The Tales of the Rikashi and more

Guest Blogger - Elizabeth Coldwell

2011-01-10T20:51:00.002-05:00

Today's guest is a fellow Muse author!

I’ve always loved making up stories, and I wrote my first novel, about the adventures of a talking dog, when I was on a school holiday at the age of 11., Don’t worry, I have no plans to dig it out and submit it for publication! My first erotic story, An Unsuitable Man, was the result of the then editor of Forum, where I’d just started working, suggesting all the staff write a story for the magazine. Mine was the only one that was ever finished. That was over twenty years ago, and the number of short stories I’ve had published must be well into three figures now, though not all of them were under my own name. I’ve also had four novels published, three erotic and one paranormal (though I think the genre was still called ‘supernatural’ when it came out, back in 1992!), and I have ideas on file for several more.
I often work on more than one story at once, depending on deadlines, but sometimes an idea really grabs me and I’ll concentrate on that over everything else. Be Good To Your Elf, for example, was pretty much written in one sitting.

Links
http://elizabethcoldwell.wordpress.com

But Are Elves Erotic?

So how can an elf be sexy? Aren’t you more likely to come across as silly? That’s what Maddie, the heroine of my MuseItHOT! story Be Good To Your Elf, thought when she first pulled on the costume she was expected to wear in Santa’s Grotto. The tights might be flattering to a girl (or a guy) with good legs, but the hat with the bell on it?

It’s true that if you were choosing a costume to wear for a spot of sexy roleplaying, one of Santa’s elves might not come too high on your list. High fantasy elves are a different matter. The films in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy presented them as athletic, armour-clad warriors fighting against unimaginable evil. Casting Orlando Bloom as Legolas the elf provided eye candy for female viewers who might not otherwise be persuaded to sit through several hours of epic battles, Hobbits in peril and talking trees. It wouldn’t be at all surprising if a character like that persuaded you to unleash your inner elf.

Santa’s elves, howver, don’t usually come with heroic overtones. We’ve become much more used to them as comic relief in a story, sitting at an assembly line in Santa’s Workshop putting together Christmas toys. Look at Dudley Moore, who helped to define the concept of the comedy elf in our minds when he played Patch in Santa Claus. Or, more recently, Will Ferrell as Buddy, the human raised by elves at the North Pole in Elf. Not exactly handsome or heroic characters, you might think. But in real life, Dudley Moore often described himself as a ‘sex thimble’, in reference to his diminutive stature, and attracted a string of beautiful wives with his looks, wit and charm (and possibly his bank balance). And good-natured Buddy may initially come across as a loser, but he wins the heart of Zooey Deschanel – who, it has to be said, looks pretty saucy in her elf attire. Looking at it in that light, slipping into tights and a tunic doesn’t necessarily mean you’re no longer going to be regarded as a potential bedmate.

Maddie initially manages to overcome her selfconsciousness about dressing as an elf because she reckons she won’t bump into anyone she knows, all her friends having gone home for the holidays. It also helps that she very quickly meeets Tyler, a divorced dad who’s also working at the grotto and who is all man beneath his brightly coloured costume. And when she relaxes, immersing herself in the magic of Christmas, it no longer matters how she’s dressed. She and Tyler make an erotic connection, and soon fate is presenting her with the opportunity to spend the holidays in his loving arms.

So while vampires may seem more mysterious, pirates more dashing and Vikings more dominant, don’t overlook the charm of the humble elf. After all, wouldn’t you want to spend time with someone who hands out all the best presents?

Introducing Cristal Ryder

2010-11-06T19:15:00.002-04:00

Its my pleasure to introduce Cristal Ryder. She will be here tomorrow to answer any questions you might have.

The whirlwind of being a newly published author struck home late last week. My first release, No Fantasy Required, due out November 8 had been put to bed edit and top of mind awareness wise with my editor and myself. Then I received the great news from Tir that she loved my second submission and right on the heels of her email was one from the EIC at Lyrical Press with congratulations and a contract attached. Woohoo! I’d made my second sale with Lost In Fantasy – Being Ariana. Then while basking in the glow of my wonderful news, I received more. A great review from Happily Every After Reviews on No Fantasy Required. I was thrilled beyond words and higher than a kite with happiness. Oh, and I can’t forget the Lyrical ad in RT December issue, what perfect timing.

I was inspired to write No Fantasy Required a few of years ago for my own hero and it grew into this wonderful story of discovery for Kelly and Brian. I love the characters in Being Ariana, the mystery that revolves around them and the journey they take as they discover themselves in a variety of unexpected ways.
I hope you follow me on my journey of storytelling as I pen new stories with passionate and inquisitive characters, in places of intrigue and fantasy where you can escape into. It’s a discovery for me as well, this new world of being published and I’m loving it!
Please remember to visit my fledgling blog and website as they grow along with me.
www.cristalryder.com
www.cristalryder.blogspot.com
Cristal

What's New In Tir's World

2010-08-08T23:53:00.003-04:00

So life has chosen to explode once again. I've started on a new job. Yes, I left the lab and have gone into medical billing. WHOLE new process to learn but I think I'm getting it down. ^.^ So what's new? Well, I've gotten a second book contracted with Muse It Up Publishing, called Cody and The Elf. Here's the amazing cover :

And what am I working on now?

Well, the next book in the Rikashi Series is up on deck. Also, a second book in The Dragon Wars Series. I'm ALMOST finished the first book of the Tarot Queen's Series and there are still two Kings to write about, so lots of ideas flying around.

Del and I are also tossing some ideas around for a new world as well. Keep an eye out!

Brainstorming is the best part of writing - Paty Jager Guest Blogging

2010-06-26T00:01:00.000-04:00

Brainstorming is the best part of writing.

I think the gift of having other writers to bounce ideas off of is the best thing about being a writer. Sure you have your main characters fairly anchored in your mind, but by throwing out ideas to other writers and getting all their creative ideas tossed into your mix, it gives you more to think about and make your GMC and characters stronger.

When I started writing Doctor in Petticoats, I had a hero who in previous books hadn't shown a heroic side. My editor didn’t like him and was wary of his story being the next one in line, but I knew it had to be him. He had to become the redeemed character, and besides, I'd set him up from the last book to be the next brother to find true love. ;)

I began tossing my impressions of him and where the story needed to go to my RWA chapter mates. Collectively, they all came back with great feedback into how to work around his middle child-immaturity issues. I had already set him on that path with sending him to a blind school where he would be on his own. No brothers to tell him what to do or to fall back on when he found himself in trouble. At the school he learned to mature, grow and become the hero the heroine deserved.

And best of all, my editor fell in love with him, too!

Blurb- Doctor in Petticoats

After a life-altering accident and a failed relationship, Dr. Rachel Tarkiel gave up on love and settled for a life healing others as the physician at a School for the Blind. She's happy in her vocation--until handsome Clay Halsey shows up and inspires her to want more.

Blinded by a person he considered a friend, Clay curses his circumstances and his limitations. Intriguing Dr. Tarkiel shows him no pity, though. To her, he's as much a man as he ever was.

Can these two wounded souls conquer outside obstacles, as well as their own internal fears, and find love?

Excerpt
“I’m going to look in your other eye now.” Rachel, again, placed a hand on his face and opened the eyelids, stilling her fluttering heart as she pressed close. His clean-shaven face had a couple small nicks on the edges of his angular cheeks. The spice of his shave soap lingered on his skin.

She resisted the urge to run her cheek against his. The heat of his face under her palm and his breath moving wisps of wayward hair caused her to close her eyes and pretend for a few seconds he could be her husband. A man who loved her and wouldn’t be threatened by her occupation or sickened by her hideous scar.

His breathing quickened. A hand settled on her waist, slid around to her back, and drew her forward. Her hand, holding the lens, dropped to his shoulder, and she opened her eyes. This behavior on both their parts was unconscionable, but her constricted throat wouldn’t allow her to utter the rebuke.

Clay sensed the moment the doctor slid from professional to aroused woman. The hand on his cheek caressed rather than held, her breathing quickened, and her scent invaded his senses like a warm summer rain.

Today is the second day on my fifteen blog/twelve day tour. Leave a comment and follow me to all the blogs on my tour and you could win an autographed copy of my June release, Doctor in Petticoats, a B&N gift card, and a summer tote filled with goodies. To find out all the places I'll be, go to my blog- http://www.patyjager.blogspot.com to find the list.

Website: http://www.patyjager.net
Blog: http://www.patyjager.blogspot.com
Buy: http://www.thewildrosepress.com

I have been awful

2010-06-02T20:18:00.004-04:00

Someone needs to kick my rump once a week to update! So, two big pieces of news. First, I finally got to visit Del! We had a great time, plotting, visiting a place we want to set a story, visiting places she set her upcoming release, Envoy, and just generally hanging out, having a good old time. If anyone wants to see pictures, just hop over to my facebook page.

And the second piece of news, is that Kellan's Dragons, the first in a young adult series called The Dragon Wars is going to be released next year from Muse It Up Publishing! Have a looksie at the fabulous cover (made by our very own Del) and the excerpt:

Tag line - No Parents, No History and Linked to a Dragon that hates me - Am I having fun yet?

Blurb - Kellan Teague, an orphan, is whisked away from the boarding school for psions by Dr. Olivia Hutchins to take part in a military organization called The Program. She awakes to find that she has been Linked, psychically bonded to a dragon named Jericho. Jericho doesn't seem very happy to be Linked and does everything he can to push Kellan away. One of the few people to show her kindness is a guard known to her only as Drake. Kellan soon finds out that both Jericho and Drake have secrets, secrets that hold the key to her past.

Excerpt -

A tremendous roar shook the ground, and something red streaked by from below. The wind of his passing knocked me to the ground, my elbow struck the hard rock painfully. I heard Enoch bellow behind me in surprise. A dark shadow blotted out the sun, and Miri pulled me back just before the dragon could land on me. The sound of his talons scrapping on stone set my teeth on edge. I stared at those sharp talons, and then looked up to see the rest of him. He was huge. Bigger than a house. He barely fit on the platform as he stood on his hind legs, his wings spread, fore limbs poised to strike. The scales on his back shone blood red, but the sun glinted off the gold on his underside. Two vicious ram-like horns curved from above his eyes to point forward. He roared again, revealing his rows of sharp, jagged teeth.

“Oh, good gods. They gave you Jericho.” I heard Miri breathe in my ear, her arms tightening around me.

My head started to ache again from Jericho’s roars and his anger that burned across our Link. I covered my ears with my hands, trying to shut out the sound, but his voice was still in my mind. “Run away,” he repeated.

Enoch curled around me and Miri hissed, but I could see the smaller dragon trembling with fear. Was Jericho nothing more than a huge bully? “Would you stop it! It’s not my fault they stuck me with you.”

Jericho growled, his tail lashing wildly. One swipe of that bladed tail and I was as good as dead. “Is this...normal?” I asked Miri.

The woman looked as white as a sheet and with pursed lips, just shook her head. I scrambled to my feet, taking a cautious step forward. “You’re not going to hurt me.” Of course, I wasn’t really confident in that statement, but if he wanted to kill me, I would be dead. He could have knocked me from the cliff when he flew up.

“What makes you so certain, little girl?” Jericho lifted his head, arching it back and forth as he spewed yellow flame. My breath caught in my throat. He could roast me alive.

“If you wanted to kill me you would have done it already,” I told him as he looked at me again.

“You stupid girl—” His words ceased as another bellow echoed off the stone. A blue and silver dragon streaked from above, hitting Jericho and knocking him from the cliff. A surprised cry ripped from my throat as I felt his pain. I dropped to my knees again, crawling toward the edge, fear clutching my heart. Jericho stretched out his mighty wings, pumping them to gain altitude. The blue dragon kept hot on his heels, his cries a clear challenge. I saw movement beside me and looked at Miri.

“What is going on?”

“That’s Bashemath. Enoch says that he should have been your Link, and he’s challenging Jericho. It’s suicide...”

Why was everyone so afraid of Jericho? I supposed I would find out, eventually. My attention was drawn back to the two dragons flying above us, and the world went white for a minute. All I could see were clouds streaking by and bright blue sky.

* * * *

The hatchling would pay for his audacity. He’d gotten in a lucky shot but unfortunately for him, his talons weren’t yet sharp enough to pierce my hide. It would be the last mistake he made. I twisted my head, searching for the hatchling. I saw Bashemath behind me, slowly gaining as I flew at a leisurely pace. He wanted to challenge me for the girl? Well, he would soon find that I didn’t lose a challenge. A quick twist and I was plummeting toward the other dragon. I would ride him to the ground and watch his body break against the stone.

“No! Don't kill him.”

Damn it! I’d forgotten about the girl. I pulled up, slashing Bashemath’s face with my tail, relishing his scream. “Stay out of this, girl.”

* * * *

I blinked, and I once again stared into Miri’s face, gasping for breath. Miri was patting my cheeks. “Damn, honey. Not one practice session and already you’re that deep in a Link? Not smart.”

“What?” I waved my hand; whatever she was saying wasn’t important. The fact that two dragons were getting ready to kill each other was more important. “Someone needs to stop them.” I looked up, watching Jericho as he soared across the sky. The other dragon struggled in his pursuit. I tried again to reach Jericho, but he was deliberately keeping me out now.

“Kellan, honey, there’s nothing you can do to stop this,” Miri said, her hand on my shoulder. “There isn’t anything anyone can do.”

I shook my head. There had to be something. I couldn’t let Jericho kill the other dragon. Not because of me. A shriek of pain turned my attention skyward again. Jericho had the blue dragon in his talons. They were falling at a frightening speed. I thought briefly about trying to create a shield to slow their fall, but hitting the shield would hurt as much as the ground. I was helpless. Bashemath attempted to retaliate, snapping at the golden scales under Jericho’s neck. I couldn’t stop the cry that came from my mouth as I put a hand to my throat. I felt every bite. It shocked more than hurt, but then Bashemath’s tail ripped through the webbing of one of Jericho’s wings. My arm felt on fire, and the pain drove me to my knees with a scream. I vaguely registered Miri’s arm around my shoulders as I attempted to reach Jericho again.

“Please don’t. Stop, please.”

Again with the disappearing act

2010-04-02T22:17:00.007-04:00

UGH Looks like my resolution to update the blog once a week is going by the wayside. Sorry about that guys. Everything has been pretty crazy the last month. I'll try to do better. I've dipped my toes into the editing field. Here are the ones I'm working for:

Could you fall in love with your captor?

2010-02-22T04:00:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Ms. T for allowing me space on her blog today. I'm excited to announce the coming release of White Heart, Lakota Spirit from Moongypsy Press in April. If that seems far off, just take a minute and consider it feels like yesterday that we took down our holiday decorations. Some people still have up their lights. *smile*

Here's a short blurb to help you understand the story before I post the excerpt:

A normal morning turns to disaster when a small war party attacks Grace Cummings’ family and slaughters everyone but her. She's dragged to the Indian's camp filled with hatred, anger and fear, but through the help of another white woman in camp, learns the Lakota way. When white soldiers invade the camp and presume to rescue Grace, she must decide where her heart lies.

Excerpt:

Papa scraped the last speck of egg from his plate and set it aside. “I s’pect Kev and me’ll find gold any day now. People are discoverin’ it all around us. When we make our strike, we can find some land and build a real house. It’s sure to happen soon… afore summer is past and the weather turns cold. In fact, Sassy, you and yer ma might want to start gatherin’ fair-sized stones and rocks for our fireplace.”

He pointed to the lean-to, still in progress. “In the meantime, Kev and I will finish our temporary shelter, so we can spread out a bit.”

No more climbing in and out of a wagon to sleep. Grace clapped. “Oh, Papa, that sounds so good.”

She sobered and flashed the look that always won him over…the half-pout, wistful gaze. “When we finally settle in our real house, it will be near a town, won’t it? Otherwise, how do you expect me to be courted out here in the middle of nowhere?”

“I’m not so sure I want you to be cour...” He jerked around and looked over his shoulder. “Do you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Kevin asked.

“I hear it, Papa,” Grace chimed in. “Sounds like yelling.”

Her father stood and scanned the horizon. He pointed. “Look. There!”

A group of riders emerged from a dust cloud in the distance. The yelling grew louder as they came closer.

The furrows in her father’s brow frightened Grace. “What is it, Papa?”

He darted for the wagon. “It’s Injuns! Hurry! You two women get inside and keep low. Kevin, get yer rifle!”

Grace’s heartbeat quickened and fear clutched her chest, making it hard to breathe. She’d heard about savages, but never saw one up close. She didn’t want to.

Her mother stood frozen in place. Grace grabbed her hand and pulled. “C’mon, Mama, we’d better do as Papa says.”

They ran around to the back of the wagon, and her mother boosted her up and over the closed tailgate. Grace dove inside, her mind filled with horrible thoughts. Would she get scalped or worse…were they all going to die? All the while, piercing yells sliced the air while thundering hooves pounded the ground.

Realizing her mother hadn’t followed, Grace rose up on her knees and peeked outside. A pack of whooping Indians rode round and round the wagon, their voices creating a din of eerie screams while bullets exploded. The hair on Grace’s arms stood on end. She covered her ears, crouched against the sidewall and prayed the savages would go away.

Shots rang out from beneath the wagon when Papa and Kevin returned fire. Fretting over her mother, Grace peeked out again. Mama shrieked and grabbed for the gate, but a mounted marauder pumped a bullet into her shoulder. She fell, silenced for the moment, but tried to struggle to her feet. The Indian shot her again.

Grace’s screams echoed in her own head. “No! Oh God, Mama,” she yelled at the top of her lungs. “Mamaaaa...”

Overpowered by hopelessness, Grace looked on as the painted rider stopped next to Mama’s fallen body and emptied another round into her. A stream of bright red trickled through the dry dirt, and her beloved mother lay motionless. Bile rose in Grace’s throat. She collapsed into a cowering heap, silenced her sobs with her hands, and clenched her teeth to keep from screaming. God hadn’t intervened so maybe the ordeal was all a bad dream and Mama wasn’t really dead. But, the shooting and whooping continued. Pounding hooves sent dust seeping into the wagon and Grace sputtered. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t awaken from the terror.

The gunfire suddenly ceased. She listened for the awful war cries but heard nothing but stony silence. Terror brought her breathing in ragged gasps. Were her brother and father still alive? And what about Mama?

Grace wanted to look, but feared what she’d see. Were the Indians gone? Summoning courage, she forced her eyes open and lifted her gaze even with the edge of the tailgate. Her heart seized when she found herself nose to nose with a scarred face covered with paint. Hate-filled eyes glared at her, and in his hand, a wooden club with dangling feathers loomed directly over her head. In fear for her life, she recoiled and covered her mouth to stop the scream rising in her throat.

A second face, not as old or menacing, peered in at her. The younger Indian grabbed the arm of the other and said something indistinguishable. They both stared at her.

Tears stung her eyes then drizzled down her cheeks. “Please, don’t kill me, please.”

The angry one grabbed her arm and dragged her over the splintered tailgate. A piece of wood pierced her side. She grimaced, scrunched her eyes closed, then hit the ground with a painful thud. Was this the end for her?

The savage stood over her, burning her with his hateful glare. Why? She didn’t know, although she’d heard stories about the Indians’ anger over the miners being in the Black Hills. But to kill over gold? That couldn’t be why. It just couldn’t.

Looking past him, she noticed others still mounted; beyond them the body of her mother. Through blurred eyes, she glanced back to the younger man then scanned beneath the wagon, searching for her papa and brother. Their lifeless bodies lay sprawled next to one another. Her heart ached at the needless loss. She no longer had a family.

She glared up at the Indian whose bright, lightning-bolt markings did little to hide the evidence of his encounter with a sharp blade—a jagged scar ran from his ear to his chin. Well-deserved, she supposed. Despite her grief and trembling legs, rage overcame her. She jumped to her feet and pummeled the chest of the one she believed responsible. He reeked of death.

“You...you savage. I hate you, I hate you,” she yelled.

The younger man grabbed her wrists; the look in his eyes warned her to stop. She lowered her head and stared at the ground. Her falling tears sprinkled the sparse grass and glistened in the sun.

Again, in a language she didn’t comprehend, the two men spoke in raised voices. The older one shoved the younger one away, grabbed Grace’s hands and trussed them together with a long piece of rawhide. Yanking hard on her tether, he pulled her toward his horse. Once mounted, he glowered at her with piercing eyes beneath a brow creased from years of frowning. He nudged his horse forward and led her like a pack mule, slow and steady at first.

She flashed a pleading look back at the younger one, but he mounted his horse and averted his gaze. Why didn’t they just kill her and get it over?

She quickened her pace to keep from falling. Her bare toes struck an occasional rock, and she winced in pain. Now she wished she’d listened to Mama and worn her shoes. Mama! Her wonderful, beautiful Mama. Through tears, Grace forced herself to glance back for one last look at the loved ones she’d never see again.

Again, thanks to my hostess for allowing me to post here today, and consider yourself invited to drop over to my blog. Tiranth is a welcome guest there, along with a wide array of authors writing in all genres. We're "Dishin' it Out."

Welcome Cate Masters!

2010-02-15T08:57:00.002-05:00

Today I have the pleasure of hosting Cate Masters. Everyone give her a warm welcome!

1. Tell us a little about yourself. Do you have a "day job?"

Though I now live in a gorgeous rural area of central Pennsylvania, I’m a Jersey girl, originally and at heart. My hometown of Lambertville is a very artsy town, across the Delaware River from New Hope, Pa. Not until I moved to central Pennsylvania did I appreciate how incredibly lucky I was to grow up surrounded in such a rich cultural environment. All my friends loved music, poetry and books, so I took it for granted that everyone’s life was that way. So I used Lambertville/New Hope as the setting in two of my releases – Seventh Heaven and an upcoming release, The Bridge Between. You can see how gorgeous the area is in the trailer for Seventh Heaven, featuring photos from my hometown: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Rqe63e63FU

I have a part-time day job, but my fulltime job is writing. I treat it as my real day job.

2. What made you want to become a writer and how long have you been writing?

I was a very shy, quiet kid. Because my family lived out in the country with no nearby neighbors (and my mom didn’t drive!), I was also a bit lonely. Maybe that’s what led me to writing. As I said, I was also lucky to have incredibly talented friends who loved to write poetry too, although at the time I fantasized they were song lyrics. Growing up, I spent a lot of time in my own head (and still do!) and had a very overactive imagination (and still do!). Writing took a long breather while I raised my kids, but when I went back to it, it felt great. And I was more determined than ever – I took any classes or workshops I could squeeze into my schedule, bought many books on craft, joined writers’ groups and critique groups. In 2009, my hard work finally began to pay off in a string of acceptances, and I’ve been writing feverishly since.

3. What is your favorite genre to write?

I write across a range of genres and don’t have a favorite (don’t believe in them, actually). I need a lot of room for my wild imagination to roam around! So my stories are contemporary, fantasy/dark fantasy, paranormal, historical, speculative, across women’s fiction, mainstream and romance.

4. Do you have any particular writing rituals? Any snacks you must have while writing?

First thing in the morning, I turn on the computer. If it’s a workday, I catch up on emails and blogging and social networking, then head on out. If it’s my day off or a weekend, I start off the same but then get down to work. I don’t associate writing with food (probably a good thing!) but hot tea sustains me throughout the day. Sometimes it’s tough to get in the flow, but when I am, I block everything out, including taste and sound, so I never put music on. It would be a waste of electricity.

5. What's up next for you in the writing world?

Design for Life was released as part of The Wild Rose Press’ Flower Basket series on Feb. 10, 2010. A historical novel, Angels Sinners and Madmen, will be released by Freya’s Bower soon. Surfacing is a contemporary fantasy novel that Whiskey Creek Press will release. They also contracted a contemporary women’s fiction, The Bridge Between. Fever Dreams is a contemporary novel with fantasy elements to be released by Eternal Press in mid-2010. Three novels are circulating with publishers, so I’m hoping to have good news on those soon. And I entered another historical novel in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest, so on Feb. 25th I’ll learn whether it made it through the first round cuts.

6. Do you have any advice for the writers/readers?

My best advice for writers is: go with your gut. Don’t try to write to the market, don’t let rejection prevent you from putting your work out there. Never never never give up. For readers, I beg you not to share your ebooks with any other readers. If you love what you read, great – leave a positive review, send the author an email, but respect the hard work that goes into producing the story. Piracy threatens to put hardworking authors out of work, which doesn’t benefit anyone. But finally, thanks to readers for your support!

Design for Life is available now from The Wild Rose Press:

Blurb:
Becca Lyndon puts her dreams on hold by leaving art school to care for her ailing mom. Working full time at The Flower Basket leaves precious little time, but she squeezes in night classes at the local college. When Mike Hunter fills in as a substitute teacher, she worries about a repeat of the critical reviews he gave her work when he substituted at her high school three years earlier. His reason comes as a complete surprise, but can she trust him? Or will he disappear like her father? When that possibility looms all too real, she’s determined never to let the design for her life unravel again. Following her bliss requires work, but pays off in more ways than she ever imagined. She also learns that one door might close, but another can open—and lead to unexpected opportunities.

Trailer code

Bio:
Cate Masters writes fantasy/dark fantasy, historical, contemporary and speculative fiction, described by reviewers as “so compelling, I did not want to put it down,” “such romantic tales that really touch your soul,” “filled with action scenes which made it a riveting story,” and “the author weaves a great tale with a creative way of using words that makes the story refreshing to read.” Visit Cate online at www.catemasters.com, www.catemasters.blogspot.com or follow her on Facebook or Twitter.

Buried under snow...

2010-02-09T19:50:00.002-05:00

Yeah...its that bad LOL The snow started on Friday, went until Saturday and has pretty much shut down a lot of things here in Baltimore. I didn't go to the lab Monday but walked up to the bus stop and went in today for a couple hours. Now as I type this, its snowing again and isn't supposed to stop until tomorrow night. So what have I been doing while snowed in? Have a look :

The pounding in my head was worse then any pain I'd ever experienced. I felt hands brushing my cheeks, vaguely registered that someone was talking to me but I couldn't focus because of the pain. Through the fog, I knew there was someone else in my mind with me. Who are you?

Don't. The voice, distinctly male and angry broke through the pain and then was gone. Retreating but not gone. A little of the pain subsided and I could make sense of the words I was hearing.

"Come on, honey, open your eyes." This voice was female, light and sweet.

Did I have to? Light would only make a headache like this worse. Wake up. Now. Grudgingly I cracked open one eye and found the room blessedly dim. I could make out a face, hovering over mine. "Where am I?" I managed to croak.

"We call it The Bunker. Can you sit up?"

Whether or not I could, obviously this woman meant to make me. Her arm snaked under my shoulders and lifted me to a sitting position. The room spun, making my head hurt that much worse.

"Here drink this."

She held a cup to my lips and I was struck by a foul smelling odor. Grimacing, I pressed my lips together. There was no way I was drinking that. The other woman laughed softly. "I know it smells terrible honey and it tastes worse but I promise it will take the pain away."

Drink it. The presence in my mind surfaced again briefly, commanding and then disappearing again. I figured neither would leave me alone until I drank the stuff and if it made this pain go away, I supposed I could drink it.

I swallowed quickly, wincing at the burn as it slid down my throat. "Yuck."

The woman looked at me with sympathy in her dark eyes and patted my hand. "I know, honey. Just give that a minute to work, k?"

I nodded and leaned my head against the back of the bed, glancing around at my surroundings. The room was rather large but only had one other bed. "Where did you say I am?"

"The Bunker. This will be where you are staying for quite awhile. I'm Miri."

"Kellan Teague."

Miri smiled. "Welcome to the Program, Kellan. Let me guess, Dr. Hutchins didn't tell you much of anything right?"

I laughed and realized the pain was starting to go away. "Yeah, she was pretty vague on the details."

"Typical. The military guards us closely. Only a very few not directly involved in the Program know about us. You want the insanely detailed version or the short version?"

"I think I'll take the short version," I replied.

"Basically you've become a glorified message transmitter for a dragon."

I remembered vaguely something about dragons...and something about a Link. I looked around, other than Miri and I, there was no one else in The Bunker. "So where is it?"

"Outside. Even the little ones are too big to fit in here, honey. Think you can stand up? I'm sure you're curious to see who they paired you with."

As Miri helped me across the empty room, I wondered if the presence in my mind was the dragon. I tried to focus on him again but was pushed away. I could feel his anger. Whoever they paired me with wasn't happy about it. We passed out of the dim interior and into the sunlight. There was a large stone space and then it dropped off. Before I could see how far up we were, I was knocked back a few steps by a gust of wind. A dragon was landing in front of us. He was about a little larger than a draft horse, his underside was dull black but the rest of his scales were dark green. Ridges ran down his back to a spiked tail. He lifted his head and let out a strange warbling cry. For a minute I thought maybe this was my dragon but the voice I had heard didn't match. My dragon was bigger. Much bigger. I glanced at Miri out of the corner of my eye and saw her smiling. "Friend of yours?" I asked, hesitantly.

"Yes, that's my Enoch," she said proudly. She strode forward to stand beside the dragon, rubbing his snout. "Go ahead, call yours."

"How?" I asked.

Enoch and Miri moved away from the edge and the woman gestured. "Step up to the edge. You can feel him in your mind can't you?"

I nodded. He was there but he was most certainly doing his best to ignore me. I did as Miri suggested and stepped to the edge, looking down. We were pretty high up. I could see now a stairway off to the side, leading down to lower levels. There were many other such plateaus and I could see other dragons laying about on the cliffs. The range of colors was amazing. For a moment I was captivated just watching them.

"Well, what are you waiting for honey? I'm busting a gut here to see your dragon."

"You and me both," I muttered. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes to concentrate better, focusing on that other presence. Well...are you going to come say hi?

Run away, little girl. Run away.

I'm not going anywhere.

We'll see about that, he snarled. A tremendous roar shook the ground and something red streaked by from below. The wind of his passing knocked me to the ground, my elbow striking the hard rock painfully. I heard Enoch bellow behind me in surprise. A dark shadow blotted out the sun and Miri pulled me back just in time or the dragon would have landed on me. He was huge. Bigger than a house. He barely fit on the platform as he stood on two legs, his wings spread. His back scales were red but the sun glinted off his gold undersides. Two viscious horns curved from above his eyes like a rams to point forward. He roared again, revealing his rows of jagged pointy teeth. "Oh good god, they gave you Jericho," I heard Miri breath in my ear.

Upcoming Conference

2010-02-05T11:22:00.002-05:00

Just thought I'd stop in and let you guys know about this. Its going to be neat.

New Month, New News!

2010-02-01T21:31:00.005-05:00

So some exciting things! Firstly, The Quickening has been nominated for two awards!! First the CAPA - Cupid and Pyche Award at The Romance Studio. I'm up there with some pretty big names so its very cool. The second award is LASR's Best Book of 2009, so go vote for me!

I submitted King of Cups, just waiting to hear back about that one and I'm working on a new story called Jericho. More on that another time.

I'll be guesting at Cindy Jack's blog for her Love Blog-abration, as well as be over at Miss Gingers.

Off I go to write!

New Year's Bash Day 31 - Welcome Aubrey Leatherwood

2010-01-31T00:01:00.002-05:00

Its the last day of January and so we're welcomeing our last guest of the month for the New Year's Bash. I can't believe its flown by so quickly! And now give a nice big welcome to Aubrey!

WIP Me!

It’s January 31, 2010, the last day of the first month of the year. Momentous!

Hi, I’m Aubrey Leatherwood writer mainly of contemporary erotic fiction though I also dabble in erotic horror as well.

On the last day of every month, I practice a ritual of sorts. I the wee hours of the morning, I take account of my Works-In-Progress. Out comes a cute, aqua file box with cream rosettes all over it, the laptop and a massive Excel spreadsheet titled bibliography.docx which houses everything I’ve written in the past two years (one day I’ll got back further) and everything I plan to write in the next two years. There’s a synopsis of each title (each work must have a title even if it’s crappy for the time being), the date I start(ed) on it (I am ashamed to admit that some of them go back to the early 90s), the date I’ve targeted to complete it, the genre, the applicable subgenre, two paragraph blurb, challenges, target audience, submitted to, submitted date, and status of submission. After an update of each title and a review (this takes a couple of hours) I decide on a plan of action to achieve my writing goals by the end of the following month.

And for the following month, I completely disregard that plan.

It’s funny because I am well-known by those who well-know me J to be a pantser. Yes, I write by the seat of my pants without a care to plotting or reason or to jumping between radically different voices and atmospheres. For someone as fiendishly organized as I am, I know it’s sort of odd. I write the end, the beginning, the middle. Whatever moment inspiring me to put words on paper is what comes out. And later on, I connect the dots. I say it like that’s simple, it’s soooo not, and frequently it has me cursing about why I didn’t map the darn thing out any better.

Still, at the end of the following month, I update my status and make a new plan.

It’s madness, I know. But I produce an incredible amount of writing each month even if it’s haphazard and spread between WIPs.

Without further ado, here’s an excerpt from a recently completed WIP, “The Soul in Nowhere” a work that is going to be a dark and sizzling departure from the nice Aubrey many of you have seen thus far.

Rahmi's thighs weakened as moisture trickled between them, two spots at the center of her back tingled, and she sank even deeper into her bed. Her legs lolled open a little, restless.

She tested the liquid between them with curiosity and appetite. “Do you want to punish me?”

“It is my nature and my duty,” He stepped forward and pinched one of her swollen nipples tightly. Rahmi gasped. “I can see in your eyes and in your actions that you agree you must be punished. This half-Arcane life in this realm is not enough for you. It is not what you were meant for.” Mast sharply dragged her hand away from her body burning her wrist with his hot skin. He pressed the pads of his super-heated fingers to her wet, abandoned flesh before abruptly pushing two fingers inside her. Rahmi’s body jerked and she hissed as did her flesh. Mast abruptly pulled his hand away.

“Do you want to hurt me?”

“I don’t know,” he responded but Arcane eyes never lied. He licked his fingers. His tongue was long, moist, and came to two sharp points, “Yes. Desperately.” He admitted.

Rahmi had never felt desire in her human form before those last twenty-four hours. She could never indulge such a feeling. Rahmi feared what copulating with a human would cause. She didn’t know if a human would survive it. She didn’t know if her wings would sprout from her back and startle one. She didn’t know if it would affect her and kill what was left of her Arcane. She didn’t know if she would kill and absorb the soul in the way of the demons. She just didn’t know. But with Mastema, she had felt if from the start. It was animal and aggressive and it responded to him powerfully. And, she would feel no guilt over any bi-product of harm. He was, after all, a demon.

Jerahmeel stood and padded over to her Harp. She took a robe and covered the instrument. Turning to Mastema, she explained, “It will try to protect me.”

Let me close by thank Antonia Tiranth for inviting me to blog. I’ve had a lovely time!

Aubrey Leatherwood

Http://www.aubreyleatherwood.com

New Year's Bash Day 30 - Welcome Jane Toombs!

2010-01-30T00:01:00.000-05:00

Today we're welcoming Jane Toombs!

1. Tell us a little about yourself. Do you have a "day job?"

For many years I did work as an RN. This came about because of WWII, when the country was intensely patriotic. All males in my graduating high school class went into one branch of the service or another. At 16, I was too young, so I went to Michigan State for a year, waiting to turn seventeen and a half, so I could join the Cadet Nurse Corps. My local MD refused to sign the physical until I had my tonsils out, telling my mother they were still infected and, though she’d refused to let him take them out for over two years, now she had to agree or he couldn’t in good conscience sign the physical certifying I was entirely healthy. So out they came under local anesthesia. Once out he showed them to me, saying, “Just look at all that pus.” I promptly threw up all the blood that I’d swallowed during the operation. He then asked if I was sure I wanted to be a nurse. “Because you’ll see a lot worse than that.” He was right, but I never threw up again when I did.

So I became a nurse because I wanted to be able to help the war effort. Of course the war ended by the time I got my RN license, so I never did go into the service as one. Even after I was selling regularly as a writer, I continued working part time as a relief supervisor RN. Strangely enough, I missed it when I stopped to write full time.

2. What made you want to become a writer and how long have you been writing?

I think maybe enjoying reading as much as I did triggered my wanting to be a writer. Also, my father was a published non-fiction writer, mostly about the past in the area where we lived, and he encouraged me when I tried it as a child. So I’ve been writing since I was about seven, As to seriously writing, that didn’t happen until about I was married and had five children, only to find my husband considered what I wrote “trash.” I wasn’t published until after our marriage suffered a dissolution, as California puts it. Not an easy decision, but I felt a desperate need to write that he was trying to stifle and we could were unable to reach any tye of compromise. .

3. What is your favorite genre to write?

Since my first published book, which was the first novel I actually finished, was a gothic, I believe romantic suspense with a touch or more of paranormal has to be my favorite genre. But I also enjoy writing historicals, and fantasy. I‘ve also written horror, though I really prefer happy endings. Also contemporary romance both sexy and sweet. And a thriller here and there. Also a couple of hospital mysteries.

4. Do you have any particular writing rituals? Any snacks you must have while writing?

I write only in my writing room and only on the computer these days. This goes for both story ideas to contracted-for stories. Once at the computer, I stop thinking about anything else. I do get interrupted, but am able to go back after I handle whatever the interruption was about (like fixing dinner). The writing room is only for that purpose. I do nothing else in there except read emails. I don’t snack, but I do drink lots of water,

5. What's up next for you in the writing world?

This month I have two books coming out. NULL AND VOID from Red Rose Publishing’s SHADOWED HEARTS new gothic series and NIGHTINGALE MAN from Champagne Books. A WWI spy thriller with a touch of romance.

Then I have to finish “The Charmer” a novelette for HALLOWEEN TREASURES an already contracted-for anthology by various Jewels Of The Quill Authors. We’re a closed promo group of 12 published authors (I’m Dame Turquoise) who promote each other. To help us do so, we contribute to Tales From The Treasure Trove Anthologies--up to # 7 now--and also holiday ones. Many of these have won awards, which makes our publisher, Whiskey Creek Press, happy. You can visit us online, where we do give away books at www.JewelsoftheQuill.com.

After that I’ll be finishing DRAGON’S PEARL, the first book in my DARKNESS OF DRAGONS Trilogy, as yet uncontracted.

Ooo dragons! My favorite ^.^

6. Do you have any advice for the writers/readers?

My New Year’s resolution for 2010 was to finish all the books I’ve started. If they sell, then I’ll be stuck with a lot of trilogies and series books to finish--work, but the satisfying kind. Like many authors, new ideas twinkle like fireflies in the darkness of my mind, but I’ve decided I must ignore these ephemeral enticements and concentrate on what I’ve already started. And that’s a great resolve for any writer. Always finish what you start! Especially for beginning writers, who learn from every book they do finish. Lately I haven’t adhered to that unwritten rule, getting too far ahead of myself with ideas. By this, I refer to books where the story ideas are viable, not just transient thoughts. Which doesn‘t mean a viable idea for a story can’t develop from one of those mind fireflies. So, okay, jot that idea down and go back to finish what you’ve started.

As for readers, if you haven’t managed to acquire an ebook reader yet, save up or request one for a birthday or Christmas present. You won’t be sorry. Lots easier than reading on the computer because you can literally curl up with a good book when you have an ereader. Most of them are good ones. nowadays. And ebooks are far less expensive than print.

New Year's Bash Day 29 - Welcome Kat Holmes

2010-01-29T00:01:00.000-05:00

The month is nearly over but we still have a few more awesome guests to go! Today we have Kat Holmes. Welcome Kat!

1. Tell us a little about yourself. Do you have a "day job?"

LOL it’s truly terrible but no I don’t have a day job and I can honestly say I haven’t suffered for my craft. A friend of mine who’s an ebook author started encouraging me to try submitting my own writing. It really wasn’t something I ever considered doing. I wrote just for my own pleasure the kind of stories I liked to read. I honestly did not think I was good enough to get published.

But, she kept insisting I try so I finally caved. The first book I submitted was rejected because of too many POV changes. The second book was rejected because that particular publisher wasn’t accepting that type of genre. But then I found Red Rose’s website and saw they had a section for Autumn Rose stories about older women and younger men and an idea just came to me. I wrote it, submitted it and they contracted it. Interestingly enough, the second book that was rejected because the publisher didn’t want that genre has since been contracted by Red Rose as well. It’s the first in a new series.

2. What made you want to become a writer and how long have you been writing?

I’ve always written. My mom instilled a love of books and words in me when I was very young. I was and still am a voracious reader. But, as I said before it wasn’t until my friend, whom I have dedicated my first book to, encouraged me that I attempted to get published.

3. What is your favorite genre to write?

I really like erotic paranormal. I like a story in which anything can, and often does happen. But I also write contemporary, interracial, and even ménage. In fact, my first release is an erotic contemporary.

4. Do you have any particular writing rituals? Any snacks you must have while writing?

I like to write when I first get up in the morning and am fresh. I don’t write later in the day when the brain is tired because I just don’t feel like I can give the writing my all. As for when I’m writing, I always need a bottle of Diet Pepsi. It’s my one bad habit and the only way I get my caffeine fix because I don’t drink coffee.

5. What's up next for you in the writing world?

Well, as I said Red Rose has contracted a new series from me. It’s about the Gods of ancient Greece and what would happen if the bad economy affected them too. I’m really excited and am having a lot of fun with it. So far only the first one is contracted but I have submitted several that I’m waiting to hear about. I’m also almost finished the current one and will dive right into the next when it’s done.

Beyond that I have a few stories in mind that are not part of this series and I’ll begin writing after I complete the next book.

6. Do you have any advice for the writers/readers?

Honestly, it’s just to keep trying. If you really believe in yourself and your work than just keep plugging away and being persistent. Also, don’t take rejections to heart. Everyone gets them. And I do mean everyone. Just pick yourself up and try again. It will happen.

Voice In The Night by Kat Holmes
Releases March, 18 2010
From Red Rose Publishing

New Year's Bash Day 28 - Welcome Roseanne Dowell

2010-01-28T00:01:00.001-05:00

Just a few day's left in the New Year's Bash. Today we welcome Roseanne Dowell!

1. Tell us a little about yourself. Do you have a "day job?"

For starters I’m a wife, mother of six, grandmother of 13 with another on the way, and soon to be great grandmother.

I’m a former school secretary and also worked as a floral designer. I was an editor with an e-publisher and I taught two writing classes at our community college. I currently teach several writing classes at Long Story Short Writing School.

2. What made you want to become a writer and how long have you been writing?

I’ve been interested in writing ever since I can remember. When I was young, I’d make up stories all the time. Sometimes when I read I changed the ending. I’ve been writing forever, but not until six years ago seriously and submitting. I did take a course for writing for children when my children were young, but it takes a special person to write for children, and I just didn’t have it.

3. What is your favorite genre to write?

I love romance and mystery with a little paranormal (ghosts mostly) and the combination of them is what I really love.

4. Do you have any particular writing rituals? Any snacks you must have while writing?

No particular writing rituals. I do try to write every day, even if it’s only one line. Another author and mentor taught me that. I often find, if I force myself to write one line (even if it’s dreck), I start writing more, and it eventually turns into something worthwhile.

Snacks? Any and all. Unfortunately, I’m a junk food junkie.

5. What's up next for you in the writing world?

I currently have seven short stories available on Amazon.com and my latest novel, Time to Live Again has a release date of March 11, 2010 with Red Rose Publishing. and they’ve accepted another, Designed for Love, but I don’t have a release date for that one. Check out my website.

6. Do you have any advice for the writers/readers?

Yes, never give up. Follow your dream. Don’t take the rejections personal. Just because you get a rejection doesn’t mean your work isn’t good. Sometimes the editor already has something similar or it doesn’t fit their needs. Most importantly, do your homework. Don’t send a romance to a mystery publisher (unless it’s a mystery with a romance element), just as you wouldn’t send a romance to a sci-fi or fantasy publisher.

New Year's Bash Day 27 - Welcome Joshua Hines!

2010-01-27T00:01:00.000-05:00

Today's guest is my youngest brother! In typical little brother fashion, he's not so keen on my erotic novels so don't take it as an insult my fellow erotic writers ^.^

Well, not exactly sure what to write about but I guess I will give it my best shot. “Antonia” (not sure if I’m supposed to use her real name or not, so I will stick with the alias), is my sister and she has been writing for as long as I can remember. One of the best things about being related to “Antonia” is I get to influence her writing. I have a big imagination but I am way too lazy to write a full book. So I just give “Antonia” ideas when I have them or whenever she is stuck and need help.

I believe “Antonia” is a fantastic writer, and it frustrates me incredibly when she resorts to writing erotic works. She writes these erotic works because she says “They sell”, and I have said to her multiple times “So do drugs, doesn’t make it right.” I say this not because I am against her writing porn, it’s not because of that. She writes them for the wrong reasons. She wants to sell sell sell, but her stories like the Rikashi, Dark Shadow, and Jericho ( In the process of being written) are where her intention is not only sell, but to write an enjoyable story for all types of people. When she writes these erotic stories I will not make any attempt to help her and may even seem like I am against her. But that is not true because when she is working on a book like the ones named above, I am more than willing to help and truly enjoy it when she keeps me in the loop. I am her biggest fan when it comes to those works.

I have been reading her daily writings of both Dark Shadow and Jericho. I let her know where she needs work and give my opinion of what would make the story more exciting. But I have to also admit that “Antonia” can be an airhead and once she makes up her mind to do something, it is pretty hard to convince her to do anything other than what she had in mind (Very very very frustrating by the way). And because of this stubbornness she continues to write her stories and they continue to be fantastic pieces of work. But I must point out that she didn’t even want to put her works out to be published at first. It took many days of me, my brother, and her fiancée pushing her to publish it for her to actually get up the courage to do it. And as we expected her work got accepted and her work got published. And surprise surprise the first book she got published wasn’t erotic in any way. Oh yeah and another thing about “Antonia” is that she really is a caring person even though she can be a stubborn airhead. She will give her arm to you if you really need it and will stand up for family members even if they are wrong. And that’s why I love her as my sister even though I really wish sometimes that she would just shut up and listen haha.

New Year's Bash Day 26 - Welcome Micah Parrish!

2010-01-26T00:01:00.000-05:00

For the next two days, we're going to be taking a small break from hearing from authors. Today and tomorrow my guests with be people related to an author, namely me ^.^ Today's guest is my wonderfully patient fiance Micah.

Living with a writer is quite the experience. I enjoy the good things about it and tolerate the annoying things. I could save the good things for last but I think I will get them out of the way first.

A writer is a creative individual and we all know this. My writer is one of the best in my unbiased opinion. One of the best perks of this plays on the fact that I am an avid reader. Simply put I get previews of things as they get to evolve and I get to see the story as it is created. I also get grabbed into Antonia's writings and cannot get out. I turn into a drooling idiot who wants the next chapter or even paragraph as soon as possible. I might be a little annoying myself when it comes to this but she puts up with me. Also as an avid reader I sometimes find myself being able to know what she thinks. Reading someones literary works is a good way to get to know how they think. Not that I cannot be surprised it is just that most of the time I can predict what might happen next. She is still a female and therefore a mystery though.

Well now that I am done with the good part lets get onto the annoying things. I have been woken up in the middle of the night by inspiration. Not my own of course but the lightning strikes the writer. She does not work on a normal schedule. Sometimes she will be writing at three in the morning and I am expected to listen. I am terrible at remembering stuff and easily distracted. I also have a dislike of spoilers. This is the alternate side to seeing how the story is going. Sometimes the ideas are coming so fast that they must be shared with me when I am driving the car with her in the passenger seat. Now I love reading a good story and my normal reaction to spoilers is to balk and be upset. THIS IS THE WRONG RESPONSE TAKE NOTICE! The natural response of course upsets my spouse. The correct response is to gladly ask to hear the new ideas or developments. Otherwise begging and/or bribery may be required to get her to talk to me again. Another annoying thing is the plot twist. For goodness sakes woman are hard enough to understand for men that having a writers penchant for the surprise is totally unfair! Now on to the plotting face as a topic. This is the result of intensive thought and deviousness. Usually this means that nothing I say will have any effect and getting a response will require shocking or vulgar speech or inappropriate groping. Unfortunately the devious ideas are not restricted to her writing sometimes this causes me headaches as her plotting ability is focused against me. Oh woe is me!

But lets be honest any couple has trouble understanding each other. At least as a reader and writer relationship is I can get some idea of her mind. It just means that mind is that much more complex and subsequently dangerous. Oh and some just random interesting things now. I find it amazing that writers try to find out information about the smallest element for their writings. The odd books that she bought for her BDSM writing was quite the eyebrow raiser. This was also a source of humor and teasing available. I am sure in the future I will enjoy myself both as a reader and the spouse of a writer. I just hope I can survive if she starts writing murder mysteries.........

New Years Bash Day 25 - Welcome Angela Kay Austin

2010-01-25T00:00:00.002-05:00

Today we have Angela Kay Austin answering a few question for us. She has an upcoming release with Red Rose Publishing in February called Love's Chance. Welcome Angela!

1.Tell us a little about yourself. Do you have a "day job?"

Yes, I do. For about 15 years, I’ve worked in marketing. I’ve worked in radio, TV, non-profits, retail, and now, I work in commercial real estate development as a Director of Marketing and Promotions. So, I get to write a lot. Not what I love to write, but copywriting for ads.

2.What made you want to become a writer and how long have you been writing?

My Mom had always been a huge reader. As a child she’d have a million and one subscriptions to all types of magazines. I would read everyone she finished, and then I began to get my own subscriptions to ‘my’ magazines. I also loved a school based reading program which introduced me to Judy Blume. At some point, it all began to come together, my love for reading and writing. My first little pink and white diary was filled daily with my AWESOME stuff: love notes to my first crush, poetry, and whatever else. I entered contest after contest in teen magazines, and in my mom’s magazines. Nothing. But I’ve never stopped, and now, Red Rose Publishing will be releasing my first book February 11th. 2009.

3.What is your favorite genre to write? Why?

IR Contemporaries. I enjoy exploring all facets of love for everyday people.

4.Do you have any particular writing rituals? Any snacks you must have while writing?

Writing relaxes me, so the only ritual I seem to have developed is that I seem always write at night or early morning. I love ice cream and chips. Not together, but I don’t know if that would necessarily be a bad thing. Ice cream is so wonderful wrapped on my couch with a blanket, and my laptop on my lap. Or a bag of chips on my desk while I’m at my desktop. I prefer hot chips. Delicious!

5.What’s up next for you in the writing world?

I’m working on a few different IR Contemporaries, and a few women’s fiction pieces at the moment. I also have some poetry I’m trying to determine what to do with.

6.Do you have any advice for the writers/readers?

The only advice I think I can offer is, don’t give up. If you own it, then those around you will believe it, too. I talk about writing to everyone I know. I try to find writing opportunities everywhere. I don’t care what it is. If it involves being able to write something, I do it.

So, I guess that’s what I’d say...believe it, tell it, do it, and of course, let’s not forget to read. Read everything.

Thank you so much for stopping by Angela!

New Year's Bash Day 24 - Welcome Brynna Curry!

2010-01-23T18:30:00.004-05:00

We're still going here with the New Year's Bash. Today starts our last full week. Can you believe the month is going by so fast? Today's guest is Brynna Curry!

Thanks for inviting me to be here today, Tir! I'll be giving away an ebook to one of the commentors. Winner's choice- Earth Enchanted or Gypsy Moon.

As Brynna Curry I write light paranormal romance and suspense. On the other side of the coin is my dark side, Brianna Roarke writing steamy dark paranormal romance. I feed my love of books as a book reviewer for You Gotta Read Reviews. I also judge several RWA writing contests a year, including the 'Molly', 'Gotcha', Fab5 and Reveal Your Inner Vixen contests and I'm the forth member of the Frightening Journeys blog writers. I'm married to my high school sweetheart with three teenagers and by day I'm a secretary for a construction company.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have magical abilities? I'm not talking about being able to fly, super strength or even invincibility. What if you could control water with the flick of your wrist? Create fire out of thin air with a thought? What if you could read minds, cure the sick? Shield someone you love from falling, drowning, being crushed by a car just by willing it? It's the most dangerous question in the world. "What if?"

Think for an instant what you would do with all that power. Would you use it for gain? Shun the gift as something other worldly and evil? Or would you embrace it with a child's delight and be thrilled with the good it could do, if you would only allow it? Now that you've found it, where did the magic come from? What if you discovered you were the descendant of a healer and a nixie-witch? What if the entire future of your family depended on you and your brothers breaking a thousand year old spell? Meet the Corrigans.

Liv Corrigan is a beautiful woman and a talented writer; she's also a telepath and must use her gifts to save the man she loves. Within her family lies a dark secret and a history of mages and magic. The Corrigans are both blessed and cursed with power. Ryan Corrigan chose to shun his gift after he lost his heart, now he must find his magic again if he is to save Liv's twins. Skye Corrigan, Liv's twin brother, revels in his power, but his gift is the darkest of all. Can he overcome the evil that walks within him, or will the healer and nixie be forever trapped in the mist?

Earth Enchanted is the first in a series of five books featuring the Corrigans from Ireland, a family with a ancestry of mages. Liv Corrigan, telepath and writer,visits her brother in the states only to find he's neck deep in a diamond smuggling ring. While there she meets ex-cop Jackson Roarke, a man with secrets still reeling from his wife's death. Here is a short blurb.

EARTH ENCHANTED

TAG: When telepath meets ex-cop, will it be death or diamonds

BLURB: Writer Liv Corrigan has the worst luck with men -- her telepathy tends to make them run for the hills. When she meets widower and ex-cop Jack Roarke, she decides to keep her talent hidden. Things are looking up until their third date crashes and burns as the man who murdered Jack’s wife turns out to be after him too.

Injured, Jack retreats with Liv to his house under armed guard. But with Liv’s mysteries rapidly coming unraveled, a diamond-thief killer to stop and passion in the air, the safe house is anything but safe for their hearts!

After EE, To Take Up The Sword flash forwards to the end of the trial for Ashton Smythe, Gueraldi's (the villian from EE) right hand man. When Smythe is set free, Agent Spiller (EE), convinced Serena Roarke hid more diamonds there, goes back to Alabama in search of missing evidence that would have convicted her killer. Leannan O'Neal, Serena's sister, goes into the wind after the destruction of her home and threats on her life. She meets up with Spiller and together they try to get the diamonds to safety before both are killed. There are a total of five books in this series. You can find out more about each book in the series by visiting my website and clicking the Elemental Magic tab.

You can learn more about the Elemental Magic Series and Brynna's other projects on her site or stop by one of her blogs and say hello.

Brynna

My site
My blog and co-blog "Frightening Journeys"

On Twitter as BrynnaCurry/On Facebook as Bethany Cagle

Yahoo Group

I hope you'll drop by and visit with me!

New Year's Bash Day 23 - Welcome Jordana Ryan!

2010-01-23T00:01:00.001-05:00

Coming around the corner on the homestretch of the New Year's bash and today's guest is Jordana Ryan!

A little Fairytale Romance

Hi, Antonia, thanks for having me today. I’m Jordana Ryan, author of Perfect Game and Sweet Dreams available at Bookstrand Publishing and No Matter What, The Wrong Woman, Summer Fling and Color Blind which are available in the Amira Press Meant to Be Anthology

I started reading romance almost from the time I was able to pick up a book. I guess it all started with Cinderella and the Prince lol. I’ve always been the girl who saw things with rose colored glasses and believed that someday my prince would come. Couple that with the fact that I love to write and you can see where my very own princes were born.

A little romance is good for the soul. I love to get lost in the best of the fairytale romances. Of course, as I got older, I moved away from Cinderella and started reading Roseanne Bittner, who is one of my favorites, Cassie Edwards, Johanna Lindsey, another of my favorites, Nora Roberts, Judith McNaught who wrote the stellar Whitney my Love and many others. All of whom wrote men who I fell in love with and women that were strong and admirable.

When I decided to embark and a career in writing romance, I strove to be like the authors I idolized. I wanted to write characters with people would laugh with, cry with, fall in love with, root for, and love to hate, but also love at the same time, I’ve found in life, and in love, nobody is perfect, and that in falling in love, I’m not looking for the perfect man. What I am looking for is the man who is perfect for me.

Usually I create my female character first. I have to know who my female character is so that I can write the perfect man for her. Flaws and all, he has to be right for her. From there, I can write the perfect love story, and part of the joy of writing a fairytale romance is watching their love unfold. I love what I do because it gives me back a little bit of my childhood and lets me create Prince Charming over and over again in many different ways :)

I hope that people who read my books will look at my characters and fall in love with their strengths and weaknesses just like I do, and ultimately realize, that everyone needs a little romance in their life. And that at one time or another, we all believed in that perfect, fairytale love.

If you want to contact Jordana, her email is cryselle @ att . net, take out the spaces of course ^.^

New Year's Bash Day 22 - Welcome Isabel Roman!

2010-01-22T00:01:00.001-05:00

And today we have the talented Isabel Roman!

Magick, betrayal, attraction and adventure, and Philadelphia.

My very first story, the one I recently unearthed with a surprised “What’s this and where’d this box come from?” and burned in a fit of hysterical laughter, could be summed up as: Long, confusing, long, paranormal before I knew what the word meant, four families, and just plain bad. It had something to do with the elements (hence the four families) and Russia. I didn’t read beyond the second paragraph, opened the wood stove, tossed the entire sheaf of papers in, and happily closed the wood stove. Those words kept me warm during the December snowstorm from hell.

This one is very different: Magick, betrayal, attraction and adventure, and Philadelphia. What does Philadelphia have to do with the previous four? It’s just the setting, though if you’ve ever walked the streets after midnight, you can easily believe in ghosts and goblins. In the fourth of my Dark Desires of the Druids series, Temptations and Treachery, Lady Isadore Harrington sets out on her own to face the world outside the insular one she’s always known.

Druidic magick historically comes in many forms, but it’s always associated with the earth, with the 4 (or 5 if you choose) basic elements. For instance, my magickers can gather already existing shadows around them in order to hide themselves. Or they can use the wind, ocean, and fire, bending these elements to their will. Isadore’s brother, Lucien has a strong affinity with water, and spent a large portion of his life at sea.

In my world, it’s still very much connected with the earth despite the Victorian rather than medieval or even ancient setting. The Victorian world was different, fun because of those differences, and all straight-laced. My Druids are not. Straight-laced that is.

Isadore, however, is a different matter. She’s never embraced the most basic of Druidic traditions, enjoying sexual fulfillment before marriage. In Druidic society, one can sleep with whomever they wish before marriage, just not afterward marriage vows are spoken. Isadore hasn’t ever found anyone she’d bother to sleep with; until she lands in Philadelphia and meets her sister-in-law’s cousin, James Blackthorne.

Powerful with basic elements, she also has no single stronger power. Until she travels from England to Philadelphia where she begins having vividly painful visions aboard ship. Death, passion, and an odd sense of connectedness draw her to stay in Philadelphia, but will it be enough?

Excerpt from their first meeting:

“Why does Morgana hate me so? We’re family. We’re the only family we have left! I’m more than a cousin. I’m like a brother to her!”

James waited impatiently in the warm summer night for the passengers of the steamship to unload. They took their damn time, didn’t they? Strolling off the ship in ones and twos. But not the woman he waited for.

“This is not,” he said to a silent Takoda who stood to his left, “how I intended to spend my evening.” In fact, he’d really wanted to sleep. Between running Blackthorne Shipworks and keeping the magicker council from killing each other, he had no time for such trivialities as sleep. He desperately missed it. “Or the next few weeks of this summer.”

Takoda, the shaman Morgana rescued from mob justice years ago, merely grunted.

“Saddled with the sister of that Englishman. What does Morgana see in that pompous ass?”

“She seems happy enough.” Takoda’s words did nothing to comfort or calm James. The worst part was, he couldn’t deny it. She was happy with Granville; happier than he’d ever seen her even with her first husband. Damn the Englishman.

The passengers trickled to a stop and still no sight of Granville’s sister. Not that he had much to go on, but he’d yet to see a woman traveling with an older companion. Just as he was about to comment on that, the pair of women he awaited walked down the gangplank.

“Gods,” he breathed, frozen in place. The rest of the words stuck in his throat. Swallowing against the blockage, he managed, “She’s stunning.”

James tilted his head to one side, studying her. The lights from the dock glinted off her golden blond hair. She paused at the bottom of the gangplank to look around. Her companion said something to her and she smiled: a quick, bright grin that shook James to his core.

It took him a moment to regain his senses, to react. With a deep breath, he walked forward.

“Not. A. Word,” he warned Takoda without looking at him. Holding a finger in his direction to ward off any comment he repeated, “Not a single word.”

Takoda offered a quiet, mocking laugh.

James snarled at him, but stepped to the front of the thinning crowd to catch Lady Isadore Harrington’s attention.

Maybe this summer wouldn’t be all that awful.

Where to find me:
Website
Blog
Facebook Which may or may not work, I can never find people’s page this way, but it could be me.

New Year's Bash Day 21 - Welcome Aline de Chevigny

2010-01-21T00:01:00.001-05:00

Today Aline de Chevigny answering a few questions about life and writing.

1. Tell us a little about yourself. Do you have a "day job?"

I'm a French Canadian, living in the North making my editors lives painful with my horrific grammar LOL

You bet I have a day job, I work for the Environmental department at an isolated mine site. I work a two and two rotation, so for two weeks I have limit access to everything.

2. What made you want to become a writer and how long have you been writing?

I had just moved away from my friends and familly, and was bored out of my tree. The third book in as many days had just been flung accross the room for having heroines who were too stupid to live and my friends dared me to write my own book if I wasn't happy with the books I'd been reading. So I did.

I've now been writing for 7 years as of tomorow.

3. What is your favorite genre to write?

Romance...it doesn't matter what subgenres are added romance is always a main story line in my books.

4. Do you have any particular writing rituals? Any snacks you must have while writing?

I write everywhere. I always have pen and paper in my pocket, purse, back pack, you name it. All my books are written on paper first and then typed up. I think better when the words can flow out my hand.

5. What's up next for you in the writing world?

Who knows LOL, I have a release in March about a beaver shifter, and hopefully a few historicals that will be finished any time now.

6. Do you have any advice for the writers/readers?

For the writers...Write what you know. Write what you feel. Don't edit until you have a finished first draft, you'll go through several drafts before your story is ready to be seen by anyone. And find a few people you trust to give you their honest opinion.

For the readers...if you like the story let the author know. If you don't like the story, constructive criticism is a very helpful tool. But don't be mean, you may just crush a new author and make them quit leaving the world with a loss. Who know that author could be the one to write the next Anne of Green Gables or Jane Eyre.

You can find Aline's works at Red Rose Publishing!

New Year's Bash Day 20 - Welcome Cindy Jacks

2010-01-20T00:01:00.001-05:00

Today we have the glorious bad girl herself Cindy Jacks! Looks like she's talking about my favorite subject...shifters!

Losing My Shifter Virginity

There's no doubt about it, shape-shifters are hot! Our lovely host, Antonia Tiranth, can attest to that fact. Speaking of our lovely host, let me take a second to thank Tonie for having me as a guest today. Thanks, Tonie!

Okay, so shifters—werewolves, werecats and other sexy manimals (Anyone else remember that show? Just me? Alrighty then.). They are all the rage in the e-publishing world. Write a shifter story, my author friends would say, but for me, it wasn't so easy.

You see, most of my novels are contemporary romance, which hasn't as popular as it once was. Under my pseudonym CJ Elliott, I've written a couple horror pieces and a suspense-thriller, but shifters. Nary an idea came my way...until I dreamed up Lucian.

Lucian is the Alpha of a large clan of werewolves, or loups garoux as they prefer to be called. After he's injured in battle with a usurper lone wolf, he's taken in by a human woman. This is no ordinary human woman—Reese is gifted with the ability to read the thoughts of others. The constant chatter of other people's minds has driven her to the solitude of a cabin in the woods, but her hermitage proves less peaceful than she hoped due to said loup garou turf war. She takes in the injured wolfman, and of course, romance ensues.

The idea sounded simple enough when I hatched it, but suddenly I found myself bogged down with the construction of clan-histories, alternate realities and genealogies that spanned several generations. Gack! Slowly, I'm combing my way through the necessary backstory so that I might, one day, complete the main story. Hey, a woman can dream, can't she?

So here's a question for you seasoned shifter veterans, how do you deal with the massive task of creating subcultures for your werefolk? Any and all advice is appreciated!

Despite the daunting task ahead, I'm enjoying the process and the freedom of building a world where human rules don't apply. Who knows, maybe I'll become a regular fixture in paranormal fiction. Until then, I'm working diligently on losing my shifter virginity with style!

Shameless self-promotion:
Cindy's links
Website
Facebook fan page

Hungry for a sample of CJ Elliott's evil deliciousness? Check out The Wedding Feast at Wild Child Publishing

Sexy erotica more your style? Take a nibble of Cindy Jacks's spicy offerings at Freya's Bower

Contact her at cindy@cindyjacks.com

New Year's Bash Day 19 - Welcome Annie Nicholas

2010-01-19T00:00:00.003-05:00

Today Annie Nicholas gives us a little taste of her world.

First...a little bit about Annie:

Annie Nicholas hibernates in the rural, green mountains of Vermont where she dreams of different worlds, heroes, and heroines. When spring arrives the stories pour from her, in hopes to share them with the masses one day.

Mother, daughter, wife are some of the hats she happily wears while trudging after her cubs through the hills and dales. The four seasons an inspiration and muse.

THE OMEGAS
I’m excited to announce my first release with Lyrical Press, The Omegas. A twist on the usual werewolf pack story. I’m having a week long release party at my blog with a contest. Come join the fun. To find out about my other books please see my website.

Only a vampire is man enough to teach werewolves how to fight.

BLURB:
Pretty librarian Sugar wants her life to stay quiet. That’s hard enough when friends and neighbors turn into furry wolves every full moon. But when a hot vampire gets involved, life’s bound to get complicated.

The Omegas have always been the pansies of the paranormal. Now Chicago’s top werewolf pack has issued them a life or death challenge. Their only option: hire a vampire warrior to teach them the moves.

Daedalus has been a powerful vampire for ages. Intrigued by the chance to train the geeks of the underworld, he wasn’t bargaining on losing his heart to a human. Can he make the Omegas a success, fit into Sugar’s quiet life, and avoid being ripped to shreds in the process?

EXCERPT:
Sugar walked to the Omegas’ apartment. Quiet dominated their corner of the building since Mr. Pal Robi’s arrival last week. She’d seen them when she went out on her garden balcony to water the plants last night. They jogged with their vampire trainer on the sidewalk. He ran, and they straggled behind. Other than that she hadn’t seen any of them. No one came over to visit. Not even Katrina, who had become a permanent fixture in her home.

She stood in front of their door and wiped her sweaty palms on her old, worn jeans. Maybe I should have changed.

The thought irritated her. She’d never worried about her looks before he moved in. She’d never lusted after a man like this either. Her past lovers always started as emotional relationships, then grew into something physical. What she experienced with Daedalus seemed more animalistic. If she made out with him and got it over with, then maybe her mind would clear. The memory of his sexy half-smile with a wink haunted her every night. Those blue eyes, broad shoulders, firm body, bald head--

The apartment door swung open, and the demon of her fantasies stood staring at her, shirtless. A thin sheen of sweat covered his pale skin as if he’d been doing some vigorous exercises. It made him shine. The circular tattoo she’d glimpsed through his shirt on their first meeting covered his heart, a black snake eating its tail.
He gave her a crooked smile, melting her to the spot. “Hello, sweetness. I got tired of waiting for you to knock.” He stepped back and gestured for her to come in.

As she entered the Omegas’ apartment she noticed the place looked cleaner than usual. Five wolves under one roof could make quite a clutter. Daedalus must have them run a tighter ship.

“How did you know I was out in the hall?” A little shaken after his sudden appearance, her concentration slipped and she couldn’t remember her reason for being there. His being half-naked didn’t help.

“I have a good sense of smell.” He closed the door behind her.

“You smelled me? Good to know for future reference.”

Fingers ran through her curls as she walked past him. She glanced at him, but his back faced her while he locked the door. It must have been her imagination. The touch felt real though. Did he move that fast?

He finished with the locks and turned around. “I heard you walk down the hall too. Why were you waiting?”

She didn’t know, looking for some courage maybe or a little self-confidence with an internal pep talk. “I was thinking about going back for a book Sam wanted to borrow,” she lied. Something unsettling occurred to her. “Can you read minds too?”

He chuckled and leaned in close, his nose almost touching hers. “Possibly. Are you thinking dirty thoughts?”

“No!” Her cheeks burned.

“Then I guess I can’t.”

Did that mean he was thinking them?

He brushed past her to sit on the worn, beige couch. His touch sent a thrill through her, it unnerved her too. He tapped the cushion next to him.

Out of her element around him and his flirtatious ways, she sat in the armchair across from the couch. His request to sit next to him ignored since she couldn’t trust herself to not jump on his lap. Her lack of self-control surprised her. She allowed her eyes to roam his handsome face to his bare chest, each time she jerked them back up to meet his stare, they’d meander back down to those well-defined muscles.

An unfamiliar quiet filled the living room, where laughter and banter normally flooded the space. “Is anyone else home?”

“No.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. The heat in his gaze grew as he made his interest in her clearer. “We have the place to ourselves. What did you have in mind?”

New Year's Bash Day 18 - Welcome Pamela Tyner

2010-01-17T20:05:00.001-05:00

Today I have the pleasure of introducing Pamela Tyner, who is my wonderful editor over at Lyrical Press.

My name is Pamela Tyner. I’m the managing editor for Lyrical Press, and I have the pleasure of having Antonia on my author roster. I’ve worked with her on all three books in the Tales of the Rikashi series. It’s one of my favorite series, and I’m very much looking forward to the remaining books.

When Antonia approached me about doing this blog post, I did an informal poll to see what others thought I should blog about. Overwhelmingly, people wanted to hear about what I look for in a submission, so here goes:

Number one, and mostly importantly, I want an engaging story. I want to be pulled into the story within the first chapter. Some ways to increase your chances of doing that: don’t start with backstory (this is one of the most common mistakes I see), and give me well-defined characters who are likeable. Please note that 'likeable' does not equal perfect. I do not want perfect characters, but I have to like them enough to care about what happens to them.

Have a basic grasp of grammar and punctuation. It’s an essential skill for an author, so take the time to study and learn it. With that said, I’m not looking for perfection, but I do expect a basic knowledge.

Get a grasp on point-on-view. One point-of-view per scene. And please don’t think you can get around that by doing a scene break every four or five paragraphs :)

And those three hints will get you past stage one ;)

If you’re wondering what I personally am looking for in the way of submissions…I’m currently interested in paranormal romance (with a rating of sensual or higher), erotic romance, and bdsm. If you’ve got anything for me, I’d love to read it. Send it to: Pamela@lyricalpress.com Be sure to include a synopsis.

Thanks, Antonia, for having me here today!

And for anyone who has not yet read a Tales of the Rikashi book...go read one! They're incredible!

New Year's Bash Day 17 - Welcome Rebecca Rose

2010-01-17T00:01:00.000-05:00

Today's guest is Rebecca Rose!

A Pickily Muse

Writing was not something that I stumbled upon unexpectedly. It was more of a slow realization that I was destined to do something more, something that would make a difference in my life and my family’s lives.

My first novel, Divine Turmoil, was released in 2009. As with all writers, it was a labor of love. However unbeknownst to me and seeing it was my first time in the real editing process, I soon discovered a love/hate relationship with not only my book and characters but also my working process. Soon hesitation, second guessing, and procrastination began to take over. While I finished all my edits on time, other characters and stories went on to the back burner of Microsoft Word. A dark and quiet place where they were left on their own to sort out the abandonment I thrust upon them.

In August 2009 I finished editing my debut release, wrote the entire second novel in the series, and by the end of September had the third completed and all edited. What did I learn? As a novice book writer I in no way had the experience or know-how to take on such a project without consequence. This kind of writer’s punishment is a learned skill and one that will take years to prefect. (I’m in awe at those authors whom can take on such a feet.) My characters in those two other novels weren’t flat or disinteresting, but what did happen is I lost all focus by the final novel to where the main characters screamed and demanded to be the focal point once again.
My muse was tired and her need to feed on something other than my own typed word became a must. It was a few weeks before I could open up those files again. The only thing that thrust me back into writing and editing heaven, (if there is one) was the power of someone else’s voice. I needed to start reading again. I had lost this key element when my muse went into overdrive and then burnt her way out of it. She developed laryngitis, and without her power of speech my voice became mute. I nursed her over those few weeks, not really knowing what it would take to make her better. In desperation, I picked up one of the novels that had me first thinking, “I could be a writer. I already have all the voices in my head.” LOL Don’t we all? Anyway, Nora Roberts pulled me into a reading frenzy and soon my muse, better known at Betsy, began to talk and joke again. I knew she was better when the voices from Word woke me while I slept. They called until I opened their documents and fixed the wrongs I had created in their lives.

Now everything isn’t all hunky-dory. I still have quite a bit of this mess to fix. My characters are as demanding as spoiled children who’ve been ignored for too long. Nevertheless, we are getting to a place where both parties are happy and heading toward our goals for 2010. My lesson learned that I share with you today is one I’ll remember for as long as the Gods shine down upon my new career and then some; be true to your work and your self. Don’t rush what isn’t in need of rushing. While I focused on one goal, to have my whole series completed by November 2009, I lost track of the fact someone will care about these characters, someone will want to read more because they will feel compelled to as much as I am to write about them. (At least this is my goal as a writer)

Reading is important. I’ve heard so many other authors speak this. However in my hurry I didn’t remember to listen. Next time, I hope Betsy will hit me upside the head with a book before she goes silent.

New Year's Bash Day 16 - Welcome Angel Martinez

2010-01-16T00:01:00.000-05:00

As we motor into the second half of the New Year's Bash, I'd like to welcome Angel Martinez!

Finn’s sulking in the corner today…pardon? Oh, he says he’s not sulking, he’s merely deep in thought. We’ll let him get away with that little fiction today, since I’ve asked him to stop hogging the limelight for a few minutes so I can talk about the upcoming year for us.

Hmm? Yes, all of us, dear. Not just you and Diego. Now hush a moment, and I’ll get to you.

Hi, folks! I’m Angel Martinez, at least the part of me who writes erotic fiction. Had an exciting 2009 and look forward to an incredibly busy 2010 with releases galore and new work on the slab. My first release for the year, Aftermath, already happened, more than a month ahead of schedule! Lioness on the Knife, a collection of steamy short stories, releases March 11th. A little info on each:

Aftermath, Erotic Fiction, M/M Contemporary:

Victor and Cody have it all—a comfortable life, a lovely home and each other but their idyll is threatened when Cody is assaulted. At a loss, Vic is helpless to stop Cody's spiral into depression.

Worse still, just as he begins to show signs of improvement, he is betrayed by an old friend and brutally assaulted again.

Is their love strong enough to survive the aftermath?

Lioness on the Knife: Erotic Fiction, Anthology

Eight stories, eight strong-willed heroines and the men who love them and learn to deal with them, willing or not.

- Aphrodite decides her affair with the self-centered Ares is a mistake. When she fights to save her marriage, she finds there's more to her reclusive husband, Hephaestus, than she thought.
- Zilar, fostered by Amazons, is given in marriage to General Azeria. Intimidated by her and drawn to her, Zilar must learn to please her without angering her other spouses.
- Selena has a degenerative blood disorder the doctors can't diagnose. Alex has some tough decisions to make when he realizes the true nature of her condition.
- Naïve, sweet Cedric's determined to rescue the princess anyway. Too bad she has other ideas.
And more—

Finn, dang it, stop poking at me! Yes, yes…and Finn (M/M Urban Fantasy), of course, our intrepid pooka, who had his first release last summer. Come see where it all began, on a cold day on the Brooklyn Bridge where Finn’s stopped traffic. The story continues with Finn’s Christmas, a holiday short story which serves as the bridge between Finn’s debut novel and the sequel, currently titled Diego.

What now, dear? All right, I’m sorry I yelled at you. (Pookas can be so sensitive.) Oh, yes, thank you, I didn’t forget. Finn wants me to remind everyone that my other persona who writes mainstream Science Fiction, Sandra Stixrude, also has releases coming up this year, the first books in the Anchorage series.

Marya – (Anchorage #1) releases 3/4/2010

Know he will succeed when all others fail you…so reads the fateful letter of introduction which heralds the beginning of Marya's desperate journey.

When the Ktar chooses Marya to watch over the heir on his confirmation journey, she has no illusions about a pleasant trip. A prophecy concerning the heir's death, ominous dreams of a mysterious city, and the certainty one of the heir's companions will betray him all weigh heavily on her.

Unfortunately, the discovery of the assassin in their midst is only the beginning. His menace pales in comparison to the ancient evil lurking in the mountain city. When Marya and her party are trapped and the men with her enslaved, she is forced into a battle of wills and hearts with two remaining choices: give in to the alien being who offers her power and prestige, or join forces with the same handsome assassin she sought to thwart. Lives are at stake and so are her heart and her honor - how can she choose?

Romenel: Voyage into Twilight – (Anchorage #2) releases 4/22/2010

Something is hunting mercenary commander Romenel Devar, a monster disguised as friends and loved ones, so he can't even describe it. He knows it's slowly killing him, though, and he desperately needs help.

Marya and Roke have retired to their house on the steppes, their lives finally peaceful and uneventful. When Romenel collapses on their front doorstep, Marya reminds her husband that no one retires from being a hero.

Their journey takes them to the other side of the world where hordes of monsters lurk and the rules of society have been turned on their heads. Romenel needs to understand both this strange new world and the hints from a distant, shared past to unravel the means to stop the monsters' deadly hunts.

Finn’s quite intrigued by these stories and wants me to read them to him, but he’ll have to wait for the final edits like everyone else. Hence the sulking. Since he’s been so helpful today, I’ve promised him ice cream. He adores Rocky Road. Naturally, it’s only polite to join him. Happy 2010, everyone!

New Year's Bash Day 15 - Welcome Ellie Moonwater

2010-01-15T00:01:00.000-05:00

Today we have Ellie Moonwater. Ellie was unable to send me a blog post so I pulled together information from her Lyrical Press Page so I could still showcase her here today.

Bio - Hmmm, what can I say - ask me about one of my characters or their worlds and I've got plenty. Ask about me, and everything dries up. I write pretty much anything. Show me a form I haven't tried and it's like Christmas as I try to work it out - actually, I never work it out because I tend to get lost in the story so writing is always like Christmas for me. At the moment I write romance - it's fun, and you meet the nicest people. Playing with the paranormal, fantasy and science fiction genres is what I do best, but the occasional contemporary tale creeps in, too - and then there are the mainstream novels.

Personal stuff? Well I live in Australia, and write under two pen-names. Angel is more of a lady, with a streak of darkness running right to the core, and Ellie likes to explore the hotter climes of romance. When the two of them collaborate, life gets interesting - even if they go off to their separate corners to write.

Blurb for A Gargoyle for the Hotel Gothica:

Buyer beware!

Buying a gargoyle statue from a Scottish castle comes with a curious history…or so Claire discovers after she saves a tourist from a winged attacker.

A gift from the fae is a double-edged boon…or so Duncan McGregor discovers after a series of events felled his house.

When a four hundred year old Scot comes to claim the gargoyle for himself, Claire must decide whether the statue is worth the tourists its unsavory history brings.

Blurb for Hunters of the Nile :

Every era has its hunters...and its prey.

Callie never thought her life could get any weirder or more frightening than when she's kidnapped and thrust the role of fox in a deadly hound hunt. A subsequent fall tumbles her through time and into the arms of an Egyptian warrior.

At first convinced she's landed among re-enactors, Callie discovers some things are exactly what they seem. A captive, Callie finds out reality holds passion, romance and more surprises than she ever imagined.

You can find Ellie's works at Lyrical Press, Inc

New Year's Bash Day 14 - Welcome Cat Grant

2010-01-14T00:01:00.001-05:00

Today's guest is Cat Grant! Welcome to the blog Cat.

1. Tell us a little about yourself. Do you have a "day job?"

I live in Monterey, California with my cat and entirely too many books. Right now my "day job" is writing. Hopefully I can make that permanent.

2. What made you want to become a writer and how long have you been writing?

I've always loved telling stories. I've been scribbling them down, off and on, since grammar school. Being a published author is the only job I've ever wanted.

3. What is your favorite genre to write?

Romance, definitely. With an emphasis on menage and/or male/male. I tried my hand at sci-fi and fantasy awhile back, but discovered that just because I enjoy reading that genre doesn't mean I'd be any good at writing it. My strength lies in writing relationship stories.

4. Do you have any particular writing rituals? Any snacks you must have while writing?

Oh, I usually try to avoid writing for as long as possible! Then, when the characters start knocking on the inside of my skull begging to get out, I sit down and start typing. I usually like a cup of hot green tea while I'm working.

5. What's up next for you in the writing world?

I just started a new m/m novella. This one's about a young violinist who has an affair with his teacher.

Cat's Website
Cat's Blog

You can get your copy of Cat's Triad at All Romance ebooks, Once Upon a Bookstore, and several others. Also check out her Lyrical Press Page for her other releases!

New Year's Bash Day 13 - Welcome Peg Herring

2010-01-13T00:01:00.001-05:00

Our New Year's Bash is just chugging along! Today we have Peg Herring. Welcome Peg!

As a writer, I feel like I’ve got one foot in the past and one in the future. I have a print mystery coming out this month called Her Highness’ First Murder*. And in March, my first e-book, a Vietnam era mystery called Go Home and Die,** will release with Red Rose Publishing. So which is better, print or electronic books?

While many say e-books are the wave of the future, others want a book to hold in their hands, turning pages the old-fashioned way. The publishing establishment in general rewards only print authors with reviews, awards, and recognition, but organizations like EPIC have arisen lately to recognize excellence in e-book publishing. It seems the writing is on the (computerized) wall. Quality work is now available in both venues.

I think voracious readers (like me) appreciate the speed and efficiency of e-books, which are generally cheaper, easily available, and portable. Only a few years ago, the biggest selling e-book sold 60 copies, but each year the numbers take huge jumps as e-books get easier, better, and more widely recognized. As the kinks work out and authors, agents, and publishers receive fair payment for their work, we should see more and more books released electronically.

On the other hand, nothing can beat the fun I get wandering through a bookstore, flickering over titles, thumbing through blurbs. As a reader, I like options, and as a writer, I love being published in both places. I’m just happy to have a fan say, “I loved your book!” no matter how it was delivered.

*Her Highness’ First Murder: Five Star Mysteries, January, 2010: Available at amazon.com
When headless corpses appear on London’s streets, young Elizabeth Tudor joins with crippled Simon Maldon to discover who is responsible. But they must be careful. If her father, Henry VIII, knew what she was up to, he’d be furious, and if the killer has his way, one, the other, or both of them will join the other victims.

**Go Home and Die, Red Rose Publishing, March 25, 2010. Prim Carrie Walsh has a vague feeling her life is not what a ’60s era woman’s should be, but meeting Jack Porter spices things up. When Jack’s partner in the Eagle Detective Agency is murdered, Carrie takes his place. But the killers are not done, and Jack brought home secrets from Vietnam - secrets that might cost Carrie her life. Available at Red Rose

Learn more about Peg and her work at her website!

Also a note from Franny:

I've picked numbers from a hat and the winner of either a copy of my eBook Small Packages-A Christmas Story OR a $5 gift certificate to www.redrosepublishing.com is...

DRUM ROLL PLEASE

CHRISTINE

Thank you everyone for your inspiring comments. Hope to see you again soon on another blog site or even my own...

Check out www.paranovelgirls.com for the latest details and contests!

Hugs Franny
(Christine, can you email me at franny@paranovelgirls.com so I can send you your prize choice?)

New Year's Bash Day 12 - Welcome Franny Armstrong!

2010-01-12T00:01:00.000-05:00

Today's guest is Franny Armstrong. Franny has a very inspirational story to tell us.

Thank you for this opportunity, Tir.

Many authors are asked the same questions: When did you begin writing? Who was your inspiration? What current projects are you working on? That’s just a few, but a good place to start.

When I was about ten years old, I used to create plays and charge the local kids a nickel just to come into the garage to see me act them out. LOL I’ve always been creative but never took writing to a serious level until seven years ago when I became ill, so ill in fact that I couldn’t leave my home to work without becoming even more sick.

I have a chemical brain injury (called Multiple Chemical Sensitivity or MCS) that causes my body to react violently to simple things like fragrances, body products, cleaning products, gas fumes and much more. Since leaving the safety of my chemical–free home wasn’t possible, I became addicted to the Internet and to reading, however this wasn’t always possible due to the ‘mushy–brain–fog’ I suffered which made it difficult to concentrate.

At the same time I was diagnosed with MCS, I was also told I had BiPolar II Disorder. Though the doctor assured me I wasn’t ‘nuts’, I was devastated, feeling like I’d just been given a death sentence since neither of the two illnesses had a cure. For years I could barely speak a sentence or remember a simple word. I want tea’, though only three words, was difficult to say. I also slept up to twenty hours a day!

After losing so much time, I decided to do something with my life because I refused to allow illness to beat me! My motto became, ‘NEVER SURRENDER! NEVER GIVE UP!’ and believe me, it worked. To date I have become a published author, my first book ‘SMALL PACKAGES-A CHRISTMAS STORY’ released from Red Rose Publishing in December and what a feeling that was! I’d finally climbed past the limits of illness and accomplished what I’d never thought possible until now.

Two more releases come out in March: EXTRASENSORY ELEMENTS SERIES BOOK 1-AUTHOR’S DEMISE (first in ten) and TROPICAL BALM. Though I’ve yet to see a nickel, I’ve finally found a career that not only gives me a sense of pride and joy, but that has helped me climb from the pits of despair into a world of light! Writing has saved my life, literally!

Hugs

Franny Armstrong-ParaNovelGirl
Website
Blog
Facebook
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Franny is having a contest! She's giving away your choice of an eBook - SMALL PACKAGES-A CHRISTMAS STORY or a $5 gift certificate to Red Rose Publishing, so be sure to leave a comment!

New Years Bash Day 11 - Welcome Sandra Sookoo

2010-01-11T00:01:00.000-05:00

So today's guest is the wonderful Sandra Sookoo! She's always got a lot going on in her writing world so lets see what she's got up right now.

Hi, I’m glad to be back on Antonia’s blog. This time, I’m talking about my recently released paranormal book entitled The Art of Fang Shui.

Sandra: The great thing about writing this book was that, since it was my first foray into full-length paranormal,

**banging on the door**

Sandra: Just ignore it. They’ll go away eventually. Probably some Girl Scout or something. Anyway, I loved the freedom it brought in creating a world and populating that world with pretty much whatever I felt like throwing in.

And I…

**insistent banging now**

Sandra: Sorry, apparently the moron assaulting the door is going to bash it down if I don’t answer.

**opens the door**

Sandra: Oh look, folks, it’s Edwin Mason and Hannah Weybourne, the couple whom The Art of Fang Shui revolves around. You two might as well come in and get comfy. At least then you’ll stop committing crimes against real estate. I don’t think Antonia would be pleased if you messed the place up.

Hannah: That would be Edwin’s fault. He has no patience and doesn’t like to be kept waiting.

**she runs her hands through short, spiky red hair. Petite and curvy, don’t get her mad or she’ll chew you out**

Edwin: I merely assumed that my knock would be answered in a timely manner.

**he wears a fierce frown and his long, dark hair is tied at his nape like a Revolutionary war hero. He’s the tall, dark and sexy type**

Me: **rolling my eyes as the pair seats themselves on a sofa** What do you guys want? Shouldn’t you be out trying to save the world from some oversexed forest witch or an obnoxious demon lord? I mean there have been rumors…

Edwin: People will always talk, Ms. Sookoo. You should not believe everything you hear.

**snorting**
Hannah: Oh please! Don’t listen to him. He’s too modest for his own good.

**she gives him a good-natured shove on the shoulder**

Edwin: I was simply stating the facts.

Hannah: We’re in-route to Indianapolis. We’ve gotten a good lead on where to find Andre and hopefully take him down.

Sandra: I see. Sounds like a war is imminent. From the looks of your muddy, stained clothing, it would seem you’ve been camping

Hannah: Ugh! If it weren’t for the fact that Edwin kidnapped me and dragged me into some stupid forest—

Edwin: **interrupting** Except for the goblin you attracted. I would remind you, once again, that I did not kidnap you. You came willingly.

Hannah: Willingly is a relative term. You pretty much told me I had no choice and that you needed my Enhancer powers to save the world.

Edwin: This is the truth. You are one of an extremely tiny minority with such energies. You are obligated to help.

Hannah: Don’t remind me. Because of Mr. Cranky Pants here, I’d be safe at home, tucked away in my bed—

Edwin: Not a bad suggestion. You, in bed with something sexy on…

**heated, intense looks are exchanged between the two**

Sandra: Settle down, kids. You’re liable to burn a hole through computer screens everywhere. What’s an Enhancer?

Hannah: **sighs**Edwin explained to me it’s like a supplemental power pack to someone who already has mind powers. Apparently, I’m in high demand by him and the criminal element in the paranormal world.

Edwin: It is extremely annoying that she has an elementary grasp on her powers. More often than not, she creates havoc around her which I have to rescue her from.

Hannah: I do not! Some of those episodes were your own fault. Remember the goat man?

Edwin: I choose to never think of the goat man, thank you.
Hannah: Besides, you like rescuing me because there’s always a reward.

Edwin: Speaking of which—

Sandra: **interrupting** So it’s safe to say that over the course of your travels you’ve encountered a good faction of paranormal life? That must be fascinating.

Hannah: **an indignant snort**Fascinating? I doubt it. Living day after day in a forest with these freaks is stressful, especially if your travelling companion is too anal for his own good. I mean, hello, he won’t unbend enough to allow me to call him a nickname.

Edwin: I would caution you once more that Snookums is not a pleasant moniker any man wishes to be known by.

Sandra: Actually, I’d have to agree with Edwin on this point.

Hannah: **green eyes flash in a glare** You’d better watch it, author lady. He may be a flawed half-vamp but he’s mine.

Edwin: **a grin lifts his well-shaped lips** I appreciate the defense, Hannah. As you can see, Ms. Sookoo, Hannah fits in with the Prophecy quite nicely.

Sandra: Wait, there’s a Prophecy, too? Can you tell me about that?

Hannah: What did I just tell you? **she stands and yanks Edwin to his feet* Since the woman obviously can’t keep her eyes to herself, we’re leaving.

Edwin: **rolls sparkling blue eyes**You will need to excuse Hannah. She is extremely jealous of any woman I talk to, although I will say, the feeling is mutual, especially when she shows an unhealthy interest in that poor excuse of a blond werewolf…

Hannah: Do you see what you did? Now he’s all hot and bothered and it will take me a good half hour of kisses and reassurances to calm him down. Like I’ve got time for that while we’re supposed to be saving the world.

Sandra: Oookay. Thanks for dropping by. Good luck with that whole demon lord thing.

Edwin: You are most welcome, Ms. Sookoo. I regret we have no time for a proper conversation. My Hannah is under the false assumption I am interested in any woman beside her, even though I show her on every occasion how sexy I think she is.

Sandra: I’ll take your word for it.

**the two finally leave, bickering back and forth**

Sandra: Well, there you go, folks. If you’d like to know exactly how Hannah and Edwin came together and into this mess, and if they’ll live to tell anyone else about it, I invite you to pick up a copy of The Art of Fang Shui. It’s a long story and best told in book form.

Here’s the blurb: Hannah doesn’t believe in things that go bump in the night – until they start accumulating on her doorstep. A Power Enchancer, her gift jumps to the forefront of her life, and she has no choice but to take notice when dishy, arrogant Edwin attempts to kidnap her as part of a covert mission to save the Eight Realms.

Edwin is a half-vamp, intent on collecting the bounty on errant paranormal beings. His best-laid plans go awry when he meets stubborn Hannah. He needs her energies in order to vanquish the power-hungry Demon Lord, Andre who’s bent on destroying the world. He’s thrown off guard as she bewitches him with her sarcastic nature as well as her tempting curves.

Together the unlikely duo finds themselves flung into a sticky web of supernatural foes and dark deceit in their quest to protect the world’s magic. If they’re lucky, love will meet them on the other side.

The good folks at Eirelander Publishing can be reached here

Or please drop by my website for more information on this and all my other books

New Year's Bash Day 10 - Welcome Yvonne Walus/Eve Summers

2010-01-10T00:01:00.000-05:00

Today we have an author with two sides. What do I mean by that? Read on to find out!

Murder Cool, Romance Yuk?

Meet two faces of one writer: Yvonne and Eve. Which one is day, which one is night? Which one is the sun, which the moon? You decide.

Yvonne Walus is a murder mystery writer, a poet, a project manager, a wife and a mother. She has 20 books published worldwide, with more to come. One of her novellas explores teenagers' safety on the Internet, the effectiveness of current laws and how ethical it is to spy on your children's online activities (“Witch Hunts on the Internet”, Echelon Press 2008). Another examines the world as it might be in 200 years’ time and what Hanukkah celebrations might look like in that context (“The Hanukkah Time Capsule”, Echelon Press 2009). Mostly, though, Yvonne is a murder mystery author, famous for her “Murder @ ...” series set in the apartheid South Africa of last century.

Eve Summers, on the other hand, writes hot romance (the line between erotic and pornographic is Durex-thin, so she has to dread carefully). Her debut multicultural romance, "A Slave of My Own Desire” was released in October 2008 by Red Rose Publishing, and it’s been followed by 5 more to date, most recent being “Like a Virgin” released in December 2009. The books are in electronic format for now, and selling well. The author is hoping they will come out in print soon, even though it’s a well-known phenomenon that romances often sell better as e-books. “I love the feel of a paper book in my hands,” says Eve Summers.

How difficult was it to switch to a new genre? Yvonne / Eve explains: "Murder mysteries are chiefly a puzzle for the readers to solve. They are plot-driven, and the endgame has to bring justice to the baddies. Romance books are about emotions and the characters. What readers want from romance novels is hope. They like escaping into a world where love can be happy and last forever. Particularly in the current economic climate, a lot of readers turn to romances to sweeten their everyday lives with a happy ending.”

So much for the differences. What about the similarities? “Ok, my fellow novelists are going to be very cross with me,” says Yvonne / Eve, “but both murder mysteries and romances follow a formulaic structure. In a murder mystery, someone gets killed and you have to find out who, while dodging bullets and red herrings. In a romance book, the hero and the heroine have to overcome obstacles or misunderstandings to end up together. So that helps you lay down the skeleton of the book even before you start writing. I also tend to use the same props in both genres: strong confident heroines, family secrets, topical issues, moral dilemmas."

As Yvonne’s six-year old puts it:

“Mom, what are your books basically about?”

“Some are about a murder, and you have to find out who did it...”

“Cool!”

“Others are about people falling in love...”

“That’s so yuk, mom!”

There you have it: murder is in, marriage is lame. Out of the mouths of babes!

You can find Yvonne on http://yewalus.kiwiwebhost.net.nz/ and Eve on http://yewalus.kiwiwebhost.net.nz/Eve-Summers.htm.

New Year's Bash Day 9 - Welcome Mark Terence Chapman

2010-01-09T00:01:00.001-05:00

Today we have Mark Terence Chapman visiting with us!

Hi, everyone! My latest science fiction novel, Sunrise Destiny, is a 2010 EPIC Awards finalist. (Winners to be announced in March). So far, it's received nothing but "5-star" reviews, from You Gotta Read Reviews, Coffee Time Romance, and Dark Divas Reviews.

To give you a taste of Destiny, here are the book blurb and a short excerpt:

Blurb:

When private detective Donatello Sunrise is coerced into finding a Mob boss’s daughter, he stumbles onto a much bigger case. Dozens of women, all young, all petite, have disappeared in recent weeks. Mysterious and conflicting clues seem to point to a government conspiracy, a mad scientist bent on global domination, or abduction by bloodthirsty vampires. Nothing makes sense. Before he knows it, Sunrise and his hooker friend Lola find themselves running for their lives. The Mob wants them dead, the cops want them for serial murders—even the kidnappers are after them.

The trail leads them to telepathic aliens, an adventure that spans the stars and leaves the fate of Earth in doubt, and ultimately a resolution that has implications for human evolution. With the fate of two worlds intertwined, Sunrise and Lola must somehow help the good guys defeat the evil ones.

The trick is telling one from the other.

Excerpt:

PROLOGUE

A dark figure emerged from the cool water of the bay. It was a cloudless night, warm, muggy, and black as pitch. A moment later a second figure followed the first. Water sheeted from the pair, hardly seeming to register their presence. They crept up the rocky shore, past a grassy strip to the street beyond.

The intruders chose this spot for two reasons: the burned-out streetlight made this stretch of road nearly as dark as the bay, and from observation they knew their intended victim always walked past this spot on her way to the bus stop a block away.

The duo hunkered behind an abandoned car. There was no traffic to worry about. There never was at this time of night—not on this street of warehouses and dockyards. Their wait would be short. She passed this spot at nearly the same time each night, and that time was only moments away.

They tensed at the sound of leather scuffing the pavement nearby. Seconds later, a bright flare, quickly extinguished, marked the match she used to light a cigarette. Only yards now until she was within reach, only seconds to go. The glow from the cigarette tip might as well have been a neon sign blaring, “Here I am! Take me!” Two more paces. One.

They pounced. She fell.

It was over before she had time to register their presence. One gripped her legs, the other her arms, as they struggled to carry her across the sand and back to the bay. They laid her out in shallow water near the shore. A ripple made her arm bob as if in benediction. Then a dark hand touched her face, almost seeming to caress it, leaving a momentary scintillation in its wake.

Each figure took an arm as they pulled her out into the bay, looking for all the world like two tugs towing a barge. Twenty yards out, they submerged, dragging her with them to the inky depths below.

CHAPTER 1

June 14th began like most days, with me sitting in the corner booth of Carl’s Diner drinking the swill that passes for coffee. I scanned the day’s flimsy. No, I’m not an ambulance-chaser, but I have been known to find clients in the headlines.

My name’s Donatello Sunrise and I’m a private detective. Not the uptown, shake-hands-with-the-mayor, attend-charity-events, high-class P.I. type, but the fast-talking, gin-swilling, skirt-chasing, pound-the-pavement, work-for-a-living gumshoe kind. If you need compromising holos of your cheating spouse, or you’re being blackmailed by the sleaze next door, I’m your man. It’s not glamorous, but it’s a job that needs doing, and I’m damned good at it.

Maybe someone’s daughter is missing and the cops--big surprise--are clueless. And maybe I call and offer to help find daddy’s little girl--for a nominal fee, of course. Hey, I’m not proud of it, but it’s a living, and sometimes I actually find the kid. So it’s a win-win.

On this particular Tuesday, nothing jumped out at me as the 48-point headlines crawled across the flimsy. The mayor was stumping for re-election--so what else was new? The electronic ink on the plastic flimsy swirled and reformed to reflect the latest news. A woman had disappeared near a bus stop by the bay. Foul play was suspected. Same old same-old. I rolled up the flimsy and stuck it in my jacket pocket.

Then I finished my third cup of coffee and tossed some bills on the table for Marge. I started to get up to leave, when a cloud blocked the bright sunlight streaming in through the window across the aisle. Except it wasn’t a cloud.

A ham hock of a hand slammed me back down into my seat and held me there by my shoulder. I looked up. . .and up. . .and up at an Everest of a man. He sneered the way a bully does when he’s about to pound a kid into the playground dirt. Across the table from me, a dapper and much less imposing man slid onto the bench seat.

“Long time no see, Sunrise.” His sneer matched that of the other goon. This didn’t look to be a social meeting.

“Not long enough, Weasel.”

“Always with the wisecracks, eh, Sunrise? And it’s Weisel. You’ll do well to remember that. My friend here,” he nodded at the man-mountain, “don’t take kindly to punks that insult me. Do ya, Tiny?”

The ham hock turned into a vise; steel fingers dug deep into my shoulder blade. I had to grit my teeth to keep from crying out. Weasel nodded sharply and the pressure ceased. Maybe Weasel didn’t like the nickname, but his hatchet face and beady eyes invited the comparison.

“Tough guy, eh, Sunrise?”

I fixed him with an acid glare and thought of all the things I’d like to do to the little rodent. He was the brains of the duo, which wasn’t saying much.

“Run outta wisecracks? That’s okay, you can think up some more on the way.” He nodded to Tiny, who yanked me out of the booth by my jacket collar.

“On the way? To where?” I had a pretty good idea.

“To see the boss. He wants to have a chat.”

That’s what I was afraid of.

You can find out more about Sunrise Destiny and my other novels and short stories at my website. Sunrise Destiny is available from Amazon.com, Fictionwise.com, Red Rose Publishing, and many other venues.

Mark.

New Year's Bash Day 8 - Brigit Aine

2010-01-08T00:01:00.001-05:00

Everyone please welcome the wonderful Brigit Aine!

Thank you to Tir for having me today. I was sitting at work wondering what to blog about…promotional, seasonal, general…all the “als”…and as usual was having trouble coming up with something that I felt was worth discussing.

This is a general issue with me. I could tell you about the book coming in March with Eternal Press or the one I am currently working on that involves Gods and Demons…or the two I have outlines for and hope to get done in 2010 as well. Or I could tell you about my New Year’s resolutions, but none of that struck me as where I wanted to go this time.

I was also thinking I should tell you about Sensual Treats, the FREE quarterly magazine that Denyse Bridger and I put out that is a fabulous read with author interviews, short stories and other exciting features. This can be found at Sensual Treats and we had a great Holiday Issue. We also have a very special Valentine’s Day issue coming out. But as you can see that doesn’t take a whole lot of time or space.

So I still have the issue of what I should be talking about. As I was pondering this issue it came to me, right out of the blue. I know what I want to talk about. I want to talk about reviews and why they are so important especially in this time of e-books. As you all know we have entered a fabulous age where there are new books of various lengths and genres coming out daily. There are small publishers and large ones, those who publish in e-book format only and those who do both e-book and print. There is now something for everyone and almost everything can be found in an affordable format for the reader. This is where the reviews come in. Because there is so much out there and so many different books to choose from readers are having a hard time figuring out who to buy from or even just which authors to pick up.

While authors and publishers will promote and blog about new books they have out they can only do so much. They will send their books to review sites and get back books with ratings, 4 stars or 4 cups or 4 angels or any number of other such reviews, but the most important reviews are the ones the readers themselves write. Those are the ones that other readers will find the most helpful and take the time to read. These are the ones the authors also find most helpful because it lets us know what you as a reader are looking for or liked in a book.

If you are a reader and you have discovered an author that you absolutely love then by all means write a review, post it on the publisher’s site or your own blog, or Amazon.com or just send it to the author. These are the most meaningful to the authors. The ones that are honest but not brutal just to be mean. The ones that readers send that show how much they liked the book or the author’s style, those are the ones that as authors we take to heart.

So the next time you pick up a book, new author or not, take a few minutes when you finish to write a review and then get it out there. You never know who is looking and might pick that book up next thanks to what you said.

My first book was with a publisher that no longer does erotic romance. The book is now a free read and available at: Sensual Treats just click on “Red’s Wolf”.

Come follow me on Facebook and Twitter at Brigit’s World.

Brigit Aine

http://www.brigitsworld.com

http://www.brigitsworld.blogspot.com

New Years Bash Day 7 - Welcome Pamela Hearon!

2010-01-07T00:00:00.001-05:00

Today we have Pamela Hearon. Pamela is the author of The Timestone Key, available from Lyrical Press and is here to tell us a little about herself and her writing. She answered a few questions for us. Welcome Pamela!

1. Tell us a little about yourself. Do you have a "day job?"

Writing is my day job now. Yay! I retired in June after a thirty-year career in education. I have a MA in Education with a major in Counseling, so some of those years were spent as a counselor. That time gave me a great deal of insight into the problems people face and how they deal with them, which serves me well when writing conflict into my stories. The last fifteen years I spent teaching Language Arts to 8th graders. When people ask me how I could stand the little twerps, I've always said that you either love 'em or you hate 'em, and I just happen to be one of those people who love 'em. They are very blunt, but their bluntness helped me develop a very thick skin which came in handy when rejections of my manuscripts started coming in the mail. Thirteen-year-olds are very quirky, and writing quirky characters is one of my favorite things. A well-known editor recently described my voice as "compellingly quirky." I take that as a compliment!

2. What made you want to become a writer and how long have you been writing?

I've always been a writer, writing stories as far back as I can remember. My family is a group of avid readers and my dad has always been a bit of a poet. My mother wanted me to major in Journalism, but that wasn't the kind of writing I wanted to do. I wanted to make up my own "facts," not be bound by what really happened.
I started seriously writing toward publication about six years ago after I finished the first draft of The Timestone Key (available now from Lyrical Press) . The time was right and the story was right, and my huband encouraged me to submit it for publication. What I didn't realize at the time was how dreadful my writing was--long streteches of detailed narrative, almost no dialogue (I was afraid to write dialogue then. Now, it's my favorite part!). I had a lot to learn. But I found RWA and a fabulous critique partner, and I started taking on-line writing classes. Before long, I was able to whip the wip into shape and start entering contests. After a few finals and wins, I was ready to submit the ms. in earnest.

3. What is your favorite genre to write?

The answer to that depends on which mood I'm in. I'm torn between romantic fantasy and single title contemporary romance, so I write both. My brain spins both ways, it seems. I enjoy convoluted plots with interesting secondary characters and subplots. If that leads me to an alternate universe, that's okay with me.

4. Do you have any particular writing rituals? Any snacks you must have while writing?

I have a laptop and can write anywhere, but the Florida room on the back of my house is my favorite place to write. It has windows on three sides, and the view from there is beautiful and serene. We live in a small town in a rural area, and our back yard is surrounded by woods and fields. The only major distractions when I'm in that room are the deer and the birds. It's cool in the summer, snuggly warm in the winter, and my favorite place in the world to be when it's snowing. Mmmmm.

I don't generally like noise when I'm writing, but three years ago my CP gave me a creativity CD. I'm addicted to it and use it almost every time I sit down to write now.

5. What's up next for you in the writing world?

My romantic comedy His Hotness will be released by The Wild Rose Press on March 12. I've just finished the second book in a four-book single title, contemporary series that involves characters from a small-town Kentucky. The heroines are women from various stages in life--something for everyone, I hope.

I also have another romantic fantasy rattling around in my brain, begging to be written. So many ideas, so little time!

6. Do you have any advice for the writers/readers?

My advice for readers? Read my books!:-) I'd love to have you stop by my website. My advice for writers: It's a frustrating business and not for the faint-of-heart. It takes courage to put yourself out there in such a public way, especially if you're a private person like I am. Don't get discouraged by rejection. It's part of the business. Keep submitting because that's the only way to get published.

Thanks for having me, Tiranth. It's been a pleasure!

Thanks again for stopping by Pamela! You can get your copy of The Timestone Key at Once Upon A Bookstore

New Years Bash Day 6 - Welcome Denyse Bridger!

2010-01-06T00:01:00.001-05:00

Give a big warm welcome for Denyse! She'll be talking about sexy pirates!

Piracy and the romance of the Caribbean….

Quite the combination, isn’t it? And it’s fascinated movie viewers, and romance readers, forever… just a TINY bit of info as background to it all…

The era of piracy in the Caribbean Sea began in the 16th century and died out in the 1720s after the navies of the nations of Western Europe with colonies in the Caribbean began combating pirates. The period during which pirates were most successful was from the 1690s until the 1720s. Piracy flourished in the Caribbean because of the existence of relatively lawless British seaports such as Port Royal in Jamaica and the French settlement at Tortuga.

Piracy in the Caribbean resulted from the groups of Europeans, mostly English, Dutch and French, who were marooned or shipwrecked off the coast of Hispaniola. They were called buccaneers as well, from the French "boucaner" (to smoke meat) on a "boucan" (wooden frame set over a fire.) By setting up smokey fires and boucans with prepared meat of marooned cattle, these castaways could get a ship to draw near for trading, at which time the buccaneers could seize the ship. The buccaneers were later chased off the island by colonial powers and had to seek a life at sea. There they created lucrative but illegitimate opportunities for common seamen to attack European merchant ships (especially Spanish fleets sailing from the Caribbean to Europe) and seize their valuable cargo, a practice that began in the 16th century. Piracy was sometimes given "legal" status by colonial powers, especially France under King Francis I (r.1515-1547), in the hope of weakening the sea trade of their rivals. This "legal" form of piracy is known as privateering. From 1520 to 1560, French privateers were alone in their fight against the Crown of Spain and the vast commerce of the Spanish Empire in the New World. They were later joined by English and Dutch privateers. The following quote by a Welsh pirate shows the motivations for piracy in the 18th century Caribbean: “In an honest Service, there is thin Commons, low Wages, and hard Labour; in this, Plenty and Satiety, Pleasure and Ease, Liberty and Power; and who would not balance Creditor on this Side, when all the Hazard that is run for it, at worst, is only a sower Look or two at choaking. No, a merry Life and a short one shall be my Motto.” -- Pirate Captain Bartholomew Roberts (aka, Black Bart)

Hollywood caught on to the romantic aspect of the pirates early on, and periodically over the decades, they’ve become very fashionable as unlikely heroes, or anti-heroes. The most recent pirate to win hearts is of course Johnny Depp’s unforgettable Captain Jack Sparrow. It was Captain Sparrow that inspired my Captain Jack Stanton. And if you would like to meet him, my latest release just happens to be:

ROGUES
Publisher: Hearts On Fire Books
BUY: http://www.heartsonfirebooks.com/downloads.aspx?categoryid=26
Genre: Adventure Fantasy/Romance (mildly erotic)
Cover by: Dara England

Three stories, one kind of hero, pirates anyone? Includes the short stories Angel-Fire, Storm-Singer, and The Phantom’s Lair… Historical adventure, and the darker mystery of an ageless vampire who keeps a witch at his side, his protector and his lover through eternity...

Angel-Fire: A short intro to the world of Captain Jack Stanton, an honourable man with a tarnished reputation. Stranded in Nassau, caught up in a pleasant interlude with a barmaid, Jack has a vision that will lead him to his past and his future, if he can survive to get back Tortuga to discover what it all means…

Storm-Singer: The Isle of Nyx has become the dread of all sailors who must dare the waters surrounding the mythical island. Local legends say a vampire prince resides in the ancient castle that can be seen from the harbor of the island. At his side is a powerful sorceress whose song can control and summon storms.

In a desperate attempt to end the eternal threat looming over them, the people of the Aurora Islands sacrifice their greatest treasure, the princess Sarita, entrusting her with the task of seducing and destroying the dark prince who has been plundering their wealth and their people for centuries?

The Phantom’s Lair: Upon her arrival in the pirate port of Tortuga where her father is acting as Governor, Katheryn Hollinsworth is determined to choose her own path, and follow her heart wherever it may take her. On the streets of Puerta de la Plata, she encounters the mythical buccaneer known as The Phantom, and very quickly loses her heart to the handsome rogue.

Jack Stanton is a man who has never fully come to terms with his past, and in the Governor's pretty daughter he finds a most unlikely champion. But when his past threatens her life, and any chance of a respectable future, The Phantom must face the demons of his past, and accept the dictates of his own reawakened heart...

Previous Reviews for Storm-Singer and The Phantom’s Lair:

The Phantom’s Lair:

4 Stars - Oleta M Blaylock, Just Erotic Romance Reviews
4 Cups - Laura, Coffee Time Romance
4 Angels - Jessica, Fallen Angels Reviews
4 Roses - Pam L., A Romance Review

Storm-Singer:

4 Cups - Katherine L. Hunt, Coffee Time Romance
4 Angels - JoAnn, Fallen Angel Reviews

New Years Bash Day 5 - Welcome Jane Beckenham!

2010-01-05T06:00:00.001-05:00

Today we have Jane Beckenham blogging with us. She filled out a short interview for us about herself and her writing.

1. Tell us a little about yourself. Do you have a "day job?"

My name is Jane Beckenham and I live in New Zealand where right now is summer and we’re all rushing round like nuts preparing for Christmas and summer holidays at the same time – a crazy time of year, because it’s also the end of the school year. I write contemporary romance, but also have written time travel romance and my first Regency is being released by Red Rose Publishing next year. This year I was wildly excited to sign my 13th book contract! So a lucky number for me.

Day job! Hey I’m a woman I multi task! Here’s the list – wife, mother, pet lover, writer – I write 24/7 if I can, plus I work a night shift duty from home for a healthcare provider. I do their phones. A very suitable occupation my husband says, because I’m never more happy than with a phone at my ear!

2. What made you want to become a writer and how long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing about 10 years and really it was just the encouragement of a friend I met on line. However, a workmate once said to me that I always used to say I’d like to write, but honestly, I don’t remember that! But I do know that once I started, I haven’t been able to stop.

3. What is your favorite genre to write?

Oh, I have two favourites. Cotemporary and historical. My first foray into writing was actually through time travel romance which I do love. There is so much you can do with this, and of course it combines my love of history and contemporary in one book!

4. Do you have any particular writing rituals? Any snacks you must have while writing?

I tend to nibble a bit – nuts/dried fruit – and no I’m not a health nut, but it’s either that or chocolate. I used to write very early in the a.m. 5 or even 4, but it chops and change a bit these days.

5. What's up next for you in the writing world?

Well I’ve just had my 11th release – TO KISS AN ANGEL – this is a contemporary novella from Red Rose Publishing, and DESPERATELY SEEKING SANTA is now coming out in print! I have two more contracted novels to come out with Red Rose – my regency which I mentioned – A TRAITOR’S HEART, and another of my Sheikh stories –IN LOVE WITH THE SHEIKH. Plus my novels ROMEO FOR HIRE, and HE’S THE ONE, are being re-released from Samhain Publishing in 2010, so it’s going to be a busy year.

I was very excited as the reviewer from Coffee Time Romance gave TO TO KISS AN ANGEL 4 cups (stars) …”To Kiss An Angel is a cute, humorous holiday treat. Filled with sass and wit, you will enjoy Clark and Angel’s story. This is a great gift for yourself or a friend anytime of the year you would like a bit of sweet treat.” Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & MoreIt’s always a relief when you get your first review…. Like yes, ok, someone likes me! LOL

lol yeah I totally understand that feeling!

6. Do you have any advice for the writers/readers?

Just don’t give up, but also to try and get some balance in your life. Writing is very addictive and it can take over as an obsession. Last year I had burn out and because I had writing commitments I had to keep going, but I did learn that I just had to take time out for me, give myself permission to do this – take a bubble bath, read a book. Even not write for 3 weeks! I did this recently, and played house instead, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. But now of course it’s back to work!

For writers, try and write every day, even if it’s for ½ an hour, that at least will keep your story in your head. I am the worst at trying to take time to read, but please do. Keep reading, and particularly in the genre you’re trying to work in. It’s always good to see what others are writing, and you learn as you read too.

And now… I’ve gotta get back to the grindstone. Edits to be done.
So happy holidays everyone, keep safe.

Regards
Jane Beckenham
www.janebeckenham.com
Email Jane: neiljane@ihug.co.nz

OTHER RED ROSE BOOKS BY JANE BECKENHAM
No Sex Necessary Available Here
The Sheikh’s Proposal Available Here

New Year's Bash Day 3 - Welcome Colleen Love

2010-01-04T09:20:00.002-05:00

Today we welcome the wonderful Colleen!

1. Tell us a little about yourself. Do you have a "day job?"

Well, kind of yes. I don't leave my house, BUT my day begins at 4 am and goes until 10ish pm. I get Mr. C off to work. He is usually gone by 5 and then I sit down to get some writing/research done. Our two kids get up between 7:30 and 8 and get ready for thier day, and take the dog out for his walk. Then the real fun begins. We homeschool our kids, grades 4 and 6 or above and we spend the morning and early afternoon going through our lessons. In the later afternoon they usually go and play with the neighbors. Mr. C comes home, dinner is made, dishes are washed, kids watch science programs and I collapse before crawling to bed around 10ish.
So, I think I have a day job of sorts... :) I keep busy anyway, sadly, it doesn't keep me out of trouble. hehe

2. What made you want to become a writer and how long have you been writing?

I've been writing stories with my little girlfriends since grade school. I have always been able to drop out of reality and into some fantasy world, and people have always said I should be a writer because I have such a wild imagination (Let the wild rumpus start!).

I didn't read my first romance novel until I was 27 years old and was pregnant and on bed rest. I fell in love with the romance genre and I already loved fantasy, so the worlds just came together. I think a lot of my writing stems from some of the movies I grew up loving, like Legend, Lady Hawke, Romancing the Stone, and many others like that.

3. What is your favorite genre to write?

Hmm... I cross genres so much that it's hard to say! I do love fantasy and romance though.

4. Do you have any particular writing rituals? Any snacks you must have while writing?

I usually just reread what I had written before and pick up from there. When I write, it's like a movie running through my head and I just write it all down in great detail. That's the fun part and I just love my job!

My favorite snack is Tillamook cheddar cheese, sliced thin and cut into quarters along with thinly sliced Honey Crisp apples. Oh wow, I could OD that stuff. :) Oh and an open box of Cheese Its is basically an empty box. hehe :D

5. What's up next for you in the writing world?
I am working on a suspence for The Wild Rose Press at the moment. Of course it has a very light paranormal, because I can't write otherwise, it's too mundane.

I have many other projects lined up and in some sort of degree of completion. Sometimes when I write a draft, I have to let it sit and soak for a bit before I keep going on it. Some of them just fly off the page, so I keep moving and keep going forward.

6. Do you have any advice for the writers/readers?
I do! Don't give up on your dreams, no matter what they are. :)

Thank you so much Tir! This was a fun interview!!

You can visit Colleen and get the latest news here!

New Year's Bash Day 3 - Welcome Natasha Bennett

2010-01-03T00:01:00.000-05:00

For our third day of this wonderful new year, I welcome fellow Lyrical Press author, Natasha Bennett!

SOME TIPS FOR THE NEW YEAR.

Hello everyone, and I hope you all had a happy New Year! Today's January the 3rd, so if you're still hung over, then I know you've had a great time celebrating 2010.

A lot of people have not been too fond of 2009 because of the recession, but I think this will be the year I will remember the most. It was the year I officially became a published author with my science fiction book War of the Soulites. A few months later, my publisher, Lyrical press, also gave me a contract for the sequel! In a very short time I learned a great deal about the publishing industry.

For starters, no matter how good your book is, it won't make millions as soon as it's released. It takes work, work, and more work. Even before your book is released your author name is really no different than a brand name, and takes time to develop. And please, don't promote and run, because I can guarantee you that will get you the least amount of sales. Take the time to get to know your reading audience. You might find them to be very interesting people.

Secondly, don't pay anyone for promotion, or editing services. You can easily do that for free. And for the aspiring writing, don't pay to be published either. Do some research before you hand your manuscript to anyone. The hardest yet most rewarding trait to have is patience.

So for those writers that are not yet published, I hope that 2010 is your year! For the ones that are, I hope that you have a profitable year!

Details about my book can be found here!

New Years Bash Day 2 - Delilah K. Stephans

2010-01-02T00:01:00.002-05:00

Kicking off our second day of the New Year's Bash is my good friend and writing buddy Delilah K. Stephans!

One year ago I was still waiting for my first copy edits for my first book. Today that book has been published and sold well, another book was contracted, been through edits and published and signed a contract for a third book and had my first round of edits. A year ago I didn't have a job. Today I have one as a line editor for one of my publishers. In five days I register for college classes. Throughout the year I've made wonderful new friends and drifted away from a few old friends. I treasure the new friends and mourn the friendships that have fallen by the wayside. 2009 was a year of wonderful surprises and some difficult lows, but I wouldn't change a thing.

One of the things I love about reading is every time I open a cover on a new book I have no idea the journey the author and characters will take me on. That's the fun of opening the book.

It's also the reason I love writing! Watching the lives of the characters change as the story unfolds. Watching as they grow together through every obstacle put in their way. I love the surprises I find with each paragraph. Each snippet of dialogue. There is nothing better than characters who pepper the story with snappy fun dialogue . Some writers do character sheets, write detail plots of what happens when. The one time I tried that, once I finished the outline I never wrote another word and it was good too. I'm a pantser. Meaning I type by the seat of my pants.

I like the not knowing. I like wondering if the hero will kiss the heroine in chapter one or chapter ten. Biting my nails to figure out how they will defeat the bad guy. I even love figuring out what the bed they first make love on looks like. That's important!

What does 2010 hold? Only the Fates know and I'm ok with that. In 2010, I'll meet new people, I'll meet new characters that want their story told and I may even get visited by old friends from previous books who need their story told. I learned in 2005 to grab life by the horns and hang on for the ride. Because unless you open yourself to what life brings good or bad, you aren't really living. I'm not going to stop following my dreams and I encourage you to do the same. Great things are waiting out there if you just try for them.

Here are trailers for my books published in 2009:

Sarah's Story from Red Rose Publishing

Black Velvet from Lyrical Press

New Year's Bash Day 1 - Antonia Tiranth

2010-01-01T00:01:00.002-05:00

As the New Year begins we look back and wonder how did that year go? Well, it certainly was a big one. 2009 started off in a big way with Barak Obama taking presidency. The middle of the year saw a lot of celebrity deaths (well ones I knew of anyway) with Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, Ed McMahon, and Billy Mays. The year ended on a quiet note. That was the big stuff...and what about me? Well, it was a big year for me too. In February my first book, The Quickening was released with Lyrical Press, Inc. The second book in the series, The Gathering, came out in July and the third, Black Velvet released in November. Black Velvet is special because it was co-written with Delilah K. Stephans and is the first of hopefully man more joint works from the two of us. December too saw a release from me, this time from Red Rose Press and this was King of Swords - A Dom For Christmas, the first of my tarot Kings series, my very first erotic novel.

So that was the releases part of my year but the other big part of the year was all the new friends I've made through the author's loops. My friends are coming together this month to kick off the new year with a blast and to tell you about their works.

And what are my goals for this year? Well, I plan to write more often! I've got many ideas rumbling around up there and want to get them all out. So, one of my resolutions for the year is to write every day. My second is to stop eating snacks past nine. ^.^

Anyway, get ready for a whole month of fabulous authors and for a great year from all of us!

Please welcome Honoria Ravena

2009-12-23T00:01:00.000-05:00

Today we have Honoria Ravena visiting and sharing with us her writing ritual! Everyone give her a warm welcome.

Writing Rituals

I have a very specific writing ritual. I usually write at night, after dinner. I work better in the darkness. Lol, a paranormal writer who writes during the night. Imagine that. It also might have something to do with all those times I was up all night finishing papers in high school. I also always wrote at night after my parents went to bed.

I like to drink tea when I write. I don't know why, because I am definitely a coffee drinker, but coffee seems to get me to wired to work. Tea seems to soothe me, and allow me to focus.

I burn candles and incense when I write. I don't burn the incense a lot because my mother hates the smell, but I always have at least one candle going.

I also always have music going. My muse used to be very picky about what I could listen to. It had to be a female voice. Since then she's loosened up a bit and I can listen to just about anything, as long as she approves. I usually don't know what she approves of until I listen for a while, get no work done and go "No, that's not right." and change the music. And I do have my trusted stand bys I go to when she's being picky. Niyaz is a favorite, and the soundtrack to Queen of the Damned. And of course some of my characters have their own favorites.

Also, I prefer to write at my desk. Lately I haven't because my computer chair is too uncomfortable. I've been writing in bed, which is plenty comfortable, but annoying.

I don't have to do all this stuff to write, but the words seem to come easier if I do. But I've found that if I feel like writing, nothing will stop me.

What about you? Do you have a writing ritual?

Now, I'd like to share some blurbs with you. I hope you enjoy them!

Fear of Darkness Blurb:

Vahe Patten is a Watcher in the King’s guard. The vampire king, that is. As a Watcher, Vahe executes vampires who break the only major vampire law: keep the secret. When Dylan Andrew starts leaving his murder victims for the human authorities to find, something must be done. While in Haven, Vahe enters the dreams of a woman plagued with nightmares of her past. When he sees Dylan flirting with her in a bar, he knows she’ll be his next victim.

Natalya Woods just wants to avoid her ex-husband. The small town of Haven, Maine seems perfect until she’s attacked in the street by, literally, the man of her dreams.

Buy it here!

Biohazard Blurb:

Hunted by his people, the shapeshifter, Jayden, sheds his human skin after escaping his execution. 200 years later he’s still on the run. When he’s attacked in the remote woods in Wyoming, the last thing he expects is to be saved by a human woman.
When Maura finds a rough looking group of men hunting a tiger in her forest, she doesn’t hesitate to pull a gun on them and release the animal. What she doesn’t expect is for that frightening cat to change into a gorgeous, surly man with a tortured past.

But when his people threaten her life, will he save her, or leave her to the wolves?

Buy it here!

For the Kids

2009-12-21T19:44:00.002-05:00

A friend asked me to pass this along. This guy is really awesome so please consider it:

The romance community has long had a reputation for being loving, generous, and supportive of charity, so I hope you'll all take a moment to read this, and to make a small donation that will help benefit children, this is about the KIDS HELP LINE - an organization that helps kids in need by giving them a safe and accessible place to turn to when they're in trouble. One of Canada's best musicians has not only opened his kind and giving heart to this cause, he's opening up his home - on CHRISTMAS DAY - and giving a special benefit performance from his own living room... Time is getting short, but if you can spare a few dollars, you will not only make a difference, you will receive a very great gift back in this special show.... The details are here, and I really hope you'll consider doing this, and spreading the word to as many people as you possibly can between now and Christmas Day....

Thanks so much, and here are the details and the links, and the whole idea from Mr. Dusk himself:

On December 25th at 4PM (EST), Matt is giving you the unique opportunity to watch an intimate online performance of your favourite Christmas carols and songs from his albums. All proceeds will be going directly to Kids Help Phone. To be a part of this special event, visit www.kidshelpphone.ca/mattdusk to donate and help make a difference in the lives of these kids today.

December 25th at 4PM (EST)

Canadian and Juno Award Nominee Matt Dusk is a singer, songwriter, producer, arranger and fervent jazz-pop musicologist blessed with the perfect name ... for his spirit truly comes out as night approaches and concert audiences await.

In the spirit of giving, Matt Dusk is asking you to make these Twelve Days of Christmas special by donating to Kids Help Phone. In return, he will be giving you an intimate online performance!

On December 25th at 4PM (EST) Matt will be singing a collection of Christmas carols and songs from his albums to those who make a donation. The best part is you have the chance to be the musical director of his show by voting for the songs he performs!

To be a part of this special event, please DONATE NOW.

Upon receipt of your donation, a special link will be sent to you with:

* an insider’s view of the venue
* a voting feature (you choose the songs!)
* exclusive access to the video of his intimate performance
* ongoing access to the video at any time after 4PM on December 25th.

What better way to spend the Holidays with your family and friends than by enjoying the smooth sounds of Matt Dusk, all for a great cause! Don’t miss out on this special event. Your donations help Kids Help Phone provide the immediate help and hope that our kids need and deserve.

Upcoming New years Bash!

2009-12-16T15:20:00.009-05:00

Since the year is coming to a close and I'm hoping for an even bigger year next year, I decided to start the year off with a bang and have a month full of guest bloggers. So far I've had great response and almost the whole month is full. Here's a peek at who will be here so far:

January 1 - I'll kick off the bash
January 2 - Delilah K. Stephans
January 3 - Natasha Bennett
January 4 - Colleen Love
January 5 - Jane Beckenham
January 6 - Denyse Bridger
January 7 - Pamela Hearon
January 8 - Brigit Aine
January 9 - Mark Terence Chapman
January 10 - Eve Summers
January 11 - Sandra Sookoo
January 12 - Franny Armstrong
January 13 - Peg Herring
January 14 - Cat Grant
January 15 - Ellie Moonwater
January 16 - Angel Martinez
January 17 - Rebecca Rose
January 18 - Pamela Tyner
January 19 - Annie Nicholas
January 20 - Cindy Jacks
January 21 - Aline de Chevigny
January 22 - Isabel Roman
January 23 - Jordana Ryan
January 24 - Brianna Roarke/Brynna Curry
January 25 - Angela Kay Austin
January 26 - Crystal Andros, tentative
January 27 - Micah Parrish
January 28 - Roseanne Dowell
January 29 - Kat Holmes
January 30 - Jane Toombs
January 31 - Aubrey Leatherwood

Introducing Barbora Knobova!!

2009-12-10T00:12:00.000-05:00

I have the pleasure of hosting Ms. Knobova as part of her virtual tour. Below you'll find a little bit about her and her novel, Tales for Delicious Girls

Price: $22.70 Paperback: 180 pages Publisher: BK Publishing (September 1, 2009) Language: English ISBN-10: 0578033399 ISBN-13: 978-0578033396 Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
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Tales for Delicious Girls has received perfect 5-star ratings from women all over the world!
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"Tales for Delicious Girls" offers witty, refreshing, clever and ironic insight into relationships between men and women from all points of view. The book is a modern relationship manual, providing answers to the most pressing dating and friendship questions that strong, independent, modern women want to know. "Tales for Delicious Girls" deals with wishes, desires and dreams - as well as hilarious mishaps and dating disasters. However, "Tales for Delicious Girls" is not simply a humorous book. In addition to entertaining the readers, the tales will inspire women to think about their own life and relationships, see themselves through different eyes and realize that they are their own best friend, the pillar of their own life, and the only person they can always count on. "Tales for Delicious Girls" encourages women to love, respect and appreciate themselves, to live the life they have always wanted, and become aware of their true uniqueness and deliciousness. This book will make you cry till there are tears in your eyes. It will become your faithful companion, and will help you find yourself. It was written for you because you're delicious - the most delicious girl in the world.
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Portion of Author Autobahn Review:

We all have different experiences, but every "delicious girl" will see a bit of herself in Barbora's book. She doesn't feel sorry for herself; she uses her past as a springboard to the future. Tales for Delicious Girls is filled with cautionary true-stories. Is Barbora trying to use her experiences as a warning to every other girl? To prevent her from making the same mistakes she did? Of course, that would be ideal! But when it comes down to it, what the author is trying to remind every woman is to listen to that small voice inside and act upon it when it says, "Dump this loser!" She wants every woman to remember that no matter our choices, we can make better ones tomorrow.
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Author Bio

Barbora Knobova is an author who writes about women and for women. A relationship coach and a "Delicious Girl", she is always on women's side and dedicates herself to helping women find their path to self-love and happiness. Barbora believes that every woman deserves to be loved, appreciated and respected, and her books speak to women of all ages, providing them with support and encouragement. Barbora's motto is: I believe in myself. In us. And in you. Because we all are Delicious. Visit Barbora's website http://www.barboraknobova.com for free e-courses, e-books and relationship advice.

I was kidnapped!

2009-12-01T12:03:00.003-05:00

By NaNoWriMo!! But, I beat it up and came back. ^.^ Seriously, I made my stab at NaNo this year and to my surprise I did it. I've got a little more actual writing to do for it too but once that is done, I'm going to let it stew for the month of December. I crammed alot of threads into this tapestry and its a mess but I'll pick out the ones I don't want and make something from it next year.

In other news! December really crept up on me with being so engrossed with NaNo so I almost forgot to mention my December 3rd release from Red Rose Publishing.

“I had everything under control, Sebastian.”

He took a step towards her, she retreated but he followed. “But you didn't really want to be, did you Lily?”

“What are you talking about?” Lily swallowed around the sudden lump in her throat, watching his eyes travel to her throat. The way he was looking at her made heat collect in her belly.

“You don't want to be in control,” he replied, his voice a low seductive growl.

“Yes I do,” she protested weakly.

“No, you don't. You want to let go, to hand someone else the reins.”

“I can take care of myself.” Lily straightened her shoulders, trying to ignore her body that longed to throw itself at this man's feet.

“Of course you can,” Sebastian conceded, “But you want someone to take care of you. I know why you weren't happy with Philip,” he said.

“Oh?” For every step she took away from him, he took one forward. Her heels touched the wall at the same time her hip hit the counter. She had backed herself into a corner and he placed his hands on the wall on either side of her head, trapping her. Her breath was coming in quick gasps now. She couldn't look at him. She kept her eyes on his shoulder but that turned out to be a bad idea as she noticed now that the black turtle neck hugged his form in a sinful way. “And why is that?” she somehow managed to ask

Sebastian bent his head, catching her gaze with his own. “You want a man who won't let you control him.”

“And you could?” she countered, her cheeks flushing.

She held her breath, thinking he was going to kiss her again but he took a step back. “Come, we're leaving.” His tone left no room for debate and she really didn't feel any desire to refuse the command. Still it was her brother's party and she always stayed here to spend Christmas morning with him and Kate.

“But--“

“I said, come.”

Guest Blogger - Sandra Sookoo

2009-11-15T00:01:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone, please welcome the wonderful Sandra Sookoo. She's here celebrating the release of her newest book, Exiles from Christmas, which is on sale from Lyrical Press starting today!

First off, I’d like to thank Antonia for allowing me to post on her blog. I always love visiting other folks around the web and in this instance, I get to share my latest release with you!

The inspiration behind this book was a fascination with Santa. It’s not what you think. It amazes me that the Santa myth still holds strong today and I find it amusing that sentiments are so strong regarding the issue: does he or does he not exist?

So, I decided to turn the jolly old man on his ear and Exiles from Christmas is the result. It’s my take, or explanation on the Santa scene. What’s more, I didn’t just stop with the jolly elf. I’ve taken a lot of the myths and childhood stories and created a sort of “what if” scenario in my Holiday Magic Series.

Here’s a blurb and excerpt for Exiles for Christmas:

Blurb: Santa’s nephews have come to Crystal Falls to run a cookie business. If they fail, they’ll have to go back to the North Pole and fill their uncle’s black boots when he retires. But sick of toys, elves, and the North Pole’s influence, that’s the last thing Landon and Aaron want. They’re looking for love.

Jayne isn’t much for sentimental family holidays and she certainly doesn’t believe in magic. Working in the Crystal Falls post office, she is mystified when she handles mail bearing a North Pole postal mark.

When Landon and Jayne meet, their attraction for each other is undeniable, but will the truth about Landon’s life make Jayne a believer, or will it be his love that finally melts her heart?

Excerpt #4:

Landon was glad when Peg finally walked away. “Tell me why you hate Christmas.” Pleasure snaked through his gut when Jayne’s cheeks infused with a rosy stain. He had the insane desire to see her smile. He wondered if the back of her wrist was ticklish. “Or is it just the commercialism of the holiday that turns you into Scrooge?”

Her lips twitched but she didn’t follow through with a full grin. “Why don’t you tell me why I should like this holiday?” She dipped a triangle of her golden sandwich into her orange-red soup then took a delicate bite.

“Everyone likes Christmas.” He floundered for words. “It’s... It’s...magical.” He broke open the flaky crust of his chicken pot pie to let the steam escape.

“What’s so magical about the whole population of the world succumbing to avarice and greed?” She pointed her spoon at him. “And don’t get me started about that jolly old fat man in the red suit.”

“How do you know Santa is old or fat? Have you seen him?” Her abhorrence to Christmas fascinated him, but the information he was about to tell her would make or break the new friendship.

“Have you?”

It was now or never. For some reason, he trusted her. “Actually, yes. In fact, I know him pretty well.” He kept his gaze glued to her face, alert for any outward signs of derision or ridicule. Prior relationships usually broke down at this point. Some had even ended with drinks to his face or upended dinners in his lap. When Jayne did nothing more dramatic than blink, he released his held breath. Maybe it’d be different this time.

“How can you possibly know him? He’s a make-believe character from story books.” She narrowed her eyes. “Unless he’s an invisible friend of yours.”

Very witty, Jayne. Funny and sexy. A great combination. He fought a smile. “He’s definitely not invisible.” No longer hungry, Landon pushed his mostly untouched plate away. “You never believed in Santa when you were a kid?” He watched as hope briefly flitted across her face but that moment of vulnerability vanished as quickly as it had come.

“No.”

“Why?” He wasn’t about to give up. He felt a tiny seed of belief buried beneath her protests and he wanted to draw it out. He needed to draw it out, if only to justify his own determination to remove himself from his own issues.

Jayne busied herself by crumbling little bits of her sandwich into her soup bowl. “Santa has always been a disappointment to me.” She captured her bottom lip between her teeth. “When I was eleven, I desperately wanted a microscope. I loved science and thought it would be fun to look inside living things.”

“And you didn’t get it, I assume?” He wrenched his gaze from her invitingly wet lips to focus on her face.

“Of course not.” Bitterness crept into the confirmation. “Not only that, a few months after that, I found all the letters I’d written to Santa in my mom’s underwear drawer. She never mailed them. I understood why later—there was nowhere to mail them to. Santa’s a fake.” She shrugged. “I found all but one letter. She must have lost it.”

“I’m sorry you had a bad childhood. What about now? You’re older and wiser. Do you believe in Santa now?”

“Are you kidding me?” She gaped at him as if he were a car wreck. “Why should I believe now? What’s the point?”

“Because.” Landon cleared his throat. “Santa Claus is my uncle.”

Book video:

Promo video for Crystal Falls:

Buy link: http://www.lyricalpress.com/exiles_from_christmas

Or visit my website for more information

Keep your eyes open for more books in this series.

Thanks again for having me here. I love to hear from readers and other authors so look me up on Facebook or email me at sandrasookoo@yahoo.com.

Also, one lucky poster on this blog will receive a goodie bag. Name will be selected by random drawing at 5:00 p.m. EST.

Thanks Sandra! It sounds really interesting. I love Christmas so I for one will be on the lookout for more! Remember to post so you can be entered in the drawing!

NaNoWriMo Update

2009-11-08T21:19:00.012-05:00

So NaNo is going well this year! I went into it as excited as I was for my first year (2007), which I can honestly say I wasn't last year. So I think this year I'll make it to 50k again. The story is kinda jumping all over the place BUT that'll be fixed in edits. A lot of my prep time is spent looking for pictures as well as songs. I already shared the songs, now time to share the pictures!

Gareth Le'Vale

Gareth is a mage born in Shift. He is almost forty but the magic of Shift keeps him looking very young. He was the one sent to find Cael and Caim and has become their teacher. His elemental strength is fire and his weak element is wind.

Mallory

Mallory is a seer. She is in her 60s but as with Gareth the magic of Shift makes her look much younger. She is Chance's teacher, even though she has no magic of her own. She loves books, her house is filled with them and when not teaching Chance, she can be found reading. She does not venture much from her home in Shift.

Elizabeth "Chance" Maddox

Chance came by her name because of the uncertain nature of her magic. She has little control over the results and has no affinity for one element over another. Gareth bestowed the nickname upon her and for years she was a thorn in his side. Now, however, they've realized their feelings for one another and are a couple. Chance is almost always in a happy mood.

and I have two pics of the twins, one put together for me by Delilah and the other by Elle.

by Elle

by Del

Cael and Caim O'Conner

Caim is the ghost. He died at childbirth and his spirit became attached to his twin. He exists somewhere between the realm of the living and the realm in which other spirits and ghosts exist. He can see auras and lines of magic, making it easier for him to manipulate them. He can transfer some of his ability, both passively and actively to his twin. Caim's affinity is water and his weak element is earth. When Cael uses magic, the power flowing through Caim makes his eyes glow with white light. Caim has for the most part accepted what he is, but for the longing of touch.

Cael spent six years in mental institutions due to misunderstanding of his "talking with his dead twin." Cael seems to have affinity for both wind and fire but virtually no control over earth. Cael has violent mood shifts, accompanied by loss of control of his abilities.

And these characters, you'll find out about later! :p

Vo

Lil' Bit

Halloween Anthology, NaNo, and Release

2009-10-30T10:02:00.004-04:00

Hey guys!

First off, the wonderful Denyse Bridger had an awesome idea to give a neat free read to our readers. She sent me and a few other talented ladies some pictures and we each wrote a story based on the picture. If you go to Denyse's Romantic Moments site you can download the anthology called "Every Picture Tells a Story"

Contributing authors are : Brigit Aine
Colleen Love
R.L. Stuemke
Vicki Gaia
Antonia Tiranth
Donna Hatch
Denysé Bridger

While you are on the Romantic Moments site, take a moment and grab some of the other stories.

This anthology was really fun and gave me the opportunity to jump into the world I am basing my NaNoWriMo project in. I thought I'd share some of the music I've been listening too to get me in the mood:

Songs by Disturbed
Indestructible
The Night
Perfect Insanity
Haunted
The Curse
Torn
Criminal
Divide

Songs by Adelita's Way
Invicible
My Derailment

Songs by Green Day
Boulevard of Broken Dreams

And finally, Black Velvet releases on Monday. Remember to check here for a list of the places Del and I will be stopping by!

Excitement in the air!

2009-10-20T13:31:00.002-04:00

Yes, folks, we're fast approaching the release of the third installment in the Tales of the Rikashi series, Black Velvet. More exciting even is the fact that this is the first published work that is coauthored by my long time friend and writing buddy, Delilah K. Stephans. In a mere twelve days!!!! We have several blog appearances scheduled for Nov 1-3 and we'll be offering up some prizes so be on the lookout!!!

What else am I up to? A whole heck of a lot! Trying really hard to finish the second in the Tarot Kings series but right now Shir is a little stuck on upcoming NaNoWriMo. There's a lot of things kicking around in my head right now, just need a big chunk of time to sit down and work on it. Anyways, I'm off again so keep an eye out for me!

Guest Blogger - Marc Nobbs

2009-10-12T08:44:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone! Please give a warm welcome to Marc.

Hi there. I’m Marc Nobbs and I want to thank Antonia for letting me crash her blog today.

In my recent post on the Virtual Bok Tour Blog, I wrote about what it’s like to be a man in a woman’s world. I’m talking, of course, about the world of romance, which is dominated by women – both readers and writers.

Today, if it’s okay with you, I’d like to talk about my published books.

So, what can you expect from a Marc Nobbs novel? I’d suggest you go and read Reunion (go ahead and download it, it’s free) and you’ll get a good idea because, even though it’s a very early work of mine, it’s got many of the traits that have become my hallmark.

Firstly, It’s got two very likeable leads in Matt and Kelly – Matt was described as one early reader as the ‘nicest man in the history of porn, ever’, while Kelly tends to split opinions for much of the book but ultimately readers love her as much as I do. It’s a passionate, sexy story, littered with hot sex scenes but in the end it’s just got a really good plot full of twists and turns that lead to a climatic (and happy) ending.

It’s also fairly dialogue heavy at times. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been told that I’m ‘good’ at dialogue. Hell, I’ve even been told more than once that I should turn my hand to scriptwriting for movies. lol

All of these things are my hallmarks. From the hero everyone loves to the heroine we have our doubts about but end up falling in love with. From the twisty, turny plot that races towards the big ending to the passionate, heart-felt, loving sex scenes. You’ll find them all in a Marc Nobbs novel.

But there is a reason I’m giving this story away for free. Reunion is quite old – written before I even thought about going to a publishing house and instead gave everything I wrote away for free. It was my first real effort at writing a longer story. Up until that point I’d only written shorts – less than five thousand words normally. It was also written before I became quite as obsessive about word choice, sentence structure and the ‘mechanics’ of writing as I am now. Still, it’s a good read. Not as good as the books below, but still pretty good. Go ahead and download it and let me know what you think.

Okay, let’s talk about my Phaze books then shall we?

Charlotte’s Secret started life as a short. A single scene with a twist at the end. I actually went through three different ‘twists’ before realising who these characters were and that they had a longer, more interesting story to tell.

The original scene made it into the final book – it’s the first scene of the book in fact, where our hero David goes to visit his sister-in-law in her shop. At first it was written as a husband and wife role playing. Then it became a husband and his wife’s twin sister and then the husband thought it was his wife but was actually her evil twin sister. But none of those felt right until it became what we have now.

Even though most of the book is told from David’s point of view, the undoubted star is Charlotte herself – as evidenced by her nomination as ‘best female character’ in the 2008 Romance Erotica Connection awards. And she typifies what’s best about my female characters. She’s a strong, independent woman – successful in her own right with her thriving business – but she never stopped loving David despite all they’d been through. And they’ve been though a lot.

It’s a quick read and a heart-warming book – and I still managed to get in that twist at the end. But this is a twist that will make you go ‘Aww’ when Charlotte’s Secret is finally revealed.

Lost & Found contains one of my favourite characters – but it’s not the hero or the heroine. And the reason that Colonel Burnett is one of my favourites is very personal – he took the most work on my part to get right. But get him right I did I’m sure you’ll agree.

He’s a tough cookie. He’s stubborn and arrogant and at first is decidedly unlikeable. But then you realise that he only wants what he thinks is best for his daughter, and that he’s suffering from the loss of his son, and you actually start to feel for him.

Lost & Found only takes place because Beth, the heroine, loses her brother in Iraq. He died a hero and his father, a retired Colonel, wants to treat him like a hero with a big military funeral. And that funeral is one of the best scenes that I think I’ve ever written. I defy anyone to read it and not well up.

But ultimately, this story is a love triangle with Beth at its heart. It’s about her struggle to reconcile her natural love for her father (and his love for her) and the passion she feels for a man she met on the internet and crosses the Atlantic to comfort her in her hour of need.

Which brings us to my most recent release – Kissed by a Rose. It’s the longest book I’ve ever written and by far the best. I’ve said it elsewhere and I’ll say it here – I’m hugely proud of Kissed. Chloe, Adam, Cassie, Eddie and even Kim – I love them all. I love the way we are never entirely sure about Chloe’s motives. I love Adam’s absolute belief that she’s on the level and his complete love for her. I love the contrast between the ‘student’ scenes in Westmouth and the ‘celebrity’ scenes at the Royal Premiere and the Oscars ceremony.

I’m gushing, I know, but I can’t help it. I promise you, read the book and you’ll see why.

Well, I think that’s about enough from me. Thanks once again to Antonia for hosting me today. If you want to know more then pop along to my website and take a look or catch me on my own blog. You can also find me on facebook, myspace and twitter.

Thanks again to Marc for stopping by and sharing his works with us! I'll definitely be checking out his free read.

Guest Blogging Colleen Love!

2009-10-01T09:11:00.002-04:00

Hi all! Please give a warm welcome to Colleen. She's here to tell us about her recent release.

Available Now from Liquid Silver Books!

http://www.king-cart.com/cgi-bin/cart.cgi?store=linda018&product_name=Hearts+Afire+June&return_page=&user-id=&password=&exchange=&exact_match=exact

The Fireman and the Ice Queen by Dee S. Knight:

Harm Reynolds hasn’t asked to be the liaison between the firefighters’ union and the city, he’s been thrust into the role. Even worse, his opponent in the negotiations is the new assistant mayor, the reputed Ice Queen, a heartless ball buster who doesn’t care if his men charge into fiery buildings with equipment that doesn’t work. He strides to his first meeting resolved to prove that a fireman can handle an Ice Queen.

Beth Edwards knows of her reputation as a heartless bitch, and in truth, she even uses it to her advantage at times. She isn’t without compassion, she just doesn’t handle emotion well. And since she has only career plans in mind and no time for love, well, what does a nasty nickname matter?

Both Beth and Harm should have known that playing with fire—whether it involves matches or love—is a dangerous thing to do.

Here's a short excerpt from The Fireman and the Ice Queen. "Sally" is Harm's late wife, dead for 18 months.

In this scene, Beth, the Ice Queen assistant mayor, is meeting with Harm, the firefighters' union rep, to negotiate a new contract. This is their second meeting, one they've both dreaded and longed for.

Beth cleared her throat. “Harm, I’m sorry you came all the way over here. I called the station but you weren’t there.”

“No, I left from the house. I’m not on duty today.”

“Oh. Well, I called to tell you I’m waiting for news from a city in South Carolina regarding their radio system. I’d like to gather as much information as possible before we meet again.”

Harm saw the sense in what she said, but sharp disappointment struck in learning they wouldn’t be sitting across the table from each other that afternoon. “You’re aware the contract is up in three days?”

“I know we’re cutting things short, but I hate to make decisions without knowing all I can, don’t you?” She winked and smiled. “I find whenever I do, deals tend to go up in smoke. No pun intended.”

He chuckled. “Okay, I bow to your fact finding. I’m on duty tomorrow morning for the next 24 hours, but I can make arrangements for whenever you want to get together again.”

“Well,” she said, not meeting his gaze, “would you object to a, uh, dinner meeting? I should receive my phone call by noon, but I’m tied up with the Chamber of Commerce for the rest of the day.”

If Sally had filled his mind, Harm would have been ashamed at the thrill he felt with Beth’s suggestion. So he pushed Sally out of mind and tried to ignore the shame he felt at that.

“Sure. I mean heck, it’s important to get through these talks, and we have to eat, right?” What a damn fool thing to say. She must think you’re an idiot, but at least she doesn’t know you’re a horny idiot. “Where did you have in mind?”

“Um...I actually had in mind, my place. I mean, it’s just that, well, it would be private.” Now she did look up, blushing and eyes wide. “To talk about the contract, I mean.”

Harm could hardly breathe. “Right. It would be bad for any details to leak before we’ve hammered out everything we need to.” God, had he just said he wanted to hammer everything out? What he felt like hammering shouldn’t even be thought in mixed company.

Then she let out a breath. “Oh, yes. I just don’t want you to think, well, that I want to be alone with you.”

He laughed, a burst of surprise and humor unleashed. “God forbid.”
Her cheeks turned a deeper rose. “I mean I do want to be alone with you.”

“That’s nice to hear,” he said, and meant it.

“For the sake of the city,” she replied, her voice low.

“And the firefighters,” he said just as low and a little husky.

“Right. Can’t forget them. I’d never do that.”

“I know you wouldn’t.” He took a step forward, crowding her against the door. “You live on Smithville Road, don’t you?”

“How did you know that?”

Actually, he’d looked her up last night, and even driven past her house, a neat little bungalow with a nice front lawn. “Knowing where city leaders live is one of our jobs.”

“Oh.”

Was it his imagination or did she look a bit disappointed?

“I don’t think it would be a good idea to meet there,” she said. “You know how people talk. Your truck in my driveway and the whole town would have us sleeping together in a matter of hours.”

While Harm wanted that to happen--maybe--he didn’t want the town to talk about it. Especially since his wish was far from likely to be granted.

“If talk did start,” she continued, “it would certainly be seen as a conflict of interest, even though neither of us would compromise our principles over sex.”

“No, I’d never let sex compromise my, uh...” Her hair smelled so good. Flowery, but not overpowering.

“Principles,” she prompted.

Inferno by Colleen Love:

Henrietta James is completely satisfied with her polished, metropolitan lifestyle until she accepts an assignment that brings one heroic Cade Lane into her world. Henrietta's research reveals that Mr. Lane is not only the firefighter that saves a child’s life, he's a man with a pin-up calendar worthy body, but more importantly a man that deserves appreciation.

For Cade Lane, being is firefighter is more than just a job - it's who he is. He is also very surprised to find that Henri James is a woman! A very sexy woman who sets his blood burning. He quickly does anything he can to get closer to her and kindles the heat of instant attraction between them, stirring an inferno.

When trouble threatens, putting heart and body in harm's way, can the flames of love be kept burning bright despite the firestorm?

Inferno Excerpt:

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow, Cade.” Her sultry voice ribboned around his name in a sexy whisper. She leaned close to him, brushing his cheek with a soft kiss. A smile slid over her lips as she turned away from him, walking to her car with quick steps. She glanced at him one last time with dark, wanting eyes as she ducked within.

It was only then he let out a long-held breath. How long he had been holding it he couldn’t say. But one thing was certain, he was glad his jacket was long enough to cover the raging hard-on he was sure was noticeable otherwise. He moved quickly to his truck and started the motor, then let the engine run for a moment as he leaned his head against the headrest, giving him time to think for a moment. What had just happened? He’d been completely blindsided. Henri was everything he hadn’t expected. She was the epitome of his wildest, wettest dreams. And that didn’t happen too often, matter of a fact, with the way he felt right now, it was a first! He released the emergency brake and shifted into reverse, slowly backing from the empty parking lot. After plugging in Kenney Chesney’s newest CD, he relaxed, beginning the long drive home.

The time and distance on the dark, empty highway let his mind wander back over dinner and Henri. A woman named Henri. A smirk played over his lips and quickly dropped when a flashback of her long legs, which brought her nearly to his eye level. Her stilettos brought her even closer. The swish of her silk stockings, knee-length black skirt and white silk blouse screamed that she was a classy woman and out of his league. And yet, she was interested in him. Interested enough to blunder her interview. That made him smile again. The way she had flushed with embarrassment and fidgeted with her long, dark hair when he had turned the tables away from the interview. He could hear the nervous shift of her legs, guessing by the swish of silk against silk and the fabric of her skirt, that she was crossing and uncrossing her legs. The results had titillated his senses with her musky sweet scent. It became all he could do to refrain from asking her if she wanted to find a room somewhere. But that would have been cheap and not her, in his mind anyway. He did refrain and was proud of himself, because after all, a man can only take so much. The suggestion of showing her the place he had rescued the child was a near stroke of genius. Now, he would be able to see her again, but this time it would be more of an effort to restrain himself.

Colleen Love
colleenlove.webs.com
http://colleenslovenotes.blogspot.com
Where Love is Magic

Website

2009-09-28T09:33:00.001-04:00

My website has been updated to a new look and with some REALLY awesome wallpapers by DKRenders. Go have a look!

www.antoniatiranth.com

What is Romance - Guest Blogger: Heather aka Brigit Aine

2009-09-23T00:01:00.000-04:00

Everyone please welcome the wonderful Heather!

What is Romance?

Candles, chocolate and soft music? Yes. Sexy lingerie, a big soft bed and a perfect partner? Yes.

Romance is different to everyone – some would say it has nothing to do with sex and others would say it is all about sex. I say – whatever it is to you then make sure you have some in your life.

My husband is great about flowers when no one is looking, or a Border’s gift certificate when he thinks I’m down. To me those are romantic. Not everyone would think so, but in our relationship, the little things that he notices are what make me melt. What about you? In your world right now, what is that seems romantic? That brings the tingles and tears because it touched just the right spot at the right moment and made you melt?

Could it be moonlit walks on the beach? A canopy of leaves overhead with sunlight streaming in? A room filled with scented candles around a canopied bed? A glass of champagne on the edge of a tub full of bubbles?

All of the above has been used in some romance novel or movie somewhere as the ideal romantic moment. So tell me what is your ideal romantic moment?

Denyse Bridger and I co-own/co-edit a FREE on-line quarterly magazine devoted to the sensuality of romance. The magazine, Sensual Treats, focuses on romance around the world. We have romantic places, foods, articles on sensuality, interviews with top romance authors and musicians and all great things romantic. Stop by the Sensual Treats website at http://sensualtreats.webs.com and download the first two Romance Packed issues. Sign up with the website and you’ll get notified of when the next great issue is out. Our December issue is already in the works. We're going darker for the Holidays, with some fabulous paranormal authors, and many other cool things to make your Holiday.... well, a little odder! Stay tuned for more details!

So tell me what you think romance is… who knows you may inspire something that ends up in Sensual Treats.

Heather/Brigit
http://www.brigitsworld.com
http://www.brigitsworld.blogspot.com

Several Updates

2009-09-16T13:53:00.002-04:00

Hi out there!

So a lot has been going on over here both in writing life and other stuff. Its been pretty busy in the lab so haven't had much time to update here. King of Swords, the first in the Tarot Kings series, has gotten the final okay from line edits so I should have a specific release date on that sometime soon. Black Velvet, the third book in the Tales of the Rikashi, is in final check as well, got the galley on Monday. That will be coming out on November 2.

I've been working on a short for Denyse Bridger's idea of an anthology of stories written from a picture. Its almost done (good thing too cause deadline is coming up ^.^) So once that is finished I can get back to laying down the bones of King of Cups. NaNoWriMo is coming up and though last year I didn't make the 50k words, I'm hoping this year that I will.

I've discovered that I have an art muse. Apparently she hides alot cause she's scared of Shirak. She's just a tiny thing too. Her name is Ibissa. She's been coming out a little more since I've been going to this crafting group with a couple of friends every first and third Tuesday of the month. I'd like to get into doing photomanips again, I had fun doing that.

And the last thing for now (and I apologize to Del for being so lazy in putting up these awesome-tastic videos) are the trailers for both Black Velvet and King of Swords.

Black Velvet - Coming November 2, 2009!

2009-09-03T14:52:00.002-04:00

Hey all! Just got a finalized blurb and tag line for BV so wanted to share

Always in battle, always alone... A prophecy that cannot be denied.

Blurb:

Determined to avoid a forced marriage, Amara hops a plane to find and recruit Jett, the only man her fellow shifters believe can save them.

Jett cares little for Amara's cause, and an ancient prophecy has told him he must always fight alone. But when the plucky lass shows up in his life and refuses to leave, the last thing he expects is the turbulent emotions her presences brings.

When she's not busy hating him, Amara kind of likes Jett, and Jett can't deny that he's falling for her. But when love ignites between them, can they deny their destiny?

Content warning: Sexual innuendo, explicit sexual situations, language.

Keep your eyes peeled for it!

Wowie!

2009-09-01T11:53:00.003-04:00

So I got two more reviews for The Gathering!

Four Pawprints from Howling Good Books!

Four Hearts from Night Owl Romance!

And as of last night The Quickening was the number one fantasy seller at Once Upon A Bookstore (Lyrical Press's store) and The Gathering was number eight!

Working on The Watcher for Denyse's Story from a Picture project. Once that's done I have a little freebie in mind for The Tales of the Rikashi and then its back to King of Cups.

First Love - Red Rose September Contest

2009-08-27T11:56:00.004-04:00

RRP First Love Contest! Click for details!

If there is one thing someone always remembers its his/her first love/crush. I certainly remember mine and I don't recall much from my child hood. I was in elementary school. His name was Tyler Stevens. We hung out a lot because our moms took turns walking us to and from school. Of course, this first crush was innocent and all I really wanted was for him to pay attention to me. In fact, at one of his birthday parties, I thought he was talking too much with another girl in our class so I arranged a silly little dance contest.

Do you remember the first time you were in love? The thinking about your love, the counting the minutes until you see him/her again. The believing you will die if you don't see him NOW. Its burned into your memory to call upon again and again through the years. And .... is great inspiration for writing! You can pull all those thoughts and feelings and pour them into your characters. So sit back and think....who or even what was your first love?

FOLLOW THE TRAIL!!

What I did on my summer vacation

2009-08-10T16:30:00.002-04:00

Lets see...It was me, my fiance, my baby brother and his girlfriend headed to the beach for 6 days. Sunday started early with a last minute grocery store trip for ice, travel toothbrushes and cookies for the ride. We didn't really want to take Route 50 so we went up 40, to 896 and down 113/13/1. Pit stop at the Micky D's in Glasgow for stretch and tea. Trip down was uneventful really and we made it to Rehobeth Beach around 10:30am. Hit Grotto's Pizza for lunch. (God that's good pizza) and played a round of minigolf. Saw a friend from work at the same mini golf place, which was funny and while we played it started to rain. Luckily the place had umbrellas which afforded some rain protection. When it stopped, we finished the game and were going to walk around a bit since we couldn't get into the hotel until 4pm but the skies looked ominous so we headed out. Ended up taking us an hour to go the twenty miles from Rehobeth to the Fenwick Inn, had dinner in the sub shop across the street, which proved to be pretty icky. Checked in and after the rain stopped, Micah and I went to the beach to watch the waves.

Monday - The four of us went to breakfast and then Amanda and Josh went to the Boardwalk, leaving Micah and I to the beach and our books. Even with the beach umbrella I started getting a headache from the heat and squinting in the sun glare so around noon we went to a different sub shop across from the hotel with similar results, was pretty crappy. The kids were back by this time so we went to play some putt-putt (mini-golf), which Josh won (2/2 at this point) and had dinner at Philip's. I bought some cheapy sunglasses at Sunsations for next time we hit the beach during the day. After dinner, we went down to the beach with the chairs and books, staying until it was too dark to read. Did a tiny bit of writing back in the hotel before bed time.

Tuesday - Breakfast at Dirty Harry's again and then Micah and I hit the Boardwalk. We just walked around and looked in the stores, picked up some presents for the family at home and went to the Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum. Went back to the hotel, cooled off and then went out for putt-putt again, Josh won. This one had a Viking theme and was pretty fun. Philip's was once again our dinner place of choice. Back to the hotel and to the beach for some evening reading. Then it was writing and bed time.

Wednesday - Hit the beach after breakfast, this time braving the waves. I was stupid and wore the sunglasses into the water and lost them when a large wave knocked me for a loopy. There were two little kids swimming near us and I ended up saving the younger of the two from a nasty wave. After we had our fill of the waves, we read for a bit and then hit the hotel pool to hopefully get rid of SOME of the sand, though come to find out, it didn't do any good. Putt-putt for this night was an Australian theme and we played two rounds since it was early and though Josh took the win on one, I did tie him on the second. I was itching for steamed crabs so we went to Bahama Mama's for all you can eat crabs for $23. I ended up going through two dozen so I got my money's worth. Got a coldstone shake and then the usual beach reading, writing before bed.

Thursday - The day looked pretty gloomy so we decided to go to the Boardwalk again. On the bus we heard someone saying it was just going to be overcast so we decided that we'd go for putt-putt in the evening anyway. It started to drizzle when we got to the first hole...by second we were soaked...by the third it was impossible to keep score on the now soggy score card and those of us with glasses couldn't see anything so we just played through. By hole 6 it had cleared and we went to Philip's looking like a quartet of drowned rats.

Friday - Since it was our last day, I decided to get up early for a little beach reading and it was GORGEOUS! If the weekend rate hadn't been so much higher than during the week I would have been tempted to stay another day. We read on the beach for a couple hours and then checked out and headed home. Stopped in Rehobeth again for one last shot at Grotto's pizza, last minute shopping, and one last round of mini-golf, which Josh won. The ride home was a little more fun because we'd bought a pack of mad libs and played those for a little bit. And then we were back home sweet home in Baltimore...and back to work today.

All in all a good vacation but way too short. ^.^

Vaction!!!

2009-08-10T11:11:00.004-04:00

So where have I been? On vacation! Got a week at the beach. The plan was to sit on the beach all week and read but rain many of the days kept me at the Boardwalk or in the hotel. I did get some writing done on King of Cups so that was good. We had a good time though, got some beach time and lots of mini-golf, which unfortunately my little brother is much better at than I am. I got a very nice surprise while I was away though. Black Velvet now has a cover and it is HOT! As you can see Jett was kind enough to post it while I was away ^.^

And The Quickening got an awesome review at Joyfully Reviewed

So that's it for now...see you soon!

Antonia's On Vacation

2009-08-06T14:19:00.002-04:00

I'm Jett Houston the hero of Book 3 in the Tales of the Rikashi series. This one she wrote with her buddy Delilah K. Stephas. Anyway with Tir (as we all call her) is on vacation, Delilah asked if I'd post the cover to my book Black Velvet which releases November 2nd.

Please welcome Cindy Jacks!

2009-07-29T09:55:00.003-04:00

Hi all! Today I have the pleasure of hosting the wonderful Cindy Jacks. Welcome Cindy.

The Disney Movie Club shipped me the wrong movie. I’d ordered “Monsters, Inc”, but I received “Enchanted.” My upper lip curled in disdain at the sight of the cover, but my four year-old son was unfazed by the error.

“Let’s watch this movie, Mommy,” he said, finding (as children often do) the simplest solution to the problem.

Now, I’m a huge fan of Pixar, the quality of their storylines and the detail in the animation makes their movies easy to sit through over and over again. And over and over and over…well, you know how kids can wear out a DVD. “Enchanted,” on the other hand, seemed to me a saccharine piece of shlock I didn’t want to watch even once, much less dozens of times in a row should the little one develop a liking for it. But, thanks to McDreamy’s starring role in the movie, I decided to give it a go. If nothing else, I could stand watching Patrick Dempsey as the charming leading man for a couple hours.

By the second musical number in which rats, pigeons, and cockroaches helped our heroine scrub down the hero’s filthy New York apartment, I was laughing aloud at the funny and astute satire of archetypical Disney princess movies. And though I don’t want to spoil the ending for those of you who want to see the movie, but haven’t gotten around to it, I will say this—by the end of the movie I cheered right along with my son when Princess Giselle wound up with her true love. Okay, I’ll admit it, I even got a little misty. My heart rejoiced though my brain huffed, “What a load of crap.”

Given the predilection in romance and sensual erotica genres for a neat, fulfilling happily-ever-after ending, the movie made me wonder—Why do we love HEA so? In reality almost as many marriages fail as succeed and that doesn’t take into account the myriad of people we burned through just trying to find the person we’d be willing to take a chance on. With a real world full of broken hearts, dysfunctional couples, and blasé pairings, how can we willingly suspend our disbelief and seek out fiction that propagates what some would call the myth of true love?

I finished my long list of reasons why we shouldn’t buy into HEA and then the realization struck me—It is for all these reasons and more that we do crave the fantasy in our fiction. HEA endings allow us to experience vicariously the satisfaction that so often eludes us in our day-to-day lives.What woman doesn’t want a break from work, motherhood, chores, and the tedious (and often messy) reality of an adult relationship? Somewhere inside of us is a little girl who wants to flounce around the house in a tiara and a tutu. We love to conjure up mental images of a prince who knows how to anticipate our every need, who will catch us each time we fall, and who doesn’t fart, burp, pee on the toilet seat, get cranky or forget to take out the trash.

That we have different tastes as to the form of our princes has given rise to the different icons of masculinity we romance writers use to delight our readers—the dark and brooding vamp who longs for a mate to bring meaning to his soulless existence, the uber-macho warrior who needs the softness of a feminine touch, the rebel without a pause who runs into the one woman that can ease his restlessness, and of course the regal and gentlemanly prince who finds his true, but forbidden love through a chance meeting. Just to name a few.

With our appetite for love and romance sated for a little while by the many incarnations of our princes, we are all the more ready to take on the challenges each day brings. But when the real world gets to be a little more than we can take, we’ll be back at the cinema, the video store, and of course Once Upon a Bookstore hungry for more flights of fancy.

Check out Ana's happily-ever-after in Point of Distraction the Final Collection today! http://www.lyricalpress.com/cindy_jacks

Thank you Cindy! We hope to have you back again sometime soon. Click the link to the side to visit Cindy's website.

Just a few things...

2009-07-22T15:33:00.003-04:00

I'm participating in an e-reader giveaway with LASR in August. Its a scavenger hunt. Just click the banner on the side here to get to the website and the details.

Elle has made a wonderful site for her beading, which is fabulous, so please click the banner at the bottom to visit and show her your support!

Click --> Red Rose Songs of Summer Contest

And finally this is a very nice charity so if you can sew or cross stitch take a look at Cole's Quilts

The Gathering Releases Today!!

2009-07-20T16:15:00.003-04:00

So excited. The Gathering has released today! Check it out!

I've got an interview over at Playground Mystique, a big thanks to the talented Cindy Jacks for that. She'll be guesting here this week because of her new release today as well.

Mickey of YouGottaReadReviews has given The Gathering a You Gotta Read. ^.^

And finally guest blogging at YouGottaReads Guest Blog as well.

So bad am I....

2009-07-16T10:27:00.003-04:00

I definitely need to set a reminder to update here so I don't forget when things get busy! So what's up in the wide world of Tiranth? The Gathering releases on Monday, so I'm pretty excited about that. Black Velvet, the third book in The Tales of the Rikashi series is almost into line edits. I'm looking to guest blog at a couple places next week so keep your eyes peeled for that. I will probably announced that over my Facebook and Twitter pages. Book Four is mulling around in my head.

And I've started work on a new series, called The Tarot Kings. The first book, King of Swords - A Dom for Christmas has been accepted to Red Rose Publishing! Waiting to be assigned an editor on that one and working on the second in the series, King of Cups. There will be a story for each tarot suit with the hero being based on the card. I've already got King of Pentacles in my head and just waiting on King of Wands to show up.

I think that's pretty much it for now. Here's a look at the beautiful cover made for KoS by the wonderful DKRenders

Guest Blogging

2009-06-24T08:30:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone!

I'm guest blogging over at the wonderful Nicole Zoltack's today. Please stop by and say hi! Hopefully she'll be visiting us over here some time soon.

The Gathering

2009-06-08T09:29:00.001-04:00

Hey out there!

The Gathering is in its final steps for its upcoming release on July 20th! Here is the blurb for it:

Tagline: Can Gem and Shirak find their way through madness and sorrow to forge a new peace?

Blurb: Gem Tunuviel thought her father’s insane quest was at an end. She was wrong. He is resolved on destruction. Driven to escape him, she seeks the faces in her visions: other Rikashi, dragon shape-shifters like herself.

Shirak Gwindor, haunted by nightmares of half-remembered tortures, is also following a vision. He struggles to keep his attraction for Gem buried under his rigid sense of duty.

As a force draws the Rikashi together, can Gem find acceptance with others of her own kind, or must she keep her true self hidden?

Hey out there

2009-05-27T10:17:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone!

Hope you all had a nice holiday weekend. I dog-sat for a friend and yesterday, I went to get the tattoo I've been wanting for YEARS. I saw the King of Swords from The Dragon Tarot deck and I wanted it but was too chicken to get it when I was 18. I kept thinking, well what if in ten years I don't like dragons anymore. Now....12 years later...I think I still like them, what do you think? So I finally went to get it. I'll edit this post tomorrow to add the picture of it in. Turned out really nice.

Now, what's happening in Rikashi land? Well, I need to redo the blurb for Gathering and finish my portion of the first copy edits on Black Velvet. After that's all done, I'm hoping we can get to work on Book Four and try to get to some edits on another non-Rikashi related work of mine and Del's.

Anyhoos, that's it for now. Talk to you later.

Sarah is visiting from Delilah K. Stephans Sarah's Story

2009-05-21T00:01:00.000-04:00

You haven’t met me yet – but my name’s Jett Houston, you’ll get to meet me in The Gathering that comes out July 20th then in my own book Black Velvet that comes out November 2nd. But that ain’t why I’m here. See, the author that I talk to Delilah has this story coming out today – Sarah’s Story and since I have a weakness for redheads I agreed to introduce Sarah to you folks. So here’s Sarah.

Sarah: Well thanks for that less than stellar introduction, Jett. But, Delilah did warn me you were only slightly less abrasive than my brother Carson.

Jett: Is that a fact?

Sarah: Oh get over yourself. I’ve been stuck in the 1850s and grew up dealing with a surly older brother and forced to wear a corset that isn’t sexy – so don’t think you can intimidate me.

Jett: I dunno a corset can be damn sexy.

Sarah: Only when it doesn’t make taking a deep breath painful. So, can I tell these readers about my story or are you going to hang around harassing me? Aren’t you waiting for your edits?

Jett: Yeah, yeah… it’s all yours.

Sarah: Thank you. So, my name is Sarah Elizabeth Beauchamp – in the past. I needed a name and Beauchamp was the only one I could think of. I was the second agent that the Time Displacement Corps sent back in time. I’d been a history major and the chance to go back and observe was too tempting to resist. I was only supposed to be gone for a year – my timeline – just seconds for the TDC. But, for some reason I was never retrieved. Let me tell you, sitting in the April heat of Mobile, Alabama in corset, bloomers, chemise, and gray dress is not fun! I do wonder what happened sometimes when I want to see my family – including my irritating brother Carson.

Not being retrieved caused a real crimp in my style. Do you have any idea how hard it is for a lady of 1858 to get laid? Oh and for sh…er grins and giggles add a tramp stamp to the mix. I mean I wasn’t promiscuous or anything but still. I bought a tiny little plantation about 90 acres and determined to stay out of the way of history.

Then he showed up! Captain Matthew Barrington looking oh so fine in his uniform. But he is weirding me out with his questions. No one has ever asked me some of these questions and the way he’s looking at me. Dear heaven help me!

My story is available now at Red Rose Publishing, so stop buy pick up a copy, read it and then come let me know what you think!

Oh almost forgot – Delilah made this booktrailer thing for us – so enjoy the mini movie!

I'm so bad!

2009-05-15T09:51:00.003-04:00

I blame Facebook for my lack of updates. Totally Facebooks fault. And Twitter.

Anyway...what's been going on in the world of Tir? Well, The Gathering went to line edits. Del and I are waiting for copy edits to start on Black Velvet which should be very soon. We are also working on getting the next books in the series hammered out. Book Four will focus on another of the characters introduced in The Gathering, as will Book Five. There is potential for another book or two after that to finish out the rest of the characters from Book Two but we'll see who that goes when we get there.

We've also been kicking around an idea for a little later in the Rikashi Universe, which I am very excited about. Also, I'm going to be on Kim's Blog Talk Radio show on July 21st, the day after Book Two's release so if stop by and listen, even call in if you'd like. Del was on her show not to long ago and I called in. It was a ton of fun!

As for Facebook and Twitter...I'm on there as Antonia Tiranth so add me!

In other news, Delilah has a very important and exciting day coming up next week, May 21st to be precise. It is the day of the release of her first book, Sarah's Story. You guys'll love this book and no I'm not just saying that. It is very good and Del has been waiting very patiently for the release. She'll be blogging here on that day so stay tuned to hear from her!

Edit: I just got an email from Long and Short Book Reviews. The review is awesome and I'm dancing over here. The reviewer says "I would be happy to place The Quickening on the shelf beside dragon books by authors such as Anne McCaffrey and Melanie Rawn." How cool is that???

Featuring Sapphire Phelan

2009-04-27T09:58:00.004-04:00

Hey all! Today I'm featuring the talented Sapphire Phelan.

BIO:
Sapphire Phelan is an author of erotic and sweet paranormal, fantasy, and science fiction romance, along with a couple of erotic horror stories. She also writes as Pamela K. Kinney, for horror, fantasy, science fiction, and a nonfiction ghost book, Haunted Richmond, Virginia and the upcoming Haunted Virginia: Legends, Myths and True Tales. She lives in Virginia with her husband and two cats, Ripley and Bast. You can find out more about her and what she has or will be coming out at her website: http://FantasticDreams.50megs.com Also check out her MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/SapphirePhelan , her blog at http://SapphirePhelansPassionCorner.blogspot.com, and subscribe to her newsletter at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SapphirePhelansParanormalNewsletter .
She admits she can always be found at her desk and on her computer, writing. And yes, the house and husband sometimes suffers for it!

Hi, Sapphire Phelan here. Thank you, Antonia, for letting me blog here today.
I decided to give you a snippet from my current erotic urban fantasy, Being Familiar With a Witch, published by Phaze Books. You can find it at http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Being+Familiar+With+a+Witch/exact_match=exac and for those with Kindles: http://www.amazon.com/Being-Familiar-With-A-Witch/dp/B001VA1O8U/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237148167&sr=1-7 .

ISBN: 978-1-60659-118-5

Warning: This title contains hot, graphic demonic sex that goes beyond magic.

Tina doesn't know she's a witch. It will take Charun, her demon Familiar, to convince her to make love with him and let loose her witch powers.
For if she doesn't, then with the demon army about to bring Armageddon to the Mortal Realm on Halloween, she won't stand a chance in Hell.

Excerpt:

Thank goodness, in a couple hours she would have the week off from work. Soon it would be Halloween, her most favorite holiday of all. Last week she had decorated her house, making both the front of her house and the yard spooky. Two unlit Jack-O-Lanterns sat on the steps of her front porch, their expressions empty of vivid light. Until Halloween night, when she would stick a candle inside each one and, with a flick of a lighter, set them a glow.
She had bought bags of candy a month ago in anticipation of the kids in costume. She always dressed as a witch. Though why she did, she never understood. It just it felt right for her to be costumed as a witch. Using a big metal cauldron she found years ago in an antique store, she would fill it to the brim with the candy and wait for the costumers to trip up the porch steps to her, uttering “Trick or Treat!” in loud, tinny voices. She would cackle and offer each child to take some goodies from her cauldron if they dared. The neighborhood looked forward to this every year, and the troop of children to her place grew each year.
But even her favorite holiday didn’t alleviate the problems at the bookstore today. She stopped daydreaming as the bell above the bookstore door rang. She grimaced as she saw the unhappy lines pinched in the face of the lady who stepped inside. A hat that should have been pert and cute sagged on top of mousy brown hair drawn back in a tight bun. The woman marched up to the counter and slapped a book down on the desk, hard. Tina frowned as she didn’t like seeing books abused. Then the woman stabbed her finger repeatedly onto the book.
“This was sold to me by one of the clerks here a week ago, promising it would make my husband amorous.” The lady snorted as she glared from behind Coke-bottle glasses. “All he did was read it for the ‘dirty’ pictures as he called them, and then fell asleep.” She tossed the cash receipt at Tina. The paper drifted down to the counter, just an inch from falling off at the edge. “I want my money back for this trash.”
“That’s no problem at all, ma’am.” Tina opened the cash register and withdrew some dollar bills and a few coins. She handed them over to the lady, who opened her purse and chucked it all inside. Then the lady stomped out of the bookstore, the door banging shut behind her and causing the bell to clang for a long time. Tina gave a sigh.
After that, it seemed every nasty customer in the world had stepped into the place. Each and every one had a complaint. One man demanded the book he swore he called two weeks ago to order, but nothing was in the ordering forms for it. An elderly lady didn’t like the racy and very erotic romance section wedged next to the sweet romances she normally bought. She claimed that the covers with the naked men gave her the flutters. Tina had noticed earlier that the lady stood in front of that section for quite a long while, but she didn’t say anything, just uttered how sorry she was. She told her that they were romances, too, and her manager had wanted them there. Her nose in the air, the bag of four sweet romances tucked under an arm, the woman hobbled out of the store without a backward glance.
A portly gentleman waddled in, wanting the latest thriller that had been advertised on a commercial on television last night. He couldn’t understand when Tina explained that it wouldn’t be out for another week. It had been on TV, so that meant it was out in his opinion. He clomped out, saying that the bookstore down the road was a better one anyway and always had what he wanted in stock. Tina just shook her head.
There had been more of the same thing all day long. Finally, she saw the last customer to the door and, with a sigh, locked up. Then she staggered through the automated motions of locking up the cash in the safe in the back of the store, cleaning up the bookstore, putting back misplaced books and magazines, and dumping and cleaning out the coffee pot in the break room. Grabbing her purse from her locker, she left by the back door, locked it, and then walked over to her car parked in back. The sound of thunder rumbled just then and she stopped to look up at the night sky, devoid of stars and the moon. She heard another blast of thunder. Saw a flash of lightening, too, as it lit up the area.
Great. The news had been wrong last night when they reported that the last of rain had left the area. Hopefully, it wouldn’t start until she made it home.
She climbed in and started the engine. The car roared to life and she turned on her windshield wipers, thanks to the terrible storm that hit just then. She drove down the alley and into traffic.
The rain came down in a torrential downpour, making her wipers work hard, but still she had problems seeing the road. It didn’t help much that it was also night. So dark, lights from oncoming cars shimmered, and she took care to make sure she didn’t weave over into their lane. The windshield fogged up from the humidity, and kept her wiping at the glass so she could see. Doing this for the umpteenth time, she didn’t notice the cat, not until her car was almost upon it.
It was black as a dark and stormy night, quoting a bad beginning to a book. The cat’s eyes shone in the brightness of her headlights, eerie like lamplights. She brought her car to a screeching halt, the car’s tires skidding for a bit. Her chest smacked into the steering wheel and she bit her lip to keep from crying out from the pain. She jammed the car in park and, leaving the engine running, climbed out of it to check on the feline. She peered at the front of her car and under it, but no cat. The rain drenched her within seconds as she tried to see if she could find it in the immediate area.
She couldn’t see the dratted thing.
“Kitty, kitty,” she called, “here, kitty-kitty. Nice puss.”
Thinking that maybe it had gotten away and knowing the storm made it impossible to locate it, Tina opened the driver’s side door and heard a plaintive meow. Something streaked past her and dove into the car. Freaked out, she screamed. Then she realized as she looked inside she saw a very wet black cat sitting on the bucket seat on the passenger side. It stared back at her with large, luminous eyes that seemed to glow. She got into the car and shut the door behind her. She felt her seat become very wet from the water running off her, and she shivered from cold.
Attempting to wring out her wet hair, she stared at the cat as it settled down and began to dry itself with its tongue. She sighed.
“Well, I see I have a passenger. You can stay in here and ride with me to my house, but cat, you are not coming inside my place. Hear me? You can remain on my front porch until the rain stops.”
The cat appeared unconcerned and kept lashing its tongue over its wet fur, though the tail lashed. Then it paused and looked up at her. She saw for the first time that it had very pretty yellow eyes, actually more the color of amber. They were large and round, eclipsing its face. For a minute, she seemed to drown in their depths. She blinked, breaking the spell. The cat ducked its head back down to its side and went back to drying itself. Its sharp ears perked up, twitching. Its purring filled the interior of her car.
Tina took the car out of park and maneuvered it back onto the road. The downpour had calmed to a misting. She kept her eyes on the road, ignoring the smell of wet fur and how cold she felt. She would take the occasional glimpse of the cat from the corner of her eye and see that it was lying down and purring. It should have bothered her. After all, what stray cat would be so well behaved in a strange car, especially not in a cat carrier? Except, she accepted it all.

For an erotic excerpt, go here: http://fantasticdreams.50megs.com/custom.html to read it--you must be 18 and older to read it.

Sapphire Phelan

Go beyond the usual, instead take the unusual that stretches the boundaries and find romance with Sapphire Phelan's aliens, werewolves, vampires, fairies, and other supernatural/otherworldly heroes and heroines.

Blog Talk Radio

2009-04-25T00:15:00.001-04:00

So my good buddy Delilah was on Blog Talk Radio tonight. Click HERE to listen to the show. I called in and we chatted about her upcoming release, the upcoming release we have together, and writing in general. It was a fun show.

The Gathering has a cover!

2009-04-22T09:52:00.002-04:00

Yay! Got the cover for The Gathering, book two in my Tales of the Rikashi (formerly known as The Rikashi Files) series. I have a few more tweaks to make for this round of edits and then I believe its on to the line editing department for the more detailed, grammar, etc editing. Hopefully we'll start on Black Velvet soon and hopefully I can get some of the others to talk to me so I can start book 4.

Guest Blogging Again

2009-04-17T10:37:00.001-04:00

Hey guys!

Yep...I'm guest blogging again. This time its over at the Virtual Romance and Erotic Book Tour Blog. While you are there check out some of the other authors. I'm honored to be among such talented people! I'm also blogging (I think) with Writing Divas the same day. So check that out too!

Talk to you again soon.

Today, featuring Keta Diablo

2009-04-14T08:51:00.005-04:00

Hey all. Its a rainy icky day out. Been working on edits for The Gathering with Pam and waiting for edits to start on Black Velvet. I'm also working with Del on whipping (and its taking a lot of whipping) something we wrote awhile ago called Hieroglyphs into shape. Its got space travel, alien races, and ancient Egyptian civilization. It was written though email and the POV is kinda wonky so working on smoothing out the rough edges. I'm very excited to be getting back to it though, I love the story.

Now today, I'm also featuring the wonderful Keta Diablo in honor of her new release. I asked Keta a few questions to go along with this :

1. How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing under a pen name for about six years, and under Keta Diablo for about two years.

2. Where did you inspiration for your new release come from?

Most of the ideas for my novels come from real-life incidents or newspaper articles. Decadent Deceptions was spawned when I read an article about brothels in the 1800’s. I found the subject very intriguing and realized it’s true what they say, that from the beginning of time prostitution has existed in one form or another. And generally, men owned the brothels, although they might have been managed by women. So then I had to come up with a plot that would incorporate a prestigious house of prostitution and try to figure out how my hero and heroine could fit into the scheme of things.

3. What is your perfect writing moment?

I’m often asked this question and it’s easy to answer. My most perfect moments are when a reader e-mails me and tells me he/she loved my book; that it afforded them a time to escape from the every day angst of life. I would no doubt write regardless of whether or not people bought my books, but I’m well-rewarded on the journey when I hear from happy readers.

You can find Keta Diablo on the web at:
http://ketadiablo.blogspot.com (Author home)
http://ketaskeep.blogpsot.com (Author blog – recently voted on of the top fifty romance blogs to watch in 2009.)
http://thestuffofmythandmen.blogspot.com (Author’s gay fiction blog)

And her new release :

Decadent Deceptions
Author: Keta Diablo, http://ketadiabo.blogspot.com
A 2008 Molly Contest Finalist
Erotica/Historical
Noble Romance, http://tiny.cc/m5EEj

About the book:

Daring and desperate to win Morgan’s love, Olivia Breedlove embarks on a reckless folly. But everything backfires when Morgan remains one step ahead of her and the game ventures down a path of duplicity and murder.

A decade ago, Morgan was a heartbeat away from taking Olivia’s virginity. Her father, Thaddeus, intervened and threatened to meet him over pistols if he so much as looked at his daughter again. But now, Thaddeus is dead and Morgan has no intention of ignoring the ravenous hunger he’s harbored for the blasted woman for ten years.

One way or the other, he will quench this burning desire and make her his forever.
Special Content Alert: Voyuerism

* Read the Five-Star Reviews at Publisher's web site

And thats all from me for now. I'll be guest blogging on the Virtual Tour Blog on Saturday so come on by!

I am Guest Blogging Today

2009-04-10T10:54:00.001-04:00

Hey all! I am guest blogging over at Sapphire Phelan's Blog today. Please head on over and check it out. I'm talking about how I write. Sapphire will be blogging here on April 20th so make sure you check it out!

Update and a request

2009-04-07T14:44:00.004-04:00

Okay, so what the heck has Tir been up to this last week? Well, editing, editing and more editing! I just send my second round of copy edits back to Pam and Delilah and I sent Black Velvet, the third book of the Rikashi Tales series to her. It has been offered a contract and I hear that we have the first co-authored Lyrical release. It will be released in Novemeber. Del and I also, as you could see in the trailer for The Gathering, Del and I found reference pictures for all the characters so far. I'll be posting some of them after The Gathering has been relesed in July.

Um, lets see what else? I'm going to be guest blogging over at Sapphire's Blog on Friday so make sure you go check that out. I'm not quite sure yet what I'll be talking about but you better believe it'll be something ^.^

Now..Denyse has asked me to repost this. For the original please visit her website so you can click the links if you wish.

7 April , 2009

The Abruzzo Quake

Show on map -- Abruzzo

Dear Readers,
Many of you have written and expressed solidarity with those whose lives have one way or another been dramatically affected by yesterday’s earthquake in Abruzzo. If you are interesting in contributing here are a few ways you can.

NIAF (National Italian American Foundation) has set up a fund for this purpose; Relief Fund.

Another option is through the Italian Red Cross: Croce Rossa Italiana.

Last night saw more aftershocks, freezing temps, and some rain which contributed to making the emergency work and relief efforts even more difficult. Nonetheless, upwards of 100 survivors have been extracted from the rubble thanks to the continuous efforts of the fire departments and rescue teams.

Relief efforts that also need to be pointed out include the temporary medical camps that have been created. One story involves A. who was in labor during the pre-shocks around midnight, and who three hours later when the main quake hit grabbed her newborn in one arm and her I-V drip in the other and b-lined it out of the hospital, now attended by the medical teams, safely in one of these camps.

Other efforts involve sheltering all the people whose homes were destroyed as well as those who can’t return until engineers determine whether their homes are condemned or livable. This is expected to take months. One new temporary camp resident, ninety year old Signora N., lost her entire home as it crumbled around her, blocking her in her bedroom for 30 hours until the rescue team managed to dig through this morning and pull her out. When asked how she kept calm and passed the time, she said “I sat in my bed and did crochet.” …30 hours.

While sad, it is important that psychological counseling too is already being offered to those need it. One cannot imagine what V. and his brother are going through after losing their elderly parents who came to visit them for the Easter holidays; their mother’s body was found shielding their disabled father’s body. This is only one of the many tragic stories that are slowly emerging in the aftermath of the earthquake.

It must however be pointed out that many Abruzzesi immediately began helping each other. As 75 year old N. said on his way to finally rest after 30 hours of helping others, “I was lucky. I only lost my house. Others lost much more. What else was I going to do?” This very pragmatic Abruzzese way of approaching hardship certainly explains how they have managed to already begin the enormous task of rebuilding their lives, towns, and communities.

That said, knowing that others around the world are close to them in facing this task is extremely important. And for this they already give thanks. Your help is truly appreciated.

Kind regards, ed.
The Italian Notebook

My heart goes out to all the people affected by this natural disaster.

Guest Blogging Tomorrow

2009-03-31T14:25:00.001-04:00

Hi guys!

I'm guest blogging over at Denyse Bridger's blog tomorrow, so please go check it out!

Guest Blogger Today - Denyse Bridger

2009-03-26T00:06:00.005-04:00

Thanks to the wonderful Kadian Tracey over at Virtual Romance and Erotic Book Tour Blog, on which I will be guest blogging on April 18th, I've met up with the talented Denyse Bridger, who will be guest blogging here today. So please, a warm welcome for our new friend, Denyse!

First, my thanks to the lovely hostess for the chance to meet her readers today! I’ll give you a very brief bio first: I am Denysé Bridger, Canadian born and bred, and a lifelong dreamer, my life has had several on-going love affairs that shape much of what I write, the American West, Victorian England, cowboys, a passion for pirates, Greek Gods, and Ancient Egypt. The other endless love affair in my life is Italia and all its magic, beauty, and dazzling culture. That passion spills into all aspects of my life.

My first major fantasy novel is AS FATE DECREES. (Available in bookstores everywhere, and on Amazon’s international sites.) A visit to my website will show the diversity of what is currently available, and the mixing of genres and styles that will be employed in many up-coming projects as well. The Italian influence is in evidence with several of the more important works, as many people already know.

To stay current with all these projects, or to just say hello, please feel free to email me anytime, there’s a contact link on the mail menu of my website. Or, feel free to sign up for my newsletter, which is called Romance and Fantasy. If you prefer to chat with me and other readers, the newsgroup is open to everyone. Denysé Bridger News.

Post: Do romance and fantasy mix as genres?

I’m curious, these are two of my favourite genres, so I tend to use them both in stories, often. I’m talking about the fantasy of Lord of the Rings, or Sword of Shannara now, not romantic fantasy. Can you write an epic adventure and still have a romance core, without offending or putting off readers of either genre? I did it in my first major release, As Fate Decrees, and that book was nominated and became a finalist for the very prestigious Aurora Award last year. So… I know it can work. BUT, do you as readers enjoy it?

My next release is again a romance/fantasy blend. It’s called Royal Consort, and will be released in a month or so by Firedrakes Weyr Publishing. I’ve taken an epic adventure, a threat that looms over a world, but the core of it is two people who love each other with tremendous passion and respect. I like that concept. We forget sometimes that respect is as integral a part of love as the passion itself.

And what of the other blend of romance and fantasy – where the fantasy lies in sweet whispers and candlelight and champagne and roses… When that’s the fantasy you want to settle in with, is it an erotic, explicit love affair you’re inclined toward, or is the sweeter, less provocative air of romance that makes you sigh? Or does it move more into the paranormal fantasy where your passion is ignited by a sexy vampire, or a werewolf who needs taming?

Tell me what you like to read, and at the end of the day, we’ll pull a name and see if there’s something in my catalogue that might suit your fancy. My current release is a very sexy vampire tale set in Pompeii just about the time Mount Vesuvius blew and buried the city… Check it out at Absolute XPress, the cover is amazing….

Thanks again for visiting and I’m looking forward to chatting with you!!!

Website: http://www.denysebridger.com
Blog: http://fantasy-pages.blogspot.com
Amore Senza Confini: http://amoresenzaconfini.blogspot.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/denysebridger
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Denyse-Bridger/1152540498
Manic Readers: http://manicreaders.com/DenyseMBridger/
The Author’s Den: http://www.authorsden.com/denysembridger

Acquisitions Manager/Editor-in-Chief
Absolute XPress, Romance Division
E-mail: romance@absolute-x-press.com
Website: http://absolute-x-press.com

Thanks Denyse for stopping by! And here is the trailer for her upcoming release. I'll definitely be taking grabbing this one!

Short and Sweet

2009-03-25T15:12:00.002-04:00

for now anyway. I just wanted to put up here that I was featured on Lyrical Press's Blog and that Delilah, my very good friend made me a trailer for The Gathering, my next book.

Pretty kick butt huh? If you like it hop on over to her website (just click her name up there) and get her to make you one. She's very good, very reasonably priced, and can turn it out rather quickly.

The best and worst of writing

2009-03-16T15:42:00.003-04:00

I know .. you were expecting a post about the next dragon types right? Sorry, interrupting that cause this is in the front of my mind right now. Del and I are working on brainstorming ideas for Book Four and Book Two is going through copy edits so I was thinking about the best and worst things about writing. Or at least in my opinion what those things are.

The best thing about writing...its what I'm doing right now, the plotting, the planning. The figuring out who the character is, what he or she wants, what the story is. I LOVE figuring out the world and all the little details. It gives me an excited, bouncy rush. I love it, love it, love it. So yeah, that's my favorite part of writing.

And the hard part? You might think its the actual putting words to page but its not. Granted that can be painful at times but that's actually my second favorite thing. Waiting to hear back from a publisher? Nope...not it either. Two things actually come to mind that are tied for the exalted position of my most hated part of writing. The first is....this nasty little two page thing called a synopsis. Yes it is an evil little thing. Remember writing them in school? Well, its all fine and dandy when its for someone elses piece of work but when you are trying to summarize your own? Go find a wall, beat your head against it for about ten minutes and you have the way it feels to do that. The second worst thing is trying to tell someone what you want on the cover. I bet for some people its pretty easy but for me, its like pulling teeth.

So that's it...the best and worst of writing. Surprised? I know I was. LOL

Next post I'll talk about the eastern dragons and soon some other dragon types that haven't been revealed just yet in the series.

Edit 3/17/09
First Happy Saint Patty's day to everyone and second...I got another review from Dark Angel Reviews RRT sent me a review in an email but its not up on their site yet. So just waiting for that one to go live. ^.^

Ok so...

2009-03-11T16:07:00.003-04:00

Since Jo seems to be too busy with her... "kids" I guess I'll have to take over again. First I guess a status report. Got my first royalties check for Quickening...did pretty good if I do say so. Working on the edits for the second book The Gathering with my editor (the wonderful Pamela Tyner) and finishing up a few last tweaks to book three. I definitely have a book four and five in mind, just waiting for those involved to speak up. OH! All those pretty pics in my blog are from my good friend and coauthor Delilah (Her book comes out soon so buy it when it does!).

Now...lets see what was Jo going to talk about? Oh yeah, the dragon types she's encountered thus far. Okay lets start with Leena, Gareth, Gawain and Lancelot (the following pics are from SilverWings over at DA)

That's Leena, the silver one of course and Wei (I'll talk about her later)

And that's (from left to right) Gareth, Gawain, and Lancelot

These guys will look like this (this pic is from Delilah) when the grow up:

Leena and the others are British Dragons, named so because they are found mostly on the British Isles. When they grow up they will be about as tall as a two story house and twice as long. As a baby they are about a foot long. These dragons can breath fire. And no, they don't have any care for gold and they don't hoard treasure. Though they do like shiny things so that might be where the treasure hoarding thing came from. The females of this species are typically larger than the males but there are exceptions.

And next time we'll talk about the Chinese dragons.

Fabulous news

2009-02-17T15:52:00.003-05:00

Soon after the release of Quickening I finally finished and sent my second book, The Gathering, to my editor. I chewed my nails for a couple days and then she told me she'd take two weeks to look it over. I settled myself to wait impatiently and a few more days after that I got another email from her. She LOVED it! Renee sent me the contract the same day so now Book 2 of the Rikashi Files is coming out most likely on July 20th (Pamela said that could change) but important thing is its getting published! And she's anxious to see the third book, which my very dear friend Delilah and I are working on right now.

I'm just so excited right now. I am very, very happy with the way Book Three is turning out too. I had a mere skeleton of a story and Delilah took it and put some meat on them bones. Some really good juicy meat too.

Anyway, keep an eye out guys! More is coming!

Two more Reviews

2009-02-10T10:04:00.003-05:00

Got a couple more reviews!

From Ecata Romance

From Ghost Writer Reviews

I am just ecstatic over here. I sent book two along to my editor and will hear back from her within the next week or two. Book three will be a collab between me and my friend Delilah K. Stephens (she has a book coming out over at Red Rose soon!) Its currently in her hands for edits. Its alot...steamier than Books 1 and 2 ^.^ Book 4 is in the works again, I found out I was hearing Shir the Muse all wrong and that's why I was having so much trouble with it. I will hopefully get back to that one sometime soon. Well that's all from me now. Gonna go dance on a cloud some more. ^.^

This is it!!!!

2009-02-02T14:46:00.006-05:00

Today's the day! Release Day! The Quickening is now available HERE. I just can't believe it. I'm so excited and I hope you guys like it as much as I liked writing it.

I already have a few reviews and some kind words:
You Gotta Read Reviews (Check out their Blog I guest blogged today ^.^

Emma had this to say.

Book Binge

Off I go to do some dancing now!

As we travel into the new year...

2008-12-30T14:39:00.004-05:00

I realized that I have seriously fallen behind with updating this thing. Please forgive me...blame baby dragons! I will try to be better this coming year and Aer is my witness, he said he'll remind me gently. Gently, ha...more like he'll give me a shove. Anyway, happy holidays to everyone out there, no matter which you celebrate. Oh, Tir (that's what we call Antonia) wanted me to tell you that our first memoir is in the last stages of editing and will be released on Feb 2, 2009. A very good friend of hers also made a book trailer for it. It looks really amazing.

So I'll be back in the New Year with all the dragon information you wanted to know and some that you didn't.

Happy Holidays!

NaNo...Update of sorts

2008-11-19T14:34:00.003-05:00

So NaNo isn't coming along as well this year as it did last year. I am very far behind. It's been kinda crazy what with trying to figure out why my ankle is swelling and hurting. Not to mention Fin and Cassie are being kind of mum at the moment. I think I figured out what the problem is there so hopefully I'll be able to truck through with it and at least finish the story.

Short and sweet. I'll be handing the blog back over to Jo soon. I think she's planning on talking about the different kinds of Great Dragons next. I see her over there with books and making Leena and the others pose for pictures and stuff.

Taking over

2008-11-03T10:47:00.003-05:00

Hi all

Its me, Antonia. I decided to hijack the blog from Jo for a bit because do you know what this month is? Yes, its NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month and I'm trying my hand at it again this year. Of course, I'm already like 6k behind because I'm getting a late start but I hope to make that up!

This years project is book 4 of the Rikashi files, focusing on another character introduced in book 2. So...wish me luck!!!!

Its been awhile

2008-10-14T11:07:00.004-04:00

Hi guys. Sorry its been so long. Aer and I have been all over the place, finding eggs, figuring out who was going to take care of them. Everyone looks to me like I have all the answers, but I'm kinda muddling through this as I go too. Damn Maedhros, if only we could find a Tinuviel who survived...but anyway, where was I? Right the clans. Lets see, we've talked abotu Tinuviel and Gwindor so that leaves Carnesir and Surion.

The Carnesir are plain and simple warriors. They fight. Its what they do, its what they are good at. Most of them can be pretty thick at times but a few of 'em have more than a candle burning upstairs. These guys can breath fire. So yeah, that's just about it for them.

And that leaves the Surion, these guys are very unobtrusive. They keep themselves out of the spotlight most of the time. Their special ability really defines what they are. With just a touch, they can heal almost any illness or injury. I've experienced that first hand. Its a really nice feeling when a Surion is healing you. Like floating in a tub of warm water being massaged all over. They've stayed neutral in most of the clan conflicts over the years, at least from what I've read.

So that's it for the clans and now you know about everything that I know about it. I wanted to show you the crest I found on Nerwen's journals. Aer said its the Rikashi Crest and it represents all the clans. The red is for Carnesir, the green Tinuviel, the blue is Gwindor and the white Surion. It seems that though the Rikashi can be almost any color, each clan has a higher percetange of those colors. The dragon in the center is supposed to signify Bahamut. I'll tell you guys what I've read about that later. Anyway, I'm off for now, our plan leaves for South America this afternoon. Later

2008-09-05T10:50:00.003-04:00

Do you guys know how demanding a baby dragon can be? I thought human babies needed a lot of attention but that's nothing compared to a dragonette. Especially ones like Wei. I don't know how she manages it but some how she always finds herself stuck somewhere. They aren't completely helpless like a human baby but they are too curious for their own damn good.

Anyway, I said I was going to tell you about the Rikashi Clans, right? Well, I suppose a good place to start is mine, the Tinuviel. My Tinuviel ancestor is WAY back in my family tree but somehow I managed to come by it through both my father and mother. Apparently they are distant cousins. I know...kinda gross huh? But they are seperated by several generations so I guess it's ok. Sort of. Back to the point, the Tinuviel are the Guardians. Guardians of what you ask? Of the Great Dragons. From what I've read, Great Dragons aren't very responsible parents. They just lay their eggs and leave. I think the dragonettes could probably survive on their own but its safer if they are watched over by the Tinuviel. Tinuviel can sense the presence of Great Dragon eggs. Its this kind of fuzzy tingle at first and then you can hear the thoughts of the dragon inside the egg. Its a pretty awesome thing, really and as a bonus I can sense when other Rikashi are near. Pretty handy sometimes. Since my great great great great...how many greats...well that doesn't matter how many but Grandmother way back, died there really isn't another Tinuviel to teach me anything about my clan. So far it looks like Mr. Creepy did a good job of wiping out the Tinuviel and, as I'm finding out, the Rikashi aren't much for record keeping.

The next clan is Gwindor, the Mediators. The Councils handle inter-clan issues but the Gwindor used to mediate dealings between the Great Dragons, the Rikashi, and the humans. Their abilities help a lot with that because they can project this calming aura. It doesn't make people completely pliable, it just kinda makes you take a sec and calm anger a little. They can also tell when someone is lying. To be honest, both are quiet annoying especially since Shirak seems to like to pull his mojo on me when I'm yelling at him. Really puts a cramp on a good angry fit. He's lucky I haven't punched him for it yet.

Ok...I think that's enough for now. I mean I could continue but I think Wei is stuck behind the bookshelf again. Until next time.

Introducing Josephine

2008-08-27T12:38:00.003-04:00

Hello out there. My name is Josephine Moreau, but you guys can call me Jo. Call me Josie and I'll slug you. So, its been an eventful couple of months for me. I mean come on, finding out that dragons are real, that there is another race hiding among us, that you are not completely human, stop a crazy man from destroying said race, and becoming a mommy to a clutch of dragons, all in the space of a few weeks is enough to make a girl's head spin. And I'm making your head spin now aren't I? Ok, lets back it up a few steps, huh?

First...dragons are real. The Rikashi call them Great Dragons. I wouldn't say they worship them but they definitely revere them and after seeing them I totally understand. They are pretty awe inspiring, even little. Why haven't you seen any? Because about eight hundred years ago there was a war, the Melwasul, between humans and the Rikashi. All the Great Dragons and a lot of the Rikashi were killed, one whole Rikashi Clan (I'll get to that in a minute) was thought to be destroyed. I was having dreams about the Melwasul, about a many times over great grandmother, who is thought to be the one who started the whole thing but I'm still digging into that mystery.

What's that? The Rikashi? Ah, they are the race I was talking about a little bit ago. They are shape shifters. They are pretty secretive but I guess you can understand it given what happened. They have this set of rules that helps keep their secrets but it pretty much boils down to "Don't show the humans what you are." They have their own government going on too. A series of councils and sub-councils. Its all pretty confusion but the big point is, you gotta be what they call a Tasartir to be one and preferably female. The Tasartir all have telepathic ability and their scales are metallic colors, bronze, copper, gold, silver. The seats on the councils are passed down through the families, in other words if your Mom is a council member and you're a Tasartir, you get the position. Very medieval but hell, it seems to work. The only Council that isn't inherited is Head Council. Those are elected from the oldest of the sub councils. And the rest of the Rikashi? Well, they are called Elessar and are just regular colors, red, green, blue and so on. I've seen Rikashi of all different colors. I even saw one the other day that was so pale red, he was more like pink. He was a Carnesir so I don't think many would mess with him about it, didn't stop me of course but I got the whole dominant female thing on my side where Rikashi are concerned.

And exactly what is a Carnesir you ask? Well you'll just have to wait awhile to find out. I've got seven hungry dragonettes looking for attention from the "Mother." Till next time.

I got a cover!!!

2008-08-18T09:00:00.002-04:00

Renee did a cover for The Quickening! I know I was a bit of a pain for her cause I didn't know exactly what I wanted on the cover but I like how it turned out. AND! I'm on LPI's web page now. http://www.lyricalpress.com/antonia_tiranth.html My release date is February. After this, I'm going to be turning over the updates to Josephine. You'll like her. She's a firecracker. ^.^

Still Dancing....

2008-08-14T11:14:00.003-04:00

Well, contract is all filled out and mailed. Author Bio, Dedication, Story blurb, cover art forms all done as well. My editor has been assigned, Stephanie McGrath and now all that remains is to wait until she finishes up some other deadlines for the editing to begin. Getting tons of emails now from the yahoogroup but people there are really nice and making me feel at home. I still have moments where I don't believe I actually got accepted but then I remember and start to dance again. ^.^

In FFXI news:

In September, blue mage relic is coming out in and I got Sea access last night along with many of my Sea spells. Four more spells and I will have all of them.

K..that's all from me for now...later!

Its finally happened!!!

2008-08-05T15:56:00.003-04:00

After many years of dreaming, lots of frustration and a few swift kicks from my very dear friend Delilah, I finally got the nerve to submit a work of mine and IT WAS ACCEPTED!!!!! I got my acceptance letter for Lyrical Press Inc, Monday. The Quickening is the first of series, that I wrote for NaNoWriMo 2007. I'm calling the series The Rikashi Files. I have the bones of books 2 and 3 down, with 4 in the works so I'm hoping Lyrical will take them all. I'll post more later and try to spiff up this thing once I figure it out lol