Guest Post: Hanna Martine

Hanna MartineI am excited to welcome debut author Hanna Martine, who is getting ready to release the first novel in her Elemental series, Liquid Lies.

Magic is Corporate America’s best-kept secret

Gwen possesses the unique ability to pick up any language in an instant—a power that will globally expand the profitable family business. As dutiful future leader of her race of water elementals, she’ll do anything to protect her people’s secrets and bloodlines—including enter an arranged marriage. Inside, however, she yearns for forbidden human men.

Reed is a mercenary addicted to the money and adrenaline rush of his work. After he inadvertently saves Gwen’s life, he ignites her taboo desire for men without magic—and with bodies of gods. Just as things heat up, Reed discovers that Gwen is exactly who he’s been hired to kidnap. He resolves to put work before lust, yet her luscious beauty and fiery spirit unravel him…

But there is a terrible truth behind Gwen’s family business—and now, caught between the kinsmen she no longer trusts and an enemy bent on vengeance, the only ally she has is her abductor…

Make sure you stick around to the end. We’ll be giving away a copy of her novel, Liquid Lies.
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When I met Jackie at RT, she told me she loves paranormal romance and urban fantasy because she doesn’t want to read about everyday life when she actually lives it. To that, I say: AMEN. I haven’t wanted to live in the real world for as long as I can remember. That’s why I started to write fantasy as early as grade school–to create worlds I could wish myself into. At every stage in my life I can name a story that provided a stepping stone on my way to loving and then writing paranormal romance.

Grade School: Sleeping Beauty
The gorgeous princess with the magical destiny living in the picturesque forest, the hot boy who chances upon her and sings to her in operatic vibrato, the valiant fight for her life against the dragon … Not very feminist and pretty much the opposite of the girl-can-triumph-on-her-own stories of today, but without a doubt this movie threw me onto the magic-plus-romance path.

Junior High: Ladyhawke
That moment when Navarre bursts out of the hole in the snow, grabbing for his love Isabeau as she transforms back into a bird, and he screams with such rage the tendons practically bust out of his throat? Yeah, that. That’s the anguish of true, unbreakable love, confounded by the supernatural, that had my girlish writer’s heart racing (and possibly ruined every boy/relationship for me for all time).

High School: Dragonlance & the Twin Series, by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
These are the first books I read voraciously. I loved them from the opening chapter in that bar atop the giant tree, but when Caramon grabbed Tika in all her mismatched armor glory and kissed her after a battle, I dog-eared the page and re-read it more than any section. In the Twins series, the Raistlin-Crysania connection fascinated me. He’s not attractive! He’s weird! He hates everyone! I’m pretty sure Raistlin was my first anti-hero, or at least the first Hero That Shouldn’t Have Been Hot But Was. These books gave me my first taste of, “I want more,” meaning, I wanted more romance with my speculative elements.

College: Like Water for Chocolate, by Laura Esquivel
I saw the movie first and was utterly transfixed. Daring in its locale, original in its premise and completely heart-breaking in its story, this was the first thing I’d read where I truly ached for the hero and heroine to be together.

Early Adult Life: The Kushiel series, by Jacqueline Carey
I’d been devouring fantasy novels exclusively, but had become frustrated by the “fade to black” aspect when it came to romantic or physical situations. This seemed to imply that all love scenes were alike: “… and they made out and it was wonderful. Moving on …” Then I randomly discovered the Kushiel world and it shocked me … in the best possible way. Here was a fantasy world basically revolving around sex and physical dynamics; I had no idea that could be done and sell. Then there was Carey’s stellar writing and the crazy-suspenseful plots. I was changed as a reader. I became focused as a writer.

All of the above–and countless others–have affected my stories. My Elementals series begins with Liquid Lies, and it pairs a smart water elemental heroine with a strong, determined human hero. As the series goes on, it shifts setting and focuses on different elemental races. I wrote these books as novels I’d want to read: real magic just under the surface of everyday America, lots of delicious sexual tension. And I definitely don’t fade to black.

What started your love of all things magical and romantic?
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Meet Hanna Martine!

Hanna Martine left a decade of office work in order to show her daughter what it meant to go after one’s dream. She loves bar stools, books, travel and her friends. Though she and her family live outside Chicago, her heart resides in Australia.

HMartine-Liquid LiesContact Info
Website: website
Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads | Pinterest | Tumblr

Want to purchase Hanna’s novels?
Elementals

  1. Liquid Lies
  2. A Taste of Ice

Unbound (March 5, 2013)
On You (January 15, 2013) _____________________________________________

Contest Time!

Thank you Hanna for taking the time to stop by Literary Escapism!

Hanna is giving away a copy of her novel, Liquid Lies. To enter, all you have to do is answer this one question: What started your love of all things magical and romantic? Remember, you must answer the question in order to be entered.

Even though I’m not giving the additional entries any more, you can still help support the author by sharing their article, and this contest, on your blog, Twitter, Facebook, or anywhere you can. After all, the more people who are aware of this fabulous author ensures we get more fabulous stories.

The winner must post a review of the novel someplace. Whether it is on their own blog, Amazon, GoodReads, LibraryThing or wherever, it doesn’t matter. Just help get the word out.

The contest will stay open until July 6th at which time I’ll determine the winner with help from the snazzy new plug-in I have.

About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.

13 Comments

  1. Thanks for a great post and congrats on the new release! I love the cover and the premise sounds awesome :)

    Ann McCaffrey started me love of all things paranormal and fantasy. I started with her Harper Hall Trilogy and it was game on from there! But it was her Rowan Series that got me addicted to the romance. I love, love, love the romance in that series, especially Damia.

  2. I don’t know. I remember loving fantasy stuff since I was very young. I guess it started from my love of unicorns when I was like three and just bloomed from there. For the romance part of it was added with the movie “The Last Unicorn”.

    danni0113(at)gmail(dot)com

  3. I think Disney movies and fairy tales started it all. I remember when Cinderella’s wishes came true from a magical fairy godmother and Sleeping Beauty being awakened with a kiss. The possibilities these stories evoked are the reasons I so enjoy magic.

  4. After reading Interview with the Vampire in junior high school, I was fascinated with vampires. At some point, I stumbled across Chelsea Quinn Yarbro’s Count of Saint-Germain series and that was it for me. I was completely hooked on the vampire as a romantic hero.

  5. What started your love of all things magical and romantic?
    Well, what comes to mind first is the cartoon Dungeons and Dragons. I remember watching and really liking it as a kid (and Legend of Zelda and She-ra). And of course the Disney Princesses (although most aren’t all that independent).

  6. What started my love of all things magical and romantic?
    Easy. I looked at my older brother’s high school reading list in 7th grade. The book description that caught my attention was one about Princess Bride. I absolutely loved the idea. When I finished the book all I could think about is how much I wanted my own Wesley! I mean, come on, what girl wouldn’t want a guy who would come back from the dead to save her? ;)
    Since then I’ve really branched out. I love vampires, shape-shifters, witches, and wizards. The whole shebang. As of now, I’m currently addicted to the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series. Those men are delicious.

    The book premise for Liquid Lies sounds amazingly intriguing. I can’t wait to read it! :)

  7. Wow, I totally can’t remember back that far. I loved fairy tales when I was little, and read books like mad. i think as I got older, the books chnaged from just magic to romance and magic as their theme.

  8. The earliest fantasy books I remember were the Chronicles of Narnia. I was forever changed after reading those books. As far as romance, well that probably stemmed from all of the Disney movies and stories I read as a child.

  9. My love of all things magical and romantic really started with Nalini Singh’s Guid Hunter series. I’d been reading urban fantasy & horror for many years, but paranormal romance just wasn’t on my radar. Then I read a few PNR books, but they still didn’t ignite the fire. When I read Angels’ Blood I was totally smitten. Now I’d say half the books I read are PNR.

  10. Mine started with fairy tales and went from there. I remember every year, the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings came on TV and I was riveted every time. Ladyhawke, Labyrinth, Legend (wow that is a lot of L’s), all those grabbed my attention. Somewhere in there I discovered Anne McCafferty and David Eddings and that was it. I branched into paranormal when I discovered Hotel Transylvania by Yarbro. Oh how I wanted to be Madeline! Liquid Lies sounds supercool, can’t wait to read it! :)

  11. I have been reading for years and had a primary focus on mystery, cozies, and police procedural novels. One day one of my longtime favorite authors I had not seen for a while published a new book and liking her writing, I decided to give the new series a try. Well Charlain Harris did it again Dead Until Dark got me on a roll and I have not stopped since. I am looking forward to Liquid Lies :)
    dz59001[at]gmail[dot]com

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