Author Interview & Dual Review: Keep Me Safe – Maya Banks

We have Maya Banks with us today chatting about her release, KEEP ME SAFE.  Help me in welcoming Maya to Cocktails and Books.

Tell us about yourself

I’m really boring and lead a pretty uneventful life! A fact I’m actually grateful for. With three teenagers in the house, that’s usually a recipe for a LOT of craziness. But they’re great kids, and my boys especially really look out for their “mama” and I have a very close relationship with ALL my children. When I’m facing a really tough deadline, I don’t get to see my family as much as I’d like, but they are super understanding and very supportive of my career. As a rule, my favorite place in the world to be is home. I enjoy nothing more than surrounding myself with my husband and kids and enjoying home-cooked meals and everyone talking about their day.

What three things about you might surprise your readers?

I’m a huge introvert. I’m very uncomfortable in social settings and “new environments” I’m very much a creature of habit and it’s hard for me to venture outside of my comfort zone.

Despite what I write, I’m actually quite conservative and “boring!” (IOW, NO I do not “live” my books and yes I DO get asked that…)

I am pop cultire illiterate. I don’t watch television VERY rarely and when I do, it’s always HGTV or the history channel. I have no clue whatsoever what the popular shows are on network television and I never base my characters on actors/actresses nor would I have a clue who’d I’d cast if one of my books were made into a movie. (Another VERY common question and one I don’t have an answer to!) My heroes especially, aren’t “pretty” and polished, fashion conscious guys like hollywood stars are. They’re rough, not afraid to get their hands dirty and are more comfortable in jeans (or combat gear haha) than anything else, though I HAVE written very wealthy heroes who indulge in expensive clothing, but even then they certainly aren’t patterned after ANYONE except who I create in my head. They’re each UNIQUE individuals that are born in my imagination. I consider it “cheating” to copy another personality or even “look” for one of my characters!

Is there a genre(s) that you think “I might like to write one of those.”?

Honestly, I’ve written in every genre I’ve had any interest in. I’ve written straight contemporary, erotic romance, romantic suspense, paranormals and Scottish historicals. So there really isn’t much I HAVEN’T written and certainly nothing left that I’m dying to write but haven’t yet.

Where did the idea for the storyline for Keep Me Safe come from?

Keep Me Safe is a story that has literally been brewing in the back of my mind for YEARS. And when I say years, I really mean MANY years. It’s hard when you have a fully formed idea that you LOVE but don’t know when or if you’ll ever be able to write that story.

And the way it came to pass was a complete and unexpected surprise. I was chatting with Avon editor, May Chen, at an RT conference, as we both LOVE to dish books, and we have the same “tastes” and fully admit to loving CRACK. We somehow got on the subject of my idea for a story I LOVED and had thought of years earlier and when I outlined it to her, she literally pounced and said OMG you HAVE to write that for me. I LOVE it.

To make a long story short, that casual chat turned into a book deal with a new publisher and editor I’d never worked with, and the Slow Burn series was born and not only did I get to tell Caleb and Ramie’s story, one that had lived in my head for YEARS, but I ALSO got to write yet ANOTHER story that has lived almost as equally long in my head that I absolutely LOVE and am SO excited to write. (It will be book 3 in the series, Safe at Last)

What do you think readers will like/love about Ramie and Caleb? 

There is just this intensity to them as a couple that is tangible on page. From the very first moment we see them together, even though it’s not in a “positive” light, there is still this intensity radiating from Caleb especially and while Ramie’s intensity is a quieter thing, it’s no less intense than Caleb. Just different.

Their relationship is volatile from the very start. When they reconnect a year after Caleb forces her to help him find his kidnapped sister, the tension crackles, not only between them, but in every aspect. It’s not a “quiet” calm read by any stretch. It’s a very raw, highly emotional read from start to finish and I think readers will be holding their breath until the very end. I know I was and I knew what was going to happen! LOL

What was your favorite scene from the book?

Sometimes my favorite scenes aren’t necessarily “good” scenes and what I mean by that, is that sometimes my favorite scenes are the gut wrenching black moment scenes because I love angst and emotion and characters agonizing over things that have happened or that they’ve done.

So for me, while I had many scenes in this book that I loved, my favorite is the “dark moment” when Caleb realizes what he has done to Ramie and is devastated that he was capable of such horrific actions against someone he loves more than life itself. (It would be a spoiler to explain any further, but once you read it, you’ll understand exactly what it means that Caleb wouldn’t have been cognizant of what he “does” to the woman he loves)

Who are some of your book boyfriends?  What draws you to them?

I honestly don’t have “book boyfriends” in the way most people mean. And if I were to point to heroes I love the most, I’d end up picking MINE, which may sound arrogant or egotistical, but it’s not at all. It only makes sense that I would WRITE a character I LOVED, otherwise I wouldn’t write them the way I do, so it would follow that my heroes would be my favorites in romance novels. Because I get to incorporate all MY favorite characteristics, whereas another author would write her hero according to what SHE likes, so it would stand to reason I’d love mine more. But I do admit to loving me some Kresley Cole “wolf” heroes in her IAD series. The wolfies are my absolute fave.

If you had to pick a favorite cocktail of choice, what would it be?  (It can be non-alcoholic too)

Well, as mentioned above, I’m boring, and I don’t drink alcohol, certainly not for lack of trying! I keep thinking that wine just LOOKS like it would taste so yummy but alas, I just can’t stand the smell OR taste of ANY alcohol, whether it’s wine, liquor or beer (omg beer is just bloody awful!)

So if I had to name anything resembling a cocktail (ok so this totally DOESN’T) but I’m addicted to crushed ice. Sometimes I pour flavored sodas into very finely crushed ice (think snow cone) so I have an orange or grape slushie but my favorite is just plain crushed ice.

What’s next for you? 

Well, I have two more books coming up in the Slow Burn Series, In His Keeping and Safe at Last. Then I have the 10^th KGI book releasing (Hancock’s story!) and THEN a brand new erotic romance series called The Enforcers, and I’m VERY excited about The Enforcers because I’m really giving myself complete freedom to stretch the boundaries and the heroes are more of an “anti hero” than a typical romance “hero”  And I do love anti heroes…*shiver*

A sizzling story of a woman who risks her life and her heart to find a wealthy man’s missing sister—the first novel in a sexy new romantic suspense series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Maya Banks

When Caleb Devereaux’s younger sister is kidnapped, this scion of a powerful and wealthy family turns to an unlikely source for help: a beautiful and sensitive woman with a gift for finding answers others cannot.

While Ramie can connect to victims and locate them by feeling their pain, her ability comes with a price. Every time she uses it, it costs her a piece of herself. Helping the infuriatingly attractive and impatient Caleb successfully find his sister nearly destroys her. Even though his sexual intensity draws her like a magnet, she needs to get as far away from him as she can.

Deeply remorseful for the pain he’s caused, Caleb is determined to make things right. But just when he thinks Ramie’s vanished forever, she reappears. She’s in trouble and she needs his help. Now, Caleb will risk everything to protect her—including his heart. . . .

Series: Slow Burn #1
Release Date: October 7th 2014
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Source: Edelweiss
Reviewer: Sheri
Rating:

Buy the book at:

BookBud’s Thoughts

3.5 Stars

A suspenseful ride into the minds of physics who have the power to save and to also be the victim. Successful business man Caleb Devereaux  whose sister has been kidnapped with no clues to her whereabouts desperately needs the help of physic Raime, who happens to be in hiding herself to escape a physic connection to a deranged serial killer.

Raime just wants to be left alone. But when Caleb finds her he forces her to help him, but he doesn’t know the extent of her powers. When she touches something that belongs to the victim she starts living the nightmare they are living. She feels all the pain and suffering they feel. She can also see where they are being held. Caleb feels guilty after he sees what helping him has done to Raime. He vows to come back and help her but she is long gone when he finally comes looking for her.

When danger is near Riame again she has no choice but to call on the only man that offered her help after helping the victim. Caleb.
The attraction between these seemed a little on the rushed side. I mean they only had met once and all of sudden Caleb was in love with her. The story was good and very suspenseful but the chemistry between the two leads seemed hurried. But.  The last few chapters had me yelling at my kindle. I think the last few chapters is what really saved this book from being a 2 star read.  Would I recommend this read? Yes I would.

Sheri’s Thoughts

3 Stars

Caleb will do anything to save his sister, even if it harms another. That’s a lot of devotion on his part, and I understood that. I even understood how Ramie forgives him for the pain because his sister is saved. I had a bit of a problem with how easily everyone just accepts psychics, and how quickly when Caleb and Ramie meet again that they fall into bed. I did enjoy how Ms. Banks addresses some issues between Caleb and Ramie that a lot of authors just ignore. That was refreshing, and it does have a great twist with some crazy almost paranormal elements that I didn’t see coming. It did work for the story, but again, I was not convinced by how easily that everyone including police departments accepted psychics. Maybe I missed something and this was a paranormal, but I thought and felt like it was a normal contemporary going in. I do think it is a good first story in a new series. I will be looking to read the next books.

I do think this could be a great series and the book was entertaining, since I do love paranormal, but a reader who goes into this expecting a normal contemporary, might be put off a bit by the twist and strong psychic elements. I will be watching this series, and fans of Maya Banks will definitely enjoy this story.

My name is Maya Banks and I live in Texas with my husband and three children and our assortment of pets. I’m more of a cat person, but my daughter became convinced she NEEDED a dog. So convinced in fact that it became her mission to convince her father and me. She prepared a two page hand written proposal that detailed WHY she needed a dog, and well, after I sent her to her father (I knew he wouldn’t tell her no) we embarked on the search for the perfect dog. The journey that was two hours away and that I got pulled over for speeding while I was on the phone with my agent who had an offer from a publisher for one of my books… The officer wasn’t impressed. He wrote me a ticket anyway. Thus, I now tell my daughter that her dog turned into one very expensive concession! But isn’t he cute?

When I’m not writing, I love to hunt and fish with my family. We all love the outdoors and go on family hunting trips every year. We also love to travel. One of our more recent trips was to Scotland, which was every bit as comical as National Lampoon’s European Vacation. You know the part about “Look kids, Big Ben, Parliament” as they went round and round the roundabouts? Yeah, that was us, only we couldn’t even get out of the airport in Glasgow without hitting three of those suckers.

Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of a writing career is getting to meet so many wonderful readers. There’s nothing better than dishing books with someone who loves the romance genre as much as I do. Romance readers are passionate and vocal. We love our books, love our happily ever afters, and we love to spend time talking to others about our favorites. THIS is why I love my job so much, and I’m so grateful to readers who gave ME a chance when I began my career. So thank you.

Love,