Lara Adrian's MIDNIGHT BREED SERIES

Once in awhile someone comes to you and suggests a series of books you've heard about but never had time to investigate. Recently, a friend I love and respect, whose opinions I value, told me to look up Lara Adrian and her books, The Midnight Breed Series. Curious, and the timing was right, I decided that night to make a mass purchase - ten novels and a novella later, I'm buried in the magic of it all. As promised, I was drawn in from the start, and before I was half way through the first compelling and intense novel, Kiss Of Midnight, I was in love with Lucan Thorne and his Warriors. For many of you, you're laughing now because you know already how exceptional this series is, don't you?

So, if you haven't already dropped by to get to know more about these books, get yourself over there now.

Enjoy.... I do!!

GUEST: Kim Antieau

How long have you been writing? I have been writing since before I could write!

When I was about five, I would draw pictures to tell a story, and then I’d make these stories into books. As soon as I could read and write, I started writing stories.

How long have you been a published author?

I was first published in my college literary magazine. My first paid publishing gig was in 1983.

What titles do you have available?

I have many titles available. Here’s the list: Her Frozen Wild, Swans in Winter, The First Book of Old Mermaids Tales, The Fish Wife: an Old Mermaids Novel, The Blue Tail, Deathmark, Church of the Old Mermaids, Ruby’s Imagine, Broken Moon, Coyote Cowgirl, The Gaia Websters, The Jigsaw Woman, and Mercy, Unbound.

What made you choose the subject of this book?

Many years ago I read a National Geographic article about frozen mummies in Siberia. Archaelogy and anthropology are avocations of mine. What fascinated me was that archaeologists believed one of the mummies was the corpse of a woman who had been a Scythian shaman or priestess. She had tattoos and had been buried with a long conical hat. I began studying Scythian tattoos, and I wondered if the tattoos could mean something more than what they mean to people now. Perhaps they were a kind of mystical acupuncture. I’d studied cave art for a long while, too, and I started thinking about them as being a kind of tattooing on the Earth. The story for Her Frozen Wild began to unfold. At the time, I was having intense dreams about bears several times a week, so I began studying folktales and mythology involving bears. Many indigenous people believed they were related to or descended from bears, and the rituals and ceremonies for hunting bear were quite elaborate, particularly in Siberia. The idea that people and bears were related made me think about shapeshifting—another subject I’m interested in. I combinated all of that with a love story, an Amazon-like tribe, and time travelling, and I had Her Frozen Wild!

Do you have any new titles coming soon?

I have several new books coming out soon. My husband, Mario Milosevic, and I have a joint short story collection, Entangled Realities, due out this month. Then I have my own short story collection, Tales: Fairy and Fabulous out the following month. My novel antebellum novel Jewelweed Station will be out this summer. Butch: a Bent Western will probably come out this fall. Sometime soon, The Desert Siren, which is about a women in the borderlands of Arizona searching for a lost herd of magical wild Irish “sea” horses, will also be out soon. I also have a few interesting projects that I’m keeping under wraps right now. I’ll have more to say about them this summer. I’ll just say now that one of them involves Hollywood and the other involves pirates.

What is your favourite genre and why?

I don’t tend to think in genre. I like all kinds of books as long as the characters and the stories are interesting! I tend to write between genres. I really admire the Latin American magical realists, and many of my books are like that: Ordinary life has mystery and magic woven right into it. Mermaids show up in the desert, along with fairies. People shapeshift into animals and vice versa. I like a little bit of weird in what I write and in what I read.

What, to you, is the most exciting part of the writing process?

I love sitting down and letting the magic happen. It’s as though the story is a memory and I’m just writing down what I experienced—or what my character experienced, and I feel like I’m there. I just love the creative flow of it. When I wrote Her Frozen Wild I was in Siberia hunting the bear, I was shapeshifting with the warriors, I was riding a horse across the Altai plateau, and I was traveling through time in the timeless caves. I love that!

If you could co-author a book with anyone, who would you choose and why?

If I could co-author a book with anyone living or dead, it would be interesting to write with Emily Dickinson, since she was one of my favorite poets. I love Mary Oliver’s poetry, too. I’d love to collaborate with her. Or maybe I’d just like to spend time with both of these amazing writers. But the truth is that I don’t think I could collaborate in the actual writing of a book. Since my stories often feel as real as memories, I wouldn’t be very open to someone else’s view of my story. I can’t change my memory, so it would be almost as difficult to change a part of my story to satisfy a co-author, or to let her/him change something.

Where can readers find you on the web? http://www.kimantieau.com/

FAQ about Her Frozen Wild:

http://www.kimantieaubooks.com/2012/01/her-frozen-wild.html

price: print: $16.99, e-book: $6.99

number of pages: 372

genre: adventure, mainstream, fantasy, science fiction

publisher: Green Snake Publishing

release date: January 2012

buy links:

print • kindle • nook • smashwords

Kim Antieau has written many novels, short stories, poems, and essays. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, both in print and online, including The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Asimov’s SF, The Clinton Street Quarterly, The Journal of Mythic Arts, EarthFirst!, Alternet, Sage Woman, and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. She was the founder, editor, and publisher of Daughters of Nyx: A Magazine of Goddess Stories, Mythmaking, and Fairy Tales. Her work has twice been short-listed for the Tiptree Award, and has appeared in many Best of the Year anthologies. Critics have admired her “literary fearlessness” and her vivid language and imagination. She has had nine novels published. Her first novel, The Jigsaw Woman, is a modern classic of feminist literature. Kim lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, writer Mario Milosevic.

Her latest book is Her Frozen Wild.

Learn more about Kim and her writing at www.kimantieau.com.

Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | LibraryThing

About Her Frozen Wild

Scientists in the Altai in Siberia uncover the 2,500 year old frozen mummy of a tattooed priestess or shaman. This mummy has the same mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA) as American archaeologist Ursula Smith whose mother disappeared in Siberia 30 years earlier. Ursula travels from the U.S. to Siberia to unravel the mystery of the “lady” and meets Sergei Ivanovich Polyakov, a Russian doctor who graciously invites her into his home. After they become lovers, she discovers he has the same tattoos on his body as the tattooed lady. He tells a disbelieving Ursula that they have met before and she is destined to save the ancient People, considered as devils by some and shape-changing gods by others. A shaman takes Ursula to one of the sacred timeless caves where Ursula’s mother supposedly disappeared. When Ursula allows the shaman to tattoo her, she is thrown back in time where she must unlock the mystery of the People and their link to her past in order to save them and Sergei—even if it costs her her life.

WARRIOR MINE: The Claiming

AVAILABLE NOW from XoXo Publishing™

AVAILABLE NOW from XoXo Publishing™

Book One of an exciting new series for paranormal fans. Told by two distinctive voices, one familiar, one new, WARRIOR MINE: The Claiming sets the stage for a very different kind of story. With roots over two centuries in the past, Angelique Devereaux is a dark legend, once a Chosen Warrior of god, she betrayed her oaths to love one who was forbidden. Cast out, cursed and scarred, she continues her battle alone. Until a soul as tortured as her own stumbles across her path.

Asher Elliot is lost in his own darkness when he first sees the tall warrior known to legend simply as The Slayer. Tortured by the deaths of his wife and children, this grieving warrior is nonetheless drawn to the timeless, cold being he witnesses at work. Like him, she deals in death and her justice is swift, sometimes messy, but always final. He follows her, watching, growing ever more captivated by her, until finally he must reach out to claim what his reawakened heart wants most…

Now, here’s an excerpt, and our first review:

Inside, the Keep was quiet as a tomb, the way Angelique liked it. The sound of her boots on the stone floors was near-silent, her step light and sure. The stealth wasn’t necessary within these walls, but she’d learned the hard way that permitting herself to be too at ease anywhere was a huge mistake.

She keyed in a security code, darkly amused by the modern technology that was so out of place in this ancient castle. A soft beep and the heavy door swung open with a whoosh of displaced air. A wave of her hand and the vast room began to light, torches flaring to life, casting dancing shadows across the rough floor.

She walked to the far wall, steps steady, her eyes moving over the weapons wall with the affection of a lover. She had favourite tools of her trade, as all warriors did, but today she was inclined to challenge her patience by experimenting with some of the modern toys she had acquired through an unknown friend. Asher Elliot’s gift had arrived with a note that told her clearly he was aware of her work and her archaic weapons. He had also assured her the new weapons would become part of her impressive arsenal and she would find them useful if she allowed herself to become familiar with their efficiency. She should have asked him if he’d consider instructing her, she was a quick study.

Far above her, she sensed people in her home. It was still a strange awareness, to know she was not alone here, but it was a knowledge she was finding more and more pleasant. Tanith had arrived weeks earlier, and Angelique’s welcome should have chased her away, instead the silly witch had laughed and made herself at home. Though she’d never admit it, the slayer was glad of the company, and their history was long. The Little One had clearly allowed some of the nearby villagers into the castle.

She reached out to lift a gun from the rack, then shook her head. Another time, perhaps when or if Asher was around. She had no fear, but she did prefer to know a weapon’s capabilities before she began working with it. When he’d had the small arsenal delivered to her, she’d stored it here, but for now she’d dance with her own devices. She chose a long, slender blade and tested the balance - knowing it was perfect, but enjoying the smooth passes through the air that would loosen her muscles.

She practised alone for what was likely hours, until the air around her was suffocating, though whether it was the heavy dampness of the stone chamber, or the smouldering burn of rage, Angelique couldn’t be certain. She had drawn in too much of the turmoil of others recently, felt their betrayals clawing into her flesh with poison-edged talons. No amount of meditation or internal discussion was calming the need to breathe without choking. There were only two cures for this amount of tension, and neither was available to her at the moment.

Spinning on her heel, Angelique approached the rack of weapons again, and took down the weapon she favoured over others, the perfectly balanced and weighted blade that had been forged for her a thousand years earlier, and sealed with binding magic. She walked to the centre of a circle visible only to her, and began the ritualistic flow of motion, her mind citing the familiar litany of ancient prayer that she offered before each battle. It didn’t matter that this was not battle but therapeutic movement to calm the frenzies tormenting her soul.

The sword became an extension of her being, slicing the air in smooth, precise arcs of silvery radiance. She parried, thrust, dodged the strikes of an invisible adversary... She had no way of seeing herself through the eyes of her silent watcher, and was in fact oblivious to the presence that was part of the shadows. Few living beings could hide their presence from her keen senses, but this one did...

Review of Warrior Mine: The Claiming

by Elliot Devereaux

Angelique Devereaux, an ancient warrior, once one of the chosen and Asher Elliot, a hunter whose prey exist outside human understanding, defy destiny as they fall into a seduction so dangerous it threatens to damn them both for eternity.

Asher waits, hidden in shadows—a voyeur of Angelique’s self-loathing and pain. The torture she suffers is well-earned, a judgment passed when her forbidden love for her prey betrays the vows she made. Her punishment casts her into darkness, one that only Asher can understand.

Drawn together, desire consumes them, erupting into a sensual explosion of passion too intense to be denied.

The language is lush and evocative, the characters powerful, seductive and compelling. When Asher claims his warrior, it is but the first step on a journey fraught with peril. The Claiming is a set piece, introducing us to a darkly indulgent world of unbridled passion.

This reviewer, for one, waits with bated breath for the next episode.—Nya Rawlyns

AVAILABLE NOW from XoXo Publishing™

Nicole Morgan is back with a sexy new book!

Romance author Nicole Morgan has a HOT new release out, so say hello, then drop by and check out all her wonderful and very sexy titles at her WEBSITE

BIO:

Nicole Morgan was an avid reader who kept having one recurring problem. Ideas of stories kept popping into her head. Today Nicole is an author of erotic romantic novels, which more often than not have a suspenseful back story. Erotic romance mixed with a good old fashioned who done it. She tries to place strong emphasis on the characters emotions while also throwing in some spicy and hot love scenes. Her alpha male of choice will most often than not have a uniform of some kind. From military to police officers, she has a love for writing about those who protect and serve.

BOOK: Intimate Confessions

http://bookstrand.com/intimate-confessions

ARC Winner is....

andieleah - you are the winner of the ARC. Contact me via email, and I'll send you your book.

MANY, many thanks to everyone who came by - and remember, the book is available for everyone on Monday - a bargain at $1.50 - will post links then!

Thanks again, and have a fabulous weekend!!

WARRIOR MINE: The Claiming - WIN an advance copy!

Coming Monday March 5^th 2012 from XoXo Publishing™ is the beginning of an exciting new series for paranormal fans. Told by two distinctive voices, one familiar, one new, WARRIOR MINE: The Claiming sets the stage for a very different kind of story. With roots over two centuries in the past, Angelique Devereaux is a dark legend, once a Chosen Warrior of god, she betrayed her oaths to love one who was forbidden. Cast out, cursed and scarred, she continues her battle alone. Until a soul as tortured as her own stumbles across her path.

Asher Elliot is lost in his own darkness when he first sees the tall warrior known to legend simply as The Slayer. Tortured by the deaths of his wife and children, this grieving warrior is nonetheless drawn to the timeless, cold being he witnesses at work. Like him, she deals in death and her justice is swift, sometimes messy, but always final. He follows her, watching, growing ever more captivated by her, until finally he must reach out to claim what his reawakened heart wants most…

So, in a few days, the first part of this on-going tale will be available to readers. BUT, after receiving a brilliant review in advance of release, I thought I’d give one reader a chance to sample the book before anyone else. All that’s required is a comment telling us why you’d like to be the one we give the book to? Not hard… The draw will be random, and I’ll toss in a surprise gift just to sweeten the deal.

Now, here’s a look at the cover, and what our first reviewer thought:

Review of Warrior Mine: The Claiming by Elliot Devereaux

Angelique Devereaux, an ancient warrior, once one of the chosen and Asher Elliot, a hunter whose prey exist outside human understanding, defy destiny as they fall into a seduction so dangerous it threatens to damn them both for eternity.

Asher waits, hidden in shadows—a voyeur of Angelique’s self-loathing and pain. The torture she suffers is well-earned, a judgment passed when her forbidden love for her prey betrays the vows she made. Her punishment casts her into darkness, one that only Asher can understand.

Drawn together, desire consumes them, erupting into a sensual explosion of passion too intense to be denied.

The language is lush and evocative, the characters powerful, seductive and compelling. When Asher claims his warrior, it is but the first step on a journey fraught with peril. The Claiming is a set piece, introducing us to a darkly indulgent world of unbridled passion.

This reviewer, for one, waits with bated breath for the next episode.

—Nya Rawlyns

WINNER to be announced Friday at 6PM, ET.

GUEST: Em Petrova

Today my guest is Em Petrova, who’s here to talk about her new release, OUTLAWS OF LOVE. To start with, let’s chat with the author:

Welcome Em. It’s great to see you here today. Your heroine in your latest release, Outlaws of Love, experiences a taboo freedom in the book. What would you say is the most liberating part of being a writer?

Great question! For me it’s the ability to express my passions on the page. I’m able to tell my characters’ stories without limiting them by language.

Did you make any exciting discoveries when researching Outlaws of Love?

A ton of research went into this book. I watched dozens of westerns on TV, and Googled hundreds of things, from attire of this time period to when certain words were first used. I actually had a bit of trouble at first because I kept using modern slang, and that was not setting well with my editor!

What was the hardest part of writing the book?

As always, halfway through the plot, I start to question everything I’ve done before and everything I’ve planned to come. I always have at least a day of absolute panic, believing I’ve just wasted my time and the whole story is utter crap. Usually I vent to my writing partner, and the next day, I’m over the hump and ready to pound out the rest of the story.

What is your favourite scene in the book and why?

My favourite scene is when my two heroes trap the heroine in a cave. They not only seduce her, but give in to their urges for each other.

Did you always want to be a writer?

Hmm, do you want the complete list of my occupational dreams? *ahem*

5 years old-ballerina

7 years old- teacher

9 years old- art teacher

12-17 years old- writer

19 years old – artist

31- writer, and I’m sticking with it! Unless of course, the ballet calls and wants me for The Nutcracker!

For you, what makes a hero sexy?

Strong opinions, a dark glare, but a sensitive side he only expresses to his woman.

Are you working on any new projects?

Always! I’m in the middle of the second book in this series (The Hollis Boys). The title is Trail of Lust, and it’s about another member of the Hollis family, Graham, the dark, brooding character from Outlaws of Love.

What are you reading at the moment?

I’m reading several things at once—a pirate story by Eliza Lloyd, as well as submissions from various authors I edit for.

What hobbies do you have away from writing?

What else is there besides writing, reading, or editing? Maybe laundry, if you can call that a hobby? And I play a lot of solitaire when I’m trying to veg my mind.

What makes up your ideal day?

Quiet from dawn till dusk. Okay, so a few bird tweets in there. And me at my computer with a bottomless cup of coffee. Godiva dark chocolate at hand!

Upon traveling west to marry, Annabelle Stephens longed to leave her nickname of Sweetheart Annie and the strict rules of Boston society behind, but the taboo freedom she faces wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. When a sexy outlaw storms into her rented room and kidnaps her, she’s embroiled in a dangerous game with not one man, but two.

Until now Xander Hollis wanted one thing—or maybe two—to stop the Southern Gorge Railroad from stealing the homesteaders’ land, and to act on his desires with his partner in crime James. Like Robin Hoods of the old west, he and James embark on a mission to rob from the rich and give to the poor. When he refuses to let go of the woman who could identify him, he finds he’s in true danger. Danger of losing his heart to the heiress of the very railroad corporation he struggles to bring down.

EXCERPT RATED PG-

With a shiver of apprehension, Annabelle sank into the hip bath that was filled with tepid water. She glared at the wooden plank door of her rented room, daring anyone to come through it uninvited. What kind of place was this? She’d heard the West was uncivilized, but had never dreamed that there wouldn’t be locks on the doors. What was she going to do tonight?

She cast a glance around the small, dingy space, hoping to see a piece of furniture substantial enough to stop an intruder but light enough she could shift on her own. Her gaze lighted on the single set of drawers -- tall and as broad as a man. Well, she mused. Not any man. She’d seen her fair share of stout, pasty men on her travels across the country by stagecoach. Knowing she now had the freedom to look at whomever she chose without the intrusive gazes of society on her sent a thrill through her.

Of course, there was the small matter of her escort, a newly married couple who were friends of her father. But they were often too caught up in each other to notice where her gaze landed. Now the Clarks were on the other side of the hotel, and she couldn’t help but wonder if they’d gotten a room with a lock.

She wished she had thought of the unlocked door before slipping into the bath. She should have moved that chest of drawers first. But the heated depths had called to her. After her dusty travels, she wanted nothing more than to peel off her grungy clothes and enjoy a soak. It wasn’t until she had gotten into the water that the problem occurred to her. After all, she didn’t need a lock to bathe back in Boston.

I’ll hurry.

Quickly, she lifted the linen cloth she’d brought all the way from home and began washing. At one time the cloth had been white as a dove and scented with lavender. Now it was stained from the road dust that had caked her skin daily for the past month. But it was the cleanest she had.

She hastily swirled the cloth in the water and ran it over her sticky throat and down her shoulders. Just as she reached the crest of her breasts, the door burst inward.

A shrill scream bubbled up her throat. Before she could let it out, a huge brute of a man stomped across the room and clamped a hand over her mouth. She struggled beneath his steely grip, tasting the salt of his flesh and drowning in the musky scent of male mingled with leather and horses.

She jackknifed into a ball instinctively, curling up like a possum as she tried to hide her soft, womanly parts from this monster’s gaze -- and worse -- his touch.

Again, she opened her mouth to scream.

He leveled his gaze on her, the depths of his eyes speaking to her loud and clear.

If she wasn’t quiet, he’d kill her.

She swallowed the cry, staring over his fingers with horror as he one-handedly unbuttoned his shirt and tore it off. The thick cloth hit the floor in a cloud of dust. And then he was stepping into the tub with her, lifting her and plopping her smack dab across his hard thighs to claim her mouth.

Her heart drummed nearly out of her chest. What was he going to do to her? At this point, death seemed a better alternative to being violated by this man. She’d be soiled forever -- and her fiancé wouldn’t accept her.

A squawk escaped her, and her attacker sealed his mouth more securely over hers, cutting off all noise and air.

At that moment, the door burst open again. A whoosh of cool breeze washed over her bare shoulders and back. Help me! Before she could utter a sound, the man restrained her further by slipping his fingers around her throat.

To an outsider, it might have seemed a loving gesture, but any thought of escape fled as his rough fingertip settled over her pulse. His thumb pressed the hollow of her throat. If she dared to move, he could choke the breath from her. Or snap her neck. Judging from the hard muscles beneath her, she knew a flick of his wrist would break her neck.

“Oh! Sorry, madam.” A man gulped a breath of air from the doorway. “I mean no disrespect. I was looking for a criminal.”

The man in the tub with her kept on kissing her like they were alone, angling his head and plunging his tongue deep into her mouth until she was dizzy for air.

Em Petrova

~where words mean so much more~

www.empetrova.com

BUY OUTLAWS OF LOVE http://www.loose-id.com/Outlaws-of-Love.aspx

Em Petrova lives in backwoods Pennsylvania, where she raises four kids and two feral kittens and pays too damn much for utilities. But seeing her sexy husband tromp out back with a chainsaw in hand is well worth the frustration of living miles from a mall. She adores writing sex scenes and anything paranormal. When she has the opportunity to mix the two, she’s in her element.

You can learn more about her smutty reads at www.empetrova.com

Thank you for having me!

Newsletter update and Contests!

I'm changing the format of my newsletter a little bit, in that it will no longer be issued filled with book promos and images, but more of an informal chat about what's happening, what's coming out, etc. It will still be news, but there will also be a few exclusives for the subscribers. So, to launch the new, relaxed approach, I'm going to give subscribers their first "Exclusive" look at a series I am starting to write. Some of you will know the character from her presence on Facebook when I've been deactivated or reported *lol* for others, you are about to meet Angelique Devereaux for the first time, and know her story.

My newsletter is generated through Yahoo Groups, and please if you would set your mail to individual, you will only receive 6-8 emails a year from this group. I will be posting the first new format newsletter this afternoon - so I hope you'll subscribe. If you subscribe at any time between now and the next issue, I will send your newsletter to you personally, but today's edition will have a couple of contest listings that you will no longer be eligible for by Monday. THANKS everyone!!

Romance and Fantasy Newsletter

Authors versus Writers–is there a difference?

Most of us use the terms author and writer in an interchangeable way, and for many years I was one who did this, as well. In the past couple of years, I’ve made a very definitive distinction between the two terms, and it’s one that doesn’t make me very popular in a lot of circles. Thankfully, I’m at a stage where that doesn’t much matter to me. Popularity and respect are two entirely different things, too.

In these days of computers and wonderful word processing programs, anyone can “author” a book and publish it, making it look professional and slick. Even the least talented among us can put words on a page and call it a book. This is in reality a huge part of the problem that dominates the literary world just now, the sheer number of books that are available from sources too vast to name. Quality is a rare thing these days, and often lost amid the quantity of offerings available to readers who don’t stand a chance of ever sifting through everything vying for their precious, hard-earned dollars and cents.

So, what makes a writer different from an author…apart from the fact that one title sounds much more illustrious than the other? Well, in many case, authors believe when they write those much anticipated and welcome words “The End” that their masterpiece is done. Writers, since writing is considered a job by many, understand that writing “The End” means the real work is about to begin. When you’ve finished that wonderful tale is when you, the writer, are ready to begin the building and refining process.

Do you have any idea how many horror stories editors and publishers can tell about the kind of material they see submitted to them daily? I keep wondering when these so-called “authors” become so arrogant that they forget the publisher is not there to serve them, and that to be published is honestly the privilege of having someone believe in your work to the point that they are willing to put their money at risk and hope there will in fact be a pay-off that benefits the writer and the publisher. When did this all get to be the “author” honouring the publisher with granting them the privilege of publishing? Maybe I missed that memo? Or more likely, these brilliant authors have overlooked the first rule of professionalism in this world–read and follow publisher guidelines and their formatting preferences. I realize this will shock some of you, but they don’t put that stuff on the website for show, it’s there to guide you and help them.

Oh, and there’s my other bitch, the way the entire industry suddenly narrows to a self-obsessed “me” mentality with so many new, UNprofessional “authors” who think they’re flaming Shakespeare or the next Nora Roberts. Odds are, you’re not going to be more than a momentary blip on the radar of the industry unless you learn a few hard truths rather early on. This business relies heavily on writers supporting each other, and by that I don’t mean taking advantage of someone else’s established readership to push your book down the throats of that writer’s readers because they have a FB page or a group where their readers come to chat. Common courtesy flies out the bloody window so often in these situations it’s downright infuriating. I’ve had my pages abused in this way, with never a “would you mind if I posted?” ever asked. The assumption that I’ve poured eight years of work and relationship building into all this simply for your convenience is going to get your ass booted and banned quicker than you can possibly imagine as you sit back and wait for my readers to rush in and buy your books.

I can only speak from my personal experiences, but I won’t lie to you–I’ve pitched more than one hissy fit over the past year when total strangers post their promotions on my pages without ever asking if I’d mind. I realize I have about 8000 contacts on Facebook alone, but that doesn’t mean the pages are open house. It might serve many of you well to forge your own relationships if you want to make the leap from ego/vanity author to working writer. I’ve recently formed a wonderful group project with three talented writers I love and admire, they are friends and we shout just as loudly for each other’s successes as many newbies do for themselves. Longevity and success in this world depends hugely on audience perception of you, as well as your books. So, my advice, for what it’s worth is to back off and really LEARN to write, then learn to be professional about it, because frankly–if you don’t have the support of fellow writers, it’s going to be one hell of a lonely comedown for you. Be a writer, a working artist who is learning every day–not an “author” obsessed with your greatness.

Celebrating a new release from GENA SHOWALTER

This is Paris's story. (Look for a two chapter excerpt in the December 27th, 2011 release of Dating the Undead!)

Possessed by the demon of Promiscuity, immortal warrior Paris is irresistibly seductive—but his potent allure comes at a terrible price. Every night he must bed someone new, or weaken and die. And the woman he craves above all others is the one woman he’d thought was forever beyond his reach…until now.

Newly possessed by the demon of Wrath, Sienna Blackstone is racked by a ruthless need to punish those around her. Yet, in Paris’s arms the vulnerable beauty finds soul-searing passion and incredible peace. Until a blood feud between ancient enemies heats up.

Will the battle against gods, angels and creatures of the night bind them eternally– or tear them apart?

The gorgeous ad page was created for Ms. Showalter by Kayden McLeod to accompany our exclusive Sensual Treats interview, available HERE

Guardian of Destiny

This is a flash fiction introduction to a new fantasy world novel I'm working on... it's evolved and changed a lot since I originally began the project, but I hope you'll enjoy this peek into the world of the Guardians of Destiny...

Night was encroaching too quickly, the blazing streamers of fire reaching through the overhead foliage to light the path were fading, and she was still at least a mile from the safety of her small village. Destino was home, and it had always been home, but hidden in the ageless Valley of Temples, few people know if its existence.

Recently, those who strayed too far often did not return. Those that did were never the same, and refused to speak of what had happened to make them afraid to leave again. A shadow moved to her left and she bit back a cry, literally covering her mouth to silence the mewl of fright. She quickened her pace, stumbling a little bit as more of the blazing glory of the sun dimmed above her. Panic was beginning to wake, her own heartbeat becoming a rapid timpani that deafened her.

So many stories about this area between the open valley and the town. The forests were as legendary as the tales about the I guardiani del destino eterno, and most knew there was truth in the myths of their Guardians. It made her wonder how much truth there was in the stories of the forest. Lupo mannaro or licantropos… the words haunted her, the fear grew with each step.

A flash of silver caught her attention again, made her trip and sent her sprawling. As the air left her lungs she cried out, dazed and in pain. For a few seconds, she was certain she saw silver streak past her, then blackness drifted over her as though a warm blanket had enveloped her.

When awareness returned, it was totally dark.

“What do they call you?”

The voice was like a caress, making her think of the thick, silken fur of a young wolf pup.

She peered in the direction the voice had come from and saw a pale shadow, seated. His back was to a tree and his eyes never left their vigilant watch.

“Capricia,” she told him, and carefully sat up, feeling pain in various parts of her body, but nothing so bad that it would mean broken bones.

“Who are you?”

“Salvatorio.”

“Saviour,” she murmured, aware of the irony in her tone.

“More than you know,” he assured her.

“Humans aren’t meant to stray this far from Destino, especially at night. The Guardians are not as powerful as once they were.”

“Why are you watching over me? I have the Hermit.”

Laughter met the observation, and something in the cold disdain made her shiver.

“She’d destroy the old one if he did dare to attempt to find you here.”

“Who?”

Salvatorio’s head tilted to one side and in the waking moonlight, something glimmered in the amber depths, pity, or perhaps just sadness.

“Have you heard the legend of the Benandanti?”

She was sitting up now, facing him. She nodded.

“Myth has it the Benandanti were werewolves that left their physical bodies behind to become wolves, at which point they would go to the underworld to fight witches.” She smiled and shrugged. “It’s a myth. Like the ones about Destino.”

He tilted his head to one side. “But myth is truth in Destino. Why not this?”

Ice kissed the nape of her neck, then slithered down her back, pooling in the hollow at the base of her spine. She sensed truth in what he spoke.

“Salvatorio… Benandanti…” She said his name with reverence and awe. “You are hunting tonight, aren’t you? And I have interrupted you.”

“I am hunting, beautiful Capricia,” he agreed. “But you are my reason for being here.”

“Me?”

The single syllable had barely sputtered from her lips when the night exploded around them with a shriek of rage and hatred that reverberated and made the forest appear to cringe.

The ground inches from her erupted like great Vesuvius, and flung her back. She was still gaping in shock when Salvatorio launched from his deceptively casual slouch against the tree trunk. He leapt, quite literally flying toward the wretched winged creature who was turning her wrath toward Capricia. Glittery magic tingled in the air, sparkled like a million stars shaping and coalescing into a perfect form, bones shifted and reshaped, naked skin became a gleaming coat of purest white and silver, and the open maw filled with lethal teeth went straight for the witch’s throat.

Capricia screamed, then covered her mouth with her hands and she scrambled back, fascinated, unable to not watch the battle that was being raged in front of her. Blood spurted from the wounds Salvatorio inflicted without mercy, and the witch’s arms flailed as she tried vainly to cast him off…. Her words, garbled and without proper enunciation, did little more than create harmless mini-globes of fire that died as quickly as they were born. He had all but torn out her throat on his first lunge.

It was over in minutes that felt like an eternity. And when he fell back onto the mossy floor of the forest, panting heavily, Capricia crawled to his side.

“What was that?”

He closed his eyes and she could feel the power gathering around him again, the mystical energies drawn from the earth itself to make the elemental change from wolf to man. Once the Change had completed he opened his eyes again, and his voice was still rough with the rasp of a growl.

“One of the underworld witches.” He sighed, tired. “Those who have disappeared. They have died at the hands of her kind. She was the oldest, called Ssenya. She wanted you, because you have a special destiny you have yet to know.”

In the distance there was the sound of wings.

“The Guardian arrives at last.”

Salvatorio’s voice wasn’t quite bitter, but it was angry.

“Go with him, bella mia,” he ordered. “I will be here when you have need of me again. Now is not our time.”

She bent forward to kiss him and then backed away quickly when he thrust her away from him.

“Do not always be so eager to live your life in danger!”

She ran.

Salvatorio stared into the greyed eyes of the gargoyle, and the Hermit nodded his understanding.

**A new Guardian will soon arrive, licantropos**

“Guard her well until then. She is my mate, though she doesn’t realize what the Fates have chosen for her.”

**She will be safe**

© 2010 Denysé Bridger

Guest: Aubrie Dionne

Meet Aubrie Dionne

Hello Aubrie. Thank you for joining us at the blog today. Can you tell us about your latest release, Tundra 37? Where did the idea originate? How did the characters develop? And why did you choose the setting?

I feel like I live in the coldest place on Earth. Actually, I live in NH, and Alaska and Antarctica get much colder. But sometimes, when my eyeballs feel like they’re going to freeze, and my car is iced over so thick I can’t even open the door, it seems like the North pole.

So, the setting comes directly from my own experiences!

As for the idea: I already wrote about someone who didn’t like their lifemate match in Paradise 21, so I decided to go 180 degrees in the other direction, and set someone up with a lifemate they like TOO much! It was hilarious fun for me (and not so much for my poor character).

How much planning and plotting is involved in your work before you begin to write?

I think about the ideas for a few weeks before starting chapter one. But, I’m always thinking and readjusting along the way.

Do you have a critique partner?

I have several! I tend to collect them! They are all so helpful to me. The one who’s been there through thick and thin is Cherie Reich. She’s the best, and I wouldn’t be here today without her. Everyone needs to go check out her horror story, which is a bestseller: Once Upon a December Nightmare. I’m proud to have been a critique partner for that story.

What time of day or night do you best at?

I write best when everything is quiet at night. The worst time is during the day right before I have to go teach flute lessons! I can’t concentrate on anything!

What has been the best piece of advice you have ever been given by an editor?

To draw out the conversations that mean the most and press into the harder issues.

What thoughts and emotions do you hope readers will take with them from one of your books?

I hope they have a positive feeling about the future.

Thank you for joining us today.

Thanks for having me! These were fantastic questions!

http://www.entangledpublishing.com/tundra-37

Prologue

The Seers

I’m losing her.

Abysme guides the vessel in silence, her blind eyes rolling as she senses our course, two hundred years away from Paradise 18. She’s scattered her thoughts among the stars, and her mind drifts farther from the sister I once knew. I fear the machine has engulfed her individuality. She’s forgotten the meaning of our goal, the oath we took three centuries ago. Most of all, she’s forgotten me, creating an emptiness inside me more profound than the desolation surrounding us.

If I had my arms, I’d reach out to comfort her and usher her back from the black abyss spread before us. As children, I kept her alive through the destruction, signing us up for the Expedition and winning two tickets off Old Earth before it succumbed to hell. But can I save her now?

I send impulses through my brainwaves and into the ship. Bysme, do you hear me?

Unlike her, I have one operating eye and can see the control chamber we hang from. Twisting my head, I search her features. Her skeletal face twitches. She writhes and the wires holding her in place stretch taut. I wonder what I’ve done to us, the shock of our disembodiment jolting me. Every input hole drilled into my skull snakes with activity. The ship surges through me, a vast intranet of information, names, status charts, and infinite trajectories. If I couldn’t feel the cold, regulated air on the remnants of my torso, I’d be lost in the machine too. I remind myself of our mission and the perseverance flows into my veins.

She doesn’t respond and the fear wells up from within me. Can I guide the ship alone? I realize I’ve left her at the helm for too long while I drifted into memories.

Status of Beta Prime? Bysme speaks in monotone computer speech as she turns to the corner of the main control deck where the orb glistens, tempting us with the mysteries hidden in the cosmic swirls within its core. Sometimes, I wish we’d blasted the ball off the hull after its tendrils attached to the outer frame instead of recovering it for study. We’ve guarded it for so long, Project Beta Prime has become part of us, yet we’re further than ever from unlocking its secrets. All I know is the insistence of my memories, like ghosts that refused to be ignored.

Unchanged. The weight of my voice in our mindspeak reflects my disappointment. Like everything else.

Bysme falls silent, and I scan the systems searching for answers that aren’t there.

Guest: Alicia Singleton

Alicia Singleton’s Recipe for Keeping Sane While Writing Your Bestselling Novel

“Mom, can you play catch with me?” “Honey, what’s for dinner?” “Do you have a couple of minutes to talk?” “You know that writing stuff is just a hobby. Come on, let’s go out.”

Sound familiar?

You’re a writer. You want to finish the novel that’s been kicking around in your head, but you can’t find the time, the energy or sometimes, the motivation. The kids are pulling you in one direction, the job in another, hubby or wifey in another, then there’s the well meaning friends and family members. The Dream Snatchers. You know the people who laugh at your dream of becoming a published author.

Over the past 18 years, I’ve had these same things happen to me, so I understand the frustration. Even through full time jobs, the start of a full time business, home schooling a child, civic and church activities, I finished my novel. Here are some tips to help reach your goal.

Dream Management Tips

Quiet the negative roar:

Limit your conversations with naysayers. Set limits and expectation on how people will treat you. It may take time, but it’ll be worth the peace of mind you’ll receive and it safeguards your dream from dream killers.

Find support:

Take a writing class. Start a critique group by placing an ad in your community paper. Join a writing organization and network. Seek out like minded and like genre writers. You’ll become each other’s support system, you’ll begin to educate yourself about the writing process and the writing industry, and network with industry professionals.

Believe in yourself and nourish your dream:

The mind is a very powerful tool. It can wage war on a dream or bring a dream to fruition. Often, being alone with the negative voices in your head will kill a dream faster than any nay saying outside influence. Train your mind to bring about your dream. For the next 21 days, before you get out of bed, take 30 to 45 seconds to train your mind with positive affirmations. They don’t have to be eloquent. Here are a few: I refuse to accept the possibility of the death of my dream. Desire backed by faith knows no such word as impossible. Our only limitations are those we set up in our own minds. Throughout the day, if a negative thought about your writing pops into your mind, say your affirmations. Saying these out loud several times a day may seem silly, but believe me, they work.

Time Management

Schedule or parish:

Do you have time on the weekends to write? Is late night a better time to squeeze in an hour per day? Will the early morning hours afford you an hour or two to work on your manuscript? Ask yourself, ‘When do I have at least an hour to write?’ Be realistic or you’ll be disappointed when you don’t reach your goal. Once you find that time, sanction it as your writing work time then follow these steps:

A. Write your daily writing work schedule down on your calendar.

B. Make the commitment. During that time you will sit down

and plot, do character sketches, talk a conflict-driven scenes into a tape

recorder, edit and write, write, and write some more. (I spoke the

majority of Dark Side of Valor into a tape recorder then transcribed it

onto my computer. It’s easier for me because, like a movie, I see the

scene images in my mind, close my eyes and talk what I see, hear, smells,

taste, and feel through the characters. I recorded during lunch breaks, in

my car, anywhere that I had a free moment. Everyone’s different. Find

out what works for you.)

C. If you’re likely to be disturbed, post an, Author at Work. Do Not

Disturb, sign on your closed door and let the answering machine or

voice mail pick up your calls. This is your work schedule, so treat it as if

you’re leaving the house to go to work. Set limits and expectations and

stick to them.

D. Form a habit to work on your writing at least 5 days a week, even if

it’s for 30 minutes or 1 hour a day.

Your manuscript is waiting. Its calling to you, Finish me! Finish me! You can go crazy trying to eke through it or you can take the sane way out. Complete your novel. Your dream awaits!

Click here to enter The Dark Side of Valor Contest for chance to win $125 in Visa Gift Cards!

Want to read a page-turning thrill ride? Pick up a copy of Alicia’s award winning suspense novel, Dark Side of Valor.

“A well-paced novel of suspense that veers into romance and ends like a thriller.”

Kirkus Reviews

Order Dark Side of Valor today at:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Indie Bound

or wherever books are sold.

Visit Alicia’s website: www.aliciasingleton.com

Email Alicia at: alicia@aliciasingleton.com

By her sophomore year in college, Alicia Singleton knew she was born to be a writer. Too intimidated to change her major, she continued her nursing studies and received her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing in 1987. Many years later, the dream deferred became reality when her debut novel, Dark Side of Valor, won the Sistah Circle National Book Club Best Thriller Award. Alicia was also awarded the National Association of Women Writers Award of Excellence from the Maryland Chapter.

Alicia resides in Maryland with her wonderful husband and son and is hard at work completing her next suspense novel.