Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Stephanie Julian Interview & Giveaway!


Please help me welcome Stephanie to theJeepDiva. Be sure to check out the end of Stephanie’s post for a ginormous giveaway!


Would you like to start off by telling us a little bit about yourself?

I’m a writer, a reader, a wife, a mother to two teenage sons, a very slow runner and a reformed newspaper reporter who continues to freelance by traipsing around other people’s gardens all summer and writing about it. I have a Junior Mint addiction, my favorite drinks are fuzzy navels and mojitos, and I love hockey, watching not playing.



I know that you write several different series. Can you please tell us a bit about each of them?

The Magical Seduction series was my first published series and those books deal with the Etruscan fairy races. Folletti, linchetti and salbinelli, otherwise known as fairies, elves and satyrs, oh my!  The Lucani Lovers series focuses on the Etruscan werewolves and their hide-in-plain-sight community. The Forgotten Goddesses is all about the Etruscan Goddesses, losing their powers over the past several millennia but finally learning to love. Witches and curses are at the heart of the Darkly Enchanted series. Then there’s the Fringe series. Bigfoot, Yeti, fairies, cat women. A little silly, way off-center and just a lot of fun. And, finally, the first in a new contemporary series begins in January from Carina Press. No paranormal at all. A little suspense, a whole lot of sexy heat, titled SEX, LIES & SURVEILLANCE.


Of the above mentioned series do you have a favorite that you prefer to write?

Not really, no. I guess the one I’m working on at the moment is my favorite. Right now, I’m revising the third book in the Forgotten Goddesses series. I love Remy and Rom. They’ve got issues but they’re the men you want at your back if you’re got trouble. And Amity is in serious trouble.


Can you tell us about your current work in progress, perhaps share a favorite scene or piece of fascinating information it?

I’m actually in the midst of working on a new proposal for my agent. Think Peter Pan with monsters and time travel. Still in the rolling-it-through-my-brain stage but it’s been percolating for a while now and starting to come together. I’m also working on the next book in the Fringe series (Andy is such a dork, love him) and the Darkly Enchanted series.


I love the uniqueness of your books. The Etruscan’s certainly adds to your books distinctiveness. Where did this idea come from?

My dad’s parents came off the boat from Italy. My grandfather was from Sicily, my grandmother from Rome. I wanted to use a mythology in my books that tied into that heritage but I didn’t want to do the Romans. They were overexposed. Then I discovered the Etruscans, from whom the Romans ripped off much of their culture.


The Etruscan beings that live and love in your books were any more challenging to write or were some of the species easier to write than others?

The bad thing about Etruscan mythology and Italian folklore is that there aren’t that many books that deal with it (at least not in English) so I can’t just pull a book off my research shelves and find an answer to a question. I really have to dig around to find tidbits to use in my books. The good thing is, that means I can make up whatever I want. Like with folletti, Italian fairies. I know what they’re called but there’s really no description that I can find. That allowed me to play around with them.


What have you read and loved recently?

I’m loving Thea Harrison’s Elder Races books. I’m in the middle of Serpent’s Kiss. And I’m anxiously awaiting HEART OF STEEL, Meljean Brook’s next book in her steampunk series, The Iron Seas. Next up, Shona Husk’s The Goblin King.


What is one thing about you that your readers would find surprising or never guess about you?

That underneath the suburban mom shell lurks the frustrated heart of a rocker chick. I love metal and hard rock, love going to concerts, love to blast Avenged Sevenfold, Bullet For My Valentine, Disturbed, Slipknot, Volbeat, Hell or Highwater, Suicidal Tendencies and mostly anything playing on Sirius Octane. I have two sons and music became something we shared, a way for us to connect. Now, I listen because I love it.


If you were to write yourself into one of your series which would it be, what role would you pick and why?

I’d want to be a witch. Control magic, maybe do some healing. Forget the warts and funky hat. Witches are misunderstood.


If you could have a romantic dinner with one of your very sexy characters which one would it be and why?

Well, I’d love to sit down with Sal. He’s a salbinelli, an Etruscan satyr, with the lower body of a goat and the upper body of a man. Sal’s got an interesting backstory that I’d love to discuss with him but we just never seem to get the time. Then there’s Quinn from Spell Bound. He’s such a sweetheart but still manages to be a hard ass werewolf. Love him


I learned a new blogger trick this week. You can now click on the pics of the books. They link to the books Goodreads.com profile. 

Now on to the awesomeness that Stephanie is giving away. They are all the first book in a series. You can enter for all 4, but I am spreading the book love & will announce 4 separate winners. the 3 eBooks are open for international. The paper book is a US only giveaway. I will announce the winner on Saturday November 5.

eBooks: Size Matters, Kiss of Moonlight, and Seduced by Magic.   
paper: What a Goddess Wants                        

48 comments:

  1. Great interview and can I just say the covers for Stephanie's books are very awesome.

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  2. WOW!!! What an awesome giveaway!!! I'm new to Stephanie's work. All these books sound intriguing!!! Added them all to my TBR list!!! Thanks for the chance to win!!! :-)

    jfort357(at)bellsouth(dot)net

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  3. Jessica, I have to agree, my covers are awesome and I can say that because I had absolutely nothing to do with them. I'm graphically challenged, to say the least.

    My favorites are Seduced by Magic, What A Goddess Wants and Grace in Moonlight, though I do love them all.

    Thanks for stopping.

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  4. Thanks for the awesome giveaway. Beautiful covers. Please enter me for all 4 books. Tore923@aol.com

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  5. this is an author I haven't read before, but I have heard lots of good things about. I would love to try one of these series. Thanks!

    sstogner1 at gmail dot com

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  6. Those covers are like my secret guilty pleasure. Please enter me for all 4 books :)
    email: cruz042 at csusm dot edu

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  7. Beautiful covers! Thank you so much for the terrific giveaways. I would love to be entered for the ebooks (US resident but I already have WHAT A GODDESS WANTS).
    June M.
    manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com

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  8. great interview! and after all the reviews you been doing im real curious bout all the books. thanks for such a great chance.

    babydoll82959307(at)aol(dot)com

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  9. Sharon, I'm so glad you stopped. Hope you enjoy my books.

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  10. Arriane, I know what you mean. there are some covers I just look at for the hotness. The Iron Duke is one. Not that I don't love the book, I do. But there's something about that cover...

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  11. June, thanks for stopping and I hope you enjoyed What A Goddess Wants.

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  12. thanks Lindsey, I hope you get a chance to get immersed in the Etruscan world.

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  13. Awesome giveaway! They all sound wonderful. Thanks for introducing me to a new (to me) author and new (to me) series.
    I'd like to win any, and all, of these.

    WildAboutBones {at} gmail {dot} com

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  14. Wow! All her books look great. I already have both goddess books so count me out on those.

    romancebookjunkiesdanielle at yahoo dot com

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  15. USA, these look amazing and will go on my to-reads list. edysicecreamlover18AT gmailDOTcom

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  16. This is a great giveaway! I haven't read any of Stephanie's work yet but Of course I've heard of her. What a Goddess wants has been on my list since it first came out!

    I totally agree that witches have gotten the short end of the stick!

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  17. Awesome Interview and Giveaway. I love all those book covers and they all look like hot reads.

    I definitely need to get those books and read them before I see Stephanie and she kicks my ass when I see her at AAD in 2012 - LOL. Happy Halloween and have a great day.

    Ronda Tutt

    mrsqueentutt@yahoo.com

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  18. Great interview. And I definitely would like to be entered for all 4 books being given away, please and thank you. These books look and sound awesome!

    LadyVampire2u AT gmail DOT com

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  19. That is an awesome giveaway. I would love to win any of these books.
    miztik_rose@yahoo.com

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  20. Holy crap - how good are those covers.

    I would love to win any books that are open to Aussies :)



    riverinaromantics (at) gmail (dot) com

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  21. Stephanie is a new author for me and can't wait to check the books out. The covers are WOW! Please enter to me for all 4 books. Thanks for the chance.

    mythic021@gmail.com

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  22. Send them on! Great enterview intainment!

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  23. What an awesome giveaway!!! I would love to win any of the international books
    darksiry(at)gmail(dot)com

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  24. WildAboutBones, thanks for stopping by to read my interview.

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  25. Danielle, hope you enjoy the Goddesses. Glad to see you here.

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  26. Krystal, thanks so much for stopping by.

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  27. I'm working on giving witches a makeover, Megan. Thanks so much for stopping by to read.

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  28. Now, Rhonda, you know I wouldn't kick your ass. I like you too much! How you been?

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  29. Thanks LadyVampire2U. I hope you enjoy my stories.

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  30. Thanks so much for stopping by to comment Mary.

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  32. lol Jodie, I love them too! thanks so much for reading my interview.

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  33. Hi Vanessa and thanks for stopping by.

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  34. shadolrds, nice to meet you, thanks for being here today.

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  35. Blackwolf, love your icon pix. too cool. thanks for stopping.

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  36. I just want to say how pleased I am that there will be more Andy!

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  37. Great interview! I'm looking forward to getting to know you people.

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  38. Thanks for the awesome interview.

    Haven't read anything by Stephanie, but quite a few are on my TBR list.

    I'd love any of the ebooks.

    Thanks again.
    Danni

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  39. Jill, I'm coming to find Andy's pretty much a dork but I love him. I mean, who doesn't love Star Trek geeks.

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  40. hey Danni, thanks for stopping by to find out more about my books.

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  41. I must be living under a rock to have missed Stephanie's works!

    I'm adding these to my must have list.

    Thank you for the generous giveaway.

    Thanks,
    Tracey D
    booklover0226 at gmail dot com

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  42. Great Interview.
    amazing covers!!!
    Thank you for the chance to win.

    beejee77(at)comcast(dot)net

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  43. Enjoyed the interview and the covers a terrific! Please enter me in all 4.

    Jennifer Rote
    wildnmild4u (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  44. Great interview and awesome giveaways! I love the covers and the stories sounds really good! I'd love to win any of the 4.

    jessangil at gmail dot com
    Jessica B

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  45. Please enter me in the draw, and thanks for the giveaway!

    Since I'm in Canada, please enter me in the ebook draws.

    darlenesbooknook at gmail dot com
    GFC Darlene

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