So, it’s that time again. Back cover copy writing time. This is the little enticing summary at the back of a book that is supposed to tell the reader what the book is about while drawing in their attention with all manner of unanswered questions. So, for my latest novella, THE FEVER & THE FURY (Jan 2012), I’ve come up with the following. Comments & suggestions welcome!

Once, he was an officer and a gentleman, but the horrors of war have transformed Luke Lazaros into an immortal bad boy on the run. Wanted by his own government for spilling state secrets, Luke is haunted by his strange transformation into a phoenix. He’s been changed, body and soul, into a man who cannot die, and his new pyrokinetic powers have somehow unleashed the wrath of the ancient gods. Now he’s stalked by a dark huntress, whose beautiful green eyes blaze like justice. He may not face a judge and jury, but there’s no escaping the eternal torment of a fury. Phaedra is a relentless crusader, torturing him night and day, trying to force him to repent of his supposed crimes. But when Luke realizes that she’s not just a creature of darkness, that she’s also a woman with centuries-old pent-up needs, he turns the tables on her. Phaedra has never been touched by any mortal who wasn’t trying to fend her off…can he seduce her with a smoldering kiss?

For centuries, Phaedra has been a dark force of justice, meting out vengeance. She’s an ancient fury, a tormentor of mortal men. But this time, the man she’s been unleashed upon isn’t mortal at all. Luke Lazaros was transformed by the horrors of war into an immortal bad boy who cannot die. He’s a war-forged phoenix with pyrokinetic powers that make her burn, inside and out. She cannot leave his side until he’s redeemed or driven mad; but he’s too strong–and too stubborn–for her to handle. She needs to make him atone for his crimes, but being near him has become her own personal torment. Phaedra has never touched another person except to inflict pain, and she’s certainly never been touched by anyone who wasn’t trying to fight her off. So when Luke uses pleasure against her, it’s a weapon for which she has no defense. And revenge has never tasted so sweet.

Jeannie Lin is spear-heading an effort to create a collection of romance trading cards for the Romantic Times Convention 2011 in Los Angeles. To that end, I’ve come up with these proto-types. I’m pretty happy with them, but does anybody see any typos or anything I should fix before they go off to the printer?

Day 8 of my 12 Day giveaway extravaganza continues. I’m giving away a free electronic ARC of my latest novella, SIREN SONG or one of my backlist titles to one reader every day for twelve days. All you have to do is answer the question of the day. (Extra points if you tweet or blog or facebook about the giveaway.)

Question: One of the pitfalls of writing paranormal romance is that your heroes can end up having some very strange characteristics that might turn a reader off. Perhaps her heart does not race at the idea of fanged, vampiric necrophilia. Or perhaps the idea of a werewolf hero seems a little bit too close to the bestial line. In the case of Siren Song, I had to deal with the potential of a big fishy tail…does anyone lust after a scaled hero? I think I found a clever way of sidestepping the potential romantic disaster–my erstwhile Naval Academy professor is very sexy–but what are your turn-offs when it comes to paranormal creatures?

Every now and then, a review will make me blush. This one from Chris Jones at Fresh Fiction certainly did:

Alright readers, find a quiet little spot, grab your favorite beverage, and prepare for a treat. Stephanie Draven is a very talented writer, and you will not want to put this book down. When you open POISONED KISSES, you are entering the rich world of mythical War Gods and their offspring… Kyra is a heroine with attitude, searching for meaning and a true purpose for her life… Stephanie Draven is fearless in her writing. She draws you in, leaving you at the crest of the wave wanting more…This book has everything, and I hope she has many more stories for us. She has a new twist on the paranormal, and I greatly enjoyed it. This will be the book you tell your friends about.