Meeting Destiny By: Nancy Straight
(Other books in series: Book 2 Destiny's Revenge and Book 3 Destiny's Wrath have been released)
Genre: Paranormal Romance
ISBN: 978-1-4507-2109-7 (E-Book)/ 978-1468121377 (Paperback)
ASIN: B003U2RUPS
Number of Pages: 295
Word Count: 98,000
Hello everyone! Today, I'm very happy to be in the Meeting Destiny Book Tour, sponsored by Bewitching Book Tours. Let me just mention first, I really enjoyed this novel, and can't wait for you to read my review. In addition, right below I have an Interview that I had with Author Nancy Straight, so do look at that. Thank you Nancy for answering these Q's! :)
Interview With Author Nancy Straight
1. What inspired you to write Meeting Destiny?
I’m a hopeless romantic, believing that there really is someone out there for everyone. If by some chance you don’t connect with them the first time, fate will find a way to reintroduce you until you click. I liked this idea and took it a step further, that a couple truly devoted to one another could share multiple lifetimes together. This story had been in my head for a while screaming to get out – no single event inspired me, I really just decided to let the story write itself.
2. How long did it take to write?
Each book I’ve written has been remarkably different, I think it’s based on how set the story is in my mind before I start typing. Meeting Destiny took a whole year to write. I couldn’t even guess how many scenes I wrote, deleted, re-wrote and ultimately tossed. When Meeting Destiny was done, I really found my groove: Destiny’s Revenge (Book 2) was three months, Destiny’s Wrath (Book 3) was three weeks (can you say, obsessed?).
My latest book, Blood Debt, took three months.
3. Did you have to research, and if yes, how was that process like?
The Destiny Series was a story in my head for a while and I was really just letting it out, so I didn’t do any research. My second Series, Touched (Blood Debt Book 1) - yes, hundreds of hours on the computer and a few trips to the library. The series has Centaurs as the paranormal characters and I had no idea how much I didn’t know about Greek Mythology until I started researching. I even made flash cards so I could quickly reference some of the research I wanted to incorporate into the story and so I could remember how to spell the gods and places. LOL!
4. Which actors do you see playing the main characters? (*Love this Cast.)
Jennifer Lawrence as Lauren
Robbie Amel as Max
Alex Pettyfer as Seth
Megan Fox as Amanda
Hayden Panettiere as Rachel
Chase Crawford as Paul
Jada Pinkette Smith as Rewsna
Sandra Bullock as Lauren’s Mom
5. Are there any special messages you want your readers to see; what is that?
I respond to every message, tweet and email that is sent to me. I don’t have an agent or a publicist so anyone that contacts me can be sure the response is from me. I love connecting with people that have read my books and I SERIOUSLY love to get recommendations on books I should read. I could write faster, but my love of reading keeps me off my computer and in my Kindle until the wee hours of the morning!
6. How long have you been writing?
I started writing Meeting Destiny about three years ago (Aug 2009). As I was writing, I had no plans ever to try to publish it. I wrote it for me. Crazy, right? When I’d finished it, I let a friend read it and was surprised when she believed others would like it, too. After much prodding, I decided I’d publish it and see what happened. Meeting Destiny has been downloaded over 30,000 times in just the last six months, so I think she was right. LOL!
7. Where is your ultimate place to write?
My ultimate place is in my living room after everyone else has gone to bed. Just me, my laptop, my dog “Flash” curled up beside me and a Mountain Dew within reach. Although I keep telling my husband I’d love to write in the Bahamas!
8. What are you currently working on?
The Destiny Series is complete (although some friends have made some pretty compelling arguments for a forth book). The Touched Series is what I’m focusing on now: Blood Debt (Book 1) releases on 7/15/2012 (Yay!!). I’ve finished the first draft of Blood Ties (Book 2) so it is being edited right now, and have just started Blood Bound (Book 3). From the titles, I should add the disclaimer that the series does not have any vampires. LOL! The touched series is about Centaurs.
9. Who are your favorite Authors?
There are hundreds and the list grows every time I finish reading another great story! Shelly Crane, Rachel Higgins, Charlotte Abel, Amy Bartol and Shannon Dermott are amazing. Their writing styles are all very different, their books are not at all similar to each other - but I was completely absorbed while I read their stories. You know the feeling, “Let me grab my Kindle while I’m drying my hair,” and “Geeze, this train is taking forever, let me read a couple paragraphs,” kind of absorbed. If you haven’t read their books – you need to!
10. What are your favorite genres to read?
Paranormal Romance (Adult & YA), Urban Fantasy, and some contemporary Romance are all favorites. I’m much more attached to stories than I am a specific genre. I judge a story based on my physical reaction to it. I can forgive typos and grammatical errors. I can even look past poor character development if I love the plot. For me to be hooked, a story has to make me: laugh out loud, cry, my heart race or any physical reaction – if it does, it’s a great story. It means the author has found a way to reach through my kindle and drag me into the pages right along with their characters.
- All time favorite film that you can see endlessly, and you have practically memorized all the lines?
Should I be embarrassed to say: Transformers. Without exaggeration I bet I’ve seen it fifty times and if I’m flipping through channels on the television and come across it, I have to stop and watch it, again. Drives my family crazy!
- Which film are you really looking forward to see that has not been out in theaters yet?
Breaking Dawn, Part 2 (Come on November!!)
- What film have you seen this summer that deserves some praise?
I loved The Avengers!! I didn’t think I would when I begrudgingly agreed to go see it, but every wife has to give a little in a marriage. I cannot remember watching a movie that I enjoyed more!
- Location of place you have never visited but really want to go to someday?
Wow, that’s a tough one! I’ve traveled a lot and there aren’t many places I still want to go to, that I haven’t already been to. Maybe, Costa Rica?
Thank you so much for answering my Q’s, and thank you for your time!
It was definitely my pleasure!! Thank you so much for having me!
Blurb
Lauren is visited in her dreams for years by a stranger claiming to be her destiny. Destiny becomes reality when paths cross during a failed robbery attempt. Lauren and the stranger experience chemistry like no other and now her doubt over her long time relationship with her high school sweetheart is not her only secret…someone else knows about her keen intuition and sixth sense. A mysterious clairvoyant seeks Lauren out and tells her not only of her life now but what the future may hold. Soon Lauren is in the middle of a murder investigation and a questionable friendship with the key suspect. Law enforcement, friends and family are concerned for Lauren but unfortunately they are unaware of the true danger…Sinister forces are at work and will stop at nothing to destroy Lauren’s abilities.
Available for free at Amazon, BN, and Smashwords
Short Excerpt
His words made my heart soar, my whole body felt warm and my heart rate began steadily gaining speed. Knowing how badly this visit could have gone, I couldn’t help but push my luck, “Max, I need to ask you one more thing. Could you stay just another minute?”
Max glanced at the watch on his wrist, and I could tell he really did need to leave. “Yeah, but I’ve already been gone for way too long. My partner’s got to be looking for me by now.” He moved a hair closer to me, and I could hardly contain my excitement.
“I know this isn’t the best place, and I understand if you tell me no, but if I don’t ask, it’s going to drive me crazy. I was wondering if you feel anything weird around me?” This sounded so strange, but I didn’t know how best to articulate my question. I needed to know if it was only my imagination.
Max looked me straight in the eye, “Weird, like what?”
I felt the flush of embarrassment on my cheeks as I asked quietly, “Like, chemistry, a little?”
Max stood still as a statue staring at me sitting almost straight up in my bed. His smile faded a little as he leaned into me and whispered, “You mean like this?” He softly slid his hand behind my head, pulling my lips up to his. Gentle at first, then increased intensity until I found that I had wrapped both my arms around him, wires protruding from every direction, and my entire body tingled. I grew lightheaded as he eased his face away from mine. He gently lowered my head back to my pillow and moved his hand to my face. Max traced my lips with his index finger. After a few outlines of my lips, he responded quietly, “Chemistry, huh? No, I hadn’t noticed.” His wide smile reappeared with a vengeance.
My heart monitor went crazy, jumping well into the 100s as an alarm blared to life as if to tell the world what had just happened. Max reached over and pushed a button on the monitor and the alarm muted instantly. As he leaned in for what I was sure was going to be just as passionate as our first kiss, his pocket beeped.
Max stopped, rolled his eyes and fished in his pocket, pulling out his blackberry. He looked at the screen with disappointment in his eyes. “Hey, we just got a call. I really have to go. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for continuing this conversation tomorrow, but I really can’t stay.”
“I’d like that, too,” unable to say anything else.
He kissed my cheek, “I can’t wait to tell Missy about tonight. Bye.” Max darted out the door as he sprinted off to save someone’s life. The jealous part of me hoped he was being called to help an old fat man.
Review
Oh my goodness; this story was so good! The story, the plot itself, was really suspenseful and unpredictable, which I like, and everything that happened just seemed right. I don't have any complaints; but what I will say is that by the end, you definitely will want more, you just will. Good thing the second and third book in this series are already out, as I really grew attached to the story, and the characters, so the rest of the series is on my list to read; most definitely!
Back to the story; the concept of meeting your destiny, that one person you were destined to be with, even before you were born, was really interesting, and I loved how it was entwined to the story. Lauren was a well developed character. You can see, as she describes herself to be; she's not psychic or clairvoyant; she's just more observant, more insightful about the people around her, and when she gets for example a bad feeling, that one in your gut, you just know something is not right, well she's usually right. I liked that this story was from Lauren's POV as we experience her almost deadly incidents, her intuitiveness, her spunkiness, need of independence and her feelings of love towards her Destiny man. Now...Max...he just seems perfect. Perfect. I thought he was a different type of male lead that I would say is not the bad boy type, but we get a hint of some tragedy that he faced before he met Lauren. He was a wonderful character, and honestly, I cannot wait to read more of him in the next book. This Novel was just wonderful. Wonderful. I hope you have the chance to read this story, as it will take your breath away with great Romance, and it will keep you on the edge of your seat with Suspense. This Novel is definitely worth reading and enjoying; believe me! This is a Novel I recommend! :)
My Rating: 4.5/5
My Audience Rating: PG-13
Author Bio
Nancy was born in Sioux City Iowa, left the cold of the Midwest in 1991 and only returns to see family in the summer time. She spent ten years traveling the world as a US Marine and settled in rural SC with her husband and two children. She has three rotten dogs, enjoys RVing with her family, reading and writing all types of Paranormal literature.
Twitter: @NancyStraight
Marissa - Thank you so much for the GREAT Review!! I'm thrilled that you enjoyed it! Thanks for interviewing me and putting up the excerpt as well!!
ReplyDeleteIt was my pleasure; loved hosting!
ReplyDeleteI definitely will read book 2 and 3 soon, so I look forward to that :)