Blog Tour: Blood and Moonlight by Moira Keith (Giveaway)

This blog tour is presented by Bewitching Book Tours.

Click HERE to see the tour schedule.

Welcome to The Wormhole and my day on the tour.

It is my pleasure to feature Moira Keith and book one of the Moonlight Trilogy: Blood and Moonlight.

 Moira has joined us for an interview:

? How many jobs did you have before you became a writer?

          About seven I think, and they range from Sizzler hostess to banking.

? How long does it take you to write a book?

          It really depends on the book. My first book I wrote and contracted within six months. Blood and Moonlight took me about a year and a half to two years due to life interferences.

? Do you have a routine that you use to get into the right frame of mind to write?

          Not really. As a single mom, I have to take advantage of every spare moment available for writing, so there isn't typically time for routines to set myself in the mood to write. I just have to seize the time and run with, sometimes on very little notice.

         

? Where do you get your ideas or inspiration for your characters?

          Some of it comes from the people I'm closest with. Reese from Blood and Moonlight is a prime example of that. She is a culmination of all the friends that I'm close with and hold dear. The type of friend who has a smart response (sometimes when you least want it), is there to back you up, and is always trying to push you to reach for more than you think you are capable of.

? How do you decide what you want to write about?

          Usually the idea comes to me and I either run with it because it is fully formed, or I have to let it stew for a while. The ones that seem fully formed are usually the first I focus on. The others end up on the back burner until they start to build into something more tangible for me.

? What is the first book you remember reading by yourself?

          The first book I remember reading was Superfudge. I loved that book and still try to convince my lil zombies that they need to read it.

? What are you reading right now?

          Currently, I'm reading two very different books, a romance by Selena Robbins called What a Girl Wants, and a gothic thriller by Brian Ruckley called Edinburgh Dead.

? What do you like to do when you are not writing?

          Bake cupcakes, watch stand-up comedy or catch up on shows like Dexter and the Walking Dead, hang with my family and friends, and cook with my dad.

? What is your favorite comfort food?

          My mom's homemade chicken enchiladas. I can never get enough of them and they are something she doesn't make often.

? What do you think makes a good story?

          Characters that a reader can see a bit of themselves in or that you can connect with on some level. I find that you can have the best story in the world, but if your characters can't touch your readers on some level, then the story falls short.

? Who would you consider your favorite author and why?

          Vicki Pettersson hands down, holds that coveted spot for me at the moment. First off I think her stories are unique and completely engaging. Second the way she interacts with her fans. I love an author who actually responds to comments made by those who support their work.

Fun random questions: 

·        Dogs or cats?

Can I say fish or birds? No? Alright then, dogs. Grew up with dogs so I have more experience with them.

·        Coffee or tea?

Coffee all the way. I do enjoy a cup of tea once in a while, but I'm a total coffee junkie.

·        Dark or milk chocolate?

I'm a recent convert to dark chocolate. I can't get enough of that stuff.

·        Rocks or flowers?

Depends on what type of rocks...as in gems? If not then flowers.

·        Night or day?

Night. Everything seems more peaceful, or if I'm out and about, more lively because don't most cities seem to come alive at night?

·        Favorite color?

Kelly Green

·        Crayons or markers?

Markers

·        Pens or pencils?

Pens (though they aren't so mistake friendly)

More About the Author:
     Moira Keith has a penchant for men in kilts, is a lover of shoes, Celtic mythology, connoisseur of Guinness, baker of cupcakes and overall complete mess! As an author of paranormal, urban fantasy and contemporary romance, Moira writes stories that are often filled with the magic of love and the mayhem that ensues, threatening to keep her couples apart.

     Currently, Moira resides in Las Vegas with her twin zombie sons, their beta fish, and a turtle. 

Website – Blog – Facebook – Twitter – Goodreads – 

Blood and Moonlight: Book One of the Moonlight Trilogy 

by Moira Keith

Though she shares the bloodlines of both Fae and Wolf, Kiara Morrigan O’Conaill refuses to claim her place in the Fae courts or submit to the animal within. Witnessing the murder of her Fae mother two years ago drives her back into those worlds, to search for answers and revenge.

Devlin McClure lives for one thing—the Pack. When their leader, the Cadeyrn, disappears, desperation sends Devlin to the last person he should be asking for help—the Cadeyrn’s estranged daughter, Kiara.

Kiara and Devlin are drawn to each other by fate and destined to embrace the very thing that threatens to rip their worlds apart. Now, Kiara will have to decide which is stronger, blood or moonlight?
Excerpt:

"Thanks for nothing!" I slammed down the phone, then picked it back up and screamed into the handset once more. "Asshole!"

As if on cue, the office door opened and Reese breezed in like a tornado, the local paper tucked under her arm. Her hair, the perfect shade of cotton-candy pink, trailed down her back in a waterfall of curls from the taut ponytail atop her head. The dagger strapped to her thigh was the only indication there was more to the woman than met the eye. Perching herself on the corner of my desk, she studied me with eyes flecked with shades of midnight, turquoise, and powder blue. She was a beautiful representation of full-blooded fae and my best friend.

"I take it the lead was a dead end."

"The elusive white fucking rabbit." I rested my head on the edge of the desk. Today marked the second anniversary of my mother’s death and the blame I felt for her absence was overwhelming.

"Tá grá agam duit," Reese softly professed her love for my mother as she kissed her finger and touched the photo of the woman who’d given me life. Her picture held a prominent place on my desk and served as a constant reminder of the pain and loss I’d suffered. After displaying her reverence, she put the photo face down on my desk and looked at me. "Kiara, maybe you aren’t meant to solve this puzzle."

"Perhaps, but considering we keep getting the same canned response I think we’re on to something here." I spun my mother’s ring, which now sat on my finger and sighed.

"You want answers. Need them so you can move on. I get it." She turned her head slightly. "You look like hell."

"The visions are getting worse." I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to fight them even as they pushed their way into my consciousness. Haunting screams, wolves with feral eyes and the constant feeling of unease flooded my mind.

"They won't cease until there's closure. I'm exhausted." The only reason we were in this godforsaken city of sin had to do with my hellish visions.

"Or until you stop carrying around that damn letter. Isleen promised you answers in that note and we’ve heard nothing from her since." Reese shifted slightly on the desk. "Did you drink the tea I made you?"

"Of course I did, but you know none of your fancy concoctions work on me."

"Yeah, well I keep hoping I’ll hit the magic combination one day and all of your sleeping woes will disappear." She bit her bottom lip and her brow furrowed. "You are the only person who’s unaffected by anything I whip up. I just don’t understand it."

"Blame the wolf blood in my veins." Silence fell like a heavy cloak over the room and I quickly changed the subject. "Anything new in the paper?"

She unfolded the paper and placed it in front of me without commenting. I prepared myself for what I would read, knowing the headlines would reveal nothing good. I glanced down, not surprised to see the mayor’s latest showgirl-flanked appearance took top billing. Unfortunately, the headline beneath the fold didn’t hold much shock value either:

Local Pack Loses Another.

I’d followed the story since it first broke but I ignored the temptation to pick it up, not wanting to feel the pain I didn't want to feel or even admit existed. It came as each new story or detail surfaced. One day I feared the news would offer confirmation that my visions were accurate and the names listed would bring my search for answers to a tragic end. I rubbed at my temples.

This was too much. Reality and vision meshed in a mix of macabre surrealist imagery that often left me feeling sick. It was difficult to explain, even to Reese. To her credit, she never pushed.

"Why don’t we discuss what’s in the lobby asking to speak with you." Excitement laced her voice as she fanned herself. Often, she could be read like a book. Whatever waited in the next room would be, at the very least, a nice piece of eye candy. Hopefully, the tantalizing feast would be interested in a nice art piece, but years of friendship and studying Reese’s body language told me otherwise.

"What, exactly, is waiting in the other room?" The faint musk of wolf trailed from the direction of the door. There was something familiar about it but it was so subtle, I couldn’t place it. Every inch of me screamed danger, while at the same time something called to a part of me I tried to forget existed and never could. Not good. Nearly every shifter encounter I’d faced ended in the battle scars that now marred both my mind and body. In a deliberate attempt to mask my unease, I snatched up the paper, leaned back in the chair and kicked my feet up on the desk. The steaming cup of coffee on the blotter would have helped, but I didn’t trust my hands to remain steady enough to allow for spill-free drinking.

My nervously twitching foot drew Reese’s gaze to my recently purchased Louboutin heels and her eyes glimmered, but even shoes weren’t enough to divert her attention from the man in the other room. "Nice try, Kiara, but your mastery in the art of distraction will not work this time. Just smile and be polite."

"You take away all of my fun."

"We’ve been living in this neon jungle for months now, yet you spend all of your time here. If this is fun—" She dramatically waved her arm around the office—"Then I’m seriously misinformed."

I stuck my tongue out at her. A soft knock sounded on the door and Deanne, our secretary, stepped into the office.

"Miss Morrigan?"

The masculine scent, laced with spicy undertones, wafted through the door more strongly, more enticing, more…

When Reese nudged me slightly, I glanced up to see them both watching me. Damn it. "Sorry, you were saying?"

"There is a gentleman here, insisting he speak with you. He says he is here on behalf of a Mr. O’Conaill."

My thoughts:
What a wonderful story!  I enjoyed every page.  Moira Keith's story is unique, original and creative.  She has created fantastic characters and set them in a world of intrigue and deception.  I loved the fae/wolf bloodline heritage of Kiara and all that went along with it.  Kiara is a strong heroine who pales only by comparison to her counterpart Devlin.  He is the kind of man we are all looking for.  
All of the characters have been created with personalities and characteristics that make them easy to invest in and leave the reader wishing there were "real" people who could compare.  The exception of this of course are the "bad" guys; equally well-developed and as easy to dislike.  
We are taken on a roller coaster of emotion as Kiara strives to figure out her place, her family, her future, her past, and her destiny - all while battling herself and her mixed blood and fearing who to trust.
Artfully written, engaging and entertaining.  A must read - I can't wait for the rest of the trilogy!

Tour giveaway 

10 ebook copies of Blood and Moonlight and one $25 giftcard to Amazon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway