Author spotlight, interview, & giveaway - Author Jess Michaels

To help celebrate the upcoming release of Pleasuring the Lady by Jess Michaels (this Tuesday!), she is stopping by my blog today for an interview.  For those of you who have not had the pleasure of reading Jess's work, she is the author of such novels as: Taken by the Duke, An Introduction to Pleasure, and Her Perfect Match.  If you are looking for an escape from reality and LOVE historical novels, or even not sure if historical is your genre you should definitely check out her work.

I have had the privilege of reading Pleasuring the Lady and let me tell you it's H-O-T-T.  Am I going to give you my review now?  No, you'll have to wait for Tuesday when I will be featuring my 5 star review on my blog.  (No one knows it's 5 star including Jess, so surprise!) So while you wait to read Pleasuring the Lady, pick up your copy of Taken by the Duke which is the first book in the Pleasure Wars series (by the way it's one of my top ten favorite books I've read)!

Here's a view of Taken by the Duke:

An eye for an eye, a sin for a sin…

The Pleasure Wars, Book 1

Amid all the lies and scandals that fuel Society’s gossip mill, one truth has stood out: House Rothcastle and House Windbury have always hated each other.

Lady Ava Windbury prays the feud will someday end, to no avail. One dreadful night, her brother accidentally causes the death of Christian Rothcastle’s sister, a tragedy that leaves both men maimed.

Consumed by grief, Christian makes a grim decision. He will kidnap Lady Ava so that her family will feel the pain of loss as keenly as he feels the loss of his own sister. But once he has Ava in his clutches, desire takes unexpected hold. Even more surprising, she willingly surrenders to his every sexual whim—after haggling over the terms of giving up her virginity.

Too late, he realizes she is using her body for peace, not war. But just as their affair of revenges turns into an affair of the heart, the past rears its ugly head to take matters into its own hands…

Warning: This book contains scenes of erotic seduction, sexual revenge and the healing power of love.

You can buy your copy here: Taken by the Duke (The Pleasure Wars)

Pleasuring the Lady:

Once the game begins, there is no tearing your gaze away.

The Pleasure Wars, Book 2

Her mother’s madness and her father’s and brother’s irresponsibility have relegated Lady Portia to the life of a wallflower. The only shining light in her life is her best friend, Ava, who is suffering a rift with her own brother.

Portia’s quest to help takes her to the notorious Donville Masquerade in the hells, where—behind the safety of a mask—she witnesses shocking public acts of sin. And succumbs to the touch of Marquis Miles Weatherfield.

Unfortunately, they’re discovered. And now, tainted by scandal, she and Miles are destined for a marriage neither of them want. But Portia makes a bargain that raises even Miles’s eyebrows.

In return for saving her mother from the asylum, Portia will do anything Miles wants in bed. Shocked by his driving desire for Portia, Miles agrees. As they explore every wicked desire, every forbidden act that pleases them, they discover something that goes far deeper than flesh. But the lies that brought them together could be the very wedge that drives them apart.

Warning: This book contains wicked encounters, erotic voyeurism, lies, a brief threesome, and unexpected kindnesses.

Pre-Order your copy here:  Pleasuring the Lady (The Pleasure Wars)

1) What inspired you to start writing?

        I always loved writing and wrote stories all through elementary school. I even won a Young Authors contest in 5th grade. Later, in college, I got it in my head I could write a romance and wrote something, printing it out page by page for my dorm mates to read. After college, I pulled that old story out to edit and fell totally in love with writing and reading romance. My husband said I should pursue it full-time and I never looked back. I've been lucky to be able to do this as my job and be successful enough that he retired in 2011 (at 35).  

2) What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?

        I am a "murder show" junkie on Investigation Discovery. It's a sickness. I also enjoy reading, spending time with my husband and my nephews and being outside in the gorgeous Arizona weather.  

3) Who are some of your favorite authors?

        I've always loved Lisa Kleypas, especially her historicals. I have been so busy the last few years that I didn't read as much as I liked, but I'm challenging myself to read 50 books next year (about a book a week, so doable) and I'm hoping to rediscover some old favorites and get to know some new ones. 

4) Which book is your favorite out of the ones you have written so far?

        Oh I couldn't pick! They're kind of like kids in a way and each one is a part of me. Whatever I'm writing is generally my favorite at the moment and I'm about to start a new series in about a week. LOL  

5) Which of your characters is your favorite?

        Again that is just too hard to pick! I like all my heroes and heroines.  

6) Are there are projects you are currently working on?  What can you tell your readers about it?

        I recently finished a novella project that's a bit of a secret and I'm about to start working on a series called The Ladies Book of Pleasures that will start July 2014.  

Jess Michaels began writing full-time in 1999 after being encouraged by her husband to follow her dream. In 2003, she sold her first novella to Red Sage Press, an erotic historical romance about an Egyptian tomb and a very sexy curse. Since then she has published (or has contracted to publish) nearly 50 novels, novellas and short stories under three different pen names with several major publishers, small presses and via self-publishing. Her erotic historical romances have been national bestsellers and won awards from booksellers and readers.
She and her husband live in Tucson, AZ. There she enjoys hiking in the beautiful desert, spending time with her nephews, designing jewelry, reading and spending time with her awesome husband and cats.

You can follow her newsletter by following this link:  http://www.authorjessmichaels.com/join-the-jess-michaels-newsletter/  (She raffles a FREE Kindle or Amazon gift certificate EVERY month to members of her newsletter)

Website/Blog: http://www.authorjessmichaels.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jessmichaelsbks

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jessmichaelsbks

***Additional Surprise***

I LOVE her work so much that I will be giving away one e-book of Taken by the Duke AND Pleasuring the Lady

a Rafflecopter giveaway