Tucson Festival of Books 2013

Chronus and I at the Tucson Festival of Books

Chronus hands out dog biscuits and bookmarks

Kari Thomas, paranormal romance author,

 turns

 hairdresser for the day.

"Relaxing the Writer"

Writers relaxing at my "Relaxing the Writer" Workshop

Sunday at the Arizona Dreamin' Valley of the Sun RWA Booth

The 2013 Tucson Festival of Books was a giant event held on the University of Arizona campus (during Spring Break). 

More than 300 presentation, panel discussions, and 275 exhibitors delighted the crowds. The fourth largest event like this in the U.S., authors included Jodi Picoult, Maggie Stiefvater, Nevada Barr, J.A. Jance. James Rollins, Diana Gabaldon, R.L. Stine, some others, and me.

Despite the cold rainy Saturday (cold for Tucson), 120,000 people attended enjoyed the programs, food and fun. I presented my Relaxing the Writer workshop in a warm dry room.

Sunday was perfect with something for everyone. I especially loved spending the day in the energetic Arizona Dreamin' booth managed by the amazing Kris Tualla and Morgan Kearns!

Dragons Are Forever - Kari Thomas thanks Anne McCaffrey

Anne McCaffrey, The "Dragon Lady," "Mistress of Pern," and the first woman author to win the top two science fiction writing prizes, the Hugo and the Nebula award for Dragonflight, passed at age 85 on November 2st. Her book The White Dragon became one of the first science fiction novels to reach the New York Times Best Seller List.

The first time I picked up Dragonflight I was already devouring books and getting the seed of an idea to write my own. I immediately became happily lost in the world of Pern. No fairy tales here. No fantasy dragon story. Anne McCaffrey immersed me in a complicated science fiction world with more depth than I, at first, comprehended. I have to admit that I skipped over a lot of stuff and concentrated on the dragons' stories.

Ahh, the dragons! Incredible flying creatures of all shapes, sizes and colors. I couldn't get enough of them. I couldn't choose a favorite because I loved them all

I sat down to write my own dragon stories. Lucky for the reading world, those stories were eventually filed away in the garbage (LOL). But they were FUN to write! 

I never lost that fascination with Anne's dragons of Pern. I devoured ---er---read all her books, and still dreamed of writing my own. Years, and eight published books, later, I’ve set aside my cat-shifters (temporarily) and written my own dragon story. Inspired by Anne, in Surrender Her Touch I created a clan of dragon shapeshifters in a mountain compound, who mingle with humans in the city below, but keep their heritage secret.

A heartfelt thanks to Anne McCaffrey who gave readers a world of dragons that will live forever and inspired so many of us.

Happy Reading HUGS!

Kari Thomas

Surrender Her Touch 

(Release date: 
Dec. 7, 2011 - 

Paranormal Romance 
from Eternal Press). 

Sexy dragon-shifter Slade has to convince Summer, the only woman capable of healing dragon-shifters, to save his dragon ruler's life from a mysterious illness. Summer’s horrific memories convince her she would rather see them all dead. 

A sensual love-hate romance filled with dragons, danger and death.

Why I Write Fantasy - Kari Thomas

Amber: Welcome Kari Thomas, paranormal romance author who adds a touch of humor to her fantasy. Tell me, Kari, why do you write fantasy?

Kari: WHY? Because I’m insane. Okay, before you shake your head, think about it. Authors spend a large amount of their time writing. We end up living in the world(s) we create, and sharing countless experiences with our characters. Contemporary writers get the opportunity to “live in the here and now, real world” with their characters. But, a Fantasy writer? Nope. Imaginative worlds, weird and intriguing characters, and anything your crazy brain can create. In an author’s Fantasy world, you can escape from reality for a short time.

Amber: Tell me how humor and fantasy work together for you. 

Kari: I love adding humorous moments to my stories. Writing humor into fantasy is always a good way to break up the constant darkness that the plot has to have.  Spell-Kissed's heroine is a bumbling witch whose spells go wrong every time her emotions are involved while spell-casting. Imagine her chagrin when the oh-so-secy hero affects her constantly.

Amber: Why do you think readers love fantasy?

Kari: For the author and for the reader, Fantasy brings limitless possibilities you can only dream about, and proves that the Magic of Love has no boundaries.

Amber: Would you write fantasy even if no one read it?

Kari: A most definite YES! I write what I love to read, and to be able to create and control my own fantasy worlds is something I couldn’t give up --- even if no one else ever read it. It’s that “insanity” part of me!

And it’s FUN! Imagine living in a world where sexy Shapeshifters, intriguing Vampires, heroic Angels, and even mysterious-but-hunky Demons roam. Imagine being able to create AND control a world that brings your reader into it like a willing captive and keeps her there as she experiences every thing that happens in this Fantasy. I write what I love to read, and it’s a great feeling to be able to share

All of my paranormal romances are unique and different from the norm. Sure, I have incredibly sexy male heroes and brave heroines, but I write each book with plots that you won’t find elsewhere.


Want a hero that is half Angel and half Demon? HER HEART HIS SOUL has Drake who fights an inner battle against both his natures.


Want a hero that is so Alpha Wolf Shifter that he doesn’t know the word “no”, and only concentrates on his “prey”? PREY FOR THE WOLF has Kane who sets his prey-sights on his brother’s fiancé.


What about a Cougar Shifter who is the head of a household of unique and various species shapeshifters? You’ll find sexy Aiden in TEMPTATION UNLEASHED.


Want the ultimate hero who tries to put Honor above his own wants and needs, his uncontrollable lust? Logan in HUNTED MATE is that hero! How about a sexy cowboy-turned rancher who is all male-sexy --- but vows to never allow love into his life again?

In SEDUCING THE HERO, poor Colt doesn’t stand a chance against the feisty witch heroine, but he’s going to try and resist as long as he can!


And, in UNDER A SHIFTER’S MOON there’s Lyon. A too-sexy-too-Alpha-for-his-own-good hero who has to make a fateful decision that will either destroy his Jaguar Pride or kill the woman he loves.


Who wouldn’t love spending time in those worlds, with these characters? Okay, maybe you have to be a bit insane too, like me, but hey … it’s FUN! And that’s why I write Fantasy!

Amber: Thanks Kari, for taking time from your fantasy worlds to visit Wordshaping.

Kari Thomas lives in Northern Arizona, and divides her time between taking care of her dad and writing. When life gets overly hectic she retreats into one of her fantasy stories.

Kari has eight paranormal romances and two shorts published. She knows there is no cure for insanity, so it appears she is destined to continue writing fantasy stories for years to come!

Kari's latest release is HOLD ONTO THE NIGHT from All Romance Books. It's a hot short contemporary romance(in ebook format only). Proceeds to benefit the American Heart Association.

To learn more about Kari’s worlds visit her website!

Kari's Contest

To win a pdf copy of HOLD ONTO THE NIGHT,

leave a comment answering the question:

"What 3 awards did Kari win on one day?
(See her website.)

Why I Write Fantasy - Kari Thomas

Amber: Welcome Kari Thomas, paranormal romance author. Tell me, Why do you write fantasy?

Kari: WHY? Because I’m insane. Okay, before you shake your head, think about it. Authors spend a large amount of their time writing. We end up living in the world(s) we create, and sharing countless experiences with our characters. Contemporary writers get the opportunity to “live in the here and now, real world” with their characters. But, a Fantasy writer? Nope. Imaginative worlds, weird and intriguing characters, and anything your crazy brain can create. In an author’s Fantasy world, you can escape from reality for a short time.

Amber: Why do you think readers love fantasy?

Kari: For the author and for the reader, Fantasy brings limitless possibilities you can only dream about, and proves that the Magic of Love has no boundaries.

Amber: Would you write fantasy even if no one read it?

Kari: A most definite YES! I write what I love to read, and to be able to create and control my own fantasy worlds is something I couldn’t give up --- even if no one else ever read it. It’s that “insanity” part of me!
And it’s FUN! Imagine living in a world where sexy Shapeshifters, intriguing Vampires, heroic Angels, and even mysterious-but-hunky Demons roam. Imagine being able to create AND control a world that brings your reader into it like a willing captive and keeps her there as she experiences every thing that happens in this Fantasy. I write what I love to read, and it’s a great feeling to be able to share
All of my paranormal romances are unique and different from the norm. Sure, I have incredibly sexy male heroes and brave heroines, but I write each book with plots that you won’t find elsewhere.

Want a hero that is half Angel and half Demon? HER HEART HIS SOUL has Drake who fights an inner battle against both his natures.

Want a hero that is so Alpha Wolf Shifter that he doesn’t know the word “no”, and only concentrates on his “prey”? PREY FOR THE WOLF has Kane who sets his prey-sights on his brother’s fiancé.

What about a Cougar Shifter who is the head of a household of unique and various species shapeshifters? You’ll find sexy Aiden in TEMPTATION UNLEASHED.

Want the ultimate hero who tries to put Honor above his own wants and needs, his uncontrollable lust? Logan in HUNTED MATE is that hero! How about a sexy cowboy-turned rancher who is all male-sexy --- but vows to never allow love into his life again?

In SEDUCING THE HERO, poor Colt doesn’t stand a chance against the feisty witch heroine, but he’s going to try and resist as long as he can!

And, in UNDER A SHIFTER’S MOON there’s Lyon. A too-sexy-too-Alpha-for-his-own-good hero who has to make a fateful decision that will either destroy his Jaguar Pride or kill the woman he loves.

Who wouldn’t love spending time in those worlds, with these characters? Okay, maybe you have to be a bit insane too, like me, but hey … it’s FUN! And that’s why I write Fantasy!

Amber: Thanks Kari, for taking time from your fantasy worlds to visit Wordshaping.

Kari Thomas lives in Northern Arizona, and divides her time between taking care of her dad and writing. When life gets overly hectic she retreats into one of her fantasy stories.
Kari has six paranormal romances and two shorts published. She knows there is no cure for insanity, so it appears she is destined to continue writing fantasy stories for years to come! 


Kari's latest release is Hold on to the Night from All Romance Books. It's a hot short contemporary romance
(in ebook format only).  
 Proceeds to benefit the American Heart Association.

Leave a comment or 
send Kari an email

To learn more about Kari’s worlds visit 

her website!

The Paranormal Romance & the Normal Writer!

Welcome Kari,

With five books out with different publishers, my guest Kari Thomas is an expert on what's happening in paranormal romance. She's also an experienced reviewer and editor. First Kari, is it true you're descended from Scottish psychics? And how does that affect your writing?
(I promised not to ask about kilts.)

Lets just say ....it can be very beneficial when you meet a sexy werewolf. I dont have to WONDER about what he's thinking! LOL!

Can a normal person write paranormal?

NOPE. You have to be completely insane. Why else would someone even ATTEMPT to write a paranormal without a bit of craziness in their thoughts? Hey! That just labeled me, didn't it?
Kari, have you always lived on the paranormal side?

If I answered that, I'd be in soooooooo much trouble!

How does writing about shapeshifters affect your day to day life?

I can't look at a dog or cat or any other animal without wondering: Shifter or normal? That's bad. Especially embarrassing when you catch yourself asking a pet owner : "So, does FiFi shift only at night, or does he do the day too?"

Paranoral romance has been so popular for so long? Do you think the end is in sight?

Say it isn't so! Can you imagine being an author who writes mainly in the Paranormal Romance Genre and one day reading that it's going the way of all "fads"? Well! I'm not going down without a fight! I'll fight to the end! I'll take no prisoners! I'll win the battle AND the war!

Oh. Wait a minute. I got carried away there. It's not that drastic. Yet. Ages ago when the Paranormal Romance popped up, publishers were a bit hesitant and skeptical. But readers quickly showed them there was a great yearning for this genre and a new age was issued in. It happened quick and became so popular there were suddenly thousands of books out there with this theme. Heroes were turning dark and wild. Readers no longer heard the word "Vampire" and went "Eeewwww!" Now, it's "Oh sigh, he can bite me anytime!" And don't get me started on those sexy Shapeshifters! Hairy or not, those heroes are definitely to "sigh/die" for!

Do you think there are too many Paranormal Romances on the Market?

Hey! Too many? Are you kidding? Tell that to a dedicated Book-a-holic and you'll get a fight.

Maybe, just maybe, there are a lot. But each book is unique, has its own special characters, and holds its own, in the Romance industry, against the other books. Publishers may complain they're getting too many Paranormal Romance submissions lately, but readers are still yelling: "Give me more!" There may come a time when those same readers are going to have to stand up and fight anyway (Hey, I'm so there!) but until then, we'll keep writing those sexy paranormal romances and they'll keep reading them. Gotta love that!

So, besides reading, tell me about your own paranormals and any Snoopy dancing moments.

HUNTED MATE won the Best Erotica 2008 Golden Rose Awards! That was a Snoopy Dance moment, to say the least, because there was a lot of great competition! It's released by Black Lyon and has a book video on YouTube. The hero is a Cat Shifter, and the model on the cover, Sean, is so perfect for Logan! TEMPTATION UNLEASHED was a Best seller in 2007 and still does great. Of course, its a Paranormal Romance, and the hero is another Cat Shifter, with the heroine as a Witch. With A Samhain book, it's now in both Print and Ebook and still receives a lot of great Reviews. SEDUCING THE HERO is a contemporary with "a touch of magic" that adds humor as well as magic and LOTS of passion. It's Novella length, (approx 24,00 words) but is ALSO available in Print format at Amazon.com ; It's with www.eternalpress.ca and the Snoopy Dance moment there definitely was hearing that such a short book would be available in Print! Yay to Eternal Press & Amazon!

HER HEART, HIS SOUL (Book Strand) is a darker paranormal romance with Angel-Demons. I was so worried that because it was a bit different from the normal paranormal romance out there right now, that it wouldn't spark enough attention. BUT! I've received so many FANTASTIC Reviews! It comes out in Print in late August 2009 but is available in Ebook.
My latest is PREY FOR THE WOLF and will be out with Eternal Press in late October 2009. It's another Novella length and so will ALSO be available in Print as well as Ebook. The hero is a Wolf Shifter ---and one of the sexiest I've wrote to date! I will have the cover up on my website as soon as it's available.

All my books are available in Ebook and Print, which I'm so proud of! For more, about my current books check out my website

Anything new coming along you can tell us about?

Hmmm. How to answer that modestly....cause I wanna give hints! I'm working on my next Novel and it will probably be my longest length to date. Gotta hint that THIS ONE is going to be a SEXY, HOT, Paranormal Romance that will knock your socks off! (Smiling here) Okay, modestly, let's just say that I'm HOPING it will knock socks off.

Thanks, Kari, so much for visiting. I'd wave goodbye, but I'm holding on to my socks.
Thanks, and hugs,
Kari.
Keep Reading! I'll keep Writing!
KARI'S CONTEST!Here's a great deal. A chance to win twice! BOGOF: Buy one book from my list, send me the Proof of Purchase to authorkari@yahoo.com and I will send you a FREE .PDF book of your choice from my list. TWO books for the price of one!