We are delighted to have author Devyn Quinn join in for our Blogoversary celebration week today. “Siren’s Surrender”, the second book in Devyn’s “Dark Tides Series” from NAL Publishing hits the stands on February 1st and she is here to talk about what happens to the Lonike sisters next and specifically Gwen Lonike who I think can be described as the most reserved of the three mermaid sisters. Please give Devyn a warm BLI Blogoversary welcome! Be sure and read the end of the post as Devyn is offering an extremely generous giveaway today!!

BLI: Hi Devyn, so delighted you were able to take time out to join us again today. Susi, The Geeky Lover, talked to you in August last year and I’m going to invite folks to read that interview because you talked about you, your writing process as well as the first novel in the “Dark Tides” series, “Siren’s Call”. So, I wondered if you could start by telling us about how you further develop the series in “Siren’s Surrender”.

DQ: Thank you for the welcome, Lea. I’m delighted to be here today.

The first thing I do is research reader blogs to find out what readers think are missing in books, the clichés that are overused, or the plots that seem overdone. Once I assess that, I take a look at the book I’m writing and see what I’ve done that seems same-old, same old or boring. After that, I begin working on the characters and plotting, writing out a brief outline of the chapters and what will happen in each. After that, I begin to write, following the map I’ve prepared for the book.

BLI: Would you describe Gwen as a reluctant heroine?

DQ: Very much so!

BLI: Blake Whittaker is a tough, no nonsense (and very yummy alpha) FBI agent who is assigned to a special division within the agency. Can you tell us a little about Blake, A51-ASD division, and what brings him to Little Mer Island?

DQ: Blake worked for a covert branch of the sciences division that keeps an eye on strange and unusual scientific phenomena. When an anomaly in the Mediterranean begins acting up in a most unusual way, Blake is sent to investigate. Although he works in investigating strange things, most of the people Blake encounters are crackpots so he really doesn’t take the report seriously. He’s more focused on getting the job done and getting out of town.

BLI: You gave Blake crippling hydrophobia or a fear of water and I thought that was extremely clever given he becomes involved with Gwen, a mermaid. lol Can you talk a little about Blake, his complexities and why you created him for Gwen, an equally complex and very private heroine?

DQ: Although I am writing mermaids, I don’t want every scene to be based around or focused on the sea. There are only so many things a mermaid can do in the water, and just having the characters swimming all the time would wear on the reader’s nerves. So I decided to give Blake a fear of the water, just to see how he would react when he found out Gwen was a mermaid. Gwen, too, is very reticent about going into the water, so when she finally reveals herself to be a mermaid, she has to do all the work seducing Blake because there is no way he’s going to join her in that pool!

BLI: The plot of “Siren’s Surrender” is action packed, suspenseful and, I have to say, hair raising. Gwen, Blake, Tessa, Kenneth, and Addison really go through hell and back. We don’t want spoilers of course but can you share a little of the plot of “Siren’s Surrender” and maybe share a little excerpt with us?

DQ: “Siren’s Surrender” is, of course, Gwen’s book, and focuses on her fear of what would happen if knowledge of the Mer became public. It’s also a story of longing and denial and readers learn a little secret about Gwen: She’s never had sex. That’s right. She’s a 27 year old virgin, and one very frustrated Mer.

Here’s a peek:

“Sitting shoulder to shoulder beside Blake Whittaker, Gwen sneaked another glance. He sat stone still, unmoving. In fact, he barely breathed.

If she hadn’t been sure before, she was now. There was no missing his vibe. This man clearly had no love of the water. In fact, he was terrified.

Sympathy welled up inside her. Everybody had a fear, some little something that sent a shiver down their spine. As the owner of her own little bag of insecurities, she could easily understand.

Without knowing quite why, Gwen laid a hand on his arm. She leaned closer so he could hear her over the noise of the motor. “Lucky has been taking people across these waters all his life. He hasn’t lost one yet.”

Fingers still locked in a clench, Whittaker shifted his body away from hers. “That’s good to know.”

Gwen purposely let her hand drop. He obviously didn’t welcome personal contact. Still, she admired his determination. He was doing what his job required him to do, even if he didn’t like it. That took a lot of guts. “I take it you aren’t admiring the view.”

His reply was short and sweet. “No.”

Not a talky man at all. Heavens. He was as friendly as a rattlesnake.
Her sympathy melted a bit. She was doing her best to be nice and all he could do was blow her off. “So are all agents trained to be rude sons of bitches or does it just come naturally to you?”

Like a robot going into motion, Whittaker turned his head. One hand lifted. He pushed up his sunglasses, giving her a view of his eyes. “They train us to be bastards,” he answered with all seriousness. The impenetrable glasses went back down.

Then, quite unexpectedly, he grinned.

His smile caught her unaware, and her breath caught in her chest in surprise. “That’s good to know,” she squeaked like a nervous schoolgirl. Oh. My. God. The upturn of his lips made his mouth absolutely sensual.

She hadn’t realized until that moment how damn good-looking he was. He had a face like granite, all sharp lines and angles: high forehead, chiseled cheekbones, strong straight jaw. He wore his black hair in a short uncombed style that helped soften the severity of his face. His suit fit him well, tailored to accentuate his muscular arms, broad chest, and washboard stomach. There wasn’t a spare ounce on his lean frame.

Now that his demeanor had lost a layer of frost, he reminded Gwen of a stallion—roped and harnessed, forced to be tame. She couldn’t help but think that a wild streak lurked beneath the surface of his calm, straining to break free and run loose. She could imagine how Mr. Straight-Laced Tight-Ass might be in other situations . . .

Siren’s Surrender © Devyn Quinn”

BLI: Jake and Queen Magaera, the antagonists from “Siren’s Call” are up to no good again in “Siren’s Surrender”, the ending is a cliff hanger which provides a springboard essentially to “Siren’s Desire”, the third and final book of the series. Any thoughts to share about Addison’s book Devyn?

DQ: Addison’s book is going to be much more action packed than the first two. For one, Magaera is on the move and what she does to reclaim Tessa as hostage is the act that spurs Addison into action. Coming into the book is Captain Mason McKenzie, leader of the newly appointed USET (Undersea Search and Exploration Team), which is being put together by the Navy to pursue Magaera and try and breach her Mediterranean stronghold. Addison at first resists being recruited. After Tessa is kidnapped and Kenneth nearly killed, she decides it is time to get even.

BLI: You have an exciting year ahead! The publication day of “Siren’s Surrender”, is February 1st and the first book in your Vampire Armageddon series “Darkness Descending” will be released on August 2, 2011. Can you share a little information about this novel? The cover art is awesome BTW! *g*

DQ: I am thrilled to pieces about that book! It is actually my baby and my editor and I are currently putting the final polish on it. I love the characters of Jesse and Maddox and hope that readers will too! And, yes, the cover faery was very good to me. It looks exactly like Jesse is described in the book.

BLI: Devyn, thank you so much for taking time away from your writing deadlines to visit Book Lovers today, as always it’s a real pleasure to chat with you. 🙂

Where to find Devyn:
Website
Facebook
Twitter

Devyn’s Question: Do you prefer your paranormal romance dark or do you like it on the lighter side with more adventure in the mix?

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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