Words of Wisdom....from The Scarf Princess: Book Tour for Death is a Bitch by Cate Masters (Character Interview & GIVEAWAY)

Who knew the love lives of angels and demons could be so complicated? In Death is a Bitch by Cate Masters, a possessive demon in love with Death causes big problems in her new romance with her newly appointed boss Azrael. Today we'll talk to Death, as well as learning more about this intriguing paranormal read, along with the chance to win a copy. So keep reading to get an exciting introduction to this book.....

Tell us about your family?

Ha! How much time have you got? They all have their little, shall we say, quirks. I love my twin sister, Hypnos, but she drives me crazy sometimes. And my parents… sometimes the universe isn’t a big enough place, you know? My father Erebos is a little too stuck on himself, and never gives me a break. Funny, though – he really came through for me at the worst possible time.Nyx, my mom, is the quintessential mother – I can talk to her about anything, and she always makes me feel loved.

What was the scariest moment of your life?
Being trapped in my own charm bracelet. I hate to even think about it. *shudders* If I actuallywere alive, it would have scared the life out of me. But I’ve made sure King Sisyphus can never do that to me again. Or Damien. I don’t want to give too much of the story away. You’ll just have to read it yourself.

What’s your greatest weakness?
Babies. I usually have no trouble fulfilling my duties, but if it’s a babe… *her eyes well with tears* I find it very difficult.

What are you passionate about these days?
*looks off dreamily* That’s an easy question. Azrael. He’d always come off as somewhat aloof, maybe a bit too high and mighty, but whew! *she fans herself* Beneath that cool, professionalexterior is one red-hot fiery angel, believe me.

Who should play you in a film?
Oh, I love this question. Claudia Black is perfect for the role. In fact, Cate Masters already planned the entire cast. You can view the Casting Call on her blog: http://catemasters.blogspot.com/2012/08/casting-call-death-is-bitch.html

Are you a morning person or a nIght person?
Both, honestly. I guess I’m a round-the-clock sort. My work’s pretty demanding.

What are your quirkiest quirks?
I don’t know if it’s a quirk, but I have a great fondness for silver jewelry, but I only wear items created by my favorite silversmith, Acragas. He’s an expert at crafting beautiful jewelry, but it has that little something extra – magic. Plus they’re high tech. You have to read the book to understand.

What would we find hidden in your closet?
Tons of treasures. One of the perks of my job is that, since the beginning of time, I’ve met people from all walks of life, and many are incredible artists. They often show their appreciation bygiving me works of art. As you can imagine, my home can only hold so many. My manservant,the former gladiator Zarthan, does an excellent job of displaying different items. He’s a panther shifter, so also does an excellent job of protecting my home from thieves.

Do you have a favorite quote?
Truth is stranger than fiction. It’s absolutely true. Oh, the things I could write about. But would anyone believe them? I doubt it.

What do you think makes a good story?
Oh, the usual – a unique and compelling plot, engaging characters and a great setting. Death Is A Bitch has all of those. *grins*

What do you do to unwind and relax?
It used to be hanging out with my twin, Hypnos, at the inter-realm bar called The Nethers. We’d have mojitos, talk and dance. The usual sisterly stuff.
Lately, I’ve been spending more time with Azrael. I love just being with him.

If you could apologize to someone in your past, who would it be?
You know, I hate to admit it, but when I first began harvesting souls, I botched a few. Let’s just say they didn’t go as smoothly as I’d have liked. I did apologize to them, and worked hard not to repeat any mistakes.

What’s your biggest regret?
Not seeing past Azrael’s professional persona earlier. I should have recognized his shyness, how sweet he really is. It would’ve saved me a few centuries of loneliness.

What is the next big thing?
As an immortal, I’m not allowed to reveal the future. In the other realm, however, I’m excited by the innovations of my peers. Acragas is an awesome silversmith and has a few prototypes mixing magic and technology with jewelry. I can’t wait to see those results! And the Master Inksman, Malean, is integrating technology into wonderful tattoo designs. They’re both going to rock my world with their inventions.

What one word best describes you?
A workaholic. It runs in my family, really. One of my goals is to balance work and pleasure, but it’s a challenge.

What’s your guilty pleasure?
Music of any type. Thank goodness Acragas included a special charm for my new bracelet. Now I can listen to any song I want to hear at the touch of a charm. Isn’t he a clever silversmith?

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
That I have a soft side. Sometimes all those cartoonish images of me really hurt. I may not behuman, but I have feelings. I’m not some creepy Halloween figure with a scythe and black robes. I’m much classier than that.

Eternity can suck when it’s all work, work, work. Death harvests souls even when they stack up faster than pancakes in an all-you-can-eat-buffet. No wonder she can’t shed the Grim Reaper rep.

As the patron angel of death and dying, Azrael works closely with Death but is dying for true intimacy. She’s the only immortal who’s ever aroused such powerful emotions in him. One taste of her leaves him needing her like humans need air and food, but will a demon’s lies leave a bad taste?

No one escapes Death – except King Sisyphus. Twice. With the help of Damien the demon, Sisyphus tries again, and she’s determined to have justice. Some say Death’s a bitch, but only when she has to be. But will the price of justice be a broken heart?

EXCERPT:

Azrael hadn’t moved his hand from the small of Death’s back since asking her to the bar. She’d made no acknowledgement as they accompanied Alan to the Gate. Nor had she protested when they flew to the Nethers. Now he used it as a pretense for guiding her through the bar to a corner booth. His fantasy of the feel of her was no comparison to the reality. Through the sleek material of her gown, his touch discerned her every movement. Like a hit of opium, it flared through him. He immediately wanted more.

“How about this table?” Private, and unlike the decorative quasar bits shooting above the dance floor, the muted light of stardust hanging above the booth invited more intimate conversation.

She flashed him a smile, igniting something unnamable within his chest, unnerving him as it slid lower, past his hips. She took her seat on the velvet cushion and he slid in beside her. The glow of the lantern atop the table softened her features. Gods, she was stunning.

When he finally remembered to speak, and filled the awkward silence. his voice quaked. “What would you like?”

To his relief, the server flew up and hovered near. “Sir. Ma’am.”

“Sangria would hit the spot,” Death said.

“A carafe, please.” He might need more than one to calm his nerves.

In an instant, the server disappeared and reappeared with two glasses and the decanter, poured, and then vanished.

Azrael raised his glass. “Cheers.”

Death sipped. “I have to admit, your invitation took me by surprise.”

“Why?” He’d thought about asking her out for ages. Something always came up at the last minute.

“You’re extremely busy.”

“No busier than you.”

She shifted. “Yes, but you have many more under your charge. Including me.”

Gods. He hadn’t asked her here to discuss work. “You’re busier than me, though perhaps if you delegated your duties, as I suggested, you’d have more free time.” Drat, that sounded like an admonishment. His suggestion would give her free time, a selfish request because he hoped she’d share it with him. “And rank is a technicality. I consider us equals.”

She studied him intently. “That’s kind of you to say.”

“It’s more than a kindness, Death. I’ve long admired you. In so many ways.” He held in a groan. Terrible, infinitely awful. He could face down a legion of demons, exude comfort to a human in the grips of grief, but put a beautiful woman in front of him and… pffft. He became a dud.

Something sparked in her eyes, a recognition of his true meaning. Hallelujah.

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AUTHOR BIO & LINKS:

Cate Masters loves romance with a dash of magic and mayhem! Multipublished in contemporary to historical, sweet to erotic, fantasy/dark fantasy to speculative, she sometimes mashes genres. Reviewers have described her stories as “so compelling, I did not want to put it down,” and “such romantic tales that really touch your soul.”

When not spending time with her family, she can be found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company. Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.

Cate loves to hear from readers! Friend her on Facebook or Goodreads, or email her at: cate.masters AT gmail DOT com