Guest Blogger: Mary Eason

Welcome to today's special guest blogger, Mary Eason. Thanks so much, Mary, for being my guest today!

Confessions of a Sex And The City Fan

Okay, I admit it. I desperately miss Sex and The City. Sure, there are reruns on just about every channel you see and then of course there are the DVDs, (I have them all by the way, every season,) but still, it’s not the same is it.

All week, I looked forward to that little thirty minutes on Sunday evening when I could laugh and cry right along with Carrie, Miranda, Samantha, and Charlotte as they dealt with the many trials of life with humor, savvy and not to mention an amazing wardrobe.

Since the success of SATC, there have been lots of movies, books, and TV series that have tried to emulate the show, but they just don’t come close and I think it was because the show allowed us to see pieces of ourselves in each of those four women.

Carrie was the slightly scattered, somewhat obsessive, but eternally hopeful one.

Samantha the no hold barred, go for it one.

Miranda the tough as nails, no nonsense one.

And Charlotte the naive and innocent one.

All characteristics that we see in ourselves from time to time.

So, you might ask what I do with my Sunday nights since the show ended? Well, there’s laundry, and dishes, and housework and….yikes!

Please, someone tell me, how long before movie!

All the best..
Mary Eason

http://www.maryeason.bravehost.com/

Check out my monthly contest going on right now at my website!
Carrie Sinclair's Creative Guide To Getting A Life Blog: http://www.maryeason.blogspot.com/

Romance, Passion, and Suspense that will keep you guessing until the very end...

CONTEST:

In honor of Survivor, Mary's latest release through Samhain Publishing, she will be giving away an e-book copy of the book. To be entered into the contest, drop Mary an email at maryjeason@netzero.com with Survivor entry in the subject line. Mary will be picking the winner at random and announcing it on this blog.

Guest Blogger: Clover Autrey

First, my thanks to Clover Autrey for joining us here today - Welcome!! The cover is gorgeous, and this is a great post!!! Thanks so much for sharing your time and talent with us!!!

Why I love fantasy.

First, because fantasies are character driven. Yes, there is also always a quest, whether it is to find something, destroy something, or save the known universe from an evil about to take over it from a previous generation that failed to get rid of in the first place. Bad previous generation. Bad. But the main character always, always changes and grows or learns something about herself, sometimes not always pleasant, and then deals with it or makes a sacrifice somehow.

And then when the fantasy also has the components and happily ever after of a romance. Drool factor big time. Now there are two characters, a heroine and hero that have to deal with their own individual trials or quests, usually in opposition, and mesh that together for a satisfying ending. Mix that in with fantastical and magical elements and what more could you ask for?

In my fantasy romance, I got to create Eaglekins, a people that have psi abilities with eagles. I based their entire culture on the behavior of eagles. Eagles have one mate for life. The female is also dominant in the relationship, so of course, I had the Eaglekin females be more dominant. At least they are supposed to be. Then I had a blast having a heroine who is trying so hard to prove herself worthy of being bonded with an eagle that she’ll adhere to every strict tradition the Eaglekins have, including being mated to whichever man her eagle chooses for her. Which would be fine, except her eagle chooses a man who, because of tragedy, wants nothing to do with Eaglekins anymore. They each see the Eaglekin culture from their varying perspectives and experiences and then have to go from there, each sacrificing, each growing. So much fun to write.

Clover Autrey

The Sweetheart Tree * One life turned the Battle at Sunken Bridge. Can history be rewritten?
Upon Eagle's Light * Mated to a man who wants nothing to do with her, Hydeia will do whatever she must to save her people. And aren't Eaglekin males supposed to be more submissive?

Available at http://www.thewildrosepress.com/
Website: http://www.eaglekinseyrie.com/

Guest Blogger: Donna Hatch

The Call: Authors often talk about when they got "the call", meaning the phone call either from an agent or editor that says "I'd like to offer you a contract on your book."

Like me, these authors had spent years writing, attending workshops and conferences, reading, re-writing, editing, submitting to contests and critique partners, and then starting the process all over again until finally they get the nerve to submit to agents and editors, only to be rejected until they had enough rejection letters to wallpaper a small room. Then when the call came, they would speak of how they'd squealed, or tried to sound professional when they only wanted to scream in joy. They would try to relay to their rapt listeners the sweet euphoria of learning that someone thinks their passion is a true, marketable skill.

I had tasted a bit of that exhilaration each time I won a writing contest, and I looked forward to the day I'd get my own call. I wondered if I'd scream and jump up and down, or try to behave with dignity, and I hoped my time would come soon.

I have often discovered that the magical moments in life that others speak of never seem to happen that way for me. The marriage proposal made by the man who is now husband certainly wasn't the kind that I'd always anticipated. It was completely unexpected and made in a very casual, off-handed way. In fact, it was so casual that I thought for certain that he was kidding. He wasn't.

Other major events in my life seemed to happen in much the same way. The call was just another of them. My call wasn't a call, it was an e-mail. And I had just had minor surgery on that Monday, and had a more difficult recovery than I'd anticipated. By Friday night, I hadn't even turned on my computer. My husband brought my laptop to my bed and asked if I wanted to check my e-mail, probably in an attempt to cheer me.

Almost lost among the over 100 e-mail messages was one from two days prior from the editor of a publisher. She said she'd like to offer me a contract on my manuscript.

I stared, re-read it, and then told my husband that they wanted to offer me a contract. He blinked and asked what that meant, thinking that I'd merely won another contest or something. It took some doing to convince him that I had basically sold my first book. I'm sure if I had been more excited about it, he would have caught on sooner. The times I'd won writing contests, I'd squealed and jumped up and down until I'd managed to frighten my teenagers. But instead, I lay there quietly, bleary-eyed, and told him in an uncharacteristically subdued voice that I was about to join the ranks of the published authors.

After 20 years of marriage, I realize that even though the marriage proposal was something of a disappointment, the man who made it certainly was not. Neither has life with him been. I am equally certain that my writing career will be satisfying despite its rather quiet entrance into my life.

The title of my first published book is The Stranger She Married which is being published by The Wild Rose Press. I don't have release date yet, but I've finished galleys and the book is in production.

The best and most rewarding things in life may not always have the grandest entrances. My marriage was one. I hope writing as a career is another.

Donna Hatch

Believe in happy endings…

http://www.donnahatch.net/

http://www.myspace.com/donnahatch

Guest Blogger Kelley Heckart: Redefining the Greek Myths

I love this post, which won't surprise anyone who knows my fantasy work! Thanks so much, Kelley for such a GREAT post!!!

This is something that is fresh in my mind as I just finished the prequel to Of Water and Dragons and Ravenwolf. Titled, Night's Daughter, this book differs from my other books because the setting is ancient Crete and Anatolia (now Turkey) and I spent many hours doing research for this.

One of the research areas was on the Greek gods and goddesses. Should be easy, right? Wrong. Everything I was taught in school on the Greek gods was incomplete. It seems that there is much more to the story than the twelve Olympian gods. We can credit the Classical Greek writers for this because they were obviously biased about it. The Titans (pre-Hellenic gods) played a much more important part than they were given credit for. Also, the goddesses who are portrayed by Classical writers as being bitchy and difficult to deal with should have been given more credit because they were Great Goddesses of that land long before the triad of Sky Gods (known as Zeus, Poseidon and Hades) invaded. These difficult goddesses were forced to submit to these new gods so it is no wonder that Hera was in a bad mood most of the time. Can you blame her?

Some of these pre-Hellenic goddesses were forced to become daughters of Zeus. For example, Aphrodite was reborn as Zeus's daughter when in fact she was originally an eastern goddess in Cyprus. There are similarities between her, Sumerian Inanna, Egyptian Hathor/Sakhmet, Phoenician Astarte and Babylonian Ishtar. In later Greek myths, she is portrayed as a brainless, vain love goddess. In earlier myths, as sea-born, she was once a fertility goddess, the primal mother of all creation. As Inanna, Hathor/Sakhmet, Astarte and Ishtar, she was also a war goddess, blending aspects of fertility, love and war, a powerful goddess who commanded great respect. This is a big difference from the later depictions of Aphrodite. It was the patriarchal changes that turned her into a lowly love goddess serving Zeus. And poor Pandora, the giver of the Earth-goddesses gifts, was unjustly perverted by Classical Greek writers as the one who let all the world's ills out. These are only a couple of examples of how the myths changed when the Hellene culture took over ancient Greece.

The Titans were the original gods of the land (which included Gaia, Pandora, Themis, Aphrodite, Hera, Athena, Demeter, Persephone, the moon triad of Artemis, Selene and Hecate plus many other male and female gods) worshipped by the peaceful, matriarchal native peoples. When warlike northern invaders overthrew these people, the new Olympian gods came into power with Zeus as the ruler of the new gods. The once powerful Great Goddesses were demoted to wives and daughters of the new gods. We can thank the patriarchal society for this.

For more information on these pre-Hellenic goddesses, I recommend Lost Goddesses of Early Greece by Charlene Spretnak and The Greek Myths by Robert Graves. I also have a page on my website dedicated to some of these remarkable pre-Hellenic goddesses. Chicks rule!

Denyse, thanks for letting me guest blog!

Kelley
http://www.kelleyheckart.com/
To keep informed about my new books, contests and other book related news, I invite you to join my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kelleyheckarts_enchantedgrove/

Guest Schedule

Guests for FANTASY PAGES:

March 17th – June 5th

Monday, March 17th: Ellen Ashe
Thursday, March 20th: Kelley Heckart

Monday, March 24th: Donna Hatch
Thursday, March 27th: Clover Autrey
Monday, March 31st: Mary Eason
Thursday, April 3rd: Annette Snyder
Monday, April 7th: Sarita Leone
Thursday, April 10th: My Mystery Guest
Monday, April 14th: Loretta Rogers
Thursday, April 17th: Amber Polo
Monday, April 21st: Paula Strickland
Thursday, April 24th: Lainey Bancroft
Monday, April 28th: Elizabeth Keatley
Thursday, May 1st: Liana Laverentz
Monday, May 5th: Bryn Colvin
Thursday, May 8th: Kathleen Grieve
Monday, May 12th: Debbie Doggett
Thursday, May 15th: P.L. Parker
Monday, May 19th: Jamie Hill
Thursday, May 22nd: Colleen Love (my birthday!)
Monday, May 26th: Phyllis Campbell
Thursday, May 29th: Amber Leigh Williams
Monday, June 2nd: S.J. Willing
Thursday, June 5th: Anne Rainey

Guest Blogger: Ellen Ashe

So, this marks day one of an event that will carry through until June - twice a week until then I'll be welcoming some of the most talented authors around to share their thoughts, work, and whatever else they like with you! Tomorrow I will post a complete schedule so you don't miss anyone. But at the moment, the amazing Ellen Ashe, who also happens to be a very good friend. I'm delighted to have her here!

Now, over to Ellen....

This is a true story. It has affected me deeply.

The old farm house where I grew up dates back to at least 1843. It passed through four families before my father bought the property in 1953. In the 1960's there were four generations living there. Now, only my mother. It is willed to me. I have no children so likely my niece will take the house in years to come. I lived in a mobile home not far from the house. The two homes share the same lawns and the same driveway.

For as long as I can remember there have been eerie noises in the house. Footsteps on the stairs, floorboards squeaking to unseen weight, muted voices, the feeling of being watched, even a few notes played on the piano in the dead of night- all of these regular occurrences and to us, almost mundane.

What happened this particular week, however, has rendered my brother and I absolutely speechless and we are left struggling to come to terms with just how haunted our old family home truly is.

Here's the story:

Thursday, June 22, 2006. First thing in the morning I called Pest control-raccoons on my deck the night before is not the company I want. An appointment was made for traps to be set later in the day. I had to go out in the morning and my mom came with me. As chance would have it, the girl arrived only minutes after I had left.

She went to the house and since the inner door was open and the television was left on, she called out, thinking someone was home.

There was no answer so she stepped inside and called out again. "I'm here to set the traps," she said. Nothing.

As she walked back to her truck she thought maybe she had gotten the address wrong. And she was startled when a voice said, "May I help you, dear?"

Standing in the driveway was an elderly lady. Straight gray hair went to her shoulders. Bobby-pins held back the hair on her temples. She wore old fashioned black rimmed glasses. Her dress went to the ground, blue with patterned small white flowers. Her white apron wasruffed on the straps, two pockets in the front, tied in the back. Black shoes were open toed. Her arms were by her side but she held a cane.

"I'm looking for Mary Ellen."

"There's no one here right now," the old lady said. "Best if youdidn't set those traps."

The girl said she had thought to herself how this pleasant looking woman reminded her of her grandmother and complimented her on the pretty summer dress."Thank you, dear."

"Well, tell Mary Ellen I was here and I'll be back later to set the traps."

The only response she got was a smile. So she got in her truck andas she started to back up she said the elderly woman was walking backwards towards the house. Shifting gears she leaned to wave goodbye.

The old woman was gone.

By noon I had gotten home and when no one arrived to set the traps I called. "An elderly lady told us not to set the traps." Naturally I was baffled. The only elderly lady I knew was my mother and she was with me.

Not until yesterday did I hear the frightening story. My jaw dropped; my flesh crawled. I desperately tried to think of a logical explanation. But the more I heard the more I realized that this wasan apparition. There is no doubt at all.

"It was a…" the girl said after telling me what had happened.

"Yes," I said, dumbfounded. "The woman you have just described sounds like my great-grandmother. She died in 1963." I could barely talk.

Yet, this girl didn't seem upset. She nodded and said, "This has happened to me before."

She has the Sight. I looked at her in awe. I write characters that have such a gift. Never have I met someone who actually did!

I explained that we have heard noises in the house but never has anything appeared, let alone outside, in broad daylight. She had an answer- "I stepped inside. And she didn't know who I was."

It took me three hours to calm myself. I slept on the couch, with the light on. This morning at dawn I went out to the driveway where the old woman had appeared and said, "We're okay- you don't need tokeep watching us." Was the old woman still listening? She knows when I'm not home. She must know when I'm there. It is both unsettling and comforting.

And it is an incident that has changed me. There is existence after death. How and why I can only theorize. Except the house and her family must be a warm memory for this elderly lady- my greatgrandmother. That brings her back.

And if this is indeed true, I can accept that.

Ellen Ashe writes paranormal romance~ some of which is based on true stories!
http://www.ellenashe.com/

Ellen Ashe backlist sale now on:
http://www.ellenashe.com/backlist.php

Romance has a new voice...

Ladies, romance truly does have a new voice, and it's captivating.... If you love the sound of an incredible voice, and the charm of a beautiful spirit, you really should check out this young singer, he's amazing!! Click on his image and get ready to be enchanted!

Experience the magic yourself...

Riccardo Foresi

#1 Best-Seller!

Okay, I have to say it -- I am beyond thrilled!! Bella Signorina is now #1 on the Current Bestsellers at The Wild Rose Press, in the Contemporary Sweet Romance category! To everyone who bought this special book - there is no way to thank you!! This story was so important to me, for many reasons, and when I say I'm thrilled, I mean it from my heart.

If you haven't had a chance to check it out, drop over and grab a copy, it's only $1.50, and believe me if you like romance with a touch of Italy, you'll love this one. And, don't forget to stop by Patrizio Buanne's MySpace to hear the lovely song that gives this one it's background!