Writers Series: Introducing Lisa Casian

My good friend, Lisa Casian's romance novel, BLOODROSE, debuted on November 29th. 

Check out the steamy cover! So I thought we'd spend some time chatting with Lisa about romance novels.

So be honest, how old were you when you read your first romance novel?

I was about fifteen. It was historical and I vaguely remember the story. I remember it was pretty steamy and everyone looked amazing. It was my sister's book.

Yes, eye candy is one of the fun parts about reading romance novels. What inspired you to start writing romance? What was your inspiration for BLOOD ROSE?

I have no loyalty to a particular genre. I read horror, contemporary, fantasy...all in binges. I picked up a Catherine Coulter regency romance book and it led me to read most of her titles. I was completely hooked. I wrote BLOODROSE in 2008. I never meant for it to see the light of day. I wanted to write historical, romance, action-adventure, and paranormal and BLOODROSE was it. I actually had no clue what I was doing. One scene led to the next and on and on it went. Because it was a vampire story, and the market was saturated with them, I decided not to pursue publication. But then this year Breathless Press had a five page critique opportunity for a romance piece and I decided to send BLOODROSE. That led to a full request and here we are. 

I think there is some misunderstanding out there about what romance fiction really is, and some people unfairly group it with erotica or call it closet porn for women. What are your thoughts?

First, let me just say that romance doesn't equal sex in books. It can have sex but the major indicator is the relationship between the main couple. Nicholas Sparks is a great author who gleams over the "sex" part. And then you have JR Ward and Sherillyn Kenyon who can fill pages of the act.  Any book that makes you feel something is worth the read. Horror makes me sleep with the lights on, fantasy lets me dream of dragons, contemporary reminds me I'm not alone, and romance makes me feel that I deserve to be loved. People read to feel something, to connect with the characters, to be thrilled with plot. There shouldn't be any stigma attached to it.

Well said, Lisa. Who are some of your favorite romance authors?

I've been blessed to have picked up some great books. My favorites are Christine Rains, JR Ward, and Sherillyn Kenyon.

I've always thought that with the increase of e-reader use it would help / boost romance novel sales (not that they need any help). Who wants to be caught holding a book with a shirtless man with glistening, bulging muscles, and a swooning half dressed buxom lady draped over his arm? What are your thoughts?

That sounds like the cover of BLOODROSE. LOL.  I don't have the formal numbers, but I want to say that paperback sales were huge with romance. I mean, I used to go into the corner store and their shelves were lined with romance paperbacks. Maybe because they were easier to hide inside a purse, or you can cover the cover with your hand as you read in public, who knows? The e-book is a great substitute for that. Again, I know romance sales are huge, but I'm not sure of the actual numbers.

Thanks for chatting with us, Lisa!

Thanks for having me, Anita. It was fun!

If you're interested in checking out BLOODROSE, you can find it on Amazon, here. And if you'd like a chance to win a copy of the book, the giveaway is here.

BLOODROSE

By Lisa Casian

Dark Fantasy

Publisher: Breathless Press

Isabeau's life is haunted by nightmares her brother insists are a lie. Bowen's looking to revenge himself against his father while helping his friend. When they meet, all hell breaks loose against Isabeau. Can Bowen protect her? Is love ever the safe choice?

Newly convinced by a mentor to value human life, Bowen, a Shade Hunter, has withdrawn from aristocratic society in pursuit of the creature that made him into the evil that consumes him—his father. Bowen's plans are thwarted when he assists a wealthy earl in finding his missing fiancé. He's drawn to the man's beautiful sister, Isabeau. Bowen soon realizes that their fates are intertwined and she's aroused a passion in him he'd never thought possible.

Isabeau Harington has always lived in fear. Surviving an attack that killed her parents, she always believed the monsters would return for her. When she meets Bowen, a mysterious, charismatic stranger who drives away those fears, she learns that the very man she's falling in love with may be in league with the monsters hunting her. As a pawn in an Immortal's scheme, Isabeau must make the ultimate decision—love or safety?

ISBN: 978-1-77101-181-5

Heat Rating: 3