"When I'm not writing" with Coreene Callahan + giveaway!

Today's guest is Coreene Callahan, author of the Dragonfury books. The first book, FURY OF FIRE, came out in February, and the second one has just been released today! We're excited to have Coreene here to celebrate her pub day and hope that you'll all enjoy finding out what she does when she's not writing. Coreene is providing a wonderful giveaway to accompany her guest post so make sure you stick around and enter.

I get asked all the time what I do when I’m not writing. “Trying to survive” is usually my answer. Wrangling imaginary characters, after all, is much easier than keeping track of a husband, three kids, and one mental, but very lovable dog. Throw that together with a crazy schedule, and…you guessed it. Most of the time I’m not sure which way is up. Or, ah, down.

But never mind that.

I’m much more interested in how the question has morphed lately. It’s no longer what I do when I’m not writing, but rather, how I’ll be spending my summer vacation. I would like to say, “Oh, nothing special. Just a few weeks in Rome.” But alas, I’d be lying. I’ll be doing the same thing I do every summer.

Camping.

Yes, you heard me right. Two weeks of nothing but the great outdoors. And if you guessed it’s not my favorite activity, you’d be bang on. But my family adores it, and I’m a good sport, so I go. I see. I experience (and enjoy for the most part), but while planning our most recent adventure, I got to thinking. What if I could bring along a helper? Someone to do all those pesky jobs like, oh say, planning meals, trips to the laundromat, and airing out the tents. And poof, in a flash of inspiration the answer came to me. I need a Dragon-Shifter camping buddy, and then—in true writer form—made a list of all the reasons why.

So without further ado, here they are…

10 Reasons to Take a Dragon-Shifter Camping

- He’ll light your fire. No matches required.

- All dragons are excellent watchdogs. No need to worry about wild animals (or the human variety either) wandering into your campsite when he’s around.

- Forget about the BBQ. He’ll flambé your shish kabob within seconds.

- Stargazing takes on a whole new meaning when he whisks you off for a romantic midnight flight.

- Mosquitoes are afraid of dragons.

- Leave the extra blankets at home. You’ll never suffer a chilly, damp tent again.

- Razor-sharp claws make chopping firewood a breeze.

- His glowing eyes come in handy when you can’t find the flashlight for a 3 a.m. bathroom run.

- He’s a great hiking buddy. When you get tired of walking, hitch a ride on his back.

- Dragons scare fish out of the water. Great for a quick meal when your camping larder is empty.

So there you have it. All the reasons I think I need a Dragon-Shifter of my own this summer. Somehow, though, I don’t think my husband will agree.

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Thank you for taking the time to visit us, Coreene!

For more information about Coreene and her books, check out her website or follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

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Here's the scoop on FURY OF FIRE and FURY OF ICE:

When duty calls, a warrior answers—no matter the consequences.

A clandestine race of half-dragon, half-humans known as dragon-shifters lives among us. Bastian, leader of the Nightfury dragon clan, is sworn to protect humankind at all costs. For him, honor and duty always come first. When the clan dictates he take a human mate to sire a son, he falters, aware that for a human to birth a dragon-shifter she must die. Myst, the woman given into his care, is the most extraordinary he’s ever met, and though he can’t bear the thought of harming her he is bound by duty.

Myst loves her life in the human world, but Bastian has captured her heart in an instant of electric connection. But Bastian and his warriors are in the middle of a deadly battle with the Razorback dragon-shifters, intent on killing every Nightfury clan member—and the humans they protect—the fate of their world and ours hangs in the balance.

An extraordinary blend of action, fantasy, and steamy romance, Fury of Fire brings to life a dangerous new world intertwined with the survival of humanity, all while exploring the meaning of honor and the nature of true love.

Stéphanie's thoughts

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Homicide detective Angela Keen thrives on the city’s rough streets. But when she becomes the prize of all prizes in the dragon-shifter world due to her “high-energy” status, she gets more than she bargained for. Kidnapped by Lothair of the Razorback clan, Angela barely survives captivity before managing to escape. Hurt and alone with nowhere to hide, she faces certain death when Lothair uses the trace energy she leaves in her wake to hunt her down. But before he can reach her, a mystery dragon-shifter intervenes and saves Angela’s life.

Now a guest of the Nightfury clan, Angela regains her strength as her rescuer, Rikar, the last living frost dragon, gradually breaks down her mistrust. Surrendering to her desire for Rikar, but still uncertain of her feelings, Angela goes against his wishes and agrees to be used as bait to lure Lothair into the open. As the battle commences, the true struggle comes from within: Will Angela return home to the life she loves, or forsake it all to be with Rikar?

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

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Coreene is generously offering two (2) sets of Dragonfire books to our lucky readers!

To enter the giveaway, obey the Rafflecopter!

US/Canada

Ends Monday, June 18, 2012

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Do you guys have suggestions for who you’d like to see featured on the blog? If so, you can make your suggestions on this page. No guarantees that your favorite authors will be able to participate but we’ll try!

Authors, would you like to visit and share with us? Please email me at jennblogs (at) gmail (dot) com and we’ll set it up!

Posted by jenn at 06:39

 Coreene Callahan, giveaway, When I'm not writing  42 People left their mark

Born and raised in the Toronto area, Jenn moved to St. John's, Newfoundland, eight years ago for school. She's still in school (thankfully on another degree!), now trapped in her dissertation. When she's not dissertating, which happens more often than it should, Jenn spends her time reading, watching movies, playing volleyball, travelling, and enjoying the local music scene. Her latest addictions: yoga and Almond Crunch cereal.