December Joyathon: Interview + Giveaway with Penny Watson

Meet Penny:

click to read an excerpt

PENNY WATSON is a native Pittsburgher whose love of romance started at the age of twelve when she discovered Gone With The Wind in the middle school library. This resulted in numerous attempts at a first novel about a young lady with windswept hair who lived in a treehouse.

A biologist by training, Penny has worked at various times as a dolphin trainer, science teacher, florist, and turfgrass researcher (don't ask). Through it all she was a compulsive reader and collector of romance novels. After taking time off to raise her two spirited children, she decided to rekindle her passion for storytelling with the support of a wonderful writer's group, The Quirky Ladies. Now she gets to incorporate her wide array of interests, including gardening, cooking and travel into her light paranormal stories. Penny lives outside of Boston with one fly-fishing crazed husband, two lively Filipino kids, and a wiener dog.

Where To Find Penny: Author Site | Facebook | Twitter | Blog

Kati: Who is Penny during the holidays? (author, gift giver, last minute shopper, baker)

Penny: The holidays are all about fun…..gingerbread house competitions, listening to Celine Dion music and trimming the tree, watching the movie “Elf” and drinking hot cocoa. And of course….shopping for the kids. I love searching for the perfect gift for everyone.(Including me…hee hee!)

K: What is your favorite thing about the holidays?
P: Christmas morning! There is nothing like the excitement of the kids coming downstairs after “Santa” has visited, and watching their reaction. I love that!

K: Do you write more or less during the holidays?
P: I take a break from writing. I am usually promoting my Christmas Series (The Klaus Brothers Series), so that takes a lot of time.

K: If you’ve written a holiday themed/titled book, what is it about? If you have not, would you write a holiday themed/titled book in the future?
P: The Klaus Brothers Series is about the five sexy sons of Santa Claus. All the brothers pitch in to help with Klaus Enterprises….Nicholas is a master pastry chef who specializes in Christmas cookies and sweets. Sven is the toy designer and wood-worker. Gregor is the financial guru. Wolfie is in charge of Charitable Donations. And Oskar, the youngest, is Director of Elfin Resources. It’s a family affair.(I am loving this series.)

K: Which of your heroes would you go on a sleigh ride with? (with permission from the heroine of course)

P: Wolfgang Klaus. He is a buff giant of a man with a big beard. He’s also very kind-hearted. Yum! (He doesn't happen to be lumberjack-y, does he?)

K: Regifting: Tacky or is there a sneaky way to do it?
P: Goodwill? (lol)

K: Real tree or fake tree?
P: Fake! No dropping needles, no allergies, no fire hazard. It looks real and it lasts forever. Merry Christmas! :^)

K: Specific gifts or gift cards?
P: I pack the stockings with gift cards and little presents. But I also try to pick out special gifts for everyone. That’s part of the magic of Christmas.

K: Fruit cake or gingerbread?
P: Gingerbread! We make gingerbread houses, gingerbread cookies, gingerbread muffins. Can’t get enough of that stuff.

K: Just enough decorations or “every tree lighted, blow up snowglobe, snow man in the yard” decorations?

P: We have lots of decorations, including vintage stuff from my Nana. Everyone has a mini tree in his/her room, too, with miniature ornaments.

K: Home for the holidays or visiting relatives?
P: I like to spend Christmas morning at my own house. Everyone is welcome!

K: What are you looking forward to in the new year?
P: Spending time with family and friends, adventures in travel, discovering new characters in my stories.

K: Author’s choice.
P: What’s your favorite Christmas movie? We have a huge collection at our house, including old favorites like The Grinch and Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, and some new favorites, like Elf and Olive The Other Reindeer.

Happy Holidays To All!
Love, Penny
Thanks Penny!

SWEET MAGIK:

Oskar Klaus' job is killing him. Not even his favorite hobbies (extreme snowboarding and browsing old bookstores) are enough to snap him out of his funk. It's not easy living in the shadow of four successful older brothers and a father named Santa. Little does he know that a kiss on New Year's Eve is about to turn his life upside-down.

Kiana Grant's Manhattan life is a world away from her childhood in Oahu. She traded sunsets and surfing for a respectable career in library science, but Oskar Klaus is a temptation that's hard to resist. Before she knows it, she's in the midst of an outrageous adventure in the North Pole, dealing with mischievous elves, wicked demons, and a devastating attraction to Santa's youngest son.
There's just one problem...a bitter elf hell-bent on revenge threatens the future of everyone in the North Pole, even Santa himself...

Where To Buy: Amazon | Kindle | Nook | The Wild Rose Press
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt | My Review

Penny is giving away a copy of SWEET MAGIK (#2 in the Klaus Brothers series) to one(1) lucky reader. Here's how to enter and get your own green haired snowboarding hottie:

• Leave a comment answering Penny's question along with your email addy, ninja style: yourname at gmail dot com.
• Fill out the rafflecopter form below. You must answer Penny's question. All other entries are optional.

Easy peasy right? Don't forget to enter for the awesome super secret prize here.

A huge thank you to Penny for participating in the Joyathon and for giving away a copy of SWEET MAGIK.

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W...W...W...Wednesdays is a weekly meme MizB of Should Be Reading. 

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…
• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

So, here's my answers:

***click on the covers for excerpts/to learn more***

• What are you currently reading?
Any Given Christmas by Candis Terry. This is the second book in her Sugar Shack series. The title is a play on Any Given Sunday. It involves an injured football player who is going back home to spend time with his crazy family for Christmas. I just started reading it.

Pride and Passion by Charlotte Featherstone. The second book in the Breathren Guardians series. Hmm, do you notice a pattern? I'm reading quite a few series. Anyway, it's got a really cool beginning. Dabbling in the dark arts. This should prove to be a fantastic read. I'm going to have to go back and read the first book in the series.

Lord of the Wolfyn by Jessica Andersen. The third book in the Royal House of Shadows series and I am now dying to get my hands on the first two. This takes the fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood to the next level. I love a good twist on a classic.


A Love by Any Measure by Killian McRae. I'm still struggling a little with this book. In order for the girl to keep her home, she must submit to the attentions of the lord. He's not longer the boy she knew. I haven't gotten far. :(



• What did you recently finish reading?

Sweet Magik by Penny Watson. In keeping with my holiday book reading theme, this was fun, whimsical read but peppered with danger, dark magic and one angry elf. Hilarious! This is the second book in the Klaus Brothers series. Yes, Santa has five sons who help the family business. Oskar Klaus, the youngest and a totally punk snowboarder has been coasting through life flirting with the snow bunnies. Enter Kiana Grant, dressed down librarian complete with the glasses. Read my review.

If You Give A Girl A Viscount by Kieran Kramer. A fun, laugh out loud conclusion to the Impossible Bachelors series. It's got all the Cinderella elements with a twist. Prince Charming is a viscount, Cinderella is a Highland lass, the stepfamily come from Cheapside, there's a shoemaker named Mr. Glass. If you've got a quirky sense of humor, this book is for you. Read my review.

The Price of Temptation by Lecia Cornwall. This was another fantastic read. Adultery, danger, spies, betrayal, treason and of course, sultry kisses and hot loving. The wife of a traitor to the crown is being watched day and night in hopes of finding the whereabouts of the traitorous husband. There's a coveted flag supposedly a lucky charm of sorts and a dashing hero who must clear his name of treason. 

Forever Mine by Delilah Marvelle. A prequel to Marvelle's new Rumor series. Leaves more questions than answers but has me wanting the first book in the series. Badly.

Lady Northam's Wicked Surrender by Vivienne Westlake. A short, sexy, steamy novella. Lost love, second chances, betrayal and a hero with quite the touch.


Desired by Nicola Cornick. I've read the first 3 books in her Scandalous Women of the Ton series and thoroughly enjoyed it. In this book we revisit Owen Purchase, now a viscount. I love the way the story starts, in a brothel! But not what you're thinking. Tess Darent is hiding in a brothel and she's got some very important papers. Purchase is in pursuit of her.

• What do you think you’ll read next?

Marshal of Hel Dorado by Heather Long. This was a review request and the premise looks promising. Badlands, outlaws, a robbery gone wrong, a fiery redheaded heroine, a gun slinging hero in a ten gallon hat. Oh yeah. Maybe I'll dub this guy Captain Tightpants 2.0.

My Ruthless Prince by Gaelen Foley. The fourth in the Inferno Club series. The nobleman and the gamekeepers daughter. Danger, revenge, hatred, conspiracy, betrayal, desire, passion. What more could a girl ask for in a romance book?

Deliver Me From Darkness by Tes Hilaire. Grabbed this off of Netgalley because the cover was abtastic. (Judge me all you want). 

The Lord of Illusion by Kathryne Kennedy. I've the first book in this series and thoroughly enjoyed it. This is the third book in the Elven Lords series. Kennedy has a way of taking magic and combining it with the real wold of London society.



PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own WWW Wednesdays post, or share your answers in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks!

Review: Sweet Magik by Penny Watson

SWEET MAGIK by Penny Watson
FORMAT: PDF
GENRE: Paranormal Romance
TRADE PAPERBACK: 302 pages
PUBLISHER: The Wild Rose Press (November 4,2011)
ISBN: 9781601549211

Oskar Klaus' job is killing him. Not even his favorite hobbies (extreme snowboarding and browsing old bookstores) are enough to snap him out of his funk. It's not easy living in the shadow of four successful older brothers and a father named Santa. Little does he know that a kiss on New Year's Eve is about to turn his life upside-down.
Kiana Grant's Manhattan life is a world away from her childhood in Oahu. She traded sunsets and surfing for a respectable career in library science, but Oskar Klaus is a temptation that's hard to resist. Before she knows it, she's in the midst of an outrageous adventure in the North Pole, dealing with mischievous elves, wicked demons, and a devastating attraction to Santa's youngest son.
There's just one problem...a bitter elf hell-bent on revenge threatens the future of everyone in the North Pole, even Santa himself... (source)

Where To Find Penny: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook | Blog | Goodreads
Where To Buy: Amazon | The Wild Rose Press
Book Extras:Read an Excerpt | Meet the Klaus Family

I loved it!

Other Book in Series(click on cover to read excerpt):

REVIEW:
Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Clause. And Oskar, Nicholas, Gregor, Wolfie and Sven. Of course, we can't forget The Mrs. Klaus. And real honest to gosh ornery elves.

Reserved Moon Goddess, meet green haired, tattooed, snowboarder Bad Boy.

Oskar Klaus has finally had it with his job overseeing rambunctious elves. He's ready for a snowboarding vacation, catch some sweet powder on Mammoth. At least that's what he's thinking for his much needed vacation until he meets Kiana Grant at Gregor's New Years Eve party. He's intrigued by her, utterly fascinated. He knows that there's something waiting to be unleashed beneath that polished librarian look.

Kiana Grant has moved across the country (literally: Hawaii to Manhattan) to escape her past. Now living with her best friend, she is a librarian at the New York Public Library and hides behind gray skirts, button up shirts and fake glasses. She volunteers at Brockman's Books on the weekends, reading to the kids and helping them with craft projects.

After a sizzling midnight kiss, Oskar and Kiana dream of each other, waking up to sand and snow in their respective beds. Oskar is persistent in asking Kiana for a date and he gets his way. There's just something about her, unlike the snow bunnies he normally parties with. After a coffee date that ends up at a Vietnamese restaurant, Oskar and Kiana share another hot kiss. And bring on the interruption in the the form of a very angry elf, hell bent on destroying Glasdorf a.k.a the North Pole and making everyone bow to his every whim.

Kiana follows Oskar to the roof of her building after he get a call and is slightly freaked out by the sleigh and and elf. Stowing away in the trunk and passing out, she wakes up at, hello! the North Pole. She meets Gabi, a sweet little elf with a horrible abusive stepfather whom she has run away from. Kiana promises to keep her safe. Oskar discovers them hiding in his garage.

Meanwhile, the theater in Glasdorf is nothing but a blackened rubble, a rogue elf who is dabbling in Dark Magik (Gabi's stepfather Wiebe) plants an idea in another elf's head (Ingo) to mess with Oskar's love life because Ingo will never get with the girl elf he's been pining over since he didn't get a promotion and to top it off, the girl elf Ingo likes actually likes him back. Ingo casts a spell on Oskar: the girl he likes will break his heart. After Ingo realizes it was a mistake on Oskar's part, he tries to reverse it. What a mess!

Between trying to keep all the residents of Glasdorf safe, Gabi out of Wiebe's hands, trying to figure out if their dreams are glimpses into the other's life and amazed at how badly they want each other (physically), Oskar and Kiana must figure out their feelings and whether or not they are meant to be together.

Oh there's so much going on and so much I want to say but I don't want to spoil it for you.

FAVORITE QUOTE: "Looks like they're playing pretend mistletoe again. That's their favorite game."

OVERALL: To borrow a little German, this book was wunderbar. Penny Watson has woven a fun, whimsical, laugh out loud read tinged with danger, dark magic, one angry elf and one semi-sloshed angry elf with feelings of remorse. I enjoyed watching Oskar go from a ladies man to a one woman man and Kiana go from closed off and reserved to open and trusting with her heart. When I thought  I knew what was going to happen next, Ms. Watson surprised me. Each and every time. I look forward to the other Klaus brother's stories and I am going back to the book that started it all, Sweet Inspiration.

***review copy provided by Penny Watson***

W...W...W...(20)

W...W...W...Wednesdays is a weekly meme MizB of Should Be Reading. 

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…
• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

So, here's my answers:

*Click on the covers to read excerpts/learn more.*

• What are you currently reading?

The Price of Temptation by Lecia Cornwall. I just started it and it looks promising. Evelyn Renshaw's husband just up and disappeared after being accused of treason, leaving her behind to take the brunt of whispers and scandal. A handsome ragged soldier comes to her rescue after being attacked in Hyde Park during an early morning ride. Will she ever see him again?

Sweet Magik by Penny Watson. This is the second book in the Klaus Brothers series. Yes, Santa has five sons that help run the family business and this one is about Oskar Klaus. He's lost interest in his job and not even his favorite thing, snowboarding, can keep him interested. He's long overdue for a well deserved vacation.

A Love By Any Measure by Killian McRae. An English lord in love with an Irish girl, can love overcome social boundaries?

• What did you recently finish reading?

A Winter Scandal by Candace Camp. A sweet story for the holidays. A baby found in a manger, a woman bent on making the father claim and take care of the baby and the said father in denial although the child has a striking resemblance.

Avenger's Angel by Heather Killough-Walden. A new take on the archangel myth, four archangels looking for their soulmates and forces on both sides trying to stop them. It was a Netgalley grab and I was totally surprised by how much I liked it. Read my review.

Once Upon A Winter's Eve by Tessa Dare. A novella of the Spindle Cove series. It's a story of The Disappointment, second chances and a pistol packing heroine. No sheep involved this time.

Her Christmas Pleasure by Karen Erickson. What?! Another holiday book you say? Of course! I love this time of year and Karen doesn't disappoint with a sizzling sweet story that's as heady as mulled wine and a stolen kiss under the mistletoe.

• What do you think you’ll read next?

Any Given Christmas by Candis Terry. This is the second book in the Sugar Shack series. An injured NFL quarterback goes back to his hometown for Christmas. He's determined to get back in the game but his time in Deer Lick, Montana pairs him together with a kindergarten teacher. Is there more to life than the game?

Forever Mine by Delilah Marvelle. Squee! Delilah has given me a sneak peek into the novella, hitting your favorite e-book store in December. It's sexy but set in New York City, 1800. A hop and a skip from across the pond where her books have been set.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own WWW Wednesdays post, or share your answers in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks!