GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ Sheep Interview: JD Tyler + giveaway | I Smell Sheep

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Sheep Interview: JD Tyler + giveaway

Today we sit down and drool talk with JD Tyler about the Navy SEAL shifters from her Alpha Pack series. Book #3 Alpha Moon just released so there are two other books and a novella for you too taste! Be sure to read on because we talk about everything from spandex pants on Jon Bon Jovi to naked tennis!

Sharon: Hello, can we call you JD, maybe? Grab a sheep bean bag chair and let’s talk smexy paranormal men!

*pulls out some napkins and hands them to JD and Katie* 
I just took a drool stroll through your website and based on what I read… we are gonna need them ;) 
JD: Hi Sharon and Katie! It’s great to be here. Ooh, I love nothing more than talking about hot men with special, um, abilities! 

Sharon: unfortunately we are a PG-13 site so we have to talk about some of those “abilities” a little later… you did bring visual aids, right?

JD: I might have brought a hot Alpha Pack shifter or two we can “inspect”…

Sharon: You are a new author to me so could you tell me about your Alpha Pack series? And why you chose to release a novella between book 1 and 2.
JD: The Alpha Pack is a team of black ops shifters who battle the world’s most dangerous human and non-human predators to keep citizens safe. They can be sent anywhere on a moment’s notice. They are the ultimate heroic male animal. 

My publisher actually asked me to do a novella between books 1 and 2 when they launched Penguin eSpecials, and of course I said yes. We decided that the novella should be a short story about Kalen and Mackenzie, setting up their novel. I was pleased with how the story turned out.

Sharon: do your stories have HEAs?
JD: Yes, definitely. I’m a firm believer that I have enough stress in my life and the world has enough sadness that I don’t need to add to it by writing stories that make me or my readers depressed. I need hope and happiness from my stories, and even though I like to put my heroes through the wringer, that’s what I deliver to readers! They can count on things turning out all right in the end. 

Sharon: What is the heat level of this series?
JD: The heat level is very hot, but not erotic. There are no multiple partners, or mates in this series. 

Sharon: When you came up with idea for Alpha Pack, how far ahead did you plan the books? Is there an overall story arc with an eventual conclusion and have stuck to your original plan or has the story evolved into something else?

JD: The first 3 books were outlined more than a year in advance. Yes, I planned a story arc with the horrible experimentation being done on humans and shifters that the Pack is trying to stop, and I knew Kalen would play a key role in that climax in book 3 (heehee, pun intended?), BLACK MOON. I stuck to the arc because it was so vivid in my mind and I knew exactly where I wanted it to go. 


male-animal!
Sharon: What is it about an Alpha that pushes your “buttons” and shifters in particular?
JD: I used the term “male animal” earlier and that’s what pushes my buttons—there’s just something super-sexy about a man who can shift into a fierce animal counterpart, who’s protective of his mate. He won’t take shit off of anybody, and he has the strength to back it up. To me, that’s a recipe for a dream hero. 
Sharon: male animal…hmmm, I like the sound of that! The thought of a man that growls, loudly, is…mmfmff 
*Katie slaps duct tape over Sharon’s mouth* Sometimes, you just have to!
JD: What was that, Katie? I want to hear more about growling and why our sexy shifters would do that! 

Sharon: Why did you pick Navy Seals? 
Katie: Really, that's just a silly question Sharon. I mean, come on, they are too hot for words.
JD: Katie, I agree! (Fanning myself.) I knew I wanted my team of shifters to have a military background for the types of dangerous situations they would find themselves dealing with. They needed to possess certain real-life skills sets, such as being able to dismantle a bomb, fly a Huey, do recon, etc. They couldn’t do those things if they’d held regular Joe Citizen jobs before being turned. I picked Navy SEALs in particular because the training they have to successfully complete to join that unit is among the toughest around. These guys are BADASS. I wanted that heroic portrait for my Pack guys. 
Sharon: I bet researching SEALs was a terrible chore for you…

JD: Ooh, yes, just terrible! Surrounded by all that testosterone and toned muscles… what’s a poor author to do?! 

website
Sharon: If the Mayan apocalypse happens, what would your last meal be?
JD: I think it would have to be Mexican food, maybe chicken flautas, accompanied by a great big margarita on the rocks. 

Sharon: Do you have a favorite piece of artwork or favorite artist?
JD: I love impressionist art, the scenes of places or landscapes done with soft swirls and splashes of color. I’m house hunting, and I’d love to find some work done in this style to hang on the walls. 
Katie: Might I suggest checking out Redbubble.com? They may have just what you are looking for!
JD: Awesome! I see some beautiful work on there. 

Katie: If you had to be stuck with one fictional character for the rest of your life, who would it be and why?
JD: Does it have to be one of mine? If not, then my choice would be Harry Dresden from Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files series, hands down! He’s a hot PI Master Wizard. And he can conjure me Jennifer Lopez’s body while he’s at it. What more do I need? 

If it’s one of mine, then it would be either Sorcerer Kalen Black, or Firestarter/Telekentic Aric Savage. Any of these guys would do me juuuust fine. 

Sharon: it is funny how often Harry is picked for questions we ask! Most people pick him to have their back during a zombie apocalypse too. 
JD: Harry is SO yummy! It doesn’t hurt that the cover model the publisher uses as Harry for the artwork is drop-dead gorgeous! Have you guys seen a pic of the model, John Paul Pfeiffer? Google him and get back to me. OMG! 

*Sharon and Katie crowd around the computer*

Sharon: Holy crap on a cracker!


Sharon: We have a magical do-over wool hat. If we let you put it on, what would you use it for? (what would you want a do over for?)
JD: Oh, that’s a toughie. There are so many things I’d love a second chance to get right. But sometimes I think there are things you’d just like to do again, period. I suppose I would go back to the 80’s when I was in my early twenties, single, and cute, and live all of those fun times all over again! I wouldn’t take for granted how short time really is. Ahh, the memories… 
Sharon: OMG! Yes! I miss those times too… do you remember when MTV started? Adam Ant? 
Katie: I was sadly not allowed to watch MTV in the 80’s!
JD: Sharon, I remember when MTV debuted! I was in awe, and I watched every day. Music videos were a revelation! I was riveted to Bon Jovi strutting around in Spandex. I’m still riveted to them, but thank God they no longer wear Spandex. LoL. 

Rapid Fire questions!

Sharon: King of the Summer Court or King of the Winter Court?
JD: Summer Court. 

Katie: Coke or Pepsi?
JD: Coke. With rum. 
Sharon: NOOOOOOO! I thought we were bonding over the whole 80’s thing *sob*
Katie: HA HA!! More wins for Team Coke!
JD: You’re both wrong. It’s a win for Team Rum. :)

Sharon: moans or growls?
JD: Growls. 
Sharon: I’ve already made my opinion on this clear ;) 

Katie: Naked Golf or Naked Tennis?
JD: Naked Tennis. More jiggling! 
*Sharon spits Pepsi out nose*
JD: (innocently) What? 

Sharon: Singing in the Rain or Dancing in the Streets?
JD: Dancing in the Streets. 
Katie: 80's rock or 90's?
JD: 80’s rock! Is there any other kind? 
Sharon: favorite song or artist?

JD: Bon Jovi all the way! I would make a nice cold cut in a Jon/Richie sandwich. Just sayin’. 
pass the bread and let's eat!
Sharon: moonlight or sunlight?
JD: Moonlight. 

Katie: mani or pedi?
JD: Pedi. 

Sharon: shop at the mall or shop online?
JD: Online. 
Sharon: are you done with holiday shopping?
JD: Almost. Just a couple more things and I’m finished! Much better than last year when I was still working on a book at this time. 

Katie: All you can eat salad bar or dessert bar?
JD: Salad bar. 

Sharon: flamboyant or plain?
JD: Plain. 

Sharon: Thanks for stopping by. Anything you would like to add before you head for the hot air balloon. You did know about that right?
JD: Hot air balloon? Oh my, I’m afraid of heights! I’ll have to call a cab! 
I just want to thank readers for their support, and for coming by today! Hugs and kisses!

Black Moon: An Alpha Pack #3
A group of former Navy SEALS, the Alpha Pack is a top-secret team of wolf shifters with Psy powers combating the greatest dangers in the world. But sometime those dangers are more intimate than they bargained for...

Ever since he saved Dr. Mackenzie Grant's life, panther shifter and sorcerer Kalen Black has had trouble keeping the beautiful doctor out of his thoughts, and his heart. The brush with death awakened an intense passion between them--one that for the first time had the notorious loner letting down his guard.

With the Alpha Pack battling an evil Fae who is slowly gaining control over Kalen's mind, Kalen can no longer trust his own actions, and he breaks off his affair with Mackenzie in order to keep her safe. But when Mackenzie learns that she is carrying Kalen's child, no amount of danger will keep her away from the man she loves. To be with his mate and unborn child, Kalen will have to unleash the full fury of his power, and risk destroying them all...


You can meet the cast of Alpha Pack 
on JD's website

About the Author
website-FB-twitter-newsletter
J.D. Tyler is an award-winning, multi-published author who writes for New American Library under three pseudonyms. Whether this is due to an overdose of ambition or a multiple personality affliction, she’ll never tell.

J.D. writes dark, sexy paranormal romance and has a huge thing for shifters, vampires, the Fae, and just about everything else that goes bump and grind in the night. She can’t get enough of those dangerous supernatural heroes, and the fun of creating her own was just too much temptation to resist… so she didn’t. J.D. doesn’t do self-denial.

When she isn’t writing, J.D.’s idea of a good time certainly isn’t cleaning house (sniff), bungee jumping (not in this lifetime, or the next), or camping (her idea of “roughing it” is a slow bellboy). She enjoys reading, being pampered like the diva she is, and spending time with her awesome family. She lives in Texas with her two teenagers.



BLACK MOON BLOG TOUR
11/25/12 - 12/15/12

            LIVE CHAT - 8-9pm EST (7-8pm CT, 6-7pm MDT, 5-6pm PDT)
12/08 - Bengal Reads
12/14 - Grave Tells & Paranormal Cravings


GIVEAWAY
JD is offering winner's choice of a signed copy from the Alpha Pack series
a Rafflecopter giveaway

39 comments:

  1. OMG heck yes, you guys just transported me to one of my "remember when" moments. I saw it the moment it launched, we had a huge party. Till then we only saw music videos before the movie at the theatre. Remember Men at Work Video? I saw it at Night Shift with Henry Winkler with gramps so it was so much MORE fun hovering around my girlfriends TV at her Dad's condo with MTV came out! VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR.. ADAM ANT? Duran Duran....... drooooooooooooool yes I remember.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kriss,
      Aahh, the sweet memories! I want a time machine to go back to the 80's and have fun all over again! :)

      Delete
  2. Love this, and JD´s opinion on HEA, i´m with her, life is tragic enough that i don´t want to read about it, i can read almost anything as long as there´s a HEA in the end.
    I remember when MTV was music nonstop 24/7, not as it´s now with all the terrible reality tv *shudders* My fav was GnR Paradise City, =) or Fleetwood mac - Everywhere.

    Thanks for the giveaway & Happy Thursday!
    //Linda

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Linda,
      Yes, HEA's all the way! Love the 80's memories you guys are sharing! :)

      Delete
  3. ^^ no MTV for me but i love ABBa and the group composed by goldman, jones and fredereicks ( and some u2 oh and the band with phil collins...) ^^;; i know nothing in music more often than not i love a music withou knowing the band or the title^^;;

    thank you a lot for this opportunity to win

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Miki,
      I often have to ask my son "who's this band?" now. :) Thanks for coming by!

      Delete
  4. I love this series! I also LOVE 80s music!! I don't remember when MTV started because I was only 3 at the time....I think, anyway! My favorite video was Aha's Take on Me. Every time that video came on, it was just too frickin' awesome! Favorite 80s band is Depeche Mode! Thanks for the interview and for the chance to win!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Elizabeth,
      OMG, you were 3 when MTV started?!! OK, I'm old. :/ Thanks for coming by!

      Delete
  5. I havent started this series, but I will be shortly and I am thrilled! Yes I remember when MTV debuted - Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, Culture Club - OMG Im old! LOLOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kerry,
      We're not really old, we just keep getting better, like fine wine! :) Thanks for coming by!

      Delete
    2. PS--I hope you enjoy the series!

      Delete
  6. Thanks for the lovely interview! I'm dying to read this series :) I wasn't allowed to watch MTV as a kid or listen to that "devil's" music... so I missed out on all the good hair bands.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Erin,
      You're very welcome! I hope you enjoy the series, thanks for coming by!

      Delete
  7. My favorite 80's band was the Bangles. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Crystal,
      I remember everyone trying to "Walk Like An Egyptian"!! They are still cool. :) Thanks for coming by!

      Delete
  8. Favorite 80's band: New Edition and BBD.
    if I am lucky enough to win, I gotta start with book 1 so I can really enjoy this series

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chinyere,
      I hope you enjoy the series! Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  9. HI, I have never read a book a JD and hope to soon. Thanks for introducing me.
    debby236 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Debby,
      I do hope you enjoy my Pack boys! Thanks for stopping by! :)

      Delete
  10. I remember when MTV debuted, it was a lot of fun to watch the music videos, until they stopped playing them. I'm not sure what MTV is about now. I don't remember any special videos from back then but one I like right now is Train's 50 Ways to Say You Died - it's a hoot.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh, 80's Hairband music! LOVE it!!!! I still listen to it and have got my teen nieces & 12 yo nephew into it. I used to watch Mtv all the time, especially loved the head-bangers ball on Saturday nights, lol.
    I am very eager to read this series, they sound great. Navy Seal-Shifters? Oh, my yes!

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  12. We didn't have cable so I couldn't watch MTV. My favorite band is Heart, then Journey. I'd pick Black Magic. All the covers in this series are fabulous.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Don't remember when MTV debuted. Liked Bon Jovi

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  14. Well as I was born in 1984 I don't quite remember the start of MTV lol Bt I do miss when MTV was jsut that....Music Television. Now it's all just reality shows that are about as real as the tooth fairy.
    Although some of my favorite bands are from the 80s! I love Bon Jovi AC/DC MEtallica Led Zepplin......the list goes on and on. Music and Books are my loves.

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  15. Umm really don't remember when it debuted but i remember when they use to have Headbanger's ball.. They use to show some kick ass videos when I was a teen (that was the 90's). Then it went to rap and crap... Ricki Rachtman! Man I miss that!

    80's? Aerosmith, Bon Jovi! Alice Cooper! Cinderella! GN'R! Poison! LOL! Yes I loved my hair bands!

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  16. Metallica is my favorite from the 80s! Thanks for the chance to win!

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  17. The earliest video that I remember is Centerfold by The J. Geils Band. I can still see the drumstick going down to hit the snare drum full of milk. I'm not sure what age I was when it came out though. We didn't have cable back then but I saw the video at a friend's. It had to be early 80's though. Since MTV came about in '81 I was only five at the time so it must have been like 2 or 3 years after that.

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  18. I don't remember when MTV debuted.
    Can't wait to read this series and i love cover books to :)
    Thanks for chance to win.

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  19. I am too young for that :D
    Thanks for the giveaway

    ReplyDelete
  20. I remember when MTV premiered. Video Killed the Radio Star by the Buggles was first. I also remember going to a viewing party for the premier of Michael Jackson's Thriller video on MTV. I guess I can now use the phrase, back in my day... Lol

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  21. Lol, awesome interview ladies, thank you for the laughs. I was not allowed to watch MTV, my parents thought that rubbish. But of course I could listen to the radio. I am not much of a band lover, I like voices or songs. But I do know Bon Jovi, Abba and everyone else named here. One of my most favourite songs of that time: Belfast Child by the Simple Minds.

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  22. Brilliant interview!! so funny :D I was a 0's kid but my parents never stopped playing their 80's faves so I was brought up on Duran Duran , The Cure,The Smiths, Bangles, U2 they are all the bands I can remember from the top of my head so they must of stuck :D lol
    Loving the blog tour thanks for the interview and giveaway :)

    amieesnow(at)gmail(dot)com

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  23. Awesome interview!! Thank you all so much for making me smile and giggle this morning. I so remember MTV, at the time it was just scandalous, which of course made us want to watch all the more LOL I love a good music video, but my all time favorite was the debut of Thriller with Michael Jackson.

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  24. I vaguely remember it, but I didn't watch it very much. My music was mostly in my room, and the only tv was in the living room.

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  25. Yes, I do recall when MTV...oddly I don't remember the music videos as much as they had Eddie Murphy doing a standup routine and it was the raunchiest stuff I'd ever heard. I seriously didn't understand half the jokes. BAhAhahaha

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  26. I was too young when MTV debuted. I like Bon Jovi and Journey.
    bituin76 at hotmail dot com

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  27. I'm not much into MTV or other music as I prefer folk or country music. Mind you I did have a soft spot for Adam Ant and his song Prince Charming.

    ilona
    felinewyvern at googlemail dot com

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  28. I love this!! I don't remember when MTV debuted and I don't really have a favorite 80's band-unless Poison counts lol...my favorite music video though is "Drowning In Your Love" by the Backstreet Boys, because they get all wet and pretty!!! Yum!!
    Ashley A
    ash_app@hotmail.com

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  29. I couldn't pick up MTV, but my favorite 80's band is Bon Jovi.

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