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Friday, September 21, 2012

Guest Post with Author Virna DePaul and Giveaway


Today I am extremely delighted to have one of my favorite people visiting. Virna DePaul is definitely one of my favorite authors and she is all sorts of awesome. Virna is celebrating the recent release of her book Shades of Temptation and has stopped by for a little chat. Before I give the floor over to Virna, let's get to know a bit about this awesome lady!

Virna DePaul is a former prosecutor and now national bestselling author of the Para-Ops Novels. She also writes contemporary romantic suspense for Harlequin Romantic Suspense and erotica under the name Ava Meyers.

Places to find Virna:
Site | Blog Facebook Twitter Goodreads | 


Thank you to Danielle for having me on the blog today! It’s always an honor getting to hang out with you and your readers.

Many writers often talk about the voices in their heads—the voices of their fictional characters demanding that their stories be told. With me, my characters and their stories have to fight their way past an especially loud voice: my inner critic.

I’m a worrier and a perfectionist. I think I’m a pretty good cheerleader for others, but when it comes to myself, I’m extremely critical and always have been. So how am I able to move past all that and keep writing?

Apparently, I don’t like being told what to do, even by myself. So as much as my inner critic tortures me, my inner rebel urges me to prove it wrong.

My inner critic told me I didn’t have what it took to get published. My inner rebel told me to ignore that voice and write my first story.

My inner critic told me it wasn’t good enough, and my inner rebel told me to submit it anyway, resulting in my first sale.

My inner critic still tells me I’m not good enough, and my inner rebel urges me to write another story and another and another.

Basically, my whole writing career has been about my inner rebel thumbing her nose at my inner critic. They both drive me crazy, but they get results.

For example, my inner critic didn’t think I could write a romantic suspense about two homicide detectives searching for a serial killer and still make it romantic and sexy. And my inner critic also told me I’d never be able to let go of my inhibitions to write an erotic romance. I did both, and I hope you’ll check out my two newest releases, Shades Of Temptation (HQN), and the erotic romance anthology, Arrested By Love (written as Ava Meyers), which combines my three Red-Hot Cops novellas.

Of course, I still work on lowering the negative voices in my head, but writing doesn’t really do that for me. Reading does. That’s why I’ll always be a reader first…and why I’ll always be thankful to all my favorite writes, who give me something I can never get on my own—inner peace.

How about you? Is reading the thing that quiets the negative voices in your head?


WILL HE HELP PROTECT HER... 

Carrie Ward understands dangerous men, and she's got the scars to prove it. These days, the Special Investigations Group detective saves her risk taking for the job. But when she's asked to pursue a high-profile serial killer, she'll have to join forces with the last man she wants to depend on-Jase Tyler, an ace senior detective who's as reckless as she is cautious. And despite her best intentions, the sparks begin to fly.

OR DRAW A KILLER FROM THE SHADOWS?

As Carrie and Jase race to try to save the next victim, the passion that simmers between them ignites. But a cunning killer at the top of his game is challenging Carrie to play to the very end. Now all she can count on are her instincts-and Jase, the one man daring enough to keep her safe....

 Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository |

Check out the other books in Virna's Special Investigations Group(SIG) series
Click on cover for more info. 


Copping To It

Respected journalist Claire Fullerton fantasizes about being a bad girl, but she also fears that revealing her dark fantasies will open her up to being hurt. Then Claire is captured by a notorious gang of bikers, the Demon Guardians, and is reunited with undercover cop Ty Williamson. Ty becomes determined to bind Claire to him. He'll prove he wants all of her, the good with the bad. In fact, the badder she is, the better they'll be--together.

Cop Appeal

People used to call her Sure-Thing-Sarah, but the only thing Sarah Larson's sure about these days is her continuing desire and love for undercover cop Luke Anderson. Four years ago, she committed the biggest mistake of her life by letting Luke go. Now Luke's back--ready to convince Sarah that he's the sure thing when it comes to love.

Copping Attitude

Noah's an honorable cop used to making a woman feel safe, in bed and out. Although he's been attracted to Jenna for weeks, he takes her seeming disinterest in stride. When she suddenly offers him a temporary place in her bed, Noah's willing to give her everything she's asking for...and more.

Purchase: | Amazon |

Check out my reviews for all of the books in the Red-Hot Cops series here.
Want to win some goodies? Check out what's up for grabs. 

Up for grabs:
  • 1 lucky person will win a $10 Amazon Gift Card

To Enter:
  • Leave a comment answering this question:  How about you? Is reading the thing that quiets the negative voices in your head?
  • Please fill out the Rafflecopter form. 

Good Luck =)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

42 comments :

  1. Hi there! Reading is definitely the one thing that quiets my inner dialogue. To most people I seem like I am a positive person, but deep down I am very negative about myself. Reading has become my escape. There are times when I doubt myself, even when it comes to finishing a book, so I set small goals and work hard to achieve them. I think one goal I will set tonight is to read some of your work!

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  2. Oh ya definitely reading is the thing that quiets the negativity in my life. That and I think music helps to clear my mind. I've found lately that cooking does the same thing... it all requires thinking, but not really if that makes any sense:)

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  3. yes it helps a lot because when i'm reading i'm not thinking about real life and all it's problem

    thank you a lot for this giveaway

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  4. I think we all have those negative voices in our heads, you know, the ones that say "no, you can't do this or that, or you're not good enough." Reading is an escape from reality, where we get to be somewhere else or be somebody else. For me, that does help quiet the voices.
    Congrats on the new releases. They both sound fantastic.

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  5. I suffer from Depression. Reading allows me to become involved in a story, in characters that are not me for awhile. I get to forget about me.

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  6. Reading pretty much cures all ills in my world. It's a total escape for me. I get engrossed in the book, and don't think about my own life or thoughts at all.

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  7. It does for me. It also helps me to escape from the troubles in my own life. I have anxiety and when I can get immersed in a book I can ease my own stress.
    Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
    I love Virna DePaul!

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  8. Thanks for a great post and congrats to Virna on the new release! Reading not only quiets the voices... it erases them for the time being. I can fall in to a book and the real world fades away.

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  9. Yes, reading is a great escape. I usually forget about all my worries and those annoying voices in my head disappear for a while.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    Megan G.
    megonski216(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  10. Thank you to everyone for stopping by. I'm SO glad we have our mutual love of reading to bring joy to our lives. :-)

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  11. guess that's one way of putting it ;) while reading (particularly romances w/ their HEA) no negativity allowed -- there's just no "room". of course when the books done, it's a major bummer till ready to start the next one :)

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  12. Reading is my escape from the insanity of reality as well as myself and my inner dialogue. While reading I can put aside all of my worries and everyday problems and focus on something else. Thanks for the giveaway.
    milliemcclain29(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  13. Reading is more of my escape from life and stress - I'm not sure it really quiets the inner dialogue so much as perhaps tempers it a bit.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    junegirl63 at gmail dot com

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  14. Yes, reading has become my relaxation. The sad thing is it often relaxes me too much and I fall asleep dropping my read. Congratulations and thanks for the giveaway.

    vsloboda(at)gmail(dot)com

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  15. Congrats to Virna on the new release. Reading definitely works, but listening to music really helps, too.

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  16. Reading is definitely my escape. Everything just seems alittle bit better after reading a good book.

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  17. Reading does all sorts of great things for me. It takes my mind off my troubles and doubts, relaxes and entertains me, and I also learn some interesting tidbits as well.

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  18. Reading definitely quiets the negativity in my head. It gives me a way to escape any stresses in my life!

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  19. Reading absolutely, but going for my daily walks too.

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  20. Reading relaxes me and puts me always in a good mood :)

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  21. Thanks for all the congrats and comments! Good luck with the giveaway, everyone! :)

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  22. Love this, =) and i agree, reading is def. one thing that can make me flee almost anything and just enjoy what the H & h is enduring at the moment, =)

    best wishes, Linda xo

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  23. Reading is just enjoyable escapism. Maybe i am lucky, or just fooling myself, but I don't really have negativity in my life - I don't have t ime for it. Thanks for the introduction to the SIG series books - I look forward to reading them all.

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  24. Reading is my favorite escape! Always! :)

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  25. Yes reading definitely does. Thanks for the chance to win!

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  26. I like to read romance books. It takes me away from my mundane life. I appreciate the chance in the contest.

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  27. Hi since i am disabled now with nothing to do reading is the only thing that keeps me sane. I was a very active person ,now i do nothing and reading helps me forget my problems and be able to deal better with everyday. Thank you for the giveaway. I need all the help i can get now living on only so much money a month alows me only so many books and their are so many good ones out there. Thanks Joannie

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  28. Absolutely. Reading is the fix for anything!

    Thanks so much!

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  29. Yes, to me reading is definitely a way to escape what's not only in my head but what's going on around me.
    I love Virna's books.

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  30. Yes for me reading is a form of escape from all the negatives in my life and to a world where hope and possibilities exist when I feel they don't exist in mine.

    Thank you for this giveaway!

    redfirewood888(AT)yahoo(DOT)ca

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  31. Absolutely! I love to wind down with a good book, forget about work and other stresses.

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  32. Book can do it for me, but I often turn to music. I have tried books on tape, but my mind wanders too much for that. So after I get into the music, I then can focus enough to get to a book.

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  33. Reading is absolutely the BEST way to clear your mind and
    relax. You can immerse yourself in another world and totally forget about your current woes.

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  34. thank you for the chance at such a great giveaway. reading is how i deal with (?). it always has been.

    tammy ramey
    trvlagnt1t@yahoo.com

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  35. Reading definitely helps me through negative times. In 2008 I was sick for a few months with one illness after another. Reading definitely helped through that time.

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  36. Yes, it calms me and helps me relax more than anything else

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  37. My negatives tend to depend on how things are going in lab-- I'm a postgrad student in the final stages of my Ph.D., and if experiments aren't working, it often feels like the end of the world: I'll never graduate, I'll never amount to something, etc. Reading helps me focus on something else until the anxiety passes and I realise it really isn't that big a deal that experiments aren't working in the grand scheme of things!

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  38. Reading does help a lot I use reading a good book as a get away!

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  39. Reading does help give me a better attitude with everything once I have taken a reading break.

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  40. Reading helps me relax in the evening after a hard days work....it helps me keep my sanity!!!

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  41. Reading is... vital. It can keep me calm, excite or incite me... I read a book a day and it is one of my 2 fav things to do.

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