Interview + Giveaway w/ Mina Khan!

WELCOME TO THE BLOG, MINA! :)

Mina Khan is a Texas-based writer and food enthusiast. She grew up in Bangladesh on stories of djinns (pronounced "gins"), ghosts and monsters. These childhood fancies now color her fiction. She daydreams of hunky paranormal heroes, magic, mayhem and mischief and writes them down as tales of romance and adventure.

 

Her first published work, The Djinn's Dilemma (Harlequin Nocturne Cravings 2011), won the novella category of the 2012 Romance Through The Ages (published) contest.

Fifty percent of the proceeds from her second novella, A Tale of Two Djinns (March 2012), is donated to UNICEF for education. Two Djinns is a Romeo & Juliet tale with genies, feminists and a happy ending.

 

Her newest release, DEAD: A Ghost story (October 2012), is NOT a romance. It’s a multicultural ghost-story that highlights a little known aspect of the immigrant experience. It’s available on AMAZON.

 

 

Where to Find Mina:

Website/Blog | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

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The_Book_Queen: Hi Mina! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Mina: I’ll share three things that may or may not be widely known:

1. I’m part of the Santa Angela Renaissance Guild, we are a group of dancers who dress up and perform medieval dances in public for pleasure. It’s a lot of fun!
2. I love food – from grocery shopping to eating – and I love my day job as the food columnist for our local newspaper. It’s a fun job and I get to review cookbooks + restaurants, interview chefs and develop recipes.
3. I recently learned to knit and I’m knitting scarves like crazy J

TBQ: What inspires you to write? (Bonus points if it includes sexy men! :) lol)

M: I have written since childhood. Writing is my way of exploring the world, making sense of issues and, often, to leave behind the stress and have fun. Nothing makes you forget mountains of laundry and impending dentist appointments like sexy men who can grant your wishes. So yes, my genies are very inspiring! :D (Oh yes...*dreamy expression*...Ahem...where was I?)

 

TBQ: Your first novel, The Djinn's Dilemma, was released last year, and received many high ratings (Congrats!). Can you tell us a little bit about this book, and why readers are going to love it?

M: Actually The Djinn’s Dilemma is celebrating its birthday this month –Woot!-- and I’m throwing a virtual party with all kinds of cool surPrizes (including a very special Sherrilyn Kenyon package) so check out the birthday bash!

It’s about a smokin’ hot djinn (genie) assassin who falls for his human target, Texas journalist Sarah Jasmine White. What’s there not to love about a sexy djinn who can grant your deepest desires? And a feisty woman who manages to win his heart and save his gorgeous ass? (That's it--I'm convinced I NEED to read this one ASAP!)

 

TBQ: Are there other genres you would like to write about?

M: My newest release, Dead: A Ghost Story, is multicultural fiction with a feminist bent. I was nervous writing this because this NOT a romance, but I just had to write the story. The idea of the protagonist Nasreen, an immigrant woman from India, haunted me until I put her into words.

 

TBQ: I know we all hate this question, author and reader alike. :) But I have to ask: What are a few of your favorite books and/or authors?

M: Oooh, I love reading…I’ll mention the ones that inspired me to write: Elizabeth Peters for her Amelia Peabody series, Mercedes Lackey (esp. her series about Elemental Masters), Lois McMaster Bujold (for her Vorkosigan Saga), J.D. Robb for her In Death series and Terry Pratchett for his Discworld books.

 

TBQ: Have you ever fallen for a hero, either from one of your books or from another author? If so, who is he and what drew you to him?

M: Lol! I’m in love with all my heroes, especially as I work on their story J As for those by other authors: Roark by J.D. Robb (because I love his confidence & his love for his wife) and Frost by Laurell K. Hamilton (because I love his broody hot looks ;).

 

TBQ: What's next-- Can you tell us a little bit about your upcoming releases or WIP?

M: The Djinn In the Mirror is a paranormal Cindrella story with a young witch heroine & a wicked sexy djinn playing fairy godmother.

Dahlia, the step-daughter of a power hungry wizard, promises to free a djinn trapped in a mirror if he rescues her from impending death. But Azfayel has his own agenda: to trick and seduce his way to freedom. The only problem is he ends up falling for Dahlia. Can he win his freedom and save the girl?

This is a WIP and writing it is like riding a roller-coaster. With every story I try to set myself a challenge and see if I can pull it off in my writing…well this one is making me push out of my comfort zone in many, many ways. What do you think of the blurb? (I'm sold! :D)

 

SPEED ROUND:

A day on a secluded island OR a day at the spa?
Eeeep, that’s a tough one. How about a spa located on a secluded island? (Your wish is my command!)

Reading a spicy romance novel OR a sweet “my-heart-skips-a-beat” one?

Both! I love to read and I read what suits the mood I happen to be in.

Which would you rather have an affair with: a sexy highlander OR a devilishly handsome English lord?

Sexy highlander ;D

Hot summer days OR cold winter nights?

Cold winter nights in front of a fire J

Where would your dream house be: in the city, where all the action is OR nestled in the mountain where you can enjoy the quiet and the wilderness?

I’m a city girl and I love the energy.

If you could live in any time period, past or future, which one would it be?

The Renaissance in Italy or the heydays of the Mughal era…only if I was filthy rich, politically connected + powerful J

Cover Lover OR Blurb Fan?
Cover!

Steamy Novella OR Sweet Novel? (aka, Quickie or Slow Build Up?)

Both…I want a simmering build up to a whole lot of steam! Lol! (Nothing at all wrong with that!)

 
And finally, tell us 3 unique/wacky/fun things about yourself:

 

M: Lol! I just did that in question one…but since my wackiness is plentiful, here are three more:

 

1. I spent my early childhood on a ship sailing across the seas (my dad was a ship’s captain).
2. I had a cowboy + Indian (as in the Indian-subcontinent kind) wedding.
3. I just discovered “Ha-Ha! Yoga” which is all about laughing your way to good health. Our local instructor is a professional clown. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed exercising so much.

The_Book_Queen: Thanks so much for stopping by, Mina|, and please know that you are welcome back anytime! Do you have any questions for our readers—something to spark a good discussion? :)

 

Mina: Thanks so much for having me over Danielle! Enjoyed the fun interview!

 

Thank you blog readers for spending time with me, now answer this: What makes a book a keeper for you?

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The Djinn's Dilemma by Mina Khan

Publisher: Harlequin Nocturne Cravings (November 1, 2011)

Genre: Paranormal Romance (Warning: HOT!)

Rukh O'Shay, half-djinn and assassin, is used to taking out the bad guys. But his latest assignment, Sarah White, is nothing like he expected. A glimpse of her bright aura reveals her gentle spirit, while her luscious beauty clouds his mind and makes him long for only one thing--to taste her.

Sarah shares the feeling of raw desire at Rukh's touch. He can turn her on with a glance, and satisfies desires she didn't even know she had. But Rukh had been hired to kill her--and the only way to save her is to find out who wants her dead before someone else finishes the job....
 

Where to Buy*:

Kindle | NOOK | Publisher | ARe

More Info:

Add it on GoodReads!

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ONE random person, who leaves a comment

 

and a contact email, will receive a copy of

The Djinn’s Dilemma

(WARNING: It’s HOT….)

How to Enter:

• Leave a comment for Mina [WITH your email addy; ie: The_Book_Queen (at) yahoo (dot) com]!

Giveaway ends 11/24 -- Good Luck!

Mina: The Djinn's Dilemma just turned one

 

Nov. 1. So we are CEL-A-BRATing! with a

 

month-long Birthday Bash and Surprizes!!!

 

From exotic artwork to SIGNED hardback

 

copy of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dance with the

 

Devil…and more. Click here for more

 

information.

 

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Thanks for stopping by, Mina! I'm so sorry about the mix up with dates--I swear, I am going to reorganize ASAP so this does not happen again! I look forward to reading The Djinn's Dilemma--it sounds great!


Don't forget to answer Mina's question-- and don't forget to check out the big b-day bash for the book!

What makes a book a keeper for you?

 

 

Enjoy!




Until Next Time,


 

*TBQ's Book Palace is a member of both the Amazon and Barnes and Nobles affiliates program. By using the links provided to buy products from either website, I receive a very small percentage of the order. To read my full disclosure on the matter, please see this post!