Wednesday, December 3, 2014

#AFTH2014 Interview w/ Monica Murphy--bad boys, cookies, elf on a shelf....eeps! + giveaway

Woots! And today we've got Monica Murphy joining us! It's actually her release day for Owning Violet--Yay!--so yall be sure to give her a big welcome after you check out our chat. Oh and if you'd like to check out the review it's HERE. ~Anna



Mornin' Monica! Welcome to the herd! Come on in, come on in. I've got some spiced tea and sugar cookies in by the fire. Figured that would be a fab place to chat seeing it's already so dang cold out.

*passes over some ornament shaped cookies* So how goes it over in your world?
*takes cookies* Hi Anna! Thanks so much for having me. It's pretty in my world, considering I have a book release and it's getting closer to Christmas. The holidays are so crazy, which I'm sure you agree. But it's a fun kind of crazy.
Oh yeah definitely fun crazy :D With Owning Violet out today yall doing anything exciting to celebrate?
Yes, thank you! So excited for OWNING VIOLET's release. It feels like I've been waiting forever for this moment! We're not doing anything to celebrate per se, just bouncing around, feeling nervous over everyone's reaction upon meeting Ryder and Violet.
LOL bouncing around and having a squee can be fun ;) Now for those who haven't seen it yet--and omg that cover is pant-worthy--what would you tell them about Ryder, Violet and their crazy journey if you only had 10 seconds?
Sexy-hot-combustable couple overcome the odds to somehow end up together. <-- Was that too long? And thanks re: the cover! I adore that cover. Very mysterious and sexy.
Gah yeah it is incredibly sexy. Whew boy! Now about the book and all it's sexy...Can you tell us 3 interesting behind the scenes facts about Owning Violet?
Sure!
1. OWNING VIOLET has a Cruel Intentions vibe - lots of backstabbing and trickery. *oooh it so did!*
2. I've wanted to write a series about sisters with flower names since 2007, so this series has sat on the back burner of my brain for a looong time.
3. Ryder McKay is probably the hottest, meanest hero I've ever written. Had to work really hard to redeem him.
LOL So. on Ryder. Yeah. *nods* I'm not even gonna lie. I spent a lot of time wanting to put a hurting on his manly bits (sorry Ryder's manly bits!) before I fell for the guy. I mean. A hurting! lol  Did you have a hard time with him or was he one you could see from the get-go had a good man in there? Did you have a favorite moment with him? Or one that had you shaking your head going "oh Ryder."?
*hangs head in shame* I know! He was bad. Awful. But he used all of that badness as a defense mechanism. Better to act uncaring than to feel too much right? That was his motto. He had my heart from the get go and I felt bad for all of the things he did to Violet at first but I knew, I just knew he was going to fall and fall hard for her and he did.
It's always awesome seeing the guys like that take a spill for their heroines in the end :D So did you have a favorite moment with Ryder?
Hmm. I don't want to spoil anything for those who haven't read but I loved putting him in situations where he felt uncomfortable with his jealousy. There are a few moments when he acted like such a jealous jerk over Violet and he hated it. And that made me love it because it's an emotion he wasn't familiar with at all.
Oh yeah. Definitely interesting seeing him deal with that. What about Violet? What was your favorite thing about her?
How she started out so quiet and meek and I knew she had that spine of steel, all that bold determination just ready to spring forth. She kept people on their toes, especially Ryder.
It was nice seeing that come out. So, Ryder had...some making up to do with Violet. With Christmas right around the corner what plans would he set in motion to do things up right for his woman?
Give her lots of luxurious gifts and tell her how much she means to him. He might take her on a trip, just the two of them, lavish her with attention and perhaps...have a diamond ring tucked away to give her at that special moment? Yes, that is definitely what Ryder should do for Violet!
Oh now that sounds pretty dang perfect. And speaking of a little trip...I saw you love to travel. If you could spend Christmas in any part of the world where would you pick?
If money were no object and I could travel anywhere, no weather restrictions either, I would go somewhere in the mountains with lots of snow and bring all of my extended family with me so we could have a cozy, white Christmas. I live in California, we don't get much of the white stuff where I am in particular though last year we had snow in early December! It melted within twenty fours though.
My mom has always wanted to celebrate Christmas with the family in Maui. I'd do that too. Just sayin'. ;)
LOL I'm a Florida girl originally so I totally get the lack of a white Christmas. I love when they happen here in NC. So, anything about the holiday season you just can't wait for?
I am a sucker for Christmas music and all those sweetly romantic holiday movies on the various channels (Hallmark, ABC Family, Lifetime). Oh, I love those movies!
But really, my favorite thing is being with my children on Christmas and watching them open their presents. They're so excited, so happy. It warms my exhausted at putting it all together heart.
Total sucker for those holiday movies too (or Christmas books!). Now. On to one of the most important "favorites"....

Favorite holiday inspired Man Candy? *raises right eyebrow*
Ooh...there is a photo that's circulated for years of a guy who's, ahem, naked and wrapped in Christmas lights. 

Oh! Good call. Good call. *nods* Best Christmas memory?
Being young and believing in the magic of Christmas and Santa Claus. I remember being around seven and coming out in the very early morning hours to see the tree lit up and all sorts of presents underneath, so thankful Santa stopped by. I was a total believer until I was 8 or so. Sometimes I still wished I did believe so that jolly fat man would take over all the shopping duties. Ha ha.
Favorite holiday treat?
Frosted sugar cookies. Or a Starbuck's gingerbread latte.
Total scrooge it or deck it out in winter wonderland glory?
Decked out baby!
::blink blink:: Decked out and glorious! lol So, Elf on a Shelf. Totally cheeky and cute? Or run! Total creeper!?
Hey, that little Elf came out too late to work on my kids. I would've totally made it happen because that dude keeps them in line during the holiday season.
Hell yah. I'd have been scared spitless if he'd been around when I was a kid. *pours the last bit of tea* Before you head out...what's up next for ya?
Well, the second book in The Fowler Sisters series STEALING ROSE, comes out March 3, 2015. Very excited for readers to meet Rose's hero Caden. He's TOTALLY different compared to Ryder. Not quite so broody.
Oooo I love hero's named Caden/Cade (says the girl whose last name is Cade heh)Thanks so much for coming by Monica! Hope yall have a fabulous Christmas!
Thank you for having me Anna! I hope you and yours has a fabulous holiday too.
Alright herd kittens! Yall's turn! Do you have any questions for Monica? Leave her some comment love down below!

I’ve moved through life doing what’s expected of me. I’m the middle daughter, the dutiful daughter. The one who braved a vicious attack and survived. The one who devoted herself to her family’s business empire. The one who met an ambitious man and fell in love. We were going to run Fleur Cosmetics together, Zachary and I.

Until he got a promotion and left me in the dust. Maybe it’s for the best, between his disloyalty and his wandering eye. But another man was waiting for me. Wanting me. He too has an overwhelming thirst for success, just like Zachary—perhaps even more so. He’s also ruthless. And mysterious. I know nothing about Ryder McKay beyond that he makes me feel things I’ve never felt before.

One stolen moment, a kiss, a touch . . . and I’m hooked. Ryder’s like a powerful drug, and I’m an addict who doesn’t want to be cured. He tells me his intentions aren’t pure, and I believe him. For once, I don’t care. I’m willing to risk everything just to be with him. Including my heart. My soul.

My everything.

Amazon | All Romance | Book Depository | BAM | Goodreads

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New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author Monica Murphy is a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite with her husband and three children. She’s a workaholic who loves her job. When she’s not busy writing, she also loves to read and travel with her family. She writes new adult and contemporary romance and is published with Bantam and Avon. She also writes romance as USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson, and is published with Samhain Publishing and Entangled Brazen and Bliss.

Find Monica Online
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Soooos! We have a huge grand prize drawing going on during AFTH2014!
Just leave Monica a question or comment then jump over to THIS page to enter the Giveaway Widget!

There's a PRINT copy of Owning Violet up for grabs in there :)

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