Haunting Embrace. Book review,interview and giveaway with author Erin Quinn

Today we have the fabulous paranormal author Erin Quinn! Haunting Embrace is the last book in her Mists of Ireland series. I've been fortunate enough to have read the first three in this series and everyone has been fabulous reading. Let's start with a blurb and then we'll get to my review and some questions for Erin.


HAUNTING EMBRACE
Erin Quinn
October 4, 2011
Amazon
Barnes &Noble
Books-a-Million
Indie-bound

ENDLESS LOVE
Within Meaghan Ballagh surges the blood of an ancient sorceress whose long ago love for the druid Áedán ended in treachery—a fate that ensnares Meaghan herself when she is thrust into the past. She can feel the desire between the sorceress and the handsome druid rise inside her. To ensure her survival, she must piece together the history of the woman who haunts her and the man who needs her.


ETERNAL BETRAYAL

Áedán recognizes Meaghan. He always will. For the spirit of his one true love—and immortal enemy—is in her. A woman for whom Áedán once risked everything he ever had only to be repaid with betrayal and eternal damnation. This time, he’s not going to let Meaghan escape—because together they have the power to change their destiny.

As the passion between them grows, so do their fears of arousing an ancient, haunted, and forbidden love, and for changing a past that could irrevocably destroy the future.

This series is set in Ireland and for some reason I've always loved Ireland for a setting in books. Aedan and Meaghan find themselves thrown out of the book of Fennmore and onto the isle of Fennmore in the 50's. Meaghan is in her grandmothers time changing her own fathers nappy. Although Aedan and Meaghan were both tossed out of the Book of Fennmore at the same time Aedan finds himself on the Isle of Fennmore 5 days before Meaghan and working for her fisherman grandfather. This book is surrounded by mystery right from the beginning. Colleen Meaghan's grandmother who is a young woman at this time seems to know she is coming and where to find her. A visitor Saraid gave her messages and a item for her to give to Meaghan. This starts Meaghan on her mission to find the book of Fennmore again and perhaps get back to her own time. Her and Aedan are at odds off and throughout the book. Each trying to find their way through the mystery and suspense going on around them denying their feelings for each other at first until they just can't anymore. Can they trust each other enough to work together to find the book and work together to close it permanently???  This book is a thrill ride of suspense, mystery and drama. It clicks along at a steady page making you want to turn page after page to see what's coming next. Loved this book and wish there was more. There were a few characters in this book that were in previous books and was surprised by what happens to the. If you read the previous books Eammon, Kyle and Jamie are in this book. The one person whose story i would've like to seen is Tiarnon's (Haunting Desire) brother Liam. I think i heard Erin mention that possibly there would be a book or two at some point with some characters from this series in it. I can hope. I give Haunting Embrace by Erin Quinn 5 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick stars. What I have always liked about this series of  books is the unpredictability of the stories. They take you on a winding road and you never know where the twists and turns are going to be. If you like that in a book this series if for you.


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Below is a quick interview I did with Erin.


Hi Erin. Why don't we start by having you tell us a little about yourself.

Hi Lisa, thank you so much for having me as a guest on your blog! I am so fortunate to have met you through my books and I love stopping by your site!
So, a little about me: Erin Quinn is an award winning author. Her books have been called “riveting,” “brilliantly plotted” and “beautifully written” and have won, placed or showed in the Booksellers Best, WILLA Award for Historical fiction, the Orange Rose, Readers Crown, Golden Quill, Best Books, and Award of Excellence. Book four in her Mists of Ireland series, HAUNTING EMBRACE released October 4, 2011. You can find a chronoligical listing of my books here.

1. Haunting Embrace is the 4th and possibly last book in "The Mists of Ireland" series. Can you briefly tell us about it?

Haunting Embrace--the last in my Mists of Ireland series--hit bookstores on October 4. I'm very excited about this book because not only does it wrap up my series, but it allowed me to explore a hero to die for--Áedán Brady--once the most powerful druid ever known, For eons Aedan has been imprisoned by a curse...until Meaghan Ballagh sets him free. Meaghan is thrust back in time, where she and the devastating Áedán become ensnared by echoes of the past. She cannot trust him and yet she cannot resist him either. To survive, she must piece together the history that binds them and break the curse that has doomed their love throughout time.....

2. You write paranormal romance. How do you research something like that?

What a GREAT question. The answer...very carefully. I say this because sometimes research can enhance your stories and sometimes it can ruin them. I've had experience with both. When I was writing my third book (Whispers) I had developed a story line for one of the secondary characters. About two weeks before the book was due, I went on this ghost walk in Reno with some local psychics and asked one about the ideas I had. The psychic told me it could/would/should NEVER happen. By the end of the conversation, I thought the entire thinking world would laugh me off the planet for even coming up with such a lame idea. I went back, ripped the idea out of my book and wrote it another way. A month after the book released, I was watching Discovery and they had a special on EXACTLY the concept I'd wanted for that character. I learned my lesson after that. Books are about imagination and if I can imagine it, it can happen. :)

3. How do you give a character life in a book. Where do you even start? Basically you're building a fictional person so how do you get them to the point the reader thinks as if they are real?

I know many authors who do character maps, interviews, inventories (on and on and on). For me, a character becomes boring if I know too much about them going in. I like to discover and I think that gives my characters a freshness that readers like. Think about it. If you knew everything about the person across the table from you on your first date, where would the fun be in getting to know them? In fact, I did not know the biggest, major-turning-point characteristic of Sean Ballagh in Haunting Beauty until I was 1/2 way through the first draft of that book. If you've read it, think about the BIG thing that makes up Sean. Yeah, that one. I think my not knowing in the beginning made it more realistic that others didn't either.

4. This series takes place in Ireland right? How do you map out all the locations in your series. Do you use a map or keep a list of what goes where. I've always wondered how you keep everything straight.

Yes and yes. But mostly I keep it in my head. It's a scary place in there.


5. Tell us 3 random things about yourself we'd be surprised to know.

    1.I love pink, hate scary movies, but adore scary books

   2.I still have a day job, go to school (because I never got that piece of paper that says I'm as smart as       think I am) and I've been married to the same hard headed alpha male for 23 years

   3.I sat in the gas chamber at Florence State Penitentiary and lived to tell about it. :)


6. Lastly what's is coming down the pike next for you? Anything you talk about or want to share or anything you think readers should know about this series?

Well, where do I start? I've loved writing the Mists of Ireland. It's taken me to the shores of Ireland and back and managed to hit a few unknowns in between. Though Haunting Embrace ends the series, I still have a couple of stories on the back burner which will follow characters I've introduced in the series. The story arc I began with Haunting Beauty will conclude, but the people...ah, well, as you know from my books, they never really die. :)

In addition to that...I just released a story in the Halloween anthology A Touch of Twilight (excerpt) and so far it's been getting a great response. I also have two books I'm working on and another story for a Valentine's Day anthology. I love creating stories and I get so jazzed every time I get to start something new. I'm not ready to talk about any of my projects though--the ideas are still too new and vulnerable. :) But I think my readers will like what I'm cooking up!



If you want to try out this series Book Haunting Beauty just came out in mass market. Complete with a new cover too. Amazon/HauntingBeauty  
Also, here's how to reach me on the web www.erinquinnbooks.com

Erin has generously offered a paperback copy of Haunting Beauty to one commenter. She will be here answering questions off and on all day too so ask away. You must be a follower of this blog and ask a question or leave a comment to be entered. Leave a valid email address as well please so i can contact you if you win. Ends Monday October 10th.