First off I want to thank J.K for taking the time to stop by my blog today. I am deeply honored by her visit.
Now, without further ado i give to you the very talented J.K Beck...........

Why Paranormal?

Thanks so much, Kristina, for having me here!

What I'm wondering today is why do you, Gentle Blogreader, enjoy paranormal books (and movies and tv shows)? Not everyone does, of course, but I'll wager a guess that if you've come visiting in this neck of the blogosphere, it's because you like a story with an otherworldly factor. And that gives us something in common.

I can't remember when I first realized how much I love paranormal stuff, but my earliest favorite TV shows were Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie. I used to scour flea markets for bottles that might have a genie in them because, duh, how cool would that be, and I would so not be Major Nelson. I mean, if I have a genie, I'm going to let him/her do stuff for me.

Other types of paranormal caught my fancy, too. The Land of the Lost (folks transported back to dinosaur days) was a campy favorite. Heck, I even liked (should I be ashamed to admit it?) Fantasy Island.

Favorite books seemed to always have a paranormal component or, if not that, some element of suspense--in other words, I favored books where the character's status quo was skewed. Half Magic and A Wrinkle in Time were big favorites. And let's not forget mythology. I soaked it up like water in a sponge.

Though A Wrinkle in Time is at its core a somewhat dark book, I don't think I really appreciated darker stories until I hit the teenage years. I guess teen angst and dark paranormal go together. Now, things like horror and dark vampire tales like the original Dracula piqued my interest.

I'm lucky to get to explore my fascination with the darker elements in my Shadow Keepers series, written under my J.K. Beck pen name. The current book, WHEN DARKNESS HUNGERS, features the most tortured hero in the series, Sergius, who not only has spent almost two thousand years battling the darkness that comes from being a vampire, but who also killed the sister of the woman he is fated to love.

Writing Serge's redemption was a challenge...but so rewarding in the end. I've always loved him, since his first appearance in When Blood Calls, the first book of the series. I hope you will, too! (And if you're curious about how I picture him, check out my Shadow Keepers Pinterest board at http://www.pinterest.com/juliekenner )

And, of course, be sure to check out all the Shadow Keepers book at http://www.theshadowkeepers.com

Of course, my love for lighter paranormal hasn't faded. I'm still writing my Demon Hunting Soccer Mom stories as Julie Kenner, and the next one, Pax Demonica, will be available for purchase later this month! Visit http://www.juliekenner.com for more info ... and to sign up for my Julie/J.K. newsletter so you never miss a release!

How about you? Do you remember when your love of paranormal started? Are you dark or light or both?

SHADOW KEEPERS SERIES

By J.K. Beck

When Blood Calls (The Shadow Keepers #1)

Attorney Sara Constantine is thrilled with her promotion—until she finds out that she must now prosecute vampires and werewolves. The first defendant she’ll be trying to put away? Lucius Dragos, the sexy stranger with whom she recently shared an explosive night of ecstasy.

When Lucius kisses a beautiful woman sitting next to him at the bar, he’s hoping only to avoid the perceptive gaze of the man he’s planning to kill. But what starts as a simple kiss ignites into an all-consuming passion. Charged with murder, Luke knows that Sara is determined to see him locked away—unless he can convince her that he’s not a monster. And that might mean making the ultimate sacrifice.

Order WHEN BLOOD CALLS from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Random House, or your favorite bookstore!

When Pleasure Rules (The Shadow Keepers #2)

Seven innocents have been brutally murdered in Los Angeles, yet the Shadow Alliance has no suspects and no leads. As the body count mounts, the age-old feud between vampires and werewolves threatens to explode.

Lissa Monroe—a strong-willed, ravishing succubus who entices men to surrender their souls—agrees to go undercover for the Alliance. Her mission: infiltrate the mind of werewolf leader Vincent Rand, a ferociously alluring enemy who exerts a powerful hold over her. As the City of Angels teeters on the brink of apocalypse, these two adversaries must join together in order to survive an even more lethal enemy hidden in plain sight.

Order WHEN PLEASURE RULES from Amazon,Barnes & Noble, Random House, or your favorite bookstore!

When Wicked Craves (The Shadow Keepers #3)

Petra Lang is cursed never to love. One touch of her skin unleashes the vilest demons. Sentenced to death by the Shadow authorities, who fear she’ll turn her curse against them, Petra is rescued by vampire advocate Nicholas Montegue. As their bodies merge and transform into mist, Petra feels an erotic longing.

Nicholas risked his own life to save Petra, yet he knows he can never give in to the explosive attraction he feels for her. But the deep yearning they share tempts them. Together, they must find a way to lift the curse. For only a love this strong has the power to overcome such monstrous evil.

Order WHEN WICKED CRAVES from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Random House, or your favorite bookstore!

When Passion Lies (The Shadow Keepers #4)

Tiberius is a vampire dedicated to protecting his kind—and the secrets of the shadow world. Now, as his quest to become head of the Alliance draws within reach, a shattering new threat puts him to the ultimate test. It’s a nightmare of grim proportions: a dark plot to bring about the mass extermination of human and shadow alike. And it forces Tiberius to turn to the woman he loved and lost, the lover he still desires but doesn’t trust.

Caris was Tiberius’s mate for centuries—until a fateful mission changed her forever. Her tortured secrets drove her into the arms of his rival, but desperation has brought her back. As a horrifying new weapon of mass destruction is about to be unleashed, Tiberius and Caris harness the power of their immortal and passionate love. But will it be enough to battle devastating odds and a ruthless enemy with the ambition to destroy them all?

Order WHEN PASSION LIES from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Random House, or your favorite bookseller.

When Darkness Hungers (The Shadow Keepers #5)

FBI agent Alexis Martin knows that vampires exist—because one of them killed her sister. Assigned to investigate a series of bizarre homicides in Los Angeles, Alexis believes the murders are the work of rogue vampires—perhaps even the monster responsible for her sister’s death. Now she finally has a chance for retribution. Even better, Alexis receives unexpected help from a sexy stranger as hungry for rogue blood as she is.

Serge is a centuries-old bad boy who stays off the grid—keeping his secrets, his hunger, and his heart safe from exposure. A new breed of vampire that feeds off other shadowers, Serge finds sweet torture in Alexis’s arms. Loving her is a chance to be free from the hiding, the loneliness, the secrecy. But the truth about what he is, and what he’s done, may banish him to the dark confines of his own private hell—and destroy the beginnings of their love.

Order WHEN DARKNESS HUNGERS from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Random House, or your favorite bookseller. Just released on June 26, 2012.

When Temptation Burns (The Shadow Keepers #6)

Half human, half daemon, Ryan Doyle is a driving force for justice. As an agent for the Preternatural Enforcement Coalition, he’s investigating murders linked to a Los Angeles fringe group bent on exposing the shadow world to humanity. He is a master of self-control, keeping his deepest hungers hidden beneath a veneer of cool professionalism. Until he crosses paths with sinfully sweet Andy Tarrent, a gutsy reporter who makes him crave all the pleasures he’s denied himself for centuries.

Tracking a band of conspiracy theorists eager to spill blood, Andy has uncovered the story of her career. Brooding, mysterious Ryan is an enigma—but their dance of seduction is hotter than any fantasy. As they race to stop mass murder on the streets, Andy knows that Ryan is holding back, keeping secrets. But getting close to Ryan means opening the door to a world that will challenge her deepest beliefs—including what it means to truly surrender to love.

Pre-Order WHEN TEMPTATION BURNS from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Random House, or your favorite bookseller. Release Date: July 31, 2012

J. K. Beck spent more than ten years as a litigator in Southern California and Central Texas, using her rare free time to indulge in her passion for writing. Now she uses her legal background as inspiration for her paranormal romantic suspense series, The Shadow Keepers, set in and around a secret judicial system hidden within and mirroring our own. California born, J. K. now lives and writes in Texas, where she hangs out with her husband and daughters and drinks far too much coffee.