Interview & Giveaway: "Kept" by Shawntelle Madison

I'd like to welcome Shawntelle Madison to the Romance Book Junkies. I was able to interview Shawntelle recently and she's going to share with us a little bit about her 2nd book in the Coveted series, "Kept". She is also offering "Kept" as a prize for one lucky commenter.

I know you get asked this question over and over but can you tell us a little about yourself? Maybe something juicy. ;)

Shawntelle: I’ll admit it to anyone who asks: I’m a nerd. Whenever I’m home my computer is on and I’m probably working on a project or programming. Something juicy? Umm, I’m pretty boring. LOL Who brags about watching k-dramas or studying foreign languages in your spare time?

When did you first start writing? Are you a full time author or do you do it on the side?

Shawntelle: I first started writing when I was a teen. I started up again in 2009 with plans to be serious about the business. Since I work part-time as a web developer, technically I do it part-time. I’ve scaled back home much work I do, so someday I’ll do it full-time.

Do you have a author that has really inspired you?

Shawntelle: I’ve always been inspired by the science fiction author Octavia Butler.

How long does it normally take you to write an average book or your last book?

Shawntelle: It’s usually takes me 4-5 months to write a book. If I’m under deadline I can work faster. If I ignore the house and my family…who knows. ;)

What do you think makes a story great?

Shawntelle: For me, it’s all about that emotional response. If a book makes me laugh or cry (or even think) then I fall into it.

Can you describe your book "Coveted" in one sentence?

Shawntelle: Natalya Stravinsky, a werewolf hoarder, must find a way to rejoin her pack or die at the hands of an invading pack.

Tell us a little about “Coveted”.

Shawntelle:

For werewolf Natalya Stravinsky, the supernatural is nothing extraordinary. What does seem strange is that she’s stuck in her hometown of South Toms River, New Jersey, the outcast of her pack, selling antiques to finicky magical creatures. Restless and recovering from her split with gorgeous ex-boyfriend, Thorn, Nat finds comfort in an unusual place: her obsessively collected stash of holiday trinkets. But complications pile up faster than her ornaments when Thorn returns home, and Nat and Thorn discover that old flames still remain intense.

Before Nat can sort out their relationship, she must face a much hairier problem. Her pack is under attack from the savage Long Island werewolves—and Nat is the first target in the turf war. Toss in a handsome wizard vying for her affection, a therapy group for the anxious and enchanted, and the South Toms River pack leader ready to throw her to the wolves, and it’s enough to give anybody a panic attack. With the stakes as high as the full moon, Nat must summon all her strength to save her pack, and ultimately, herself.

Have you done lots of research for your books or do the stories just come to you?

Shawntelle: I had to do a lot of research for Coveted and Kept. I rather wish the story did come to me.

What are you currently working on?

Shawntelle: I’m working on another urban fantasy as well as other ideas in the Coveted universe.

Can you tell us about some of your prior achievements?

Shawntelle: This is my first year as a published author, so I’m working on getting some writing achievements. But one thing few people know about me, that I’m proud of, was during college I’d won a programming contest with Microsoft. (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/features/2001/jul01/07-23pocketpc.aspx) Teams of students from universities all over the US entered a PocketPC application for their new handheld device. I was one of the finalists and even won second place. It was very gratifying since I was the only one without a teammate and the only woman. I did it alone and still placed second!

Is there anything that I didn't cover that you would like to talk about or say to your potential readers?

Thanks for interviewing me. I hope you get a chance to read Nat’s story and have as much fun reading it as I did writing it!

Just for fun:

Hardback or Paperback?  Paperback!
Dog ears or Bookmarks?  Bookmarks. I used to do dog ears, but if I re-read the book the dog ears got in the way.
YA novels or Adult novels? Both, definitely. It’s all about the story.
Library or Bookstore?  I’m a library girl. Everything is fair game and you don’t look weird if you stay for a really long time.
Reading glasses or No glasses? Glasses all the time. I’ve been wearing them since I was four.
Snack while reading or No snacks? Snacks! I even snack once in a while when I write.
Beach or Mountain?  Beach definitely!
Vampire or Werewolf? Werewolf.
Hot or Flirty? Hot.

 Fresh from defending her pack in battle, Natalya Stravinsky, a whip-smart werewolf with a lovable neurotic streak, wants a little rest and relaxation. Once an outcast, she’s now eager to rejoin the ranks of her New Jersey pack, and has even gotten a handle on her obsessive urge to hoard holiday ornaments. Yet Nat barely has time to revel in her progress before the next crisis comes howling at her door.

Nat’s father has suddenly gone missing, captured by the Russian werewolf mafia. And as Nat steps up to save her dad from a mob boss’s deadly game, two men step in to play another round for her heart: her gorgeous alpha ex-boyfriend, Thorn, and her new flame, the sweetly sensitive wizard Nick. With her life growing more harried by the minute, Nat must stay cool, calm, and collected . . . or else risk losing everything.

Shawntelle is generously giving away a ebook copy of her book Kept. to one lucky commenter. So leave a meaningful comment with your email address to be entered to win. This giveaway is International. Good Luck!