This Blog Is Disabled.: Determinant by A. M. Hargrove Blog Tour Giveaway

Synopsis:
January St. Davis, on her own since the age of sixteen and struggling to stay in college, thinks she’s scored in a major way when she lands a paid summer internship at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. One evening, after working an especially long shift, a chance encouter with a group of mysterious men alters the course of her life.

Rykerian Yarrister, a Guardian of Vesturon with unearthly powers and impossibly gorgeous looks, finds himself at odds over the human female he recently saved from certain death. When it seems he is on the verge of winning her over, she is ripped from his hands by a strange and powerful being, threatening to destroy her if his demands are not met.

Do Rykerian and the Guardians have the ability to meet this fierce barbarian’s ultimatums, or will January suffer a horrid demise?

Interview with January
• How do you feel about your family, now that you’re an adult?

I look back on my life as a child and wonder how they could have been so cruel. Now that I’m a mother myself, I can’t fathom treating your own flesh and blood that way. I tolerate my mother for my brother and sister’s sake, and I have no respect for the man who I thought was my father. Hatred is such a terrible word and emotion so I back away from that and I try to forgive them for what they did, for they’re small minded people, but it’s difficult at times.

• If you were granted three wishes, what would you ask for?

My life is so complete, I truly feel like I am living the dream. So...I would only ask for one wish and that would be for my husband’s brother to have his life back.

• What three things would you take to a Desert Island?

Rykerian, of course! Food and water. With those, I would be complete *wink*
• How do you fall in love? At first sight? Over a long period?

Oh, that’s easy! Since I’ve only loved one man, it would have to be love at first sight. Wham and bam. Over and done. One look at him and I was toast. I wouldn’t admit it to myself because he literally scared the behoobies out of me. Seriously...I didn’t know what to do, how to act, what to say! I was like a fish out of water with him. And then I made such a complete and utter fool out of myself. No one had ever shown me affection like he did so I didn’t know how to act. Here he was, laying his heart at me feet, and I acted like a moron! Can you imagine? But, it all worked out in the end so...what can I say?

• What parts of loving come easy for you? Hard?

Dear lord, if you only knew! Living with a Vesturion is like living with an overprotective lion for a spouse. I’m not saying I would trade it for anything in the world, because I wouldn’t. But Vesturions have this thing about revering their mates. And being overprotective is part of their whole make-up. I was raised with nobody that gave a damn about me, so can you imagine the adjustment I had to make? Loving Rykerian is effortless. It’s everything that is attached to it that’s difficult. The reality is that having someone care that deeply about you is so moving, so heartening, and knowing he would do anything for you, makes whatever struggles you endure worth all the effort.

• How do you decide if you can trust someone? Experience with others? with this person? First impressions? Intuition? Do you test the person somehow? Or are you just generally disposed to trust or not to trust?

Until Rykerian came into my life, trust didn’t exist. He taught me how to do that. He showed me by demonstrating it and he earning it. I was the one who feared it, but he broke down my walls and somehow got through. And as much as he hates to hear this, Jurek was a big part of that too. They both made me realize that my fears of not trusting were misplaced. Jurek told me that I should fear living my life without Rykerian instead of fearing the whole trust thing. Since then, I’ve been learning a bit at a time, to trust others by my experiences with them. I’m still a bit unsure of myself, but learning more every day.

• When you walk into a room, what do you expect people to notice about you?

I don’t want them to notice anything about me. I’d rather blend in with the walls. I’m terribly shy at times, so I’m the type that would rather sink into the background.

• Describe yourself to me.

I don’t have a very healthy opinion of myself, which comes from years of living with my parents. I was never praised for anything so I never developed any confidence in myself or my abilities. I was extremely smart in school but I didn’t know my background then...my father was Vesturion so my IQ was through the roof. I graduated from high school two years early and everything still came relatively easy for me. Even though I was academically gifted, I struggled in college, because my parents left me high and dry and I didn’t have any money. I worked a couple of jobs and worried constantly and I suppose it all took its toll on me. To this day, I’m still trying to shed that ball and chain I carry from my youth. Rykerian praises me constantly, but I believe confidence is built gradually in an individual and you can’t one day wake up and say, “Okay, I’m good with the confidence thing now.” Maybe someday I’ll hold my own, but it won’t be anytime soon.

• Is one sense more highly developed than another? (Are you more visual, or audial, etc, or do you rely on the famous sixth sense?)

Since I’m half Vesturion, all of my senses are highly developed. I never understood this before so it was such a relief to me when I found out I wasn’t a freak. So to answer your question, I would have to say all of the above!
• What really moves you, or touches you to the soul?

The way Rykerian feels about me. Like I said before, no one ever really gave a damn about me so when he demonstrated how true his feelings were for me, I was so humbled by him. I still am...just to think how much he loves me. And the feelings are mutual too.

• What is one physical attribute you are proud of?

Ha! That would be my Power of Speed. I just love to run so fast. It’s such an amazing feeling to move through space with the wind against your skin.

• What do you consider your greatest achievement?

I can’t pick one because there are two. One is that I’m married to Rykerian and the other is our child, Therron.

• What is your idea of perfect happiness?

A day when Rykerian and I don’t fight over who gets to hold Therron!

• What is your most treasured possession?

Since I never had many things growing up, I’m not very materialistic. My most treasured possession is my relationship with my mate.

• What or who is the greatest love of your life?

Easy--Rykerian!

• What is your favorite journey?

There are so many places to visit on Vesturon that I haven’t even had time to see so I would have to say that. Everywhere I have been though is incredibly beautiful.

• What is your most marked characteristic?

My eyes...my husband says they are hypnotic.
• What is it that you most dislike?

Mean and spiteful people.

• What is your greatest fear?

Having Rykerian go off to fight the Xanthians and not come home. I have nightmares about that.

• What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Strength. Both of my sisters-in-law are extremely strong women and I am so envious of them for that. That’s something I would love to develop, but again, it’s one of those qualities that must be built over time.

Thanks for inviting me here today! I’ve had such a great time :-))

A little about me:
One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn't do something soon, it would quickly be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life. So, she rolled down the passenger window of her fabulous (not) company car and tossed out her leather briefcase. Luckily, the pedestrian in the direct line of fire was a dodgeball pro and had über quick reflexes enabling him to avoid getting bashed in the head. Feeling a tad guilty about the near miss, A. M. made a speedy turn down a deserted side street before tossing her crummy, outdated piece-of-you-know-what lap top out the window. She breathed a liberating sigh of relief, picked up her cell phone and hit #4 on her speed dial.

A.M.’s Boss: Hello.

A.M: Hey Boss, I'm calling to let you know you can pick up my luxury Ford Focus at Starbucks near the interstate.

A.M.’s Boss: Why ever would I want to do that?

A.M.: Because I quit!

A.M. hit the end button and speed dialed her husband.

A.M.: Hey hubs, can you pick me up at Starbucks?

A.M.’s Hubs: Sure...having some car trouble?

A.M.: Not at all. I don't have a car to have trouble with because I just quit my job.

A.M.’s Hubs: WHAT?!

A.M.: It's time for a new career and I am going to be a very famous novelist.

So began A. M. Hargrove's career as a young adult paranormal romance author of self-published ebooks. Her series, The Guardians of Vesturon, centers around a family of six siblings and is a mix of humor, mystery, suspense and of course, love. Survival and Resurrection are her first and second full length novels, and Beginnings is her prequel novella to the series. Determinant, her third in the series will be released 6/30/12.

(It didn’t really happen like that, but you get the idea!)

Book Links:

The Guardians of Vesturon is available from the following retailers:

Amazon ebook: http://amzn.to/I5RCcQ

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/Lg7mJm

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/JwH3yf

iTunes: http://bit.ly/NqYDmo

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=a+m+hargrove

Where You Can Find Me:

Blog: http://www.amhargrove.blogspot.com

Website: http://www.amhargrove.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/anne.m.hargrove

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/guardiansofvesturon