Evil is in the Eye of the Beholder--Guest Vivi Andrews--plus Giveaway!

One of my most popular guests, Vivi Andrews, returns with a post that will blow you away. She's visiting to celebrate the release of her much-anticipated Karmic Consultants book, Karma's own story, Naughty Karma. An amazing author and great person. Please help me throw confetti to welcome Vivi!

Thank you so much for having me here today!  I’m thrilled to be celebrating the release day for Naughty Karma, my latest paranormal romantic comedy release with you!

There’s a great quote by one of the original paranormal authors, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley: “No man chooses evil because it is evil; he only mistakes it for happiness, the good he seeks.”  That’s Prometheus, the hero of Naughty Karma, all over.  He’s not a bad guy… but he’s not particularly good at being good either.  He’s got a definite every-man-for-himself, survival-of-the-fittest attitude.  Until he meets Karma.  (And, yes, okay, even for a little while after he meets her.) 

Prometheus played the villain role in several of the earlier Karmic Consultants books – providing the catalyst for all manner of havoc that was wrought on the consultants as they fell hopelessly in love – but he was also the only one I could think of who could be the hero to Karma’s all-powerful heroine.  The only one who could really match her.

So how do you turn a villain into a hero?  It’s all about perspective, baby.  Like Madame Shelley said, no man sets out to be evil.  And Prometheus is no different.  It was important to me that he not be constantly apologizing for his actions.  He had to think he was in the right – and when both he and Karma are certain they are on the high ground, oooh, baby, is it ever fun to watch. 

Here’s a short excerpt of Karma and Prometheus going toe-to-toe. 

“You ass.” She stalked into the heart of his shop, the rap of her heels sharp on the hardwood floor. “I was willing to overlook the medallions you’d sold all over town, causing all manner of magical havoc.”

“Overlook? If no one was causing supernatural problems, you wouldn’t have any to solve. I’m the best thing that’s ever happened to your business. I should get a commission.”

She didn’t appear to hear him. Her smoky, sex-kitten voice rasped over his words, gaining volume. “I chose not to respond to the pranks around Samhain and Beltane, and I ignored what I suspect was a curse of some variety designed to prevent me from being able to keep a receptionist for longer than a week.”

“I lifted that curse weeks ago.” Immediately after he’d semi-accidentally summoned a demon to harass her. It seemed the least he could do.

She went on as if he hadn’t spoken, though her hands clenched, rewarding him for the comment. “I refused to sink to your level, decided not to engage, but this? Siccing a demon on my brother’s wedding. A demon.”

“You have an exorcist on staff.”

“You sent a demon to stop my brother’s wedding!” she shrieked in an admirable impression of a banshee.

“It was a minor demon. And it wasn’t tasked with stopping the wedding. Just disrupting it a little.”

“A little? You almost killed my wedding planner!”

“Are you always this concerned with things that almost happen? I almost rescue orphans from burning buildings on a regular basis. Then I remember I don’t particularly give a shit about orphans.”

“You want things that actually happened? He actually possessed the wedding planner’s car and crashed it. He stalked her for three weeks. He kidnapped her!”

“What’s a little kidnapping among friends?”

“We are not friends. You’re—” She broke off, reduced to sputtering her rage.

“Dashing? Magnetic? Unscrupulous?”

If she could have lit him on fire with her eyes, he would have been a smoldering pile of ash. “There are no words vile enough to describe you.”

“You realize all of this could have been avoided if you’d let me hire you in the first place.”

“My people don’t work for ethical black holes.”

“Ethics.” He flicked his fingers dismissively. “Rules we make for ourselves are easily changed, bent or broken. Survival of the fittest is the truest law. Unbreakable.”

“I’m not going to debate morality with you.”

“What are you going to do? Punish me?” He smiled wolfishly. “That could be fun. I have been a bad, bad boy.”

**

When a do-gooder matches up with a certified bad boy, I think they both get what they deserve.  Who’s your favorite semi-redeemed villain?

Comment through Friday to enter.

From Mary: Hey!! Can you believe it? Vivi is offering any of her ebooks--*including* Naughty Karma if the winner hasn't already picked it up ;) What are you waiting for? Comment today!

Thanks again for having me, Mary!  My pleasure as always, Vivi!

BOOK BLURB: Double crossing the devil is a dangerous business.

Karmic Consultants, Book 7

Nearly two decades ago, Prometheus sold his beating heart to a devil in exchange for epic power. That contract is about to expire—and so is he. There’s only one woman with the power to help him see his next birthday. And he’s willing to use every manipulation in his arsenal to pry that power from the ice queen’s grip.

Karma, who values order above all else, has had enough of the unscrupulous warlock’s pranks endangering her people. But when she confronts the wily trickster to demand a cease-fire, his terms throw her for a loop. The bastard wants her to save his life—and he wants her in his bed.

Clinging to her hard-won control is the only way Karma knows to keep her abilities from overwhelming her. If anyone can tempt her to embrace the chaos of her magic, it’s Prometheus.

One kiss brings her defenses crashing down. But can she trust Prometheus…or has she lost her own heart to a warlock with a hidden agenda? 

Warning: This book contains scheming, manipulation, bargains-with-the-devil, and meddling consultants. All’s fair in love and magic.

 

MY WEBSITE:  http://www.viviandrews.com

BIO: Vivi Andrews is the award-winning author of over a dozen paranormal romance novels and novellas.  A nomad at heart, she lives in Alaska when she isn’t indulging her travel addiction.  For more about Vivi and her books, please visit her website (www.viviandrews.com) or blog (Ramblings from the Road, www.viviandrews.blogspot.com).