Feature on Olivia Gates, Claiming His Own and Giveaways!

Today's feature is on Author Olivia Gates.

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 And please get in this Giveaway for a chance to win Olivia Gates latest release! Over to Olivia now...

Who is Olivia Gates.

I've been many things in my life. I was a singer, a painter…and a doctor…among other things. :-) I guess I'm all that still, just not professionally anymore, as a couple of years ago many changes in my life situation made me stop practicing medicine. I also had to prioritize one of my passions, so now I write full time.

What inspired you to be a writer?

I never thought I'd end up writing professionally one day. I of course always wrote, and my teachers and other people said I had a knack for it, but I didn't think I'd ever take it father than that. Then I got my first computer in 2001 and discovered the internet and found Harlequin.com and discovered they take submissions. So I started sending out submissions of as yet unwritten work. And then I discovered that writing books actually has to be learned, not to mention the whole business of publishing. It took me two years to sell my first book, Doctors On the Frontline, and I've since written 36 books!

How did you chose your genre?

Actually, I didn't. I started writing paranormals, but at the time there was no market for them, and everyone kept telling me I should write what I know, and in my case that's exotic men and medicine! :-) So I did write that and sold my first book to Medical Romance. Then I was handpicked by the great editor and mentor Leslie Wainger to write for the then heroine-focused line Bombshell. I wrote two books for that line, before it regretfully folded. My heroine was a doctor who was trained by her mentor-turned-enemy-turned-lover to become a lethal commando. Then I went back to writing what I know, the exotic locales and men of the desert. I started writing for Desire then with The Desert Lord's Baby, the first book in my bestselling trilogy, Throne Of Judar. Then I finally went back to my first love and wrote paranormals for Harlequin Nocturne—where I wrote two novellas. I'm now writing my exotic heroes and locales and sizzlingly passionate modern fairytales for Desires, while also writing two single titles paranormal series. Here's hoping I'll soon be able to publish those! 

What made you tell this story and why did you write this book?

CLAIMING HIS OWN is the story of Caliope Sarantos, whom my readers met before in Aristedes Sarantos-her eldest brother's book THE SARANTOS SECRET BABY. She told me that she had a secret and even her brother knew she was keeping one that even with his massive power, he couldn't find out. It turned out this secret was her affair with Maksim Volkov, a multi-billionaire Russian steel magnate. They fell in lust at first glance, but because of both of their complex pasts, neither wanted anything more than a affair. Or so they thought. When she becomes pregnant a year into the affair, it changes everything. Though Maksim insists he'd make the baby his heir, he as adamantly insists he wouldn't take part in its upbringing, but that he wants to remain her lover…until she doesn't want him anymore. Unable to end things with him, she agrees to his terms. Still, two months before she gives birth…he disappears. Then a year later, he's back, offering what he never did before…but when he tells her why he left, what the future might hold for them if she agrees to become his wife and let him be their son's father… a rollercoaster of emotions and angst and passion and heartache ensues. 

I really hope my readers enjoy this book as much as I loved writing it. It's been getting fantastic reviews. It even earned me a fantastic quote from #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Sylvia Day, who said: " "I'm a big fan of Olivia Gates and her sizzling alpha heroes, who fall hard for their worthy heroines. In her latest "Billionaires and Babies" installment, Maksim and Caliope's affair ended when Maksim disappeared from her life. Now he's back, but is it too late to mend what he's broken? No one does seduction and reparation better than Gates."

It also earned me a Top Pick review from RT Bookreviews Magazine, where the reviewer says: "Gates has a gift for writing multidimensional characters and emotionally driven stories that resonate and stay with readers. Her latest is no exception. Set against the beautiful and expertly described backdrop of Russia, Claiming His Own is a beautiful love story that readers won’t want to put down."

How did you come up with the title?

I usually suggest titles to my editor, and she ends up picking one or adjusting it to suit the marketing strategy of the line or the line-up during that month. I wanted to call it Volkov's Heir (as it is a Billionaires & Babies book) but they ended up settling for Claiming His Own. 

Now, to celebrate being here, I'm giving away two ebook copies of CLAIMING HIS OWN to two winners from those who comment. 

Thank you for having me. :-)

Olivia

 

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