Lisa: We’re so pleased to have author Michele Notaro dropping in today on the tour for her new release, The Enchanter’s Flame. Welcome, Michele!

Let’s start with a book related question today: if you could spend some real-life time with one of the characters in The Enchanter’s Flame, who would you choose and why?

Michele: I would choose Ailin because he’s a major jerk, but he’s funny, and underneath it all, he’s really a good guy. I think it would be fun, plus, his magic would be awesome.

Lisa: Let’s take off your author cap and put on your reader cap for a moment: what do you look for in a book, what sort of protagonists do you love, and do you have a favorite genre/sub-genre?

Michele: I love paranormal, science fiction, and anything that has to do with magic. I’ve always been a huge fan of fantasy books, even when I was a kid, that’s what I would pick. Character-wise, what I look for the most is just having good, deep characters. I don’t mean that they have to be complete angels or something, in fact, I like the rugged guys that have done bad things or are troublemakers—they’re my favorite as long as they have redeeming qualities. But I like to have characters that are complex and not just the typical “what you see is what you get”. I like learning about the characters and peeling back their layers as the story flows.

Lisa: What are your least and most favorite things about being an author?

Michele: My most favorite thing is that I get to do what I love. Even if I wasn’t publishing these books, I would still be writing because the stories and characters compel me to, so it’s absolutely amazing that I get to do this as my job. What I least enjoy is the pressure that comes with it. I’m always worried that my book isn’t good enough and that people won’t like it, every single time I publish. I know I can’t please everyone, but that doesn’t stop me from wishing I could. It’s hard to put yourself out there like that. Each and every book I write has a piece of my heart and soul, so it’s scary when I release it out into the world, but it’s completely worth it because I love sharing my stories and characters with others. It still blows my mind that other people like my stories enough to buy and read them.

Lisa:  If you could choose one of your books to be adapted for the silver screen, which would you choose? Why do you think it would translate well to film?

Michele: If I could choose one of my books/series to be made into a movie, I’d choose my Taoree series (an apocalyptic alien MM, with “kind-of” zombies). There’s a lot of action and mystery and complete heartbreak in this series. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions, so I think it could touch people and make them feel for the characters. I really, really love all of the characters in this series, too. Jeremy is the MC, and the story is told from his perspective. He’s only 18 when the series starts, so he’s a typical college kid, but throughout the series, you get to really see him grow as a person. All of the other characters he’s surrounded with are also amazing and grow throughout, and I really love how they build their own family in such terrible times. And on top of that, there’s a lot of action (and some gore) and pretty cool alien tech, so I think it would be really amazing to see all of that on screen. I also think it would be awesome to hear people speaking Taoree, because yep, I totally made up an alien language for those books! Haha!

Lisa: What’s the one book you’ve read in your lifetime that you wish you’d written? Why did this particular book leave such a lasting impact on you?

Michele: Letters From Rifka by Karen Hesse. I read that book in middle school, and it was extremely emotional. It was heartbreaking and heartwarming, and the first book to make me ugly cry. It was the first book I remember touching me on such a deep level, and I loved every minute of it.

Lisa: If you won the lottery, what’s the first completely self-indulgent thing you’d do?

Michele: Buy some new clothes and a new couch haha. (Not very exciting, I know). Oh, and maybe I’d take my hubby and kids to the Bahamas.

Lisa: Let’s pretend you’re taking a road trip, and you can choose any three of your characters to go with you. First, who would you want on the ride-along, and why them?

Michele: I would take Ailin and Sebastian from The Enchanter’s Flame because it would be hilarious, and Jeremy from Taoree because I love him and I miss writing him.

Lisa: Second, who would be most likely to:

*Have to hit every rest stop bathroom:

Sebastian

*Whine about how long it’s taking to get where you’re going:

Ailin, and possibly Jeremy

*Break wind with the windows rolled up:

Definitely Jeremy

*Flip incessantly through songs on their music app:

Ailin

Lisa: If you could sit down to dinner with any author, past or present, who would you choose, and why? What are some things you’d want to chat about?

Michele: I would choose JK Rowling because her world building is phenomenal. I would want to pick her brain about her process for building such an extravagant world, and maybe even talk out a few ideas and plots.

Lisa: If you were stranded on a desert island, what are three things you’d absolutely have to have?

Michele: My kindle, my laptop, and a margarita! haha

Lisa: If you had to choose between becoming a superhero or supervillain, which would you choose and why?

Michele: As much fun as I think it would be to play a supervillain on stage or on screen, I would have to say a superhero because I would love to help people.

Lisa: What would your superpower be?

Michele: Telekinesis because I think I could do more with it, and maybe even make myself fly.

Lisa: If James Corden invited you to Carpool Karaoke, what song(s) would you sing with him?

Michele: Oh my god, no way do you want to hear me sing. None! No songs!

Lisa: If you could be any animal in the world, what would you choose? Why?

Michele: If I say a dragon, is that cheating? If not a dragon, then some kind of big bird like a hawk because I would love to fly.

Lisa: If you could travel back in time, with all your years of experience and wisdom intact, what advice would you give to your teenage self?

Michele: Don’t be afraid to be yourself, don’t let your fear stop you from doing what you want or even from talking to other people.

Lisa: If you were to sit down and write your autobiography today, what would the title be?

Michele: Life of the Distracted Writer: Too Many Worlds Live in My Head

Lisa: Star Trek, Star Wars, both or neither? Explain.

Michele: Both! Although, if I had to choose one, I’d say Star Wars.

When I was a kid, I used to watch Star Trek with my dad every week, and I loved it. I also watch Star Wars with him growing up, and now my kids like it, too, so that’s fun for me. My husband is a huge Star Wars fan as well, so it’s fun watching it and talking about it with my family.

Lisa: If you could be any fictional character in the history of literature, who would you like to be and why?

Michele: Hermione Granger because she’s intelligent and kicks some serious ass.

Lisa: It’s the zombie apocalypse. It’s up to you and 5 other uninfected humans to save what’s left of humanity. Which fictional characters would you want on your team, and why?

Michele: Jeremy, Orrean, Wesley, Ailin, and Sebastian. Jeremy, Orrean, and Wes have experience with the apocalypse and with fighting in a war, so they would know what to do and keep us safe. Ailin is a witch, so he’s powerful and could probably figure out a way to reverse the infected, and Sebastian is a detective, so he could help solve the problems, too. Plus, Ailin and Sebastian bicker constantly, so I think it would be some comic relief during hard times. Add in Jeremy and I would be entertained while we saved the world!

Lisa: Thanks so much for taking the time to offer up some excellent answers for us, Michele. And P.S., dragons totally count :-D

Readers, don’t forget to check out the giveaway details below!

About the Book

Title: The Enchanter’s Flame
Series: The Ellwood Chronicles: Book One
Author: Michele Notaro
Category: Gay Fiction/Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 08.18.18
Book Link: Amazon
Blurb: Strange things are happening all around Brinnswick. Things that remind me of a piece of my past I’d rather forget. Girls are being killed, drained of blood, and left with strange markings on their bodies. When I finally connect the cases together, a specialist is called in—though, what he’s a specialist of is beyond me.

When the chief assigns him as my new partner for the case, I can’t help but groan on the inside. Why of all people would I be assigned to Ailin Ellwood? The man is a disaster waiting to happen and a jerk to boot. A sexy jerk, but a jerk nonetheless.

What will Sebastian think when he discovers Ailin’s specialty? Will he make a run for it or will he stick around and discover a world of magic hidden beneath the city’s surface?

***The Enchanter’s Flame is the first book in the Ellwood Chronicles. It’s a paranormal romance that contains explicit material and is intended for mature adults 18 and over.***

Tour Excerpt

I needed to pee, so I set the cat on the floor and went to take care of business. The thought of jumping in the shower while Ailin was out crossed my mind, so I pulled the shower curtain back, but yelled out in surprise. Holy shit! There was a fucking snake in the tub! “What the fuck?” I ran out of the bathroom and scooped up Seraphina so she wouldn’t go investigate the bathroom and wind up hurt, then I ran straight for the phone to call the front desk to take care of it. I had no idea what kind of snake it was or how it’d gotten in there or whether or not it was venomous or whatever. But I didn’t want to take the chance of trying to grab it myself. If it was venomous, I could end up in the hospital.

I picked up the phone and dialed the front desk, but just as the girl picked up on the other line, Ailin slammed the door open and boomed, “What’s wrong?”

I blinked at him as a huge rush of wind came in through the door, blowing the loose side of his hair. I lowered the phone a little and answered, “There’s a snake in the tub.”

He narrowed his eyes at me. “Who are you calling?”

He looked… terrifying. It was like the wind coming through the door was playing off his emotions. I knew that wasn’t really happening, but he looked as stormy as the weather behind him. “I-I was calling the front desk to come get it.”

“Hang up the phone, Seb.”

“Wh-what? Why?”

“I’ll take care of the snake. They’ll probably just kill it. I can grab him and release him outside.”

I stared at him for several seconds before hanging up the phone. I could see how serious he was, and I knew he was right, that the front desk girl would likely just kill the animal. It seemed like Ailin’s love for animals knew no bounds.

He glanced at me, then noticed the cat in my arms, and his gaze softened a little. “You saved Sera.”

“Of-of course I did. I didn’t want her to get hurt.”

Some of the wind died down. “Thank you.”

He headed straight into the bathroom, so I got up and followed him, holding the kitten tight to my chest. I stood in the doorway to watch him. He made a few sounds, like hissing, and I swear the snake hissed back, then Ailin spoke under his breath, but I couldn’t understand what he was saying.

“How are you going to get—”

I cut myself off when Ailin reached a hand into the tub, and a second later, the snake was slithering up his arm. I took a step backward and stared in disgust. What the fuck is he doing? That thing is going to bite him! Ailin stood and the snake wrapped around his arm, then around the back of his neck.

“Ailin, it’s going to bite you,” I whisper-yelled.

Ailin shot me a cocky smirk. “It’s nice to see that you care, Sebastian, but I guarantee he won’t hurt me.”

“How can you possibly say that?”

He shrugged and I frowned as the movement caused the snake to shift so its head was near Ailin’s throat. “He’s just lost.”

I blinked at him. “Okay, well, go… throw him in the parking lot or something.”

Ailin frowned at me. “I’m going to help him find his home. I think he comes from the same woods we’re heading to, anyway.”

“That thing is not coming in my car!”

Ailin huffed. “You and the car rules again! How can I possibly keep up when you keep adding more and more rules?”

I closed my eyes and my nostrils flared in irritation. “I’m not changing the rules. I told you before I didn’t want a cat in my car, so it’s the same rule… it applies to all animals.” Sera hissed a little at me, and I mumbled down to her, “You don’t count. I like you.” Okay, so I guess Ailin isn’t the only one that talks to her.

“But you changed your mind and let her in. Why would it be any different with George?”

“Did you seriously just name that snake ‘George’?”

“No, that was his name already.”

I had no words for that. “You… you’re not bringing George into my car!”

“Then I guess I’m walking to the crime scene.” He clenched his jaw, then shouldered past me out of the bathroom as I tried to scramble away from the snake. “And you think I’m the mean one.”

About the Author

Michele is married to an awesome husband that puts up with her and all the characters in her head–and there are many. They live together in Baltimore, Maryland with their two young boys and two crazy dogs. She grew up dancing and swimming and taught dance–ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, & modern–for ten years before her kids came along. Now she stays home to write about the sexy men in her head and does PTA everything–as long as coffee is involved. Two other tattooed moms run the PTA with her, and though she wants to rip her hair out from it, she still loves it. Find Michele on Facebook.

The Giveaway

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