Giveaway & Guest Post: Laura Kaye

We have a different type of guest post today. Author Laura Kaye is here today to talk about her newest release, North of Need. But instead of talking about a general topic, she’s doing a character profile. This way you get to meet her new leading lady and know a bit more about her.

Please let’s give a warm welcome to Laura Kaye and her heroine Megan.

Character Profile: Meet Megan Snow

If you like to experience intense emotion right alongside your characters when you read a book, you’re really going to enjoy meeting Megan Snow, the heroine of my contemporary fantasy romance, NORTH OF NEED, which released November 1 from Entangled Publishing.

1. Where is Megan from?

Megan is from Northern Virginia. She works in Washington, D.C. Really, the typical D.C.-area young, single person, although she’s been through more than you’d expect for someone her age.

2. How old is Megan?

Megan is 29 years old, and hoping that her life isn’t already over. It’s amazing just how much grief and guilt can weigh…

3. What is Megan called?

Megan Snow. Though the surname “Snow” is from her husband, John, who died two years before. Owen calls her Angel. Awwww *grins*

4. What does Megan look like?

Ooh! I’ll let Owen describe her! I love that first moment the hero sees the heroine!: 

“He dragged his gaze over her. The fire illuminated the halo of loose golden curls that framed her face and covered her shoulders, made her inquisitive blue eyes sparkle and dance. He frowned at the crimson puffiness of her cheek. His fingers itched to trace the wound. Hips lips puckered as he imagined kissing it. Her beauty reminded him of the first snowfall of winter—clean and new and bright. Full of possibility. Far from diminishing her, the injury highlighted her fairness by contrast.”

5. What kind of childhood did she have?

Megan grew up in a nice family with both parents and two siblings. She remains close to them to this day. They have Sunday dinners together, and she talks to her sister and sister-in-law regularly on the phone. She’s close with her brother, though since John’s death, he’s avoided her as he just doesn’t know how to make things better for her. The presence of grief in her life, though, complicates her feelings about being with her family. In a conversation with her best friend, Kate, she says:

“I couldn’t face Christmas at my parents’. I know they want me there, but I hate feeling like the elephant in the room. Every tiptoeing around me. It sucks.”“Big hairy balls.”“Exactly.” Kate’s goofy side had often been a lifesaver, but not today. Megan sighed. “I can’t believe it’s been two years.”“Me neither. It’s so hard to imagine.”“They say the first year is the worst, because every sunrise represents the first time you experience that date without the person you lost.” The first Valentine’s without him, the first birthday without him, the first summer alone, the first Thanksgiving without him to be thankful for. The first Christmas. Megan stirred her cooling chili and struggled to put her thoughts into words. “But, honestly, the only thing different about the second year is you feel like you can’t talk about it anymore. Everyone expects you to move on.”

6. What does Megan do for a living?

Megan is an admissions counselor for a D.C. university. She likes her job well enough, but it’s not a calling. She does get another job at the end of the book, though!

7. How does Megan deal with conflict and change?

Megan deals with conflict by soldiering on. It may make her feel horrible inside, but she doesn’t stop, doesn’t run—usually. Despite her incredible grief and guilt, she gets up everyday, showers, dresses, goes to work. She functions. But that’s not the same as living. That’s something Owen helps her remember how to do.

8. What special powers does Megan have?

Well, as a mortal, Megan doesn’t have any preternatural powers. However, she clearly has some power over Owen. He says: “I’m here for you Megan. I am enchanted, as surely as if you were the goddess and I the mortal.” At the end of the story, Megan does come to possess one not-fully-human quality…

9. Does Megan have a romantic interest in anyone?

Of course! Though, it’s a hard-fought battle for her to let herself fall. Early on, she thinks:

"Three parts of her psyche played internal tug-o-war. The woman in her wanted. Knew that beautiful man would give her anything she asked. He was here for her, after all. Whatever that meant. The wife in her wanted to flee. She’d loved John. Some part of her would always love him. The widow in her struggled to make sense of it all, to wade through the need the woman’s feelings created, to stem the wife’s guilt and fear of betrayal."

Megan has quite an emotional journey to make before she can fully embrace her romantic interest. In the end, though, snow god Owen Winters wins over Megan heart, mind, and body with his playful nature, healing love and compassion, and intense pursuit of her. Those abs don’t hurt either! *winks*

10. How does Megan react when she learns what Owen is?

Ooh! I love that moment! All I’m saying is this: with the full range of her emotions. That’s all you’re getting about the big revelation—it’s too good to spoil! *winks*

So, I hope you enjoyed this sneak peek into North of Need’s heroine, Megan Snow. Please leave a question for Megan or her author lady—we’d both be glad to tell you more!

Thanks for reading!

Laura Kaye & Megan Snow

About Megan’s Author Lady, aka Laura Kaye:

A multi-published author of paranormal, contemporary and erotic romance, Laura Kaye’s hot, heartfelt stories are all about the universal desire for a place to belong. Laura is the author of the bestselling contemporary romance and award-nominated HEARTS IN DARKNESS and the bestselling and award-winning paranormal romance FOREVER FREED (NJRW Golden Leaf Award for Best Paranormal of 2011), as well as an erotic romance novella, JUST GOTTA SAY. Her fourth book, contemporary fantasy romance NORTH OF NEED, is the first in the 4-book Hearts of the Anemoi series. Laura lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

To find out more about Laura you can visit her Website, read her Blog, friend her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter and sing up for her Newsletter. You can also buy her books here.

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to Laura and her publicist Danielle, we have one e-copy of North of Need up for grabs as well as a set of Trading Cards featuring the characters from the book. All you have to do is leave a comment telling us what would you do if you came across your very own hunky snow god? (I’ll probably use him as my personal portable AC during the summer). One winner gets a copy of the book and one winner gets the set of trading cards, the book giveaway is international, but the trading cards giveaway is for US & Canada residents only, so please tell me if you’re an international reader in the comment so I only enter your name for the e-book part of the contest. Also, don’t forget to leave an email so I can contact the winner.

If you wish to increase your chances to win you can visit this link for a list of all the blogs taking part of the tour. Lots of goodies up for grabs!

Rules:

• One winner gets an e-copy of North of Need by Laura Kaye (Open Internationally).
• One winner gets a set of Trading Cards featuring characters from North of Need (US & Canada residents only).
• Contest ends on November 10, at 5pm EST
• Winners will be chosen using random.org, contacted via email and announced on the blog, and will have 72 hours to respond.
• You must be at least 13 years old to participate.

About North of Need:

Her tears called a powerful snow god to life, but only her love can grant the humanity he craves...

Desperate to escape agonizing memories of Christmas past, twenty-nine-year-old widow Megan Snow builds a snow family outside the mountain cabin she once shared with her husband, realizing too late that she's recreated the very thing she'll never have.

Called to life by Megan's tears, snow god Owen Winters appears unconscious on her doorstep in the midst of a raging blizzard. As she nurses him to health, Owen finds unexpected solace in her company and unimagined pleasure in the warmth of her body, and vows to win her heart for a chance at humanity.

Megan is drawn to Owen's mismatched eyes, otherworldly masculinity, and enthusiasm for the littlest things. But this Christmas miracle comes with an expiration--before the snow melts and the temperature rises, Megan must let go of her widow's grief and learn to trust love again, or she'll lose Owen forever.

North of Need by Laura Kaye

Entangled Publishing, LLC. November 1, 2011.