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Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Guest Post & Giveaway with Sharon Ashwood

Been there, slain that—and got the signature fragrance.

I was having a theme day today, and it was about perfume.colorheadshot

First, I was reading the paper and saw an article that I found fascinating. It turns out that Calvin Klein’s Obsession for Men is good for luring jaguars in the Guatemalan jungle.

No, I’m not kidding. Researchers wishing to photograph the big cats can spray it around and the complex scent will keep the big cats busy sniffing long enough to get the video they need. Apparently Nina Ricci’s L’Air du Temps works pretty well, too. Big cats apparently have good taste.

Then, I was at the hairdresser this morning and she asked me what perfume I normally wore (Emporio Armani, if anyone’s interested).  We got talking about women and their signature scents.

So when I sat down to write this blog, my mind turned to perfume as a means of defining the heroines of my Dark Forgotten storyverse.  Even though Ashe and Holly are sisters, the three women I’ve written about are all very different and they’d definitely go for different items at the fragrance counter.

But just to back up for a moment:  For those who haven’t read the stories yet, my books are set in a modern-day coastal university town in the Pacific Northwest. Everyone’s aware of the supernatural citizens in our midst, who are just trying to make a living like everyone else. The problems start when a demon from an interdimensional prison tries to open a portal into our world. Not a good idea, because the prison is crammed with magical creatures who have been locked in the dungeon for centuries.  Some are innocent, some definitely not and the last thing anyone—including the vampire queen—wants is the doorway to hell to open up in a local downtown mall. The books tell the story of what happens when the best laid plans of the undead go horribly wrong.

Ashwood-S_Ravenous_000BOOK ONE is Ravenous (click here to read  Tynga’s Review).  The heroine is Holly Carver, a young witch who is a university student trying to find love and tuition money. She’s still at the age where she’s very wise about some things and naive about others—like the intentions of her ghostbusting partner, the six hundred year old vampire Alessandro Caravelli. He’s got her back, but he’d like to have other parts, too.

Holly is a lively, curious soul, and she doesn’t mind kicking butt when she has to. Her scent would be sunny and woodsy, with a touch of fruit. Something from the Body Shop would suit her—environmentally sound, fun, and priced for a hard-working student’s budget.

Alessandro?  What goes with fangs, leather, guitars, a brooding soul, and a classic red Thunderbird?n312240

BOOK TWO is Scorched.  Connie was a seventeen year old Irish farm girl when she was made a vampire—and then thrown into the Castle prison before she finished Turning.  She’s been locked up in a dungeon, servant to a mad sorcerer, since the middle of the 1700s.  She’s an old-fashioned girl, but when she meets Mac, a police detective facing some highly demonic challenges, she’s quite ready to get a taste of the twenty-first century—and of him.

Connie would go for a light and feminine scent, but there is a darker side to her too. Estee Lauder’s Pleasures Intense would be a good choice.  Pretty, but with a lush, sensuous bite.

Mac?  Tall, dark, and spicy, with a great sense of humour.

BOOK THREE, due out July 6, is Unchained. The back cover copy says it all:

Been there, slain that.

Unchained2Ashe Carver, monster-killer, has the scars to prove it. But faced with a custody battle, she's hung up her stakes and taken a job at the public library, determined to show the courts and her ten-year-old daughter that she's as good a mother as she is a hunter.

Easier said than done. There are lovelorn vampires haunting the library, a slime demon in the shopping mall, and her new-mom sister needs a hand with her ghostbusting biz. Then, after centuries guarding a supernatural prison, Captain Reynard strides into her world like a hero from the library's Must Reads. Smokingly gorgeous, passionate and courageous to a fault, he has only weeks to live unless Ashe finds the thief who took his soul.

Ashe picks up her weapons to save the day—but not every problem can be solved with a stake. With so much tragedy in her past, Ashe fears the disaster she sees ahead—and prays she doesn't fail everyone. Again.

Memories are the hardest monsters to kill.

My first thought would be that Ashe wouldn’t wear any perfume at all, but then I remembered the Obsession article.  As a woman, a widow, a single mother, a warrior, and a working stiff, something very complex would suit her, too—especially if it drew out the predators.

And obsession certainly describes how Reynard feels about her.  He’s a smoking hot historical hero, and they never do things by halves.

Scent is the most primitive sense, and stays in our memories the longest. What is your strongest sense memory?

**

Thanks to Tynga for inviting me to the Paranormal Summer Fest to tell you about my books!  As part of the celebration, I’m giving away a book to someone who comments on this post (winner’s choice of the above three titles, and I will ship internationally).  Check out my website at www.SharonAshwood.com for excerpts and book trailers.

Have a fabulous summer!

Sharon Ashwood

-----------------------

Thank you very much Sharon for a quite interesting post =D

I’m wearing Warm Sugar Vanilla from Bath&Bodyworks wonder what it would say about me? *winks*

 

Sharon said it! She is offering a copy of any of her books to one lucky reader!

Ashwood-S_Ravenous_000n312240 Unchained2

You must leave a comment for Sharon & FILL THE FORM

you have to do both or your entry will be null.

OPEN INTERNATIONALY

Ends July 4th, 2010.


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.

Follow Tynga on: Facebook | Twitter

97 People left their mark' :

  1. Awesome series with beautiful covers! Added them to my wishlist!

    The Paranormal Summer Fest is so much fun! I posted a link o it in my own blog, if you don´t mind!

    http://readingonthedarkside.blogspot.com/

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  2. I love to wear vanilla scent because it reminds me of my mother, that's my strongest sense memory.
    I haven't had a chance to pick up any of the books in this series yet, but I'm adding them to my wish list.

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  3. Great series. Looking forward to Unchained. Thanks for sharing today.

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  4. Ooo, cool! More books to find this summer and read! ;D

    My scent would be this oil fragrance I get at the street fair... Mango Papaya. I love it. But I also sometimes wear Jessica Simpson's Fancy - coincidentally whenever I want to feel fancy. It's got a cinnamon-y/vanilla scent that's very warm.

    I love things that smell good. It's how I chose all my shampoos, soaps, and lotions.

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  5. Interesting! I never really think about a charactes scent when read a book. Unless the author says something about it (Twilight comes to mind). I'll pay more attention to that from now on :P

    I love the smell of coffee! it reminds me of home :)

    entrelibros_blog at hotmail.com

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  6. I love the covers of your books almost as much as I love how good they sound. I can hardly wait to get to the book shop to pick them up.
    My strongest sense memory is the smell of the meatloaf that was served in grammer school(that was sooooooooo long ago!). Weird, huh?
    mom1248(at)att(dot)net

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  7. Cool! Another new book series to read :) This paranormal summerfest (or winterfest for us Aussies, LOL LOL) is shaping up to be quite a prosperous one for my to-be-read list! :D

    I don't know I have an especially strong sense memory...perhaps the smell of leather and hay because I associate that with horses, always, and I LOVE horses and I LOVE the smell of both :) So a win/win for me!

    Cheers!
    Emma Kate :)

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  8. Great guestblog, I really enjoyed reading it.

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  9. My strongest sense memory is the smell of the salty sea air. This is the first time I think about it!:P
    Thank you for the interesting post and great giveaway!

    Giada M.

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  10. Perfume! Ahh, It's my favorite thing ever. Bath and Body Works has a Yellow Sale going on and they were/are selling their signature scent perfumes for really cheap. I bought like four!

    I haven't heard of this series before, but reading the excerpts about these books definately made me wanna read them. I'm going to add them to my TBR list! :D

    Oh, and wonderful post, thanks for the giveaway!!!

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  11. I have always liked obsession, it is one of my favorites. The books sound really good. I would love to read them.
    twoofakind12@yahoo.com

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  12. I like vanilla as well. It reminds me of baking which in turns reminds me when I was little I would bake Christmas cookies with my grandma. Others were there too, I guess, but vanilla reminds me of baking cookies. :)

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  13. I've been meaning to get around to this series forever! I guess now that the third installment is coming out, it really has been forever. I should get cracking! The covers are really stunning.

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  14. I can't wait for the new book, Unchained! I've read the previous two books and they were great!! =)

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  15. I can't really wear anything scented. It makes me nauseous. About the closest I get is my deoderant - powder fresh - and some days even that is too much.

    I haven't read any of the Dark Forgotten novels, but the covers are awesome!

    Thanks!
    Katie

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  16. The books look great! I'll add them to my to-read list :)

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  17. Hi,Barbara,

    All my favorite perfumes have vanilla in the mix. It's sweet without being too sweet.

    Thanks for posting!

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  18. Found a new author I'd like to check out!

    Thanks!

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  19. this sounds like an awesome series - adding it to the wish list....

    my strongest scent memory is night-blooming jasmine....when i was in middle & high school, my mother had planted them all around the outside of the house so the smell would be drifting through the windows as we sleep...

    k_sunshine1977 at yahoo dot com

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  20. Hey Sharon Your Books, As Always, Sound Amazing And Your Book Covers Look Phenomenal. But I Must Say I Am Not A Big Fan Of The Smell Of Vanilla As A Perfume Or Body Spray No Offense. I Am A Big Fan Of Calgon's Hawaiian Ginger And Bath & Body Works Cucumber Melon. Your Books Are So On My To Be Read Pile.

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  21. I love the world and the charaters that Sharon Ashwood has created. I will be picking up Unchained when it comes out....I can't wait!

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  22. When I smell gardenias I remember my mother that was her favorite scent. great contest - I would like a copy of Unchained If my name is drawn,
    audie(at)wickerness(dot)com

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  23. Nice blog post! Your books sound really good. Adding them to my TBR pile haha. :-) Love when I get introduced to a new author hehe

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  24. The covers are gorgeous! I must admit, I don't really think about scent much. Probably because I am allergic to basically every perfume there is... :(

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  25. My strongest scent memory is of Polo classic cologne.

    These books sound very intriguing :)

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  26. Thanks for the giveaway. I have the worst sense of smell! I really don't have any memories of a specific scent.

    lizzi0915 at aol dot com

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  27. wow this series sounds fantastic. I think I've got the first or 2nd one in this series at home in my tbr shelf. I just need to make sure it's the first one and move it up in my reading schedule lol.

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  28. The other day I was shopping for shampoo and was sniffing all the different bottles to find one that I wanted to try, and I came across one that took me right back to high school. I can remember sitting in the cafeteria staring longingly at the boy I had the hugest crush on! But I was so shy I couldn't even talk to him! Wow...it had been years since I thought of my high school days, but the scent of that shampoo made me feel like I was that shy teenager all over again!

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  29. Thanks for the post! Love the covers gonna have to make a stop and the book store!

    Cassandra C

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  30. Your series is great. I would love a copy of Unchained. :)

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  31. I have to admit, I have been eyeballing this series, and I keep forgetting to pick it up! I am so adding it to my TBB pile!!

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  32. Hi Sharon, love this series and can't wait to read Unchained.

    My strongest sense memory is the rose fragrance my grandmother always wore. The scent totally takes me back to sitting on her lap while she read me stories. I totally adored her and miss her every day.


    caity_mack at yahoo dot com

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  33. Hi Sharon, you are a new to me author. I look forward to reading your books! Thanks!

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  34. To answer Sharon's question, my strongest scent memory I have is of burning wood and smoke. I was in a house fire when I was 9 and I remember the smell of it very distintively. But my favorite scent is the one my husband wears...I don't remember the name of it but it's an sea air, oceany smell and when he's away for the night, I always spray it on the pillows.
    I'm looking forward to reading this books, they have been add to my must reads.

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  35. I love the covers! I heard about how awesome Ravenous was from a friend! Thanks for a chance to win.

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  36. Ohh I think I need to go suggest my library by your books :)

    Haven't read any of your work yet but looks really good so must add your name to my list :)

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  37. Sharon, fantastic series! I have read book 1 & 2 and loved them. I like the vanilla scents also. I've really been enjoying the Paranormal Summer Fest, a fun time!

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  38. all books look great!
    entered and retweeted :)

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  39. The covers are all beautiful! The series sounds great :)

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  40. For me, its Imari by Avon. My Mom is an Avon lady, and I've just always loved that sent.

    :)

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  41. I have heard a lot of great things about these books. I need to get them so I can read them. I have differant scents I wear. Magolia Blossom by Bath & Body Works. Cool Essentials~cucumber & green tea scent by Dove.
    Sue B
    katsrus(at)gmail(dot)com

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  42. Your books sound great. I have got to put them in my to be read pile

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  43. Hey everybody! Thanks for coming out!

    Simple Love's comment about shampoos and high school reminds me of my own teenaged experience with Herbal Essences. They were the HOT THING at my junior high for a while and I remember their strawberry scent was my favorite ... I probably smelled like chewing gum, but I felt very sophisticated at the time.

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  44. I have a very strong sense of smell and no matter how little perfume someone uses, it's usually too much for me.

    My strongest scent memory is of my mother's pot roast. Ummm, I can smell it right now. Unfortunately, I never got the recipe from her before she passed away.

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  45. I have this series on my wishlist. Sounds like an awesome series! Can't wait to read them!

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  46. I loved the talk about perfume. I have a strong sensory emotional reaction to scent and I find many commercial perfumes overwhelming.

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  47. Havent had the pleasure to read any of her books but love to read one.
    elizabethcerna2011@gmail.com

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  48. I've always had a strong association to smells. Old Spice will always remind me of my grandfather. Smoked salmon is associated with hot stormy nights when my family would all sit on the roof under a tarp and watch the lightning flash across the fields behind our house. But my earliest and most powerful memory is laying on top of a giant musty book in my great grandmother's library. The smell of old pages, leather, and dust was everywhere. And everytime I open a book, sit in a library or bookstore, I'm right there, in my grandmother's library, falling asleep on a giant antique book that's almost as big as me. ^_^

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  49. Though I haven't read this series yet, I do have the first two books in my TBR pile. I've heard nothing but great things about them, just waiting on the last book as I like to do a marathon reading feast when reading a series.


    alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
    http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com/

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  50. Scent is a powerful thing to induce memories. However, I've had lots of visual memories with textures that were strong. Like the feel and look of the fur of my first dog when I was 3. That was my biggest sense memory.

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  51. Great series...excited for Unchained!

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  52. What a terrific giveaway! i just got Scorched this week and am so excited to start it. I can't wait to get to the rest of the series! And I'm a Warm Sugar Vanilla lotion girl too! Thanks and best wishes!!

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  53. Thank you for the giveaway!!! You're totally awesome!

    My strongest sense memory is visiting my grandmother. She had a beautiful gardenia bush outside her house and now every time I smell them I think of her.

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  54. I have Ravenous, so I am really looking forward to reading Scorched and Unchained. The covers are amazing! And I'm sure the stories are, too.
    Margay

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  55. Hi Sharon! I have heard so many great things about your writing! Unfortunately, I've not yet experienced it myself! Pooh! Hopefully very soon though!

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  56. Underneath my bedroom window in my childhood home in PA is an enormous lilac bush. My strongest scent memory involves that bush and its sweet blossoms...laying in my bed at night with that gorgeous aroma drifting over me through my open window and playing in the hollow underneath its branches during the daytime, where I had my own private flower-fairy fort!

    I've lived in the south now for 18 years, and have tried to grow a lilac bush dozens of times, but the climate downhere just isn't right for them, so I have to content myself with yearly visits home to experience that cherished fragrance once again...an I am going ther next Wednesday, to celebrate my mother's 83rd birthday with her! I sure hope the lilacs ae still blooming!

    Susan
    sweb4us@aol.com
    http://crazycatladyslibrary.blogspot.com/

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  57. One of my strongest sense memory is the smell of grass after it had rained. ^_^ It reminds me so much of high school, and the times my friends and I spent at our school fields after classes each day. Good times.. c:

    vesipisaroita [at] gmail [dot] com

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  58. I saw this post mentioned on several blogs and had to come over to find out what all the fuss was about and, of course, to say hello.

    Not books I'd normally read, now I'm fascinating and am going to have to do so.

    Has anyone else bought a bottle of perfume on the grounds of liking the shape of the bottle only to find the contents stink?

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  59. I'd love to read this series. Sounds awesome!

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  60. I do not like perfume. It usually is too strong.

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  61. I haven't read this serie, but I realized it sounds amazing!

    For me it isn't scent. I'm more visual.

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  62. I haven't read the series but I do love a strong female heroine!

    juliecookies(at)gmail.com

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  63. The original scent in Jergen's lotion
    always makes me think of my granny who has been dead more than 30 years now.

    alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
    http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com/

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  64. i dont know much but i love white musk ;p

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  65. Stake its heart and leave it under the sun.

    aikychien at yahoo dot com

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  66. My strongest sense memory is most probably my mom's perfume.

    aikychien at yahoo dot com

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  67. Really strange that a specific perfume can attract a specific animal.

    Come on all you scientists let have some research done and tie an animal to every one of all the popular perfumes !

    That would be really interesting.

    Carol T

    buddytho {at} gmail DOT com

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  68. Im not sure its my strongest scent memory but definatly my favorite is coconut because it reminds me of the two romantic getaways to miami that my husband and I took every t ime I smell it I think about those great weeks .

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  69. strawberry - I will never forget my grandmas garden :)
    Chris

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  70. This series sounds fantastic. I haven't read it yet, but I've seen it around and the covers really draw me in.
    As for the scent memory, I'd have to say this one white sweater my mom had. I used to drape it over my shoulders and watch her put on her makeup before she went to work. The sweater smelled like her. I can't describe it, but it always made me feel close to her.

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  71. Unlike most people, I really don't have any memories associated with scent. Music, however, is the opposite - many of my memories are called up when I hear certain songs or sounds, like being at Daytona on Spring Break and listening to that "Hey Ho" song lol.
    malleybean at gmail

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  72. I saw the word cover alot on the scroll down...but i have to say that they are beautiful!

    Did you pick them? Do you like them? Are they what you pictured for your books?

    How many more are you going to write?

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  73. it's funny that while everyelse is looking for summer reads I'm looking for winter reads and this one is perfect! Great Giveaway!

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  74. Hi Sharon, thanks for the interesting post and thank you so much for making your giveaway international!!

    I agree with you, it is fascinating what a strong sense smell is and what distant and really subconscious memories and feelings it can trigger. I love the smell of freshly cut grass, reminds me of my childhoos summers: we had a huge garden (well not that huge, but to small children it seemed exciting and huge) and loved to spend days out there hiding under bushes, discovering berries and lying in the grass all day long :-)

    Isn't it wonderful how the smell of fresh made cookies make any house instantly cozy and homey? :-)

    I ahve to admit you are a new author to me, have discovered you thanks to the PSF, but added you to my wishlist. And I have to repeat what everyone else has already said: the covers of your books look gorgeous! Captivating and beautiful, wonderfully done! :-)

    Thanks for stopping by and have a nice day! :-)

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  75. I've never heard of these books before, but they sound great ... I'd love a chance to read one :) On the perfume side of things, I use Be Delicious by DKNY and it's alright for a little while, but eventually you want to scrub your neck and wrists with steel-wool, lol ... there's only so long you can go around smelling like an apple, before you get a little queasy :o

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  76. I love the sound of this series & those covers are fab! Definitely another series for my wishlist :o)

    Thanks for holding the giveaway!

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  77. Aloha Sharon,

    I would love to read this series=)

    Mahalo!!=)

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  78. I've read the first 2 books and am looking forward to Unchained. I love the scent of vanilla. It reminds me of my grandmother who was always baking. She passed away in 1996, but she is with me any time I smell vanilla.

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  79. Bath and Body Cucumber Melon

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  80. I'm a big fan of cucumber melon too!

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  81. These books sound great! Thanks Tynga for bringing this author and books into my life - I had never heard of them before but now I have added them to my TBR pile so even if I don't win I will read them sometime in the near future =)

    Great interview by the way!

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  82. I love your series. I can't wait to read Unchained!

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  83. What a great interview! I love the information you shared about scent! Scent has always intrigued me. It's kind of like when you listen to the radio and a certain song triggers all sorts of memories and emotions, scents often do that to me, too- and I'm sure everyone else as well! I love it when I come across articles talking about pheromones! So intriguing.

    Thanks for the generous giveaway! I think I'm going to jump the series ahead in my TBR, this series sounds amazing! While I know that I need to start at Book1, there is something about book2 that is really drawing me to it! I can't wait!

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  84. Books sound awesome, my perfumes of choice right now are Rare Gold and Rare Pearl by Avon but I also switch a lot when new scents come out.

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  85. Enjoyed your post--Thanks. On your question: I remember the smell of Mom's floral perfume when I was a little girl sitting on her lap and being read to. (And thanks for reminding me.)

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  86. I LOVED book one. I read it twice. I went out and bought book 2 the day it was out.. but haven't gotten around to reading it. :( Not because I don't want to. I just have a wandering mind. I will read it this week though.. I'm stoked!!!
    You rock!

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  87. Apples. They remind me of my grandmother. She had a small orchard and always had apples everywhere in her house. She spoiled me forever for homemade apple pie & apple jelly. :0)

    Thanks!

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  88. All three books sound very cool. I must confess, I have not heard of them before, but the descriptions make me interested in any of them. I was torn between requesting Ravenous or Unchained, but I loved the idea of Ashe wearing Obsession (complex, and attracts predators - would make a great tag line).

    So, please, Unchained would be great.

    In any case, I look forward to reading your books now that I have heard of them.

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  89. something that reminds me of my nana's home. fresh plants or a forest like scent.

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  90. i didn't read the books yet but they are in my TBR list!

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  91. Sounds like a great read. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com

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  92. The books sound fabulous definitely adding them to my tbr pile. my favourite scents would have to be apples, vanilla and cinnamon not neccesarily all together.... but mmh warm apple pie.

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  93. My strongest scent would be my mom's perfume: Japanese Cherry Blossom. And it's my favourite, as well. It was actually that one time when I caught a whiff of that I didn't go running out of the shop (not really a fan of smelling smells). And it's hooked in my family now. We even decorate the walls with blossoms, and just for the heck of it, I spray her perfume on them, just for the feel and reminder she's with me even when she isn't :)

    legally_write {at} hotmail {dot} com

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  94. I love the scent of forest, outdoorsy smell, it reminds me of camping with my family and lazy summer days all good memories. I wish they made a perfume exactly like it.

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  95. The smell of cookies baking, I can remember that from my childhood.

    seriousreader at live dot com

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  96. More books to read D: Gah, my to be read list grows each second -.- Anywho, they look really good o.o *drools*

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