Interview and Giveaway ($10 Amazon GC, $50 B&N GC and romance swag pack): Giving It Up by Amber Lin

Original Title: Giving It Up
Author: Amber Lin
Publisher: Loose Id
Release Date: June 18th 2012
Genre: Erotic Romance

Allie prowls the club for a man who will use her hard and then ditch her. Hey, it's not rape if she wants it. Instead she finds Colin, who looks tough but treats her tenderly, despite her protests.

He tempts her, but kindness and a few mindblowing orgasms aren't enough to put her back together again. Allie has no hope for a real relationship. Two years ago her best friend betrayed her in the worst possible way – she’d be stupid to trust a man again. Besides, she has her daughter to think of, the only good thing to have come from that dark night.

But when her rapist returns, threatening her sanity and custody of her daughter, Allie turns to Colin. Under his protection and patient touch, Allie begins to heal and learns to hope. Colin’s no saint, though, and his criminal past draws danger of its own. Allie must fight to protect her child and the man she loves, hoping her newfound power will be enough to save them all.

"A ballsy departure from romantic conventions. At once gritty and tender, stark and hopeful."

—Cara McKenna, author of Willing Victim

"Giving It Up is an erotic, compelling story that takes us to the shadowy, lonely places but doesn't leave us there. Amber Lin shows us that romance isn't just for the rich and shiny. Love can find its way even into the dark corners of the most damaged hearts."

—Tiffany Reisz, author of The Siren

BOOK TRAILER

INTERVIEW WITH AMBER LIN

Thanks so much to Vidya for hosting me on Books Are Magic!

1. Tell us something about your book that is not part of the book description (blurb). 

Giving It Up follows Allie in her journey through healing … and scorching hot sex. What the blurb doesn’t mention is that her best friend, Shelly, is a prostitute. Well, okay, she’s an escort, but she also tells it like it is. In the first chapter, Shelly even asks Allie to work with her, but Allie refuses. They both have their reasons for doing what they do… but you’ll have to read to find out what they are :-)

2. Who is your book cover designer and what do YOU think about the cover? 

My cover artist was Fiona Jayde, working through Loose Id, and she did a fabulous job capturing the dark, gritty atmosphere of the book. The colors are gorgeous and evocative.

I told her that my heroine has a “girl next door” face, but in the scene I wanted to capture on the cover, she has done up her make-up and hair in an attempt to be slutty. But the most important thing was, despite her harsh appearance, she is submissive at her core. I think the cover model captures that tangle of contradictions perfectly!

3. What are your current literary works?  Any sneak peeks? 

I mentioned Shelly above, Allie’s best friend in Giving It Up. I am working on Shelly’s book right now, which is shaping up wonderfully. It’s breaking my heart actually… which is a good thing.

4. What movie and/or book are you looking forward to this year? 

Let’s see… I’m rather dying to read Elizabeth Hoyt’s Thief of Shadows. Aren’t we all? Actually I have quite the massive to-be-read list built up, some that I already have on my kindle and some that I don’t. There are also a few that I am really looking forward to where I’m holding off because the themes are too similar to what I’m writing, like Cara McKenna’s Curio and Charlotte Stein’s Power Play.

5. If you could invite any 5 people to dinner who would you choose? 

Hmmm…. Wow. I’m going to say the five writers from the group blog I participate in, Wonkomance. That would be: Ruthie Knox, Cara McKenna, Delphine Dryden, Edie Harris, Charlotte Stein and Serena Bell. Crap, that’s six people. Oh well, I just won’t eat! The blog is dedicated to “wonky” romances, or ones that are off the beaten track, so I’m sure we’d have a fab time swapping stories and discussing zany romance.

6. What's the craziest writing idea you've had? 

Oh, certainly it’s Giving It Up. A promiscuous heroine whose best friend is a prostitute and a mildly criminal hero? Yeah, it’s crazy.

7. Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.  

If you want something to push your boundaries.

8. Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published. 

Getting to know some of amazing authors. These authors that I know, mostly from twitter but occasionally from other places, are so smart and funny. That would be enough right there, but they’re also incredibly helpful with advice and promo. Being a brand new author is pretty scary but when an experienced author lends a hand or even just an encouraging word… it’s all worth it.

9. What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?

Write the book you want to read. Okay, that’s a bit trite, but it’s not because that book will necessarily sell. The truth is, you WILL have to read your book, oh, about a million times before it is published. You’ll read it and know it and breathe it… so you’d better love it!

10. If you could jump in to a book, and live in that world, which would it be?

Control from Charlotte Stein, where booksellers get banged by super-hot guys, both alpha and submissive. Yeah, it’s like that.

11. If someone wrote a book about your life, what would the title be?

 The More Things Stay The Same

12. What is your favorite scene in the book and why do you love it?

Wait, we’re talking about Giving It Up, right? Not the book of my life? Haha, okay, just checking.

There are three big moments in the book that stand out to me and (surprise, surprise) they are sex scenes. There’s one right at the very beginning, one near the middle and one at the end. They are not the ONLY sex scenes, but they are the major plot points. Together they are my favorite scenes in the book. If I had to pick one… the first one. That is the point at which the rest was inevitable.

13. What TV show/movie/book do you watch/read that you'd be embarrassed to admit?

I used to watch The Real Housewives of Orange County. Yeah, I was a bit embarrassed about that. I stopped watching when that series ended and they moved on to other cities, but I just didn’t get into the other ones as much. I should maybe check if they are doing another season of Orange County… or maybe not. These days TV watching takes away from my reading time.

14. What is one book everyone should read (apart from yours)?

Broken by Megan Hart. It will shake what you know about love and constancy, at least it did for me.

15. What is your favorite way to spend a rainy day?

Reading, of course!

QUICK ANSWERS

Favorite place?

Home

Best Christmas present?

Can my son be called a Christmas Present? He was born in January. Oh, and before that, I was married in December. Good things happen to me around Christmas-time J

Favorite book?

Comfort Object by Annabel Joseph

Favorite author?

Charlotte Stein

Favorite smell?

Lavender

Favorite series?

Lisa Kleypas’ Travis Family

Nickname?

Uh, does “blockhead” count?

Favorite writing spot?

The closet (don’t ask)

Favorite movie?

Jane Eyre (the one with Fassbender… yeah)

Favorite dish?

Our family’s recipe for pirogies

Favorite color?

Orange….I went to the University of Texas, shut up ;-)

Favorite quote?

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” -  Ernest Hemingway

A bunch of small gifts or one big expensive one?

Small. If it’s the thought that counts, I’d like lots of thoughts!

Your best trait?

I know these are supposed to be fast, but I was stuck. I asked my husband what my best trait was and he said: “You care. Loyalty. Compassion. All wrapped into one.” Which I think proves my best trait is my awesome husband.

Your worst trait?

I do snark it up on occasion… *ahem*

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amber Lin loves to read angsty romance with plenty of sex, so it was no surprise that her debut book turned out to be erotic romance set against a dark urban landscape. She writes with one rule in mind: it has to get worse before it can get better. She lives with her husband, son and passel of puppy dogs in the great state of Texas.

AUTHOR ONLINE: 

• Website:
http://authoramberlin.com/

• Twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/authoramberlin

• Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5827158.Amber_Lin

• Book Video link: 
http://youtu.be/5NQ7NTuzFFI

GIVEAWAY

• One randomly drawn winner from each blog will receive a Giving It Up Swag Pack, which includes romance trading cards, a signed cover flat, a signature soap bar for showers together handcrafted by AnaBanana Creations and a $10 Amazon gift card.
• One randomly drawn commenter on the tour will win an erotic romance prize pack, including paperback copies of Bared to You by Sylvia Day, Simply Carnal by Kate Pearce, Lessons in Letting Go by Cara McKenna (print combo of Willing Victim and Curio), Comfort Object by Annabel Joseph, a collection of signed Giving It Up swag AND a $50 Amazon Gift Card (BN.com or All Romance may be substituted)
• The blog host with the most comments will also receive the erotic romance prize pack detailed above.

To enter this amazing giveaway, all you have to do is comment in this post WITH your e-mail ID.  Anonymous and Name/URL comments without e-mail ID will not be considered for the giveaway.  So, please leave your e-mail ID everyone!

Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL!  Ends July 20th, 2012!