE copy of the book, purchased originally by someone who then had a right to do with it as she saw fit.

I have no problem with libraries or paperback swap or used bookstores. That book is only one book and can only change hands one pair at a time. Eventually the book is going to become tattered and fall apart. It has a limited lifespan.

The problem lies in someone buying (or stealing) an electronic copy of a book and then putting it up somewhere and saying, “Here, I’m sharing this with you.” Except, it’s not sharing, it’s publishing. Because copies are being made of that one ebook. Now there isn’t just ONE book anymore, there are five hundred books. Then some of those people go out and say, “I’m sharing this book with you,” and now there are four thousand new books from that one original copy. And that one original copy is never going to become tattered and need to be replaced. It’ll be bright and shiny forevermore.

See the difference? Ebooks multiply like indestructible tribble.

• You ARE breaking copyright when you copy an ebook and you end up with two or more copies.
• You ARE NOT breaking copyright by giving away your copy of a paperback book.
• You ARE breaking copyright by copying or scanning a paperback book.
• You ARE NOT breaking copyright by forwarding an ebook to a friend AND THEN DELETING THE ORIGINAL COPY. There’s still only one copy and that’s kosher.

My responses to all the excuses I’ve heard ebook pirates use:

But I would never have purchased the book in the first place.

Ah, okay. Then why do you want the book anyway?

I can’t afford to buy any books right now, so I have no choice but download them illegally.

Economic times are hard right now for everyone, but if I want a certain type of cosmetic and can’t afford it that doesn’t mean I go down to the drugstore and shoplift it. Why don’t you try a used bookstore or the library? You have options. I’m sorry you’re experiencing financial problems, that sucks, but it’s no excuse.

Authors are rich, they can take the hit!

Bwahahahahahaha. Ahem. No. 99% of authors cannot support themselves on their writing alone. We are NOT rich folk. We are poor folk who love what we do and want to be able to do more of it in the future, but we can only do that if people stop stealing our work.

I don’t believe in copyright. No one can own ideas.

That’s a very romantic notion. It’s true that you can’t copyright an idea, however you can copyright a work that springs from an idea. It takes time, effort and labor to produce a novel from an idea. That’s when the idea becomes a work and the creator of that work deserves compensation. Just like you deserve compensation for sitting eight hours a day in a cubicle doing data entry or whatever it is you do for a living.

Respect the author. Respect the work the author put in to create it. I wouldn’t walk into your employer’s payroll office and steal parts of your paycheck, so don’t steal mine.

But I didn’t know I was doing anything wrong.

Now you know. Please stop.

Why stop?

Stop because you obviously love to read and the more you steal from authors the more you hurt them. The more the authors are hurt, the less sales they make, the more shelf space they lose, and that ultimately means less variety in reading material for you.

Some midlist authors can be very injured by this. All it takes is a small decrease in their sales for their publishing house to cancel their contracts and then they’re out of a job – it’s you, the ebook pirate, who may be ultimately responsible for that. Already, the years 2009 and 2010 are going to see a hella lot of midlist authors knocked from their places in publishing because the economy is so bad. This is NOT helping them.

I do understand that many people are having financial difficulties right now. I know that it’s difficult sometimes to get to the library and when you do there are long waiting lists for books. So here’s what I will do for you.

I have two free stories I wrote for my newsletters subscribers. I will have my web site mistress upload them to my web site. You can download these two stories, forward them, copy them until you’re blind (although I wouldn’t advise that), tap dance on them if you want. They’re yours, gratis. Time willing, I plan to write more free stories.

I love ebooks. I am a huge proponent of them and I am against DRM. (Hey, I’m about to buy an ebook reader and I don’t want any extra hassle either.) I just wish people would be more responsible in their decision making and think about how their choices affect the artists they profess to enjoy.

I don’t think that we can get people to stop breaking copyright and sharing files on the Internet by appealing to their sense of right and wrong. The Lure of the Free is far too powerful. I only hope the publishing industry (already taking some very serious hits) can respond to the problem in a more effective manner than the music industry did.