Welcome to Sugarbeat’s Books!
For the next 8 days we are participating in the coolest blog hop I’ve seen so far this year! The Spring Blog Carnival goes from May 1st to 8th and over 200 blogs have signed up to participate!
What makes this event more interesting is that it isn’t only a giveaway hop, there are blogs that are hosting booths. Each booth will have a fun challenge for you to do to enter for extra prizes.
- – Lori at Pure Imagination will have the Kissing Booth and will be giving away Romance books
- – Angela at Reading Angel will have the Haunted House and will be giving away Paranormal books
- – Mary at The Book Swarm will have Rollercoasters and will be giving away a contemporary book
- – Candace at Candace’s Book Blog has the Food Court and will be giving away Gift cards
So, not only can you surf through over 200 blogs, but you can enter challenges to win extra prizes – and you have a week to finish! Sounds like a deal to me 🙂
Because of this special week, I’ve decided to feature a special author. Virna DePaul is an up and coming author – a name to look out for! I have read four of her books – three shorter stories and I’m just finishing an ARC of Chosen by Blood which is going to be released on the 3rd of May – or this coming Tuesday. Chosen by Blood is he
r first full length book. She has also just signed a deal with Harlequin for three books!
Please join me each day this week for a different book review and a little glimpse into the world of this wonderful author.
I’m not the only fan of this wonderful author! My friend Selena from The Enchanted Book will also be featuring Virna’s work and we will both be giving away books and swag generously 
donated by Virna! Through out the 
week, I’ll be linking to other bloggers who have reviewed Virna’s work so you can see what others think, not just me!
Now for the giveaway! There will be two prizes:
1) 3 of Virna’s e-books (available to US, Canada & International entries)
2) A Vampire’s Salvation e-Book, a combination 
pen/flash drive, a Para-Ops Novel/Chosen By Blood mug, Assorted chocolates and an Autographed set of Para-Ops Novel Trading Cards (available to US entries only)
To enter, you need to fill out the form below. If you want 5 extra entries, leave a comment or question for Virna in the comment section of any day’s post. Have fun and good luck!
Contest is over – thank you for entering!
I would ask her if she has any rituals that she must follow to be able to write.
manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com
Hi June!
Thanks for the visit! I’ll make sure she sees this question!
Hi June! Thanks for your question. I don’t have any rituals. I think I’m pretty lucky in that I can pretty much write any time of day and anywhere, quiet or not. However, I’m not good about writing on a schedule, which is sometimes tough. Because when life interferes and I don’t write for awhile, it’s harder to get started again.
I was wondering if it was too late to get my blog entered for the blog hop? I’m doing a giveaway that begins today….I missed seeing this before it had already started 🙁
Please give me another entry 😀 Blog Hop is so cool!
leanne_gag[at]hotmail[dot]com
I was wondering if she had a chance to write with anyone who would it be and why?
vampiremistress2010(at)gmail(dot)com
Hi Donna! Wow, if I had a chance to write with anyone… I get only one pick?? There are so many writers I admire and love, but I’ll go with Lori Foster. I’ve loved her books for a long, long time and I had the chance to meet her last year at her Reader’s Get Together. She’s a very generous and kind person. Same with Larissa Ione, who I also met at the Get Together. I just did a video chat with her and I think she’s so incredibly talented.
I would love to ask her what the most challenging part of being an author is?
Hi Chelsea,
The most challenging part of being an author is the self-doubt coupled with the fact that it’s a “business.” As such, editors who very well might think you’re talented and a wonderful person will reject you, and without much feedback, simply because you’re not a good risk, or they just bought a story very similar to yours. They have to limit their feedback due to the volume of submissions they get and also to forestall debate, but when left to draw your own conclusions, it’s easy for writers to think they’re just not good enough. It’s the writers who can just keep going despite the hardship that make long lasting careers, I believe.
Thanks for the giveaway. I was wondering what her favorite genre to read and write is?
GFC follower – Sherry S.
sstrode at scrtc dot com
Hi Sherry,
My favorite genre has always been romantic suspense. Whether it’s paranormal or historical or contemporary, I love stories that have an edge of danger to raise the stakes in the romantic relationship. Thanks for the question!
I’d like to ask Virna, What are some favorite books and authors of yours? And did any of them encourage you to write? Thanks for the extra entry.
LadyVampire2u AT gmail DOT com
I have so many wonderful favorites–looking at my keeper shelves, you’ll see Linda Howard, Christina Dodd, Karen Keast/Sandra Canfield, Anne Stuart, Lori Foster, Larissa Ione, JR Ward, Brenda Novak, Allison Brennan, Karin Tabke, Rachel Gibson, Susan Andersen etc, etc. I read a lot in a variety of genres. Some of my favorite books are Dream Man & Shades of Twilight by Linda Howard, Shadow Dance and Wild Rose by Anne Stuart, Rhage and Butch’s stories from JR Ward, The Wilson Brothers by Lori Foster, Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione, Wish You Were Here by Christie Ridgeway…. Sorry, I know that’s a lot. I really need to get my book recs posted on Good Reads! 😀 Romance writers as a whole are so generous with their support. Brenda Novak really helped me get started when we met and she told me, There are no writing “rules.” Just write.
Is it difficult to balance working from home and living at home? I would imagine that there are many distractions at home and it may be difficult to work on writing on some days…
Hi May,
Honestly, for me, this is the hardest part about being a writer. I have three young boys, a great husband, love an organized home, and love spending time with friends. Add writing and it’s really hard to give all those things the attention I want to. Fortunately, I can write whether it’s quiet or not, so I’ll often escape to go to Starbucks and try really hard when I get home to be present for my private life. I’m still working on that, though. Thanks for your question!
Hey Virna,
I was wondering (since I didn’t have time to read the bk when I was stocking books today) what sets your vampires apart from the others already out there?
Hi Ivy!! I tried to give readers what’s so wonderful about vampires (some old lore, plus that whole dark, primal thing), but also shake things up. So in my world, vampires are biologically incapable of lying. They all have silver hair and silver irises. As a whole, they are elegantly built and hedonists. They live in a Vampire Dome that regulates sunlight, air, temperature etc, and gives them privacy. Plus I added certain things that make them weak. I tried to give all the Otherborns some distinguishing characteristics. Let me know what you think if you are able to read CBB. Thanks so much for stopping by!! And working in a bookstore. Sigh. Nice!!!
I have Virna on my radar as I have some many great reviews of her books.
My question is what compels you to write these hot books (I love them so thank you) and where do you get your inspirations (if you are willing to tell us). 🙂
Thank you so much for the giveaway!
do you find it hard to write or does it just come?
+5 entries
My question is before you decided to be an author how long did you debate on being an author? I love reading myself and I’ve been debating for awhile when I have time to try and write so I’m just curious to know from an author how that worked for them XD Also I loved your book fav list.. I’m a huge fan of Larissa Ione and J.R. Ward as well! 🙂 Though I also have Sherrilyn Kenyon, Karen Marie Moning, Patricia Briggs, Yasmine Galenorn, Jeaniene Frost, Elizabeth Amber, Kresley Cole, Gena Showalter on my lists as well *grins* well that’s just some *hangs head* I know I have a serious addiction 😀 But I love it!
email is swtlilangel4jc at yahoo dot com
Ava/virna. I love love Cop Appeal and your sequel. You are a new author to me but I truly enjoy your romantic contemporary suspense!
DarkBloodyVamp,
I’ve always loved romance, from sweet to hot in heat level. At first, I just wanted to write what I loved to read, and I found writing hot sort of came naturally to me. With the erotic stuff, it was more of a challenge, to see how far outside my comfort zone I could push. And then I found most readers liked what I did, which is always wonderful! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and for being such a great online supporter!
Liza Vladyka, Half the time, I do feel the story comes naturally. The other half the time, it’s more like writing is difficult because I’m trying to balance it along with everything in life. When I’m overwhelmed with other things, the writing comes far slower. Thanks for your question and take care! V
Chelsea, What a great question! In a weird way, there really wasn’t any debating going on. Like you, I LOVE reading. Even though I majored in English and wrote as a lawyer, I just didn’t think “normal” people could write novels. Then one day, I didn’t want to be a lawyer anymore, so I tried just about every creative outlet I could trying to find my place. I mean, I auditioned for plays and musicals, painted, did voice overs–when I look back, it was CRAZY. Writing was what should have been the natural conclusion. One day, I just decided I would sit down and try to write one complete story, just for myself. I was immediately addicted. The thing is, as a huge reader, you’ve got a GREAT foundation for being a writer. You know what you love. As for time, I just wrote in the middle of the night, after my family was asleep. Even if you write one page a day, you’ll be able to tell whether it’s something you want to pursue. I would definitely go for it!! 😀 And feel free to email me at virna@virnadepaul.com to chat about it more if you’d like!
Hi Virna!
I can’t thank you enough for all your contributions to this past week! Seems like you have alot of people interested in what you are writing, which is good. Now…..if we can all remain patient enough til your next book comes out 🙂
Thanks Virna! And that is so awesome that you just loved reading and tried a bunch of different outlets 🙂 I think creative outlets are wonderful! I’ve always loved art and wanted to draw and I didn’t know how so I finally took a drawing I class this semester and discovered that I CAN draw.. it just takes a lot of time and I actually think I might be good at it with some more practice 🙂 And thank you for the confidence.. its nice to know that my massive reading skills might be good for writing *grins* And that’s a good idea…. I think I’ll try what you said and next week when I don’t have my son I’ll try writing just a page a day… whoohoo! and Thank you very much 🙂 I might bug you sometime for writing help hehe! *hugs*
I would love win either prize. please choose enter and choose me for the giveaway. thanks for the giveaway.
christinebails@yahoo.com