DARK SIDE DOWNUNDER: Christina Phillips

The Dark Side DownUnder series continues! I invited you to get to know some paranormal romance authors from Australia & New Zealand, maybe find a couple of new-to-you-authors & reads!

These authors are part of a blog group I'm affiliated with, called the Dark Side DownUnder. The site is aimed at showcasing all things speculative fiction - articles, authors, books, spotlights on... and contests/giveaways. You can find out more about DSDU here.

My good friend, Christina Phillips is the Dark Sider in the hot seat today!

Christina loves writing dark tales of tough, sexy warriors who are brought to their knees by their heroines. A mystical touch of fantasy or paranormal usually weaves its way through her stories, although strangely enough this wasn’t her intention when she first starting writing her historical romances. But when ancient gods and goddesses get involved, it’s best just to go with the flow.

She is published by Ellora’s Cave and Berkley Heat and has dipped her toe in the indie pub waters. She is a member of the Romance Writers of Australia, Romance Writers of America, the DarkSide Down Under Group Blog and Historical Hearts Group Blog. She helped establish the inaugural Professional Development for Authors program and has been a member of the editorial team for the RWA’s monthly newsletter, Hearts Talk.

Christina is an ex-pat Brit who now lives in sunny Western Australia with her family. She is also owned by three gorgeous cats who are convinced the universe revolves around their needs. They are not wrong.

Christina, growing up, did you have an interest in the paranormal?
Looking back, I’ve always been obsessed by the paranormal although at the time it all seemed perfectly normal to me. Why wouldn’t there be a magical land in the back of a wardrobe? Of course toys came to life as soon as you went to sleep at night. I still remember as clearly as anything hiding behind the sofa watching Doctor Who on Saturday evenings (but it never occurred to me – or my parents, apparently! – to stop watching the show!) 

What drew you to write in the paranormal romance genre?
I’ve always enjoyed writing about the weird and strange. Even my English essay homework involved time travel to ancient Rome and epic space journeys.

When I first started writing with the aim of publication I tried writing category romance, but even then an errant guardian angel appeared and my second heroine was a powerful medium in denial.

In your books, what sorts of characters or themes do you like to write about?
I write a lot of historical romances and one of the obvious constraints that arises is the fact that in the past women have been severely repressed (I realise that, unfortunately, inequality still exists in many forms).

I think this is why I gravitated towards the dark and misty times of the Druids, just before they were decimated by the Romans. Because we know so little about the Druids I was able to unearth a culture where female Druids were as powerful and respected as their male counterparts. Their pantheon of gods, unlike the Romans, wasn’t patriarchal or created to subdue women… at least not originally…

In the same way my Highland Warrior Chronicles, set during the ninth century in the Highlands, have the mysterious Picts. Again we know so little about the Pictish people who lived in the Highlands before the Scots, yet the few things we do know about them paint an intriguing picture.

And so I once again went back to the Goddess culture where women had been on equal footing with men. But this is a time of great change and upheaval in universal beliefs, and woven through the ancient myths and legends a new God arises. It makes for fascinating conflicts between the Scots warriors and their Pictish princesses.

Another theme that I appear to like, although I must admit I didn’t even realise it until recently, is the enemies to lovers trope. I’m not sure why, but when I looked back at my books that theme runs through them all!

QUIZ
Fav. paranormal TV series: It’s been ages since I’ve sat down and watched a TV series. And when I tried to think of one we’ve bought on DVD all I come up with are sci fi ones instead!  I love Star Trek TNG and Voyager, Stargate and of course, (are you ready for this revelation?) Battlestar Galactica! 

Which paranormal romance author would you just love to meet in person? I consider myself hugely fortunate to have actually met in person several of my favourite paranormal authors – present company included! On a side note my eldest daughter is still green with envy that I’ve met (and spoken with! And hugged!) Nalini Singh.

Most intriguing paranormal creature: Ever since I was a child I’ve found mermaids fascinating. I’m talking about the beautiful maidens with long flowing hair… and a tail. As I got older the tail kind of freaked me out, but despite the many questions I have as to their romantic rituals, mermaids still intrigue me.

Fav. paranormal movie: I do love Enchanted, it’s such a delightful feel good movie and always makes me smile when we watch it (which is frequently!!) Also love Terminator, Alien and Déjà Vu with Denzel Washington– not sure they all qualify as paranormal movies though!

Keeper paranormal romance series/books: Psy/Changeling by Nalini Singh.

Which would you prefer - transporter, TARDIS or immortality: Much as I would love to travel in the TARDIS (hello, David Tennant!) my super technology of choice would be a transporter. With so many friends and relatives scattered across the country and the globe it would be completely awesome to be able to visit them with just a quick snap of the fingers! 

Christina, thanks for visiting today!

Driven by the knowledge he failed to protect his king and embittered at losing the woman he loves, Celtic warrior Gawain despises the lust he feels for the beautiful Roman patrician, Antonia. She is everything he’s never wanted in a woman, yet she ignites his passion like no other. Despite the danger of discovery he embarks on an illicit liaison with her, determined to uncover the reason for the infinite sorrow that haunts her eyes.
Newly arrived in Britannia from Rome, Antonia is inexplicably drawn to the cold, tough Celt whose touch stirs a desire she long thought died at the hands of her brutal former husband. With Gawain she learns the pleasure of sex and his unexpected tenderness thaws her frozen heart. But she hides a deadly secret that could be her undoing, and knows her growing feelings for him can lead nowhere. Yet when a shadow from her past threatens her future Antonia is torn between the Empire of her birth and betraying Gawain, the man she’s grown to love.
Inside Scoop: This medieval romance dabbles a wee bit in the paranormal.

A Romantica® historical erotic romance from Ellora's Cave

 

--> Ellora’s Cave      Amazon      Amazon UK      ARe      Kobo 

When tough Scots warrior Connor Mackenzie rides into the barbaric lands of the Picts on a mission for his king, he never expects to be captivated by a beautiful Pictish widow. Drawn under her spell, yet unaware of her true identity, he risks everything for one passionate night in her arms.
Aila, princess of Pictland, swore long ago she would do anything within her power to help defeat the Vikings who invaded her land and murdered her husband. But after meeting Connor, her frozen heart thaws and once again she imagines a future filled with love and passion.

When Connor delivers the message from his king, Aila becomes a pawn in a deadly game of politics. Her heart belongs to Connor, but she must marry the prince of Dal Riada – Connor’s half-brother. But the fates have other plans for the star-crossed lovers as they fight their enemies and themselves to find true love.

A Romantica® historical erotic romance from Ellora's Cave

Ellora's Cave    Amazon     ARe     Nook     Amazon UK     Kobo 

Christina's Backlist:

Stand-alones 

Bloodlust Denied
Touch of the Demon
Foretaste of Forever 

The Forbidden Series
Forbidden
Captive
Betrayed
Tainted 

Forged in Blood, United in Passion, The Highland Warrior Chronicles (Coming Soon)
Her Savage Scot

Her Vengeful Scot

Her Defiant Scot 

Writing as Christina Ashcroft 

Archangel of Mercy

You can find Christina at the following places:

Website    Facebook    Twitter     Goodreads    Blog   

TOPIC: An Author's Life...with Christina Ashcroft / Christina Phillips

Being a published author is an ... involved ... process, and I take my hat off to those who've been in the business more than a few years now.

As a pre-pubbed author I was always curious about what happened once you received THE CALL and stepped into the world of publishing.

What did it involve? How did they handled the day to day pressures? Did they developed routines, set goals etc.? What did they like/dislike about the process?

So I asked my special guests these questions and many of them have offered some intriguing insights into their lives. Maybe they'll even give you a heads up on what to expect if you're thinking of entering the world of "getting published".

Please welcome my next guest...

CHRISTINA ASHCROFT is an ex-pat Brit who now lives in Western Australia with her high school sweetheart, their three children, an eccentric Maltese-cross and three regal cats.

She can't remember a time when she didn't write, and always managed to include an element of fantasy or the paranormal in her English essay homework. Luckily her English teachers didn't mind, despite the fact these stories generally finished with the hero, heroine (or both) coming to a sticky end.

Thankfully by the time she hit fourteen she discovered romance novels and the wonder of a Happily Ever After. She now writes about hot archangels and the women who capture their hearts for Penguin/Berkley Heat and her books always have a happily-ever-after.

CHRISTINA PHILLIPS has an eerily similar history to CHRISTINA ASHCROFT and is also owned by three cats who believe the world revolves around them. As it happens, they are quite right.

Pseudonym or Given Name on the cover? Why a pseudonym?
I write paranormal/fantasy historical romances as Christina Phillips and paranormal romance as Christina Ashcroft. I chose my middle name Christina because I've always loved that name, and Phillips is my married name.

Ashcroft came about half way through 2011 when my editor suggested a new pen name for my new archangel series as it's a different sub-genre to my Roman/Druid books. Half the time I have no idea who I am and will answer to almost anything!

Location: Born in the UK and moved to sunny Western Australia at the end of 1998.

Published Genre/s: As Christina Phillips I write historical romance with hot Roman warriors and magical Druid heroines, Highland Warriors and vampires (not all at the same time!!!)

As Christina Ashcroft I write about fallen archangels and the women who capture their hearts.

Website/s: http://www.christinaphillips.com     http://www.christinaashcroft.com 

First published in: My first novelette, FORETASTE OF FOREVER, was published in October 2008. My first full length romance, FORBIDDEN, was published in September 2010 by Berkley Heat.

My first book published as Christina Ashcroft, ARCHANGEL OF MERCY, is due for release on 4th December 2012. I've been assured the Mayans got it all wrong so here's to December 2012!!

Number of books published: Three full length novels (including ARCHANGEL OF MERCY in December 2012) and two novelettes.

The Nitty Gritty 
List up to 5 significant events in your journey to publication?
Hooking up with my critique partners, Amanda Ashby and Sara Hantz. I was the last one to be published and those girls kept me motivated through all the lows and helped celebrate all the highs. This journey wouldn't be half as much fun without them!

Finalling in the RWNZ Meet the Editor Contest 2008. This was the first contest I'd entered in years and it was a terrific boost to my morale to be highly commended. The certificate also looks very awesome on my wall!!!

2008 was a turning point for me in my writing. Up until then I'd written contemporary romance for several years, and had just started writing paranormal romance. However, after my CPs dared me to try my hand at writing an erotic romance it was as if everything fell into place. I not only discovered how much I enjoyed writing erotic romance but I sold the first one I wrote. I took that as a Sign from the Universe!

Signing with my agent was a huge milestone for me, and helped validate the countless hours I'd spent hunched over my keyboard during the previous nine years.

What resources/techniques/events did you find useful to develop your writing skills/craft?
The best thing I did very early on was join the e-Harlequin boards. This was when I was targeting Harlequin Mills and Boon, and the wealth of knowledge from published authors and visiting editors on those boards was just amazing. There was a sense of real community and I made some wonderful friends, including my CPs Amanda and Sara.

Can you share the special moment when you received THE CALL/THE EMAIL?
Three months after signing with my agent she sent me an email on a Thursday saying that she'd had interest from an editor and should know more soon. I have no idea how I got through the next five days.

What did "interest" mean? Just how excited should I be by this news? (A totally redundant question since I was so excited I couldn't eat, could hardly sleep and kept breaking out into hysterical giggles at inappropriate moments!) Thankfully I was put out of my suspense the following Tuesday when Berkley made an offer :-)

Looking back over your writing career, how have you grown as an author?
You're not talking about the size of my behind, are you? OK, moving on...!

I was writing for nine years before I was published, and looking back I can see that each time I made the decision to change sub-genre - from category to single title, and then onto paranormal and erotic romance, I made a significant leap forward in my writing. I think it was because I stretched my writing muscles and pushed myself out of my comfort zone.

Even over the last two and half years I can see how my writing has improved and that's down to my wonderful editor who really opened my eyes about several things during our last round of revisions!

How important is it to set career goals? Can you give an example of one you have for yourself?
Before I was published I didn't think much beyond the fact that I wanted to be published. That was my goal. But I do think it's important to set realistic goals because they act as a motivator and reminder of what I want to achieve. By that I mean I give myself daily or weekly word/page goals. At the end of last year I gave myself a January goal - to finish the revisions on one book and edit a second book and I managed both by 30th.

Can you describe your writing process/timeframe from when you start a new book to handing it in at deadline?
The process couldn't have been more different between my two historical romances and my first Archangel book so that's a hard one to answer. Timewise I give myself six months from starting the book to deadline but of course there's a whole heap of other writing related stuff that needs to be done during those months as well.

FORBIDDEN and CAPTIVE both had only minor edits at copyedit stage, but at 70k into my Archangel book I received substantial revisions from my editor which entailed rewriting and finishing the book within a month. And then I had revisions on the full book. I've said it before and I'll say it again - my editor is a goddess!!!

One of the things I found challenging about being a published author is the constant juggling of tasks ie. writing a book, editing another, planning promotion, writing the prosposal for another (and usually this all happens while holding down another job or dealing with family/life etc.).

What do you enjoy the most in the publishing process?
My fave bits in the publishing process is seeing the cover for the first time! I've also loved the back cover blurbs Berkley have done for my books, so I enjoyed reading them through as well. And nothing beats opening the box that has just been delivered by FedEx and giving your book its very first cuddle!

What do you least in the publishing process?
There's nothing in the publishing process itself that I don't like. The waiting can be nerve racking, but I've learned to just get on with something else in the meantime.

What's the most memorable fan-mail you've received?
I will never forget the very first reader who contacted me. It was before FORBIDDEN came out and she'd seen a blurb about it on one of the reader boards. She also took the time to write to me after reading CAPTIVE to let me know how much she enjoyed the series.

Is there anything you think pre-publishers writers need to know about the business/industry before they're published?
Expect the unexpected. Be prepared for rejection even after you're published. And don't take a stinging review to heart.

A Bit of Fun
Favorite color: Pink.

Hunkiest hero ever: Clive Owen is hot in whatever movie he's in, and is still my darling despite the times I cheat on him with Henry Cavill. I also have a bit of a crush on Jason Momoa from Stargate Atlantis. *fans self* that guy is so big!!!
Most daring thing you've done in your life: Moving from the UK to Australia.
Greatest love: My long-suffering husband and our Darling Offspring. Mustn't forget the cats, either... 
Timeout/relaxation for me includes: Hahaha! Oh what, sorry...
Special quote/saying you like: OK it's an oldie now, but it's still a goodie - Never Give Up! Never Surrender! From Galaxy Quest.

Another one I live by (although not intentionally I can assure you!!!) is Never say Never. Because you can bet as soon as I say that I'll go and do it!

TOPIC: Do you judge a book by its cover? (part 2)

I'm off on a bit of a tangent to my original post "Do you judge a book by its cover? (part 1)", where I interviewed Gene Mollica, the cover artist for my Light Blade series, but the topic remains focused on book covers.

At the recent RWAustralia and RWNew Zealand romance writers' conferences I had the pleasure of talking about books (as you do) with people during the morning and afternoon tea sessions. Sharing information about new books purchased, recommending favourite authors, arguing about the best genre, anything and everything was fair game.

And one of the topics that came up time and again was, what sort of book covers appeal to you (as a reader not writer)?

Both conferences had a bookstore present - Dymocks and Barbara's Books, and with a huge range of covers to peruse, we debated the merits of those that appealed and those that didn't, and why. It was interesting to see what caught someone's attention.

Some liked having just the hero on the cover. Others preferred the headless hero or heroine (leaving the actual facial appearance to the imagination of the reader). Clothing, body positions, backgrounds, detail, settings, author's name placement, title choice, colours, sizing of text ... a myriad of issues and the merits of each element were discussed.

It got me thinking about the book covers of authors I have on my bookshelf. One of the thing I love doing is sitting down in front of them and pulling out my favourite covers (not stories - that's another post).

So, I thought I'd share a half dozen or so of the covers that appeal to me by the element that most appealed or drew me to the book (excuse me if I invent a Kylie'ism/term to convey the concept).

Colour:





It's all about colour appeal here. These all have a dominate colour (or shades of the same) reflected on the cover.










Placed face out on the bookshelf, all these books would draw your eye to them - UNTOUCHED (Anna Campbell) and LOVER MINE (J.R.Ward), in particular.

SONG OF SCARABAEUS (Sara Creasy) and WARSWORN (Elizabeth Vaughan) have solid colours too, but they also have a certain amount of detail that makes you look again, this time for elements of the story.

Guy Appeal: 

(looks like I have a think for the warrior types not to mention a back view of their shoulders, eh?)




I remember seeing Helen Kirkman's FORBIDDEN on a large poster at one of my earliest RWAustralia conferences and I bought it based on that alone (I was NOT a reader of historical romance then).

Denise Rossetti's THE LONE WARRIOR has another hot warrior type but I also like it for the amount of intricate detail within the picture. It has pieces of the story and the hero's character woven into it.




TUCKER'S CLAIM (Sarah McCarthy) was one I bought from Barbara's Books at the RWNZ conference, only the cover didn't have the blue border around the edge.

It featured only the bare chested hero. What grabbed me was the chest with leather vest, but also the bracelet and necklace he was wearing.

I'm a sucker for a Native American Indian hero (and yes, it's confirmed that I definitely have a thing for the warrior-hero types - LOL). 

Visual Detail (characters & background):

While there's an enormous amount of detail in the characters and the backgrounds of these book covers, neither are overwhelmed by it.


NIGHT'S COLD KISS, Tracey O'Hara's incredible cover, kept me looking for long minutes as I checked out the heroine, her clothing, her body position, her weapon, then my eye was drawn to the background and the details there.

The monotone-like colours made it easy to distinguish detail but conveyed the mood/tone of the book as well.



Christina Phillip's FORBIDDEN is stunning. This is a veritable feast for the eyes and for those who love the ancient historical time period.

Just check out the amount of detail in the clothes, the armor, the jewellery worn by the characters. Then take a close look at the background - it's incredible too.


Genre/Style:

I love the artist's style in Rowena Corey Daniells' series. The detail, the colours, the connection of the titles - all scream 'fantasy' and world-building in a big way.

So what appeals to you as a reader when you chose a book? Do you chose a book solely based around the author's name?

What if you discover a new author? Is it the cover or blurb that attracts you first? What turns you off?

What draws you into picking up a book?

It's Halloween!

To anyone who's celebrating - enjoy your Halloween!

If you're looking for some online fun then drop on over to the Dark Side DownUnder blog - we're having a party! We're celebrating our 1st anniversary as a blog. There's a grand prize plus prizes for two other lucky people.

Some of the giveaways on offer include:

• Dark Angels series (Bks #1 & #2) - Keri Arthur
• Scent of a Man - Maree Anderson
• King Rolen's Kin trilogy - Rowena Cory Daniells
• Rogue Gadda - Nicole Murphy
• Captive - Christina Phillips

... and more!

TOPIC: Tortured Heroes

Who can resist the appeal of a tortured hero? I certainly can't.

Every time I read a book with one of these characters it usually ends up as a keeper on my bookshelf. Why? Because there's something unbelievably attractive about a man who overcomes incredible obstacles to find himself, a soul mate and love.

Take Bren, the hero from Christina Phillips' book, CAPTIVE.

With the rape and murder of his wife at the hands Dunmacos, a Roman leader with a sadistic reputation, he's wracked by survivor guilt and torn apart with hatred for the Celtic Druids whom he believes should have saved her instead of him.

To avenge his loss, he hunts down and massacres Dunmacos then disguises himself as the soldier in order to spy on the Roman army for the Briton king. He spends three years in this role, taking on the reviled persona of the feared leader, killing anyone who ever knew Dunmacos to avoid being exposed and does what he can to sabotage Rome's efforts to conquer Britain.

With only his skills at deception and subterfuge, killing in the name of his king, and haunted by his failure to save his wife, he doesn't see himself as worth anything or having anything to offer a woman who might love him.

Irredeemable? Maybe. Tortured? Hell, yes. Irresistable. Oh, yeah...

Let's take a look at another tormented hero. Zsadist - from LOVER AWAKENED by J.R.Ward. I've worn out the spine on this book and need to get a new one, that's how many times I've reread it.

This vampire warrior is the ultimate tortured hero. The guy bears some serious, serious issues involving intimacy and any sexual relationship with a woman thanks to being kidnapped, raped and used as a blood slave when he was a young man.

His reputation as a Black Dagger Brotherhood warrior is legendary, friends and foe alike fear his anger, and his sinister deeds strike terror into them.

This is a powerful, heart-wrenching story of Zsadist's journey to come to terms with what was done to him and how he discovers that he can love and be loved. I don't know how many times I cried for Zsadist, over what was done to him and the destructive perceptions he had of himself.

Tortured character? He's at the top of the list.

Not to left out, what about Zarek from Sherrilyn Kenyon's DANCE WITH THE DEVIL?

Another man reviled for his fearsome reputation as a warrior, one believed to have gone insane. Totally misunderstood by everyone, but then Zarek was never one for sharing his past or explaining his actions. Thank goodness for Acheron and his understanding and identifying with his nature!

What a past Zarek's had - the bastard son of a Roman noble, disfigured by a lifetime of abuse, reviled for his appearance, enduring the worst sort of life after being sold as a slave then once he was made a Dark-Hunter and began taking out his anger and pain on the Daimons (the bad guys) in full view of the public, he's exiled to Alaska and shunned by other Dark-Hunters because of his actions.

This man's never had a gentle word said or kind action bestowed upon on him. So, do you think he might have some serious trust issues? Then, to top it all off, he finds himself being judged by a justice nymph who'll determine whether he lives or dies. Any wonder he has the reputation of being a cold, angry cynic?

Damned? Many seem to think so. Worth saving? Depends on your point of view - I know a few Gods who'd be glad to see him dead (Artemis, anyone)? Tortured? Well and truly.

How can you not empathise with Bren, Zsadist or Zarek? The odds are stacked against them, they're well behind the eight ball, every one's against them (cliches abound!). How can they possibly redeem themselves?

Certainly not through their own self-destructive actions, but how about the love of a good woman? Could that help? Oh, yeah, you betcha.

They have such a long way to travel but the end reward is well worth the angst, the tears, the resistant transformation. The struggle and journey these heroes are put through makes their redemption all the more satisfying.

So, you just gotta love tortured heroes. They make for one heck of a good read. For that matter, a good dozen re-reads!!!

Do you have a favourite tortured hero? And care to share? Come on, I dare you!

Christina Phillips Give-Away Winner Announced!

Thank you to everyone who commented and participated in Christina's give-away!

A name was picked at random and the lucky winner is...

Peta

Congratulations!

Please contact Christina directly  - ChristinapPh(at)gmail(dot)com - and she can arrange for your prize (book or gift card depending on your location) to be sent to you.

(You have until Tuesday, 12th April to claim this prize. If it remains unclaimed another name will be drawn).

Talented Aussie & Kiwi Authors

I like a good book - who doesn't?

Nothing beats curling up on the lounge or in bed with a new book off your To Be Read pile and spending a few hours whisked away on some adventure whether it's in a paranormal world, an ancient time period or a contemporary setting.

The last couple of months I've been lucky to read quite a few local authors. If you're looking for some "home grown" talent why don't you check out some of these books?

Mel Teshco writes hot erotic paranormal romance for Ellora's Cave.

Christina Phillips writes ancient historical romance for Berkley's Heat imprint.

Nalini Singh writes paranormal romance and urban fantasy romance for Berkley Sensation.

Denise Rossetti writes erotic paranormal romance for Berkley Sensation and Ellora's Cave.

Helene Young writes contemporary women's fiction (with a twist of romantic suspense) for Hachette Australia.

C.C.Coburn write contemporary romances for Harlequin America Romance.





Have you any "home grown" authors you'd like to recommend to me? I'm always on the look out for new books!

FORBIDDEN Winner!

To all who dropped by to say hi to Christina and I - thank you.

And to those who shared their preferred ancient destination to explore - a double thank you. Some days (nah, most days), I wish I had a time machine. You know, so many places, so little time...

Anyhow, by random draw from a (clean) coffee cup, the winner who gets to claim the giveaway copy of FORBIDDEN is...

Mel Teshco

Please contact Christina on ChristinapPh (at) gmail (dot) com - no spaces.

Congratulations & happy reading!

Guest Author: Christina Phillips

Christina Phillips has always loved writing, and while her efforts in eighth grade usually involved space ships, time travel and unfortunate endings, as soon as she discovered romance novels a whole new world opened up. She now writes ancient historical romances about strong heroines and gorgeous warrior heroes who, no matter how torturous the journey, are guaranteed a happy-ever-after.

Christina was born in the United Kingdom, but now lives in sunny Western Australia with her real-life hero and their three children. She is represented by Emmanuelle Alspaugh of JELM.

Today, Christina shares her thoughts with us on her writing process (among other interesting facts), and FORDBIDDEN, her exciting debut release with Berkley Heat. Without further ado, let's find out more about her! 

Author name: Christina Phillips

Published genre/s: In September last year my agent sold my Roman/Druid romance to Berkley Heat in a two book deal. So I'm now published in Ancient Historical Romance although I have two erotic romance novelettes with The Wild Rose Press that fall in the paranormal and fantasy genres.

Favourite childhood toy: It was a huge soft bodied, plastic faced clown that I called Arthur. Thinking back, it was a scary-ass thing to buy a small child but I loved it and dragged it everywhere. I was also obsessed by the name Arthur and called the cat by that too. Despite the fact she was a girl.

Shudder...I remember a clown in one of Stephen King's tele-movies that gave me the willies - loved the movie, but now I hate any doll that looks like a clown, even to this day!

Greatest Vice: Procrastination. I've turned it into an art form and it's a real monster!

Hmm, I wonder if anyone has invented a spray or herbal remedy that banishes this bane of all writers? Wouldn't they make a fortune if they ever did? *lol*

Book you’re reading now: Michelle Hauf's Kiss Me Deadly, Erin Grace's Secrets, J.R. Ward's Dark Lover.

Most intriguing place you’ve visited: Growing up in the UK I visited all the Norman ruins as a child, Hever Castle, Stonehenge (back in the days before it was fenced off), Hastings and Wales... and never appreciated any of it. Sigh. I'd love to have those opportunities again to soak up all that marvellous history.

Oh, you lucky duck! Imagine having those places as your childhood playground. And being able to visit them as a child ... wow, talk about stimulating your imagination and grooming your creativity for your adult years! Double sigh.


A place you've yet to visit & want to: I really want to visit Rome. I've loved all the photos you've been sharing on your blog (although they've made me very jealous!!!) To be honest, I want to travel around Europe and ideally write the trip off as a tax deduction! (Yes, I do like living in my own little fantasy world!)

One day, Christina, one day we'll be able to travel and claim it all on tax (heh, heh). Keep those receipts!

Author/s in your genre who you enjoy reading: I love reading so many different authors across genres I can't answer this question! However, I've recently finished Michelle Styles The Viking's Captive Princess, and have Juliet Marillier's Heir to Sevenwaters next on my tbr pile.

LOL - I know how you feel, Christina. I can't define a small list of favourite authors either.

Who or what influenced you to write in the genre/s you’re now published in? I've always loved history, and have always loved reading historical romances since I was a child. I devoured Victoria Holt's novels when I was eleven and Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor left quite an impression on my pre-teen imagination!
Strangely, the thought of actually writing a historical romance never crossed my mind until quite recently. I think it was the research that put me off!!! Not because I don't like or enjoy researching but because I love it too much and became far too distracted by all the tiny details. But, since I always end up doing whatever I tell my CPs I will never do, it shouldn't come as any surprise that eventually I not only decided to try writing my first historical but also wrote it as an erotic romance.

When developing a story who tends to appear first in your mind, the hero or heroine, and why? In FORBIDDEN, both Maximus and Carys appeared to me at the same time. Although that first vision of them never made it into the book, the essence of their forbidden love, their warring cultures and the impossibility of how they could ever be together, did. With Captive, however, I knew that was Carys's best friend Morwyn's story. But her hero soon made himself known to me, gripped hold of my heart and still hasn't let go...

Only other writers will understand this feeling, and don't you love how characters can do that to you!

Writing Milestone/s:

• Finalling in the RWNZ Meet the Editor Contest 2008
• Selling my very first erotic romance to The Wild Rose Press
• Signing with my agent
• Selling to Berkley Heat in a two book deal

Latest release/project:

FORBIDDEN
Between a warrior and a princess comes an erotic passion as all-consuming as the hatred between their warring worlds…

Carys knew from the moment she first spied on Maximus in his naked barbarian glory that he was a dangerous Roman centurion—his taut, battle-scarred flesh marking him as a fearless warrior. But her desire for him was as undeniable as it was illicit.

Charged by his emperor to eliminate a clan of powerful Druids in Britain, Maximus never expects his mission to be thwarted by the clan’s ethereal princess, Carys, his daring voyeur. Falling under her spell, he doesn’t realize her true heritage--until he captures her heart as well as her body.

As Carys’s loyalties are twisted, and freedom is no longer her single-minded obsession, an avenging former lover threatens to crush Maximus’ people into oblivion. Now Carys and Maximus must overcome the devastation of war and face the ultimate sacrifice if their forbidden love is to survive.

Christina, the cover of FORBIDDEN is gorgeous - I love the detail in it!

(And good news for readers is that the second in this series, CAPTIVE, is due for release from Berkley Heat in Sept.2011!)

In FORBIDDEN, what about your hero or heroine inspired you? In FORBIDDEN, once Carys decides she wants Maximus nothing is going to stand in her way. She is a druid and devoted to her goddess, Cerridwen, but occasionally is not above interpreting the signs from her goddess in ways that best suit herself. I'm not sure if that stubborn aspect of her personality inspires me but it does make me giggle!

Thanks for dropping in and sharing! :-) It's always fun finding out things about other authors, especially how their books and characters originate. To find out more about Christina or her series, visit her website.

Thanks for having me, Kylie! 

Now for the really exciting part - Christina has an autographed copy of FORBIDDEN to give away. To be the proud owner her new release, just answer this question... 


What ancient time period would you enjoy exploring? 

Leave your answer in the comments section by Friday midnight, 3rd September 2010 (Aussie time) and the winner will be announced September 5th here on this blog.

Here's the blurb to Christina's new book, CAPTIVE. (Yet another brilliant cover!)


She is a prisoner of her sworn enemy - and her own desire...

Having lost faith when Roman invaders destroyed life as she knew it, Morwyn took a cow of elibacy to spite her goddess. But before she can join up with the rebels, she;s captured by a Gaul mercenary whose animal charms and chiseled body will test her conviction...and make it harder to kill him.

Bren, pledged to the true Briton king, has spent three years undercover in the Roman Legion. So when his own unit attacks and brutilized a fiery Celtic beauty, he saves her the only way he can - by claiming her as his prisoner. But unlike his men, Bren would never take the woman by force, no matter how obviously she burns for his touch.

As they near Roman headquarters, Morwyn resolves to honor her vow of celibacy - but if the Gaul were to ravage her, could she be blamed for enjoying his body? With just a hint of seduction, sooner or later the Gaul will succumb to his exquisite captive...

FORBIDDEN Blog Party!!!

Come join Christina Phillips's Blog Party to celebrate the release of her erotic ancient historical romance FORBIDDEN. She's holding a launch party with lots of amazing authors and fabulous giveaways! The party starts 1st September 2010 at http://christinaphillips.blogspot.com

Check out her promotional trailer to see which authors are participating in the party.

Promo: Christina Phillips

August 28th.

Mark this date in your diary everyone. Why?

Well, take a read of this ... Carys knew from the moment she first spied on Maximus in his naked barbarian glory that he was a dangerous Roman centurion—his taut, battle-scarred flesh marking him as a fearless warrior. But her desire for him was as undeniable as it was illicit.

Charged by his emperor to eliminate a clan of powerful Druids in Britain, Maximus never expects his mission to be thwarted by the clan’s ethereal princess, Carys, his daring voyeur. Falling under her spell, he doesn’t realize her true heritage--until he captures her heart as well as her body.

This is part of the blurb from a book called FORBIDDEN, from Berkley's newest historical author, Christina Phillips. She's going to be my latest vict-- umm, I mean, guest author visiting my blog. :-)

Remember, August 28th!