Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Rie McGaha Interview

1.What are you working on now?
I’ve got so many irons in the fire right now, even I don’t know what I’m working on! LOL I guess I am trying to get caught up on WIP’s and I’ve got a couple of new releases this month and next month, plus some others over the months to come!

2.What inspired you to be a writer?
I never know how to answer that question. I’ve always been a writer. I think I was born to write since I’ve done it all my life. From the time I could make letters, I’ve written stories, poetry, song lyrics and now books.

3.How many rejection letters did you get before you got an acceptance? What advice do you give the writers about dealing with rejection letters?
Ha! I don’t know how to count that high! I’ve had so many rejections I don’t even get upset over them anymore. The first few bummed me out because I thought it was a sign I shouldn’t be a writer, but even after being published I still receive rejections on a regular basis. It’s a part of writing, so no big deal.

4.How did you celebrate your first contract?
I think I just ran around the house doing the naked happy dance for a few days!

5.What's your favorite way to advertise?
Promotions are the worst thing for me, I absolutely hate them even though I know it’s a necessary part of being a writer. Fortunately there are promo people out there and I now have a wonderful (and sexy) guy who does it for me. But I still have to be available for interviews, contests, blogs, etc. It’s never-ending!

6.What do you do to amuse yourself when not working?
Giggle* giggle* well now, that’s a very personal question!

7.Where do you see your writing going in five years? In ten?
I’m old and all of that five and ten year plan thing isn’t something I think about. If I’m still above ground in ten years, I’ll be ecstatic!

8.What is your favorite "comfort food"?
I have so many! I guess I really like crawling into bed with the electric blanket on, a cup of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream in hand and something like cracked grain bread with pepper jack cheese slices to eat with it, or a bowl of sliced bananas covered in hot fudge and topped with lots of whipped cream!

9.Do you prefer ebooks or print for your reading pleasure?
Definitely print books. I like to fill my Jacuzzi and climb in with a glass of wine and good book, so electronic really doesn’t work well with water.

10.Who are your favorite authors?
My very fav is James Patterson. I fell in love with Alex Cross and haven’t missed a story yet. I also love Karen Marie Moning, her highlanders are soooo hot! And Sherrilyn Kenyon has some great vamps, as does Lynsay Sands. I also love a lot of the e-published authors like Kelley Heckart, Jesse Fox, Cinsearae Santiago, Bryl Tyne, Fiona Jayde, GR Bretz, and many others.

11.It’s plug time. Where can people find out more about your books? Got an excerpt you’d like to share?
So glad you asked! I’m on all the sites like My Space, Face Book and Twitter, so friend me or follow me and I’ll do the same! My website is www.riemcgaha.com and all the contest information, new releases, excerpts, links, etc. is there too. You can visit my publisher buy link where there are more excerpts and trailers to watch! And thank you so much for having me today, Honoria, it’s been a pleasure.


Excerpt from Ancient Blood by Rie McGaha (sequel to Blood Line)

Amenemhat traveled under the cover of darkness, knowing the danger he would face if recognized, and knew it would surely end his life. The people would welcome no consort of the crown. They were hungry, their children were dying, and they had little will left to help themselves, but they would have no problem killing the right-hand man of the dynasty they blamed for their deplorable lives.

After traveling most of the night, he reached Thebes by early morning light. Exhausted as he entered the temple to pray and be fortified, he stood before the altar of Amun, and Amenemhat felt a shiver run over his flesh and knew he was not alone. Slipping the knife from his waistband, he held it hidden in the folds of his robes. He turned slowly, and then involuntarily sucked a breath into his lungs at the sight he beheld.

The woman was ethereal in her beauty. Dark, thick hair fell to her knees in glorious, shining waves. With eyes as black as night, she peered at him from beneath heavy lashes. The faintest blush against alabaster skin highlighted her cheeks. Red and full, her perfect mouth nearly curved into a smile, but not quite. Her gown appeared to shine like silver, held beneath her firm, full breasts with a girdle of braided gold. The long sleeves fell like bells past her wrists, covering her hands as they lay loosely at her sides. Standing with bare feet, she observed him as if he was the intruder. The knife in his hand clattered on the marble floor.

"Who are you?" He asked in a barely audible whisper. Licking his lips, he tried to overcome the complete way she had caused his brain to all but cease functioning.

With one slow step toward him, she extended one hand in front of her as if she would touch him. He felt his breath catch in his lungs as she crossed the distance between them without seeming to have moved at all.

"You may call me Ganda."

Her voice was as close to music as he'd ever heard. And then she was beside him, laying her hand gently on his arm.

"You have nothing to fear, Amenemhat," she assured him softly.

He swallowed hard, forced himself to take a long, slow breath. His skin was on fire beneath her touch. His blood felt as if it were about to boil. Barely able to hold a coherent thought in his head, he stared at her, inhaled deeply, and let the breath out slowly. Finally, he was able to speak. "Why are you here in this sanctuary? How do you know me?" He hoped his voice sounded steadier to her than it did to him, though she appeared not to notice his nervousness.

"I…” she hesitated and looked over her shoulder at a man Amenemhat hadn’t even noticed. She smiled again, and corrected herself. "We, that is, have heard your prayers."

The man that joined her looked altogether normal, yet not quite, as Amenemhat looked him over. He was tall, but no taller than Amenemhat himself, and he had black hair, with eyes as blue as a summer sky. It was in the way he carried himself, Amenemhat decided. The man just appeared so much larger than life. He was definitely human, but he was also something more than that. Something sleeker, wilder, more defined than an ordinary man.

"I'm Colin," the man said with a smirk, as if he knew exactly what Amenemhat had been thinking.

Amenemhat cleared his throat, but it didn't help, his mouth was so dry his tongue was glued to the roof. He cleared his throat again but no sound came out. When the woman looked directly at him it seemed as if he could no longer control himself. His mind failed to function, as well as his mouth. Something about her made him want to touch her, to bow before her, to worship her body, and to promise her anything she might ask of him.

Finally, Amenemhat was able to pull himself together and managed to croak, "I don't understand how you came to be in this place. It is sacred. Only the king, the priests, and myself, are allowed in this sanctuary."

The man and woman looked at one another, joined their hands and smiled into each other's eyes. There was nothing Amenemhat could mistake in the look that passed between them. The woman belonged to this strange man, and Amenemhat thought he heard the word mine whispered on the air when the two joined hands. He took a step back. It was fear and respect, awe that he felt now.

Neither of these beings were simply normal human beings. He knew it in the depths of his soul, though he couldn’t have said what it was he thought they might be. The woman looked him in the eye again and he felt his stomach muscles quiver, his blood seemed to explode within him, and he couldn’t breathe. Falling prostrate before them, he pressed his fists to his eyes. He didn't see the look the man gave the woman, or the smiles that passed between them.

The man shrugged and said, "Arise,” with so much authority Amenemhat immediately obeyed.

"How may I serve you, my lord?"

Again Colin smiled but caught the look Ganda sent him and quickly sobered. "We aren't here to be served, but rather to help you. We heard your prayers, we've seen the devastation in your country, and we want to help all of you."

Amenemhat looked warily from one to the other now. Speaking of his country sobered him. "Help? In what way would you be able to help? We are all but finished here! The war has raged since before I was born, before my king was born, and none of his predecessors were able to end the civil war here in Egypt. How can you help?"

"We are able to see beyond what you see. And able to succeed in areas that a…well, that a man such as yourself is unable to," the woman said.

Amenemhat could have listened to her all day so sweet was her voice, and so warm was her touch, and so very seductive. He would have done anything to have a long, slow taste of her, of that mouth, and to be able to feel that body beneath his. Everything that was male within him reacted to her. She was the most beautiful, desirable woman he’d ever seen in his life. He had never felt such hot desire licking through him, had never felt such raw lust pricking every nerve in his body.

This woman was snatched from his fantasies. One he had dreamed of but knew could never really exist. The gods had simply not been able to create such perfection. Yet, here she stood with all that glorious hair falling around her. It was all he could do not to reach out and wrap his hands in it. Her dark eyes were like pools with endless depths and he was sure she could see right into his very thoughts, his mind and soul.

He could imagine kissing those lips, sucking that full bottom lip into his mouth. Her breasts, so full and high, he could see her nipples in his mind’s eye all puckered and pink. Licking his lips, he felt the heat of his desire for her coursing through his blood. He knew he had never wanted a woman the way he wanted this one, and he would never touch another woman without thinking of this one, then he caught the look the man was giving him.

"She belongs to me, and if you want to continue drawing breath in this life, I suggest you keep those thoughts out of your head," Colin said softly with a smile that belied the edge of danger hanging from his words.

Amenemhat's mouth fell open. Falling flat on his face, he lay prostrate before them once more. This time, however, he begged for forgiveness and pleaded for his life. They must truly be gods Amenemhat thought vaguely, since they could read his mind!

Colin almost laughed out loud. Not a god at all, but what could it hurt if everyone thought he was? Egypt was going to be fun!

3 comments:

Marie McGaha said...

Thanks so much for having me on your blog, Honoria. It was a pleasure!

Rie

Nichelle Gregory said...

Great interview guys!
Rie, your banana, hot fudge and whipped cream snack sounds heavenly right about now. ;0)

Bryl R. Tyne said...

Happy you enjoy my work, Rie :)

~Bryl

Bryl R. Tyne
bryltyne.com