Candy's Inside Books | Hot Reads for July

A crazy thing happened about a month ago. In a conversation with my new publisher/editor, Liz Pelletier at Entangled Publishing, she mentioned she needed a good vampire book to help launch her new Covet line. I told her I wished it were a different supernatural creature, because I "don't do vampires." Don't get me wrong. I like vampires as much as the next girl. I just didn't think I could do them any better than those who have gone before me.

Then Liz said something that sent my brain into a whirlwind. Before you can say, TAKE IT LIKE A VAMP, the entire book had formed in my head. I get idea flashes all the time for books. But I've never had one come together like that. It was so strong that I wrote it in four and half days. I almost couldn't type fast enough to keep up with my brain.

Well, I'm excited to say that book, TAKE IT LIKE A VAMP, helped launch the line in July, along with my Covet sisters Melissa Bourbon Ramirez and Jenna Bennett. I'm so excited to be a part of this launch. These books are fun, sexy and contemporary. I'm going to let my friends tell you about their books, and then I'll tell you about mine.

First up is the gorgeous Melissa Bourbon Ramirez. "DECEIVING THE WITCH NEXT DOOR has all the elements I love in a book: small town charm, a sizzling relationship, and a little magic. The Storiebook Cafe is a real place in Glen Rose, Texas, and was the inspiration for this book. It's a charming place in a charming town, and while I fictionalized it, the original Storiebook Cafe lives in the pages of the book."

I had a chance to read a rough draft of Melissa's book, and I could not put it down, so sweet and fun. And I'll be honest with you, I didn't even know that was the book she that was in the launch of the line until I was writing this column. (Sometimes I'm clueless.)

The beautiful Jenna Bennett found inspiration in an unusual place. "The basic idea for TALL, DARK AND DIVINE is one of those that's been knocking around in my head for a few years now," Bennett says. "I was reading Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld series – still am, if it comes to that, although it's been a while since I've had a chance to do much of any reading – but this was back when the first handful of books came out in 2010, maybe? How I got from demon–possessed immortal warriors to what is essentially a romantic comedy about a matchmaking agency run by Eros, Greek god of love, I can't quite tell you, but one inspired the other in some way. I've always enjoyed mythology of all varieties, and I'm pretty sure I deliberately decided to write something light instead of something dark. There's plenty of dark paranormal romance out there, but not a lot of light paranormal romance, and I like to laugh.

"The actual story didn't come together until just a few months ago, when I heard about Entangled Publishing's Covet imprint, and that the focus of the line was going to be paranormal category romance. I sold the book on five pages of text, all I'd written at the time, and I had to come up with an outline to go with it. And that's where Annie comes in. Annie's looking for Mr. Right, but will settle for Mr. Right Now. When she tries to pick up Eros for a one–night stand, she gets just a little more than she bargained for. He's happy to help her find Mr. Right, as long as Mr. Right is someone else, since he's on the rebound, and bound and determined never to get involved with another mortal ever again."

My story, TAKE IT LIKE A VAMP, begins in Dallas, Texas with some secrets. There are actually a great many secrets throughout the book. My heroine, Casey, is curvy, and Nick, the millionaire playboy who lives in the penthouse above her, likes her that way. I don't know about you guys, but I like heroines who feel real. So she has an hour–glass figure, and Nick has a problem because she is his best friend. He's also involved in something dark and sinister, and he's worried if he brings her into his world, it will taint her. Casey, could care less about Nick's secrets, because she is so hot for him it's driving her mad. But she has had trouble with men and Nick is her best friend so she really doesn't want to ruin that.

I loved writing this story about friends to lovers, because that's how my husband and I began. We were best friends in college and then one day – the next thing you know it's 27–years later. (Smile) Though, my guy isn't the head of a supernatural council or a—oops that part's a secret.

I hope you'll check out the new Covet line from Entangled. We are all so excited for you to read these stories. You can buy them where all e-books are sold for only $2.99 each!

Candace Havens