St. Patrick's Day Blog Hop and Laurie Olerich's Darkness Calling

Welcome to the St. Patrick's Day Blog Hop! Our own red-headed lass, Laurie Olerich, is sharing her new release Darkness Calling, a paranormal romance Laurie stopped by to tell us more about the book and it's characters Sean and Aisling.

From pearls
Aisling is broken inside by her past--She cannot forgive herself and learn to love herself.  She is not a damsel in distress, but rather a strong woman who has not been able to trust anyone.  Not feeling worthy, she pushed away any chance of a HEA. Her nemesis is Cain, while Sean would be her strength if she would only let him be.  But Sean has his own centuries old wounds to heal.  Can they heal the darkness calling from inside their own souls?  The novel has a bit of a  backup, to reveal the sources of the pain showing today. But the dymamics kick in, and the present action returns.

Character Interview with the Stars of Darkness Calling

Here with me today are two of the stars of my newest Primani book, Darkness Calling. Aisling Andersson and Cain--just Cain--but also known as Irku, Slayer of Angels, Bringer of Nightmares, and more titles than probably necessary, have agreed to meet with me to share their dirty secrets with my readers. I invited Sean O’Cahan to share his thoughts, but he flatly refused, pointing out that he’d rather be spit-roasted in Hell (again) than play nice with the demon who keeps trying to rip his heart out. While I can totally understand his attitude, I feel safer when he’s around.  I’m more than a little nervous. This is the first time I’ve interviewed my characters, and these two are explosive together. I hope we can keep the noise down and not blow up the studio so I get my deposit back!

Cain, my wicked, but delicious demon, is radiating his usual raw sexuality and overwhelms the chair he’s sprawled across. He is evil to his core, but that doesn’t keep my skin from tingling as my blood pumps harder in his presence. His compelling green and gold eyes hold mine with way too much knowledge, and he shoots me a tiny smirk so I know he senses my arousal. Mmm. He is yummy in a bad, bad, bad sort of way. I cross my legs just a little tighter.

Aisling is another story. She’s pissed as hell to be here. The last thing she wants is to be anywhere near Cain now that the book is finished. Perched on the edge of her seat, she’s dragged her fingers through her pretty strawberry blond hair until it’s floating like a cloud around her pale face. She’s moved her chair as far from Cain as possible and looks ready to slap me--hard. I really wish Sean was here. He’d have my back. He always does. Well, the clock is ticking as Cain likes to say, so best to dive right in.

“Thank you both for agreeing to be here today. I’m sure my readers are dying to hear from you so let’s make this exciting for them. Cain, why don’t we start with you? How did you two meet?”

Cain leans back, crosses his ankles and smiles at Aisling’s scowl. Before she can respond, he replies, “I picked her up in a quaint little trattoria in Rome. 1925. I was bored, and she was desperate for a good fucking.” He lifts one strong shoulder in a careless shrug. “After that first time, I couldn’t get her off my dick.”

Aisling gasps, but recovers to snap, “You bloody asshole! I was minding my own business when you showed up and invaded my space. I was in a really dark 
place. You offered sex. I wanted a one-night stand. You used some demon mojo to get me to stay!”

He chuckles as Aisling walks right into his trap. He loves to make her lose control. Angling into her face, he asks, “Is that how you live with yourself now? I thought we’d agreed to be honest. You were hungry, angel. Admit it. You loved what I did to you.” His voice drops to a purr, “Every. Single. Thing.”

She sure did, and so did I. After all, I wrote it.  My imagination is beginning to roar to life. I clear my throat to get their attention but neither hears me. The tension is palpable, and I’m starting to sweat. Why didn’t I frisk them?

Aisling flushes and rounds on him, teeth ground together. “Fine! I won’t lie. It wasn’t horrible, but I’ve had better!”

“Liar!”

Glaring daggers, she sneers, “Don’t flatter yourself. You weren’t that good.”

“Really? I’ve still got scars on my ass from your nails. It’s been over 100 years.”

She freezes as his words sink in. Time to change the subject before Aisling does something I’m going to regret. I like Cain. He’s too evil to kill just yet. So I say, “Why don’t we move on to talk about what you’ve been doing since the book ended? Aisling? How are things in Plattsburgh?”

She ignores me. She only has eyes for the demon who turned her life inside out. After the space of a heartbeat, she hisses, “You were convenient. A distraction from the pain of my life. Nothing more, Cain. Move on. I have.”

“Still lying? You want me now. You’ll always want me.”

“Are you kidding me? I hate you for what you did to me!”

“What exactly did I do that you didn’t want?” Cain’s voice drops so low that I have to lean closer to make out the words. His hands are steady on his thighs, but one finger twitches with anger. He’s doing his best to stay civil, but he’s got a short temper.

I interject, “You threatened to kill Sean Michael. That wasn’t cool.”

He cocks his head and murmurs, “Ah. But I didn’t. Did I? I left the boy alone. I didn’t cross that line.”

Aisling throws up her hands in exasperation. “You kidnapped me and threw me in a dog crate for two weeks! No food, no water! You put a friggin’ shock collar around my neck, you prick! You tortured me!”

Cain waves away her protests. “You provoked me. I told you to stay away from that Primani. I wasn’t going to interfere until you spent the night fucking his brains out.” He looks at me and arches a brow in question. “You didn’t expect me to let that go, did you? I’ve got a reputation to protect.”

I can’t argue with him. I created him to be the bad guy... and he was a very good bad guy. I use my best apologetic tone. “Sorry, Ais. I have to agree with Cain on this point. He wouldn’t be a legit demon if he let that go. Fucking Sean was a slap in the face.”

Her blue eyes begin to glow with her saol. Uh-oh. “You’re just jealous because you want Sean to be real! You sit at your computer and write these smoking hot sex scenes without caring how they hurt your characters in the end! Why don’t you find your own demon to play with?”

Ouch! “Whoa! That’s not true! I do care what happens to my characters! After a thousand years of loneliness, I gave you mind-blowing sex with two gorgeous studs. I know it didn’t end well, but you enjoyed Cain’s intensity until you found out he was a demon. I’ll admit that was a little cruel of me, but it fit the story perfectly.”

Cain crosses his arms over his chest with a smirk. “Ah, yes. Good times. My favorite was bending you over the statue of Gabriel. Do you think he watched?”

Aisling has calmed down, but she’s clearly unhappy with me. She glares at me one last time before turning to Cain. “You’re a pig.”

That finger begins to twitch again, and his eyes narrow to slits. “Be very careful, cara. You might want to rewrite our history, but you are only lying to yourself. I didn’t love you, but I gave you freedom. Freedom to embrace the darkness inside you. You should be more grateful. You can lie to yourself, but don’t lie to me. I was there.”

She opens her mouth to argue, but then stops. Her eyes dart around the set as if she’s looking for...

Sean. I feel his body heat before he’s fully rematerialized behind me. As soon as he’s corporeal, he lays his hand over my shoulder and squeezes.

“Easy, darlin’. I thought you might need me. Mind if I sit in?” He drags a chair to my side and straddles it backwards; his black Oakley’s hide his glorious eyes.

“Um. Yeah. Sure, Sean. Are you armed?”

He picks up my hand, kisses my knuckles, and smiles tightly. “Always.”

I breathe him in, and my nerves calm. Okay. I can do this. They aren’t real, right? They can’t really draw blood? Feeling a lot like Jerry Springer, I say, “Why don’t we move away from the past and talk about something else? Sean, what scene was the most difficult for you as a character?”

Sean’s shielded gaze rests on Cain’s golden eyes; his muscles tense. He’s ready to launch himself at the slightest twitch of the demon’s body. After less than a second of thought, he breathes, “Gina.”

Oh, damn. I used Gina to rip his heart open and leave him on his knees, utterly destroyed. Cain made that happen with a few clever strokes of his knife. I grope 
.for Sean’s hand and find the cold silver of his Primani blade instead. The haft’s resting in his palm; the blade gleams along his thigh. I swallow hard as his body vibrates with subtle power. “I’m sorry I put you through that, but you handled it very well. I was proud of your self-control. Please use some now. I don’t want any fighting today.”

Without breaking his stare, he says, “I’m biding my time. He’ll get what’s coming to him whether you write it or not.”

Cain unfolds himself and flexes his fingers with a hard grin. Aisling jumps to her feet crying, “Sean, no! Not now!” She splays her palm over her belly. “He’s not worth it!”

Cain snaps his fingers, and his black athame appears in his palm. Sean springs to his feet with blade ready, mouth curled into a snarl. Aisling throws herself between them, cursing them both in Italian.

Oh, for fuck’s sake! Clearly, I’ve lost control over this interview.... “Sean, please! Cain, get back to Hell--NOW!”

Cain rakes his eyes over me, but takes a step away from Sean. “Control is an illusion I let you enjoy. Don’t get comfortable with it.” With that, he’s gone.

Sean and Aisling share a private thought before she gives me a stiff hug. Sean rolls his eyes at her prickliness before sweeping me into a bear hug that steals my breath. After dropping a kiss on my cheek, he slips off his favorite Oakley’s and sets them on the top of my head. His mesmerizing eyes delve into my soul, and he smiles at what he finds. “Don’t worry. I’ve got your back. Call me any time.”

They leave me standing here with the light techs, the sound guy, and a nerdy little producer who thinks he’s Steven Spielberg. I touch my cheek to feel the lingering heat from Sean’s mouth on my skin.

Maybe my demon is right. Control is only an illusion.

Darkness Calling

a Primani novel

by Laurie Olerich

a Paranormal Romance

Blurb:

ad infinitum: endlessly, forever, without limit

Finally freed from a century in purgatory, former wild child Aisling just wants to raise her son and live as a normal human again. Her taste of freedom is cut short the moment her past comes to claim her. There’s one reason she was exiled, and his name is Cain.  With him, there was only darkness, and the angels help her, she liked it that way. Now he’s back, and his commands are simple. Stay away from Sean or else.  But when he threatens to take her son, she turns to the one man who can save them both. Sean.

Sean is sick and tired of his baby mama’s hateful attitude. Her mood swings give him whiplash, and he’s seriously thinking of strangling her. But when a brutal old enemy shows up to destroy everyone Sean loves, he discovers Aisling is hiding more than her feelings for him.

Joining forces to protect their son, Sean and Aisling set out on a journey that leads them from the city streets of Manhattan to the elegant hotels of Vienna to 
the final terrifying showdown in the bowels of Rome.

Review by  TinkNCognito

I have to admit that when I started this book, I didn't expect to love it. I thought I would like it but hadn't been a fan of Aisling from previous books and since she was our lead character, I didn't think I would love it. Just shows you how much I know! She was a very compelling character. Getting her story, figuring out why she behaved as she did left me no choice but to love her.

Sean has always been a favorite character and that didn't change in this story. I find him yummy and fun. And he is still yummy and fun.

When these two get together, sparks fly.

Add to the mix their young son Sean Michael and it left me crying and hoping for more of the story.

It was fun to see more of Rafael and to get to know Gabriel better. The archangels make for some interesting story telling.

Laurie has really well thought out characters and a wonderful flowing storyline that moves seamlessly between books. Very glad I found her work!

Darkness Calling Buy Links

AMAZON KINDLE      http://amzn.to/1zuvty7           

BARNES&NOBLE NOOK       http://bit.ly/1DZ6uEN

iTUNES/iBOOKS       http://bit.ly/1wolcMY

SMASHWORDS          http://bit.ly/1yGHnVU                                   

 NOTE: Book one, Primani, is free now. 

Books in Series:

Primani (The Lost Soul Trilogy); Call the Lightning (The Lost Soul Trilogy Book 2); Stone Angels (The Lost Soul Trilogy Book 3); Broken Souls (Primani Series Book 4); Darkness Calling (Primani Series Book 5). Books 4 & 5 can be read as Stand-alones

Primani (The Lost Soul Trilogy):

AMAZON KINDLE                  http://amzn.to/1nT2gCV

BARNES&NOBLE NOOK       http://bit.ly/10Yw24w

iTUNES/iBOOKS                   http://bit.ly/1oo3TOs

SMASHWORDS                          http://bit.ly/1x9mz5m

Excerpt from Darkness Calling

Scooping her up, Sean urged, “Come on, baby. We need to move.”

With that warning, he tucked her close and flashed them backwards. The turret tumbled into a pile of dusty debris. The hotel’s alarm system went ballistic.

“Holy fuck! Look what we did!” She couldn’t help stating the obvious. She was too surprised to believe it.

They’d broken the building. Not a bed. No. They broke the damn building. Shit. Someone was going to be pissed. With her arms around Sean’s neck, she dropped a kiss on his cheek. God, he was sexy as friggin’ hell. Scruffy shadow on his jaw, eyes blue as the ocean again, and his muscles rippling from carrying her butt around... Yeah. HOT! Not to mention the extra helping of testosterone that not only made him Stamina Man but made him hard again already.

Reaching down to fondle the velvety heat, she felt the sticky reminder of what they’d just done. “Seriously, did our orgasm just break this building?”

Grinning like a naughty little boy, he wagged his head in disbelief. “I always wondered what would happen if we fucked in combat mode. This is the first time for me. Intense.” Dipping his head, he caught one of her nipples in his mouth and mumbled around it, “Let’s do it again. I’m still burning up.”

She wrapped her fist around his cock and nearly swooned at the instant hardness. God, she’d missed fucking.

Chuckling in her ear, he murmured, “Don’t worry. There’s no daily limit.”

“Don’t you want a shower? I feel like I smell.”

Still carrying her, he moved further away from the debris. “You do. You smell like a woman who’s just been thoroughly fucked by a man who’d give his left nut to do it again.”

Hefting her higher, he caught her mouth in a long, slow kiss that stole her breath away. When he let her up for air, she dabbed at his bottom lip, and said, “Keep your nuts. This one’s on the house.”

Sean's Playlist

People often ask me where I get inspiration for my books. Fair question, right? I’d be lying if I said I came up with everything from the smoothly running cogs of my imagination. Sure, my sick and twisted subconscious does the heavy lifting, but more often than not, the spark of creativity comes from music. And not just any music does the trick. No pop, R&B, rap, or country for me.  My Primani are edgy, aggressive, violent, and moody--okay, so that’s just Sean... His brothers aren’t moody. Darkness Calling is Sean’s story though so I’ll focus on him. I’ve created my favorite Primani across all five of the books. His personality comes from the music of Staind, Linkin Park, 3 Doors Down, and many other alt rock bands with moody sounds and tormented lyrics. The storyline for Darkness Calling is my most intense yet, and I think Sean and Aisling approve. If you haven’t listened to the gut-wrenching acoustic version of Simple Man, go do it now! Here are some of the songs that influenced scenes and flow as I wrote this story with tears in my eyes and a glass of bourbon in my hand.

PLAYLIST:

1. Evanescence: Bring Me to Life

2. Seether: Words as Weapons

3. Shinedown: 45

4. Three Days Grace: Chalk Outline

5. 10 Years: Wasteland

6. Shinedown: Simple Man

7. Starset: My Demons

8. Tool: My Shadow

9. Seether: Broken

10. Korn: Coming Undone

 

Author Interview for Darkness Calling

 

1. Would you tell the readers a little bit about yourself? I write dark urban fantasy romance that blends the fast action and world building of urban fantasy with steamy sex, deep emotional connection, and strongly-bonded characters. In my Primani Series, the men lean toward alpha without the chest thumping and peeing on the doorposts. Powerful, ruthless, immortal, they’ve been known to take charge and show a woman a good time…sometimes for eternity! Between their wicked weapons and supernatural powers, they’ve got the demon problem under control--mostly.

When I’m not writing, I’m hanging out with friends, reading, or catching up on my Supernatural fix. I’ll be the first to admit to a fan girl obsession with Dean Winchester. There’s no way to deny it. It’s sad really. He’s my guilty pleasure…maybe with a glass of Jim Beam…and my spotted muse, Dalmatian Princess Domino.

2. Which project are you currently promoting? Darkness Calling is book five in the Primani Series. It’s a stand-alone title featuring characters from the earlier books.

3. Can you tell us what the book is about? Writing Darkness Calling was a labor of love! Aisling, the heroine, isn’t a beloved character (until now!). She was uptight and absolutely bitchy to Sean when I introduced her in an earlier book. She’s managed to piss off all of my readers because Sean is one of everyone’s favorite Primani. So how to create a love match between these two? It wasn’t easy, but hey, I’m the writer so I get to work miracles! Before they wanted to kill each other, they were stranded together for a year. One thing led to another, and they had a son together. Fast forward seven years... With a little, okay maybe a lot, of nudging by the archangel Raphael, they discover there’s more between them than just a small boy.

4. How did you come up with the title for this book? Primani are the good guys. Made immortal by an archangel, they exist to give humans a fighting chance against the chaos of demons. This doesn’t mean they are pure, or always good, or completely moral. They still retain their humanity. Darkness Calling represents the struggle that Primani Sean and Aisling, and yes, even the demon Cain, face inside their minds. Centuries of loneliness and pain leave scars. Obsession, lust, fear, desperate sadness... sometimes the dark offers an escape for the wounded. Sometimes the dark hides their sins. Sometimes the darkness is impossible to resist even if it destroys them.

5. What inspired you to write this book? I’ve been torturing Sean, the hero, for several books. I really wanted to give him a happy ending. I wanted him to find a woman who was just as intense and passionate as he is. This story is my way of easing all of the suffering I’ve put him through. He’s really an amazing character. He deserves this book!

6. Why did you feel you had to tell this story? Darkness Calling tells both Sean and Aisling’s backstories and brings them together in the present. Sometimes there is a story that screams to be written, begs to see the light of day. This is one of them. Sean and Aisling are two very intense characters that readers have already met. Sean is one of my core Primani and my favorite hero. He can be a total dick, but that’s his way of hiding the pain inside. I’ve tortured him in the first four books to see what he would do. He always comes out stronger. Aisling has had a nightmare of a life--both as a human and an immortal Primani. They share nothing except a son they created in one night of passion. I wanted to see if I could bring these two characters together to unite them as lovers, but also as parents to one very special child. It was my challenge to create a story that my diehard Sean fans would accept. I think I’ve hit the mark with D/C and am hoping no one sends me hate mail!

7.  What was your favorite chapter to write and why? My favorite chapter was Chapter 17 “Primal Screams.” This is the chapter where Sean and Aisling finally get some alone time in Vienna, Austria. After Raphael engineers this trip against their will, they realize there’s no reason to keep resisting the attraction between them. The sex is explosive. How explosive? Let’s just say they broke the building. It was just that good.

8. What genre do you generally write? All of my writing features supernatural and occult themes. The Primani Series could be classified as dark urban fantasy romance or paranormal romantic suspense. I’m working on an unrelated series that is most likely going to be classified as occult suspense. It’s not romantic at all.

9. What character out of your most recent work do you admire the most and why?  I absolutely adore Sean. He’s an amazing soldier with a dry, sarcastic sense of humor. He’s one of the toughest fighters I’ve created, yet he is profoundly gentle with his young son. I’ve thrown so much at him, but he always manages to come out stronger.

10. What other projects are you currently working on? I’m putting together a funny, upbeat novella that focuses on Dec and Rori’s wedding. Their story was told in Broken Souls (Primani #4). These are my two most romantic characters, and I thought they deserved a real wedding, but it just didn’t fit into the other book! The novella will be a companion to the series and is just for fun.

Laurie’s Bio:

Laurie Olerich is the author of the urban fantasy romance series Primani. She loves to create guilty pleasures full of exciting locations, roller coaster action, strong, quirky heroines, and steaming hot heroes who’ll raise the temperature in any room you’re in! Paranormal romance? Check! Urban fantasy? Check! Romantic suspense? Check! Her Primani series combines the best of the three. When not plotting, writing, or fantasizing about her next hero, she’s planning parties, traveling the world, and spending lazy nights with her son, her Dal pals, and friends. Laurie spent most of her life in the Northeastern United States and in Germany. She now lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her son and Dalmatian duo, Domino and Rambo.  Before throwing caution to the wind and diving into a writing career, Laurie dedicated 20 years to a career spent around men with guns and cool toys...this explains her obsession with both!

Laurie’s Contact Info:

WEBSITE: http://www.laurieolerich.com

FACEBOOK:    http://on.fb.me/18tuhhW

TWITTER:    http://twitter.com/LaurieOlerich

PINTEREST   http://www.pinterest.com/laurieolerich/

GOODREADS AUTHOR PAGE:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7272146.Laurie_Olerich

Laurie's Giveaway

a eBook of The Lost Soul Trilogy

Leave a comment below.  Contest ends midnight 3-21-15.

What is your  favorite part of St. Patricks day?

BLOG HOP Grand Prize

Laurie Olerich - $20.00 Amazon Gift Card

Bella Juarez - $20 Strandbucks
Dominique Eastwick - $10 gift card to Ebook site of winner's choice

Phaze Books: $10 gift certificate to Phaze.com and

a $10 gift certificate to Mundania.com
Carlene Flores - Winner’s choice of either signed print copy or e-copy of rock star romance, Wicked Flower, + $5 gift card to Evernight Publishing.

Tara Rose - e-Books of Abigail's Acquiescence and There's A New Sin In Town

Ravenna Tate - eBook of both Kidnapped By A Warrior and Fallon's Capture

Lisa Renee Jones- a signed copy of Rebecca's Lost Journals

Linda L. Picl - e-copy of Angelea's Dreams of Yesterday

Crystal Gauthier - Paperback copy of Great Lakes Original Cookbook.

PT Macias - eBooks of Becoming Her Master, Secret Sexy Passions & $5.00 gc

Kathleen Gallagher - e-book of Savannah's Journey, book 1 City Lights Series

Leigh Ellwood - winner's choice of two Audio books

Andrew Jericho - e-book of Flirting with Heaven (Rock Stars 3)
Angel Voison - e-books of Havoc's Crew series (Blazing Glory, High Voltage and Wrecking Havoc).
Bronwyn Heeley - e-copy of Love without Knowing It
Fel Fern - ebook of The Spymaster's Crow
Brenna Zinn - copy of Iron Rods and Touched by Midas
Sable Hunter - Sable Hunter "Tag" tote bag



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