Guest Post & Giveaway with Kasey MacKenzie

I have the pleasure to have Kasey MacKenzie author of Red Hot Fury (releasing June 29th, 2010) by my side today to talk to us a bit about those though UF heroines we love so much!

Hell hath nothing worse than a Fury scorned...
As a Fury, Marissa Holloway belongs to an Arcane race that has avenged wrongdoing since time immemorial. As Boston’s Chief Magical Investigator for the past five years, she’s doing what she was born to: solving supernatural crimes.
It’s far from business as usual when the body of one of Riss’s sister Furies washes up in Boston harbor. Riss discovers that the corpse’s identity has been magically altered, but as soon as she reports her findings, she’s immediately—and inexplicably—suspended from the her job. Then a human assassin makes an attempt on her life, and Riss starts to realize that someone may be trying to stir up strife between mortals and Arcanes.
When a Fury gets mad, she gets even, and Riss is determined to untangle this case. Without the support of the mortal PD, Riss turns to the one man she can trust to watch her back—shapeshifting Warhound Scott Murphy. But since Scott is also Riss’s ex, she’ll have to keep a tight leash on more than just the supernatural rage that feeds her power as they try to solve a murder—and stop a war…

Babes in Leather Need Love, Too!

Some people get tired of seeing badass, leather-clad babes in urban fantasy, but it was impossible for me to use the concept of Furies without making them badass, especially with them standing as the magical world’s law enforcement.  The fun of urban fantasy for me comes when you put those leather-clad babes into seemingly impossible situations and watch the fireworks explode.  Hopefully you’ll see strong women (and men) kicking ass, taking names, and staying true to themselves.

Speaking of staying true to one’s self, let’s get something straight, all right?  I am NOT “sweet!”  (Yeah, Kittredge, I’m looking at you!)  Sarcasm and snark are my sword and shield and I wield them with pride.  Well, in my urban fantasy and gaming interactions, anyway.  Perhaps because I write and game without fear or worry about “what other people think.”  When it comes to more casual interactions with acquaintances or strangers, however, there’s that whole Libra, people-pleasing side holding me back from saying what I really think.

Then again, that may be what keeps people from channeling their inner Fury and ripping others apart.  The little voice inside saying they must “be nice” and “not offend” and “play it safe.”  You know what, though?  Sometimes I just want to take that little voice out into a deserted field with my two co-workers, a baseball bat, and beat the snot out of it until all its pieces start flying this way and that and my poor co-workers have to pull me off the piece of crap fax machine that—oh wait.  That’s Office Space.  Er, where was I?

Oh yeah.  Playing it safe.  Which is actually pretty much the whole theme to that movie.  We get so wrapped up in what we should do or worrying about how others are going to react to what we say that we stop being true to ourselves.  I think that’s the thing I love most about urban fantasy.  Channeling my inner snark to write flawed but real characters who often tell it like it is without wrapping it up in five layers of BS.

My main character, Marissa Holloway, may be a tough-as-nails Fury who kicks that ass and takes those names, but she also takes risks, makes mistakes, and tries to learn from them.    Sure, she has a slew of wicked cool powers including super healing, but she aches and bleeds just like the rest of us.  The supernatural Rage that is her greatest strength is also her biggest weakness.  She loses loved ones just like any other person, and is still dealing with the fallout from the poor choices she’s made (again, just like all of us).

Urban fantasy is often, at its core, about flawed characters reacting to tragic circumstances and yet, even when it hurts, rising to the occasion, doing what’s right, and going to bat for those they care about.  Because, when push comes to shove, love is what truly matters most.  And badass babes in leather need love, too!

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Thank you so much Kasey for taking the time to stopping by the Paranormal Summer Fest! I really love your post and totally agree with your conclusion! <3 my bad ass heroines.

Kasey very generously offered three of her author copies to giveaway to you lucky ducks!

Click here if you want to read an excerpt

Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALY

to enter please FILL THE FORM

Ends July 4th, 2010.

Don’t forget to drop a line for Kasey and feel free to spread the word!

Posted by Tynga at 00:05

 giveaway, Guest Post, Paranormal Summer Fest  28 People left their mark

Tynga is a 32 years old mom of two, from Montreal, working as a lab technician in an hospital specialized in heart disease. In her free time, she enjoys reading all things Paranormal and photography.

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