Read it in Houston: Rita Stradling - Interview & Giveaway

Welcome to the second day of Christmahanakwanzika, and the last day of Hanukkah! Today I have a fantastic interview with author of THE DECEPTION DANCE & THE LIE SPINNERS, Rita Stradling. Don't forget to check out the giveaway at the bottom.

The Deception Dance (The Deception Dance #1)
YA Paranormal Romance

After a year of preparation, eighteen year old Raven Smith has researched and planned out every detail of her summer vacation in Europe; those plans DO NOT include boys, romance, or falling in love (definitely not the last one). But, even before the plane touches-down her well-laid plans go dreadfully off-course.

While still airborne, Raven finds a letter in her carry-on suitcase that her senile neighbor broke into her house to stash in her bag; the letter tells Raven to turn back, not to go to Europe, that an “evil agent of Hell” is looking for Raven and he will find her if she disregards the letter’s message.

But Raven does disregard the letter…

Almost as soon as Raven steps foot onto Rome’s streets, dark, seductive Andras starts showing up at nearly every site Raven visits; Raven finds herself drawn to Andras in a way she’s never been drawn to anyone, while at the same time… he terrifies her.

Then in comes Nicholas, an impossible-not-to-like Swedish guy, who is determined to keep Raven away from Andras...

The two guys share a dark secret. Both are determined that Raven never learns the truth. She doesn’t know who to trust, or if she can trust anyone.

If Raven frees herself from the deception twined around her… the most horrifying secret she could uncover, might be her own… her past… who she really is…and how the forces of Hell plan to use her to destroy the future…

The Lie Spinners (The Deception Dance #2)
YA Paranormal Romance

Andras is coming back for me. That is pretty much the only certainty I have in this life. Andras will always come back for me...

Last summer, with the help of demon-killer Stephen Tapper, Raven Smith faced Hell on Earth to stop the demon-apocalypse (or more like, put it on hold). Raven made a deal with the Grand Marquis of Hell: he would not open the gates of hell if she promised not to fall in love with anyone until he returned for her.

Almost a year has passed and summer has come again…

Raven is safe. Relatively. She’s protected. Doggedly. She’s away from the demons, the hell, the madness. Until she falls asleep.

When the earth-witch Madeline shows up in Raven’s hometown (aka her prison), calling in Raven’s life-debt, Raven shouldn’t even listen to Madeline’s proposal. But she does.

Madeline tells her that months ago, Stephen travelled to Thailand to track down a magician called The Spider; but within days of arriving, Stephen vanished. Every person (be they witch or demon-killer) Madeline sent to find Stephen was hunted down, overwhelmed and murdered by demons. The message Madeline received after all attempts failed was clear: send in Raven Smith or Stephen dies.

Going to Thailand might possibly be the stupidest decision Raven could ever make… there are a thousand reasons why Raven should stay guarded, protected, safe; only one reason why she shouldn’t.

Stephen.

First off, I would like to welcome you to Read it in Houston. It’s an honor having you here today. Congratulations on your most recent release of THE LIE SPINNERS.

Great! Thanks for having me.

If you don’t mind answering, what part of Christmahanakwanzika do you celebrate? & what are you most excited for?

I’m actually already celebrating Christmas; my four year old is convinced there are forty-something days of Christmas and I just don’t have the heart to tell him we shouldn’t be celebrating yet. Unlike my neighbors, I’m not complaining, I love Christmas! As usual, I’m most excited for Christmas dinner! Food, yay, food!

Also, though I’m not Jewish, I often celebrated Hanukkah growing up and it is one of my favorite holidays (I know most of the prayers, stories and traditions—and I love Potato Latkes and Chocolate Gelt with every fiber of my heart).

In the spirit of giving, if you had a million and one dollars to giveaway to any charity, who would get the check?

Make-A-Wish Foundation. Go Batkid!

If you could be any character from any book, who would you be and why?

That’s a really good question; unfortunately I’m going to give a really trite answer: Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I know everyone probably says this, but Lizzy was my “fairy tale princess” since I first read P & P at age twelve.

Do you have any favorite quotes from your DECEPTION DANCE series?

A little Stephen love, both from The Lie Spinners:

“When you’ve crawled through the darkness, the light is so much more glorious.”

“For so many years now, I’ve felt apart, distant from everyone I knew. I suppose that I thought I wanted to be. But whenever you are with me, I don’t feel separate. It’s like I didn’t realize how alone I was until you were there, and I wasn’t anymore.”

Is there a message in the series that you want readers to pick-up on?

No one can control love.

Are you working on anything new at the moment? If so can you share any juicy details about the work?

Besides The Deception Dance #3, two projects: one is yet to be titled; it’s New Adult/Adult High-Fantasy and is steeped with court intrigue and at times very steamy.

The other project is tentatively titled “Henchgirl” and a YA Urban Fantasy/Contemporary Fantasy novel set in Hawaii. Think Pride and Prejudice if a girl’s social status and marriage prospects are determined by how powerful her demonic blood is. The protagonist, Madison Harris, is barely managing to support her three sisters and carelessly-lavish, alcoholic mother by working as a ‘henchman’ for her mob-boss, half-demon grandfather—but when rich, gorgeous, famous (and totally-psychotic) half-demon Wyvern Manderson takes a Hawaiian holiday with his friends, everything in Madison's life falls apart.
Hopefully out 2015.

I’m trying to keep this interview short and sweet, but if there is anything you are dying to say, please by all means say it. I don’t need anyone dying on my watch.

Oh! Oh! I’m dyslexic too!

Happy Christmahanakwanzika!

About the Author
Rita Stradling

I live in Maui. You can find me at all the places the cool four year olds hang out (because I have one, if that isn't obvious). I have a MAJOR book addiction and I live in fear that my family is planning an intervention (I keep books stashed in weird places, just in case). I got my degree in college parties...no...no it was Art History. Ha. That was a joke. Parties? Me? Crazy talk.

I get along with people who don't mind sustaining small injuries to tell a good joke. You should meet my husband, he’s hilarious. We fell in love after I pushed him off my porch. He deserved it… I think (I can’t really remember).

We keep moving back and forth between Northern California and Hawaii (it’s a grass (…palm tree) is greener thing, don’t ask).

Thanks for checking me out (in a bio way). Happy reading!