Interview: Sara Humphreys + Giveaway!

Filed in featured , Giveaways , Interview , Sara Humphreys , The Danger Lover Posted on November 27, 2012 @ 7:00 am 33 comments

We are delighted to welcome author Sara Humphreys to BLI today who is joining us to celebrate the release of Untamed, the latest book in her Amoveo Legend series. Sara is an award-winning author whose stories are very popular, garnering many rave reviews. The Amoveo Legend series is published by Sourcebooks and Untamed hit the stands and e-readers on November 6, 2012.

 About Sara:

Sara Humphreys has been attracted to the fantasies of science fiction, paranormal, and romance since her adolescence when she had a mad crush on Captain Kirk. An actress and public speaker, Sara lives in Bronxville, NY, with her husband, who is very considerate of her double life, and four amazing boys.

 

Lea: Sara! It’s such a pleasure to be able to chat with you about your series and new book Untamed! I’m a Trek lover too, gotta love Kirk and the gang. I can’t wait for the next movie! 😉

Sara: Hi! Thanks for having me here today. I adore William Shatner as Kirk but Chris Pine is delicious! I’m super excited for the next movie and I think it’s coming out this summer.

 

Lea: Sara, not only do you have a busy family life, you have a career as a public speaker as well as your writing. Please describe a typical day of writing, how do you balance it all?

Sara: Some days I balance it well and others….not so much. My boys are in school full-time so I get a lot done on school days. The hardest part of working from home is being disciplined and not allowing myself to get caught up in time-sucks online.

 

Lea: Would you describe yourself as a planner or pantser?

Sara: I was a pantser but due to deadlines with my publisher I’m now more of a planner. However, sometimes the plan I make for a book is not what the characters want me to do. In cases like that, my plan goes out the window and I let characters drive the story. So I guess I’m both.

 

Lea: The characters in your books and the world you’ve created for them are based on the Amoveo Legend. Amoveo began with Unleashed, the first book in the series, please share some insight into your creative world and the impetus for the series.

Sara: There wasn’t one ah-ha moment. The Amoveo are a result of asking myself a lot of questions. I wanted to create an entirely new race of shapeshifters but I didn’t want them limited to one animal so I gave them ten animal clans. I wanted their race to be magical so I gave them other abilities as well, like telepathy and the ability to travel at the speed of thought and visualize things into existence. The mind is their most powerful tool. I also believe in true love and adore the idea of a pre-destined mate, so that had to be part of their legend. I then asked myself what would happen if not all of the Amoveo were happy about mixing with humans. I put all of that together and the Amoveo is what I came up with.

 

Lea: Are the heroes of your stories alpha males? If so, are the heroines all betas or have you mated them with alpha females?

Sara: Yes and Yes. The men are alphas and the women are as well. I wanted these strong, sometimes over-bearing men, to have women who could handle them and put them in their place if needed.

 

Lea: The heroes of the Amoveo stories are shifters, do they all change into wolves, or can readers expect the guys to share their human selves with different creatures?

Sara: There are ten animal clans among their race. Lion, Panther, Cheetah, Tiger, Wolf, Coyote, Eagle, Falcon, Fox and Bear. Each of the heroes and heroines are from different clans.  They can only shift into their clan animal or their human form. 

 

Lea: What can we expect of the latest book in the series, Untamed?

Sara: Untamed is different from the first two books because the heroine knows that she is a human/Amoveo hybrid. Kerry and Samantha were unaware of their Amoveo heritage. Layla, however, knows what she is but hates the Amoveo. She’s lived her life in fear that some Amoveo man was going to come along and drag her away. William, her mate, is a pureblood from the Gyrfalcon Clan and is known for being really uptight and rigid. The poor guy dosen’t know what to make of the feisty woman that fate has brought him. Expect sparks to fly.

 

Length: 320 Pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: November 6, 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Formats Available: Paperback, Kindle, Nook
Purchasing Info: Author’s Website, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million,, Powells, Goodreads, The Book Depository, Kindle, Nook

Book Blurb

An ancient race of shapeshifters has lived secretly among humans for thousands of years…they are…the Amoveo

William Fleury has finally found his mate. A highly respected attorney and member of the Gyrfalcon Clan, he’s known for his cold, calculating demanor. However the ice around his heart thaws the moment he sets eyes on his mate.

Layla Nickelsen is a world traveled photographer with a secret…she gets more than a digital image from her pictures. The only thing she dreads more than her Amoveo heritage is the knowledge that someday her mate will find her…and claim her. Raised on a rural Maryland farm by a loving foster mother. She and two other hybrids live in fear of the full blooded Amoveo. Unable to shapeshift like her siblings, Layla always feels out of step.

When her mate arrives to claim her the intense and immediate connection is startling…but when the safety of the farm is violated and Rosie is attacked…the game changes and sacred trusts are challenged.

William shows her the way of the Amoveo and helps her realize her powers with remarkable speed. But will the Council and the pure blooded Amoveo embrace the newly revealed hybrids?

Lines are drawn and loyalties are questioned…The Amoveo become a house divided.

Layla swiftly discovers that there’s a fine line between love and lust.

You can’t escape your fate.

 

Lea: Are the Amoveo heroes all part of the Gryfalcon Clan, like William or does it depend on their shifter form?

Sara: Nope. Each of the heroes in the series is part of a different clan. Malcolm Drew in Unleashed (#1)  is from the Golden Eagle Clan. Dante Coltari in Untouched (#2) is from the Fox Clan. Pete Castro is Undone (#4) is human and Dominic Tejada in Unclaimed (#5) is from the Tiger Clan.

 

 

Lea: As the blurb indicates Layla is unable to shapeshift, are the heroines in the Amoveo novels most often able to shift or is Layla an exception?

Sara: Samantha and Kerry don’t shapeshift until they connect with their mates and find out that they’re half Amoveo. Layla’s adopted siblings, however, are hybrids from the Wolf Clan and both of them are able to shift even though they haven’t found their Amoveo mates yet.

 

Lea: Would you advise readers to enjoy the series books in order or do you feel they can be read as standalones?

Sara: They can be read as standalones but you would get a spoiler or two if you do it that way. Ideally it’s best to read them in order but you don’t have to.

 

Lea: Undone is the next book in the Amoveo Legend series, what can fans expect to see when Pete and Marianna’s story hit the shelves?

Sara: Pete and Marianna’s story is different for a few reasons. First of all, he’s human and has no Amoveo blood. Marianna is a pureblood from the Bear Clan and is totally uninterested in the unrest among the Amoveo. She’s a party girl who just wants to live her life and stay out of politics but the Purists won’t stand for it. Pete works for her brother, Dante, and is assigned to keep an eye on Marianna. Even though Pete knows all about the Amoveo…she thinks he doesn’t.

 

Lea: You have an exciting year ahead, and have sold a new series, please tell us about your new series, Dead in the City!

Sara:  I’d love to! My vampire series is about a coven of vampire chicks that live and work in New York City. Olivia Hollingsworth is a three hundred year old celibate vampire and the head of a small coven. She owns and operates a nightclub in NYC and also happens to be best friends with Marianna Coltari. (Actually, Undone is a crossover book between the two worlds and Olivia and her coven are introduced in Pete and Marianna’s story.) According to their vampire legend, some vampires have a blood-mate and if they bond with this blood-mate then both become Daywalkers. Olivia never believed that fairy tale until a sexy cop shows up at her nightclub bearing a striking resemblance to her human lover from three hundred years ago. Each book will be about one of the girls from Olivia’s coven. Olivia’s book is first. Tall, Dark, and Vampire, will be out in August 2013. 

 

Lea: Please summarize Untamed for us twitterstyle (in 140 characters or less)? 

Layla spends years hiding from her Amoveo mate. William is as stoic as they come, until he finds Layla. You can’t escape your fate.

 

Lea: Now the BLI hard question, please tell us 3 reasons why people should read your books?

Sara:  They’re a sexy escape into a new world. They’ll reaffirm your belief in true love. You’ll want to know what happens next.

 

Lea: Thank you so much for joining us today Sara, and much success with Untamed! J

Sara: Thank you, Lea! It was a thrill to be here today. Thanks so much for hosting me.

 

Praise for the Amoveo Legend series:

“Compelling… Deft world-building and sensuous love scenes make this paranormal romantic thriller an enjoyable journey.” —Publishers Weekly

“The characters haunted my dreams…I thought about this book constantly.” —Long and Short Reviews

“I loved the book. I’m looking forwards to many more in this series.” —Night Owl Reviews, Reviewer Top Pick

“Fast-paced paranormal romance with fantastic world-building.” —The Book Girl

 

Where to find Sara:

Website | Sara’s Angels | Twitter | Facebook

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~*~*Giveaway*~*~

We have 2 copies of UNTAMED up for grabs. *Please read the following carefully*!

Sourcebooks has generously offered a print of Untamed to one lucky commenter from the USA or Canada! 🙂

Book Lovers Inc. is offering a copy in any format to one International Entry! *Please Note if a print copy is requested it must be to a country on The Book Depository’s delivery list.

All you have to do is leave a meaningful comment about Sara’s interview or a question for her!
(You can read our full giveaway policy here)

Please leave us a way to contact you.
(Email in blogger profile or twitter name – no way to contact you – no entry).

Giveaway ends on Saturday, December 8, 2012; and we will announce the winner on Sunday.

Good luck!

About Lea


Lea is an animal loving, tree hugging vegetarian who lives in Toronto, Canada with her family, which includes three dogs. She is a prolific reader and has been blogging and reviewing since 2008. Lea is a contributor at the USA Today HEA Blog and an active member at Goodreads.

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33 Comments

Join the Discussion
  • Viki S. November 27, 2012 at 7:06 am

    Olivia sounds very interesting. How did you decide to make her celibate and run a nightclub? Two things that don’t normally go together. Thank you.
    vsloboda(at)gmail(dot)com

    • Sara November 27, 2012 at 9:58 am

      Hi Viki-Olivia is a fun character because she’s not your typical vampire and that’s what I wanted to write about. I wanted to explore a woman who bucked vampire convention and her own desires. She’s a business woman with the heart of a fighter.

  • Fiza November 27, 2012 at 7:39 am

    I must be honest that I hadn’t heard about the Amoveo series. But they sound like a must read, especially for me who loves shifter stories ^_^
    I’ve read many discussions about the “Multicultural” genre, that some find it more difficult to write about a character of color. Have written stories in that genre? And what is your perspective on this “issue”?

    fiza700[at]gmail[dot[com (international reader)

    • Sara November 27, 2012 at 10:03 am

      Hi Fiza- Thanks for coming by today and I hope you’ll try the series. As for multi-cultural romance, I do have some ethnic characters emerging in my vampire series but I haven’t thought of it as a separate genre. The hero in the second Dead in the City novel is Hispanic and there will be a novella in the series with an African American hero. The characters reveal themselves and I write their story.

  • AH November 27, 2012 at 8:20 am

    This is a new to me series, however the covers now have me intrigued. Do you have any input when designing the book covers?
    aharel4 (at) gmail (dot) com

  • Joy F November 27, 2012 at 8:57 am

    Love vampires and your new series sounds awesome. Can’t wait to read.

    • Sara November 27, 2012 at 10:05 am

      Hi Joy–Thank you! I hope that you’ll find my vampire series original, fun and sexy.

  • Kimberli November 27, 2012 at 9:51 am

    Thanks for interviewing Sara! I devoured books 1 & 2 and can’t wait to read book 3 in the series.
    Also looking forward to the new series but sad that I’ll have to wait until August!

    • Sara November 27, 2012 at 10:52 am

      LOL. Thanks, Kimberli 🙂

  • Sara November 27, 2012 at 10:04 am

    Hi AH-Thank you. I love the covers too 🙂 I get to offer up suggestions but at the end of the day the publisher makes the call. I’m lucky that the Sourcebooks art department is so freaking awesome~!

  • leann November 27, 2012 at 10:40 am

    Hi Ms. Sara,
    I just finished ‘Untouched’….AWESOME! I love these characters, you’ve made them ‘human’ (they love honestly & totally, they’re loyalty to each other is true).Thanks for this series & I’m looking forward to more books to come. leann
    leamei1981@yahoo.com

    • Sara November 27, 2012 at 10:53 am

      Hi Leann-I’m so happy you enjoyed Untouched! I hope you’ll enjoy Untamed as much 🙂

  • aurian November 27, 2012 at 10:48 am

    Thanks for the great interview ladies. Oh, and don’t enter me, I have just (pre)ordered all 5 books.

  • Sara November 27, 2012 at 10:53 am

    Aurian–You. Rock.

  • miki November 27, 2012 at 11:23 am

    I loved the first two books so thank you a lot to Booklovers to offer a copy to international too, i really appreciate this opportunity to win.

    i will be happy to try your new series when it’s released

    • Sara November 27, 2012 at 5:59 pm

      Hi Miki-I’m thrilled to hear that you’re enjoying the series. Where do you live?

  • JenM November 27, 2012 at 11:25 am

    I love all things shifter and I also love pre-destined mates, so I guess I really should be reading this series. The vampire one sounds good too – does it have a Sex in the City vibe, or is it more serious?

    • Sara November 27, 2012 at 6:00 pm

      HI Jen-If you love shifters and pre-destined mates, then I think you’ll enjoy the world of the Amoveo. As for Dead in the City, it has some Sex in the City moments but it’s much grittier and explores the vampire underworld in NYC,

  • Gayle Pace November 27, 2012 at 11:52 am

    Was wondering if you have or will write a book that includes all the characters. I can’t wait to read all of the series. If I win I’d prefer print copy.
    Thanks and Merry Merry!
    http:/beemiown.blogspot.com
    So Mote It Be,
    Gayle Pace
    2o S Millstone
    Shell Knob MO. 65747

    • Sara November 27, 2012 at 6:01 pm

      Hi Gayle, The last book in the series, Unclaimed, will give you a glimpse at each of the couples from the previous book. Someday I’d love to do a Christmas novella with all of the couples. That could be fun.

  • Michele H November 27, 2012 at 1:10 pm

    Thank you for the wonderful interview and giveaway. This is a new series to me but it has all the elements I look for in a book: paranormal, romance and alphas. Love the idea of both alpha men AND women!

    • Sara November 27, 2012 at 6:02 pm

      Hi Michele–Me too! I love strong characters. Samantha, the heroine in Unleashed, is probably the least alpha of all my heroines but she’s got moxie. 🙂

  • Victoria Zumbrum November 27, 2012 at 7:07 pm

    I love vampires. I love reading about them and watching movies. I would love to read your books. They sound awesome.

    • Sara November 27, 2012 at 9:03 pm

      Thanks, Victoria. I love vampires too. I hope you’ll enjoy the books!

  • Jen B. November 27, 2012 at 9:10 pm

    I love paranormal stories. I always wonder about the shifter rules in stories. Did you come up with all of the rules before you started writing or are they still developing as the stories develop?

  • Diane Sallans November 27, 2012 at 10:14 pm

    I’ve been wanting to read a story about another type of shifter – I’ve only read about wolf shifters so far – and that cheetah is gorgeous!
    sallans d at yahoo dot com

  • Janie McGaugh November 27, 2012 at 11:55 pm

    Sara, your Amoveo Legend books sound wonderful, and I have them all on my TBR list; your new vampire series sounds great, too.

  • Mary Preston November 28, 2012 at 2:48 am

    Hi Sara,

    How do you decide how many books will be in a series?

  • June M. November 28, 2012 at 3:26 am

    Congrats on both the new release of this series, and the new vampire series to come. They both sound great and I will be putting them on my wishlist 🙂
    Are there just going to be 5 books in the Amoveo series, or will there be more after them?

  • Filia Oktarina November 28, 2012 at 11:26 am

    Congrats on the new release of this series!! Can’t wait to read this series. Love the cover too, and i put this books on my list 🙂
    I wanna know, this series will have many books ?
    INT.
    filiafantasy at gmail dot com

  • bn100 November 28, 2012 at 4:06 pm

    Nice interview. Thanks for sharing more about the characters.

  • sienny November 29, 2012 at 9:54 am

    the first thing that attracts me is the animal, each book got a different animal and all exotic. hope i can manage to read them soon 🙂

  • Maureen December 3, 2012 at 6:53 am

    I like alpha heroes to have strong heroines because then they meet their match.
    mce1011 AT aol DOT com

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