Steamed Up with Angela Quarles New Release

Posted on February 6, 2015 by admin

This new release sounds fabulous! See below for excerpt.

Jack the Ripper might be in town. But is marriage more terrifying?

In an alternate Deep South in 1890, society reporter Adele de la Pointe wants to make her own way in the world, despite her family’s pressure to become a society wife. Hoping to ruin herself as a matrimonial prospect, she seizes the opportunity to cover the recent Jack the Ripper-style murders for the newspaper, but her father’s dashing new intern suggests a more terrifying headline—marriage.

Dr. Phillip Rawley’s most daring exploit has been arriving at his new home in America in a hot air balloon. A tolerable sacrifice, if it means he can secure the hand of his new employer’s daughter in a marriage of convenience. But Adele works, she’s spirited, and she has an armored pet monkey running her errands. Not only does she not match his notions of a proper lady, she stirs up feelings he’d rather keep in tight control.

With Adele hunting down a headline and Dr. Rawley trying to protect and pursue her, a serial killer is spreading panic throughout Mobile, Alabama. Can Adele and Rawley find the murderer, face their fears, and discover true love?

Amazon: http://bit.ly/SMURAmz

Nook: http://bit.ly/SMURBN

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1pcvD23
Steam Me Up, Rawley board on Pinterest: http://bit.ly/10xPdRA

Official Book Page: http://bit.ly/SMURBook

Excerpt:

Opening

April 8, 1890, Mobile, Alabama

Second Age of Pax Lincolnia

At nineteen years, Miss Adele de la Pointe hadn’t yet figured out everything, but three things she did know. She never wanted to marry, these society parties were an utter bore, and her pet monkey was about as genteel as a roly-poly at a butterfly tea party.

“Put that down.” Adele snatched a doily from Loki’s hairy fist and looked around the sunlit grounds.

Be-ribboned and be-bustled ladies sauntered between tables covered in crisp white linen and half the available lace on the Gulf Coast, but none looked her way.

Whew. No apparent witnesses to Loki’s shenanigans.

She smoothed the doily onto the lawn table, only a tad wrinkled from her monkey’s antics. Antics she must quell were she to survive this affair.

“Loki, I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t pull another stunt.”

Her capuchin monkey nuzzled her cheek, and the chinstrap of his oyster-shell helmet chafed her ear.

“Behave,” she whispered. “I can’t lose you, too.”

Every time someone hinted that she should trade in her childhood shoulder pet for the more refined parakeet, her heart lurched, in an if-you-do-I’m-staying-with-Loki warning. Having such a mentally enhanced pet did pose a risk if she didn’t keep him occupied, however.

She wended her way through the ladies, alert for details to immortalize yet another society gathering for the local newspaper. But the subtle snubs and dismissive glances and behind-the-fan whispers followed in her wake.

These same ladies would later scurry over and curry favor, showing off their latest hat or implant or dress. Adele pulled in a deep breath. Chin up.

All right, so society reporter might not be her ideal profession, but it certainly beat the path these ladies valued–landing a wealthy husband. She rubbed the four tattoos vertically aligned on her neck, each denoting her grandparents’ families. These would admit her to such a party without her official role, but the expectation inherent in its ink felt like an itchy reminder. She edged around a table and spotted the hostess simpering at the mayor’s wife. Adele tapped her pen against her lip. Continue reading →

J.C. McKenzie New Release!

Posted on October 23, 2014 by admin

A new release from J.C. McKenzie featuring a Tempest! I’ve yet to read a paranormal featuring one so I’m intrigued 🙂

LON RIDES THE WAVES, LIVES BY THE TIDES, AND NOTHING CAN HOLD HIM DOWN, BUT WILLA MAY BE THE ANCHOR HE NEEDS.

Title: The Shucker’s Booktique

Series Name: Lobster Cove

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Cover Artist: Debbie Taylor of DCA Graphics

Theme(s): Shapeshifters, supernatural

SubGenre(s): Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

Rating: Spicy (PG13)

Keywords: Shifter, Paranormal, Fae, Urban Fantasy

Amazon | Chapters | iTunes | Kobo | The Wild Rose Press

Blurb

After her fiancé dumps her and her beloved Aunt Jenny goes missing, Willa Eklund travels to Lobster Cove with a broken heart to search for Jenny while running her bookstore. When a mysterious man visits the Shucker’s Booktique on a stormy night drenched in rain and covered in mud, Willa’s heart melts under his stormy gaze. She wants Lon and the answers he may have, but he also has a secret. Can Willa trust him?

Lon Devlin is a Tempest, a water sprite who can only take a human form during stormy nights. He rides the waves, lives by the tides, and nothing can hold him down, not even a beautiful woman. When he visits his mortal friend, he discovers she’s missing and her intriguing niece has taken her place. He wants Willa, but he also wants answers. What happened to Jenny?

Excerpt

Thump! Thump! Thump!

No! She gasped. It couldn’t be. The banging on the front door of the booktique had to be a figment of her imagination. She couldn’t will Lon into existence. Why would he come back? Especially if he was involved. Unless…cold ice prickled up her spine…unless he needed to eliminate her to take care of loose ends.

No. Crazy thoughts, Willa. He could’ve taken care of her the night before. No, her heart hammered against her chest for a different reason. But it didn’t matter. The knocking on the door wouldn’t, couldn’t be him.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Could it? She clutched her hot mug in both hands and turned toward the doorway leading to the bookstore. From the kitchen in the back room, she had a clear view through the store to the front door, but not who stood on the other side.

“Willa!” Lon growled. “Wake up and let me in!”

Willa gasped and almost dropped her cup. The tea sloshed around and some spilled over her hands. It burned, but she didn’t move. She couldn’t breathe. Somehow the air got trapped inside her throat. Why was he here? What did he want?

Oh God, let it be me!

About J.C.

Born and raised on the Haida Gwaii, off the West Coast of Canada, J.C. McKenzie grew up in a pristine wilderness that inspired her to dream. She writes Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance.

Special Guest Pamela Turner talks about her Exterminating Angel!

Posted on May 13, 2014 by admin

Today’s guest is Pamela Turner talking to us about her new release, Exterminating Angel. Check out the lovely cover below and excerpt!

Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hobbies/interests? When did you start writing?

Hello! My name is Pamela Turner, and I’m a NTSB addict. Oh, wait. That’s not right. Let’s try this again. Paranormal/Dark Fiction author, whose secret weapon is invisibility and the power to charm cats 🙂 Hobbies/Interests include aviation (I took a few flying lessons), Tarot, photography, videography, old abandoned buildings, cemeteries, and yes, the NTSB.

How did you get the story idea for your current title?

Can’t say exactly what sparked the idea, but it was what would happen if an archangel unwittingly unleashed a demon upon a city? I wanted to write a character who was so devoted to duty, he didn’t care how he achieved it, only to find out he’d made a horrible mistake and had to deal with the consequences.

What has been one of your favorite characters to write?

Lucifer. In Exterminating Angel, he’s a mentor-type of character who cares deeply for his friends, but still manages to annoy them by working on a need-to-know basis. He’s not evil and is sincerely concerned with saving the city’s inhabitants. As for souls, he doesn’t bother. Souls don’t pay the bills. 🙂

What are your favorite movies?

Casablanca, Santa Sangre, Dementia-13, Children of Paradise, Ashes and Diamonds, Three Colors – Red, Three Colors – Blue, Dolls… Really, almost anything by Wajda or Kieslowski.

Do you listen to music while writing? If so, what?

To be honest, I can’t write with music. Too distracting. But I do have songs that inspire my stories. These include songs by Blutengel, Within Temptation, E-Nomine, etc. – European symphonic metal, gothic, and dark wave.

What books/authors have inspired your writing?

Stories and television shows like Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Thriller, Night Gallery, Twilight Zone, and One Step Beyond. The Alfred Hitchcock suspense anthologies played a significant role in my writing suspense. I remember two stories in particular. One about a hardened executive who’s paralyzed, and his tears save his life. The other, about a young woman, traumatized by rape, who cried “That’s him!” to her husband when they were searching for her assailant. I don’t remember if he killed the man, but he certainly attacked him. The story was made all the more poignant when the woman then pointed to another man and cried out, “It’s him!” That and stories by Ida Chittum in her collection, Tales of Terror, particularly “The Haunted Well,” “The Twisting Wind,” and “Vision of Roses.”

What themes do you like to explore in your books?

I like to explore the issues of good and evil and twist preconceived notions. Obsession and vengeance also seem to be common themes throughout my work.

What is next? Any new titles we should be looking for?

I’ve written a spin off to Exterminating Angel called Hell on Earth and another angel paranormal, The Judas Dilemma. That, plus Serpent Fire, the second book in my Angels of Death series. They’re still works-in-progress.

They all sound great! Thanks for stopping by today 🙂

Exterminating Angel Blurb:

Making a deal with the Devil is the least of his problems.

Zaphkiel, a chain-smoking, hard-drinking archangel, never intended to unleash the sun demon upon the city. Bad enough his boss wants him dead, and this recent crime is the perfect excuse. The timing couldn’t be worse. Somehow, Zaphkiel’s executed lover, Caliel, is alive and reincarnated as Sean. Zaphkiel is thrilled to be reunited with Caliel again, but will his lover feel the same when he learns Zaphkiel’s darkest secret?

Hired by Lucifer, Sean wants nothing more than to fit in. But how can he compete when the Devil’s friends include archangels and a Tarot reader, and he was born without special abilities? Or so he believes. The Tarot hints there may be more to him than he realizes.

Recruited by the Devil to find the two pentacles sun demon Sorath plans to use to destroy the universe, Zaphkiel and Sean find themselves pawns in a game of power and control. If the archangel gives his boss the pentacles, Ophaniel will overlook his crime. But Zaphkiel knows he can’t trust either Ophaniel or Sorath, and the deal he’s made with the Devil could cost him not only his life, but also the lover he believed gone forever.

M/M sexual practices, occult themes, some violence, graphic descriptions.

Buy link:

http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/book.aspx/30226

Excerpt: (Please note contains language and some graphic imagery)

Zaphkiel could see why people called Eastern Cemetery haunted, given the high grass and overturned, broken tombstones. Clouds obscured the night sky, perfect cover for their midnight excursion. “Sense anything?”

“Something. But it’s weak.”

Zaphkiel recoiled at a bloody deer’s head jammed atop an obelisk. “What the fuck?”

Raziel drew a sharp breath. “Assholes.”

What sick mind would do this? Easy to say Satanists. More likely dumb-ass kids pretending to be devil worshippers.

Neither voiced the possibility Kurt might also be responsible. Continue reading →

New Release and Giveaway! Fin’s Fantasy by Jocelyn Dex

Posted on January 13, 2014 by admin

It’s great to have Jocelyn Dex back. We share a love for the awesomeness that are demons. And Jocelyn is celebrating the release of her newest book in the Sempire Seductions Series, Fin’s Fantasy. Before Fin’s Fantasy, Jocelyn released Valia’s Villain. I totally dig the angle with her Sempire Seductions Series, generally female demons that need to consume semen to survive. Makes for some interesting conflict and sexy fun. (Jocelyn stopped by a while back and we had a fun discussion on demons. Check it out by clicking here.) Be sure to scroll down and check out the Rafflecopter link for her giveaway to celebrate the release of Fin’s Fantasy.

To start off, a brief interview with Jocelyn!

Jocelyn: Thanks for having me here to talk about my Sempire Seductions series and to celebrate the release of the third book, Fin’s Fantasy!

Me: I read Araya’s Addiction and loved the sexiness, Araya’s conflict with her human and demon sides, and her love interest Kean. You mentioned that Valia’s Villain is different in tone than Araya’s Addiction. How so? (It sounds like lots of fun…especially the handcuffs part…ahem 🙂 What about Fin’s Fantasy compared to the other two?

Thank you!

Araya and Valia are very different heroines. Whereas Araya is reluctant to give in to her demon nature–is dead set against becoming a slave to her sexual cravings, Valia revels in hers. Valia sees what she wants and goes after it with no shame, no hesitation. Valia’s Villain is a little sexier and there’s more action in it too. Also Valia is nutty (she would say she’s totally awesome) which I think makes the story really fun, although still super sexy and dark in some scenes.

Fin’s Fantasy is kind of a mixture of Araya’s Addiction and Valia’s Villain. Fin is a nice guy-er-demon. His heroine, Navine, is kind of a bitch. Ha. But there are reasons for it and even though she gives Fin a super hard time, she makes up for it before the end.

What type of scenes do you enjoy writing the most?

This probably depends on what type of mood I’m in at the time. Sometimes I love writing sex scenes, sometimes I hate it. What I’ve noticed is that I really enjoy writing dialogue–especially during times of tension and during the “I must have you” scenes. Oh and there’s a drunken scene in Fin’s Fantasy that I loved writing the dialogue for. It still cracks me up when I go back and read it and I hope readers will get a kick out of it too.

Are you an outgoing person? Are you a morning or night person?

I definitely wouldn’t call myself outgoing but sometimes I can fake it. If there are cocktails involved, I can almost certainly fake it. (｡◕‿◕｡)

Soooo not a morning person but I wish I was. I think it would be great to wake up in the morning and be all “Woo hoo! Morning is here! Let’s start doing stuff!” But it just isn’t to be for me. Even though I’m out of bed and moving around in the morning, my brain doesn’t truly wake up until the afternoon. Sigh.

I get it totally. I’ve become more of a morning person since I had my son, who insists everyone wake up to embrace the world with the same amount of enthusiasm as him (I grrr with a smile).

What is next? Any new titles we should be looking for?

Well, I plan to write one more story in the Sempire Seductions series although I haven’t started on it yet. The ideas for the first three books came to me fairly easily but the fourth is not cooperating yet.

I have one story out on submission right now and I’m not going to jinx it by going into detail, but fingers crossed! Ohhhh, GOOD LUCK!

Thanks so much for having me here Mimi and thanks to everyone else for stopping by!

As always, it’s lots of fun having you.

Valia’s Villain

Sempire Seductions, Book 2

Blurb

When Valia approaches the Ferox demon, hoping for scorching sex and a feed, she doesn’t expect to be handcuffed, transported to the demon realm, accused of dirty deeds she has no memory of committing and held captive for three days. Even though she believes her captor to be crazy, she feels a connection to him she’s felt with no one else.

When Rydin senses the Sempire who locked him up, fed on him and used him as a sex slave many years ago, he knows his wait for revenge is finally over. Burning with the need to punish her, he imprisons her in the demon realm, where she is at his mercy, but as much as he tries to ignore it, a connection sparks between them every time they touch.

Fin’s Fantasy

Sempire Seductions, Book 3

Blurb

Navine is suffering Incubus addiction–a death sentence for any Sempire. When the search for a cure turns up only one rumor, Navine is horrified to learn the mutant Fin might be her only chance to live. Fearing the taint of the mutant more than fearing death, she continues to push him away as she tries to deny how his touch inflames her desire.

Fin was captivated by Navine the first moment their gazes locked but when she realized what he was–a male Sempire, a mutant, an abomination to the species–she’d rejected him. Burning with the need to touch her, taste her, he’ll do almost anything to save her even though she belittles him at every turn.

With time running out, passion must overcome prejudice to save Navine’s life and to grant Fin’s fantasy.

Author Bio and Links

Jocelyn was born in Iowa and currently resides in hot-as-hell Texas. She shares her home with her very own 6’4″ alpha male and varying numbers of spoiled cats and dogs. Teaching one of her dogs to file his nails is one of her all-time favorite accomplishments.

She thinks dragonflies are awesome, spiders are creepy and it’s rumored that she sleeps with a machete by her bed in case zombies attack in the middle of the night.

Jocelyn loves to paint, loves to read, and loves to write sizzling erotic romance about yummy demons that would make your momma blush.

Here’s where you can find Jocelyn on the web

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Blog * Goodreads

Here’s where you can buy Fin’s Fantasy

Ellora’s Cave * Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Giveaway (US & International)

2 winners, each winner will have a choice between an ebook copy of Araya’s Addiction or an ebook copy of Valia’s Villain

Link to Rafflecopter on Jocelyn Dex Blog

http://jocelyndex.blogspot.com/2014/01/celebrate-release-of-fins-fantasy-with.html

New Release, Portents

Posted on October 31, 2013 by admin

Happy Halloween!! I’m pleased to feature the new release of Shanyn Hosier’s second book in the Amanda Ryder V.I. series, Portents. I had the luck of reading Portents before its release and you won’t be disappointed. Shanyn creates an interesting world with her paranormal characters and their powers, and her characterizations are top notch!

When all signs point to trouble, can Amanda steer clear of disaster?

Amanda Ryder’s determined never to fail her coven again. Next time, she won’t hesitate to pull the trigger to defend her friends. If only they’d trust her enough to let her set foot outside the Academy…

Frustrated and itching to prove herself, Amanda snags her first Academy mission: she and Toby Laboyteaux, fellow teen witch who “kinda sorta sees the future,” must work together to track down a local swamp monster stirring up trouble in the sticks. But overturned suburban garbage cans and blurry tabloid pictures aren’t the only problems—strained relationships with her new colleagues, a growing guilt-complex, and the waxing moon all add to Amanda’s stress. Add to that the pressure of being hunted by a psychic psychopath, and Amanda’s got plenty on her mind.

Meanwhile, Hamilton Nash swears Marian Dupree and her Academy of bumbling do-gooders have thwarted his plans for the last time. Convinced Amanda’s the subject of his mother’s recent prophecy and the key to his future success, he redoubles his efforts to obtain the mystery girl. But when Amanda proves too slippery a quarry, Nash sets his sights on the next best thing. When a valuable member of the Academy coven is kidnapped, Amanda and her friends are in a race against time. Is a tragic future destined to come to pass?

About Shanyn: Born and raised in small-town, rural Indiana, I now live in metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona with an intimidatingly smart and devastatingly handsome husband and two hyperactively cute and talented sons who will one day be Earth’s Overlords (never underestimate the power of Legos). I enjoy cooking, traveling, gardening, sewing, quilting, and embroidery but only when I’m in the right mood and seldom concurrently (I’m kind of streaky when it comes to hobbies). I adore reading and writing in the same way that I love breathing and eating, gaining a similar nourishment from each.

Web http://www.shanynhosier.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shanyn-Hosier/117508078349472

Twitter @Taboo_Mistress

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5415139.Shanyn_Hosier

Amazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B006HGAZL0

We Love Our Demon Heroes: Discussion with Jocelyn Dex

Posted on September 6, 2013 by admin

Thanks for stopping by today. I’ve been looking forward to this post. You can also find it here, on Jocelyn Dex’s blog: Demons Do It Better, which is an appropriate name given our “panel” discussion today on demons. Jocelyn features demons in her book Araya’s Addiction and they play a big role in my Necromancer Books. To get us in the mood, here is the cover of Araya’s Addiction featuring a hunky demon 🙂

So let’s get to the discussion and please join us by leaving a comment!

More and more books feature demons, all taking a slightly different approach, which is fun like where they come from, their powers and types. Can you speak a little to the demons in your stories?

Jocelyn: I created several different types of demons for my Sempire Seductions series, but the Sempires can teleport, are very strong, and without, um, semen, they will weaken and eventually die. (Hey, I write erotic romance. It works.) Most of them also carry over some sort of power from their fathers.

Mimi: I loved the semen factor in your book! I don’t know what that says about me, but it’s a unique approach. My demons come from another realm and have interfered, influenced the human realm going back to ancient Sumeria, if not further. They’re not demons from “Hell”, and have a very defined social structure. That’s about all I can say 🙂

Let’s talk demons vs other supernatural males, like vampires, werewolves, fae, etc.

Mimi: There’s something to me that’s very primal about demons. I love vampires, but vampires almost seem too polished, and they were also once human. Maybe it’s their age as well, making them somewhat jaded. Demons feel more dirty and sweaty to me, LOL. And when you unleash the demon, you let loose that primal force, like a hurricane, that you can’t control. It’s scary and frickin’ sexy at the same time.

Jocelyn: Ha. Dirty and sweaty. I agree with that. I like the grittiness of demons and I feel like there are no rules with them. I also dig vampires, but there are so many preconceived notions when it comes to them. Demons can be whatever you want without too many preconceived ideas of what they should be.

I’m not a big fan of shifters (werewolves, big cats, etc.), but every once in awhile I come across a story with shifters that catches my interest and turns out okay. I read a gargoyle romance a few months ago and really enjoyed that. It was something different and I’m definitely interested in reading more.

Are your demons good or bad or somewhere in between?

Mimi: I like my demons to play in the moral gray areas. While they are not evil, they may at times take actions that stretch those boundaries. My demons come from another dimension and their take on what’s right or wrong is shaped by an entirely different social structure.

Jocelyn: Some of my demons are good, some are bad, but that’s really a matter of perspective. Like Mimi said, the demons’ take on what’s right or wrong is shaped by the world they’re from so it may not jive with humans’ take on right and wrong.

Do they come from another world? How do they coexist in the human world?

Jocelyn: Most of the demons in my stories come from the demon realm and most want to live in the more pleasant human realm or in the veil between realms. Some want to make trouble but most want to live peacefully, undetected by humans.

Mimi: I jumped the gun and talked about this in the first question. How do they coexist? That is an interesting question. Like Jocelyn said, some do blend in pretending to be human, and some want to cause trouble J

What about some favorite demon heroes from other books or shows?

Mimi: Greyson from Stacia Kane’s Megan Chase series. I also like Ryan from Diana Rowland’s Demon Summoner series, but I’m ready for her to unleash him already. I’m getting a little fatigued with reading about Kara sleeping with every other demon besides Ryan. Talking television, I really liked Cole from Charmed, but hate what they did to him. I wished they would have kept him around, but the actor went on to greener pastures.

Jocelyn: Oooh! Oooh! Me too! Cole from Charmed. Oh man, I loved his character and I was also pissed about what they did to him. I totally blamed Phoebe for his ultimate demise. Bitch. Haha. Anyway, in books, I love Larissa Ione’s Wraith. He’s a sexy badass demon with a smartass attitude. Love him.

Oh and I can’t forget Crowley from Supernatural. He’s a bad demon but every once in a while does something surprisingly helpful and he has a certain charm. Maybe it’s the accent. 🙂

What are your plans for future demon characters?

Jocelyn: Oh, so many plans! Even though book 2 and 3 of my Sempire Seductions series are still in edits and not yet released, I’ve already started a new series featuring more demons. Different demons, and I love the characters, but I can’t say more than that just yet.

Mimi: Awesome! Can’t wait.

Any final thoughts on why you like demon heroes/heroines?

Mimi: I like that they’re not your typical heroes and are sometimes driven by primal forces beyond their control which makes exploring their vulnerabilities that much more interesting.

Jocelyn: They are the ultimate bad boys and bad girls. What’s not to like?

Thanks for joining the discussion! Here’s info on Jocelyn:

Jocelyn was born in Iowa and currently resides in hot-as-hell Texas. She shares her home with her very own 6’4″ alpha male and varying numbers of spoiled cats and dogs. Teaching one of her dogs to file his own nails is one of her all-time favorite accomplishments.

Jocelyn loves to paint, loves to read, and loves to write sizzling erotic romance about yummy demons that would make your momma blush (or not–depends on the momma).

Sharon Buchbinder’s Obsession

Posted on July 26, 2013 by admin

It’s wonderful having friend and fellow Paranormal Romance Guild author, Sharon Buchbinder, on my blog today. I read Obsession, and if you haven’t read it, pick it up! Sharon did a wonderful job with her characters. I especially liked how she wrote about the cult leaders and their mentality. The setting is exciting and interaction with the local culture and how the indigenous population figured into Angie’s quest to find her son. I really liked Angie as a heroine. She endured a lot of trauma at the hands of her parents, yet managed to survive it and become stronger. I enjoyed the romance between Angie and Alejandro too! He’s hot 🙂

Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hobbies/interests? When did you start writing?

Thank you very much for having me here, Mimi. I’ve been telling stories from childhood and began writing and submitting stories to magazines in high school. I still have the rejection slips from Redbook. I realized I needed to eat, so I set aside the idea of a writing career in favor of a steady income. After working in health care delivery for years, I became an association executive, a health care researcher, and an academic in higher education. I had it all–a terrific, supportive husband, an amazing son and a wonderful job. But that itch to write (some call it an obsession) kept beckoning me to “come on back” to writing fiction. My mid-life crisis consisted of attending a writing retreat in upstate New York. That weekend reinvigorated my muse and I’ve been writing, and working full time ever since. Thanks to innumerable online classes, weekend seminars, boot camps, workshops, the kindness of family, friends, critique partners, and beta readers, I am now published in mystery, horror, and science fiction, as well as contemporary, erotic, paranormal and romantic suspense. When not writing, I can be found trying to make students, colleagues, and babies laugh, teaching, herding cats, waiting on a large gray dog, fishing, or enjoying a good meal and laughs with friends or family.

I need a weekend to invigorate my muse! You have a new release, Obsession, please tell us about it.

Here’s the blurb: A year after a barbaric childbirth, complete with a near-death experience and an encounter with her guardian angel, Angie Edmonds is just happy she and her son, Jake, are alive. She’s finally in a good place: clean, sober, and employed as a defense attorney. But at the end of a long work day, she finds herself in a parent’s worst nightmare: Jake has been kidnapped and taken across the Mexican border by a cult leader who believes the child is the “Chosen One.” Continue reading →

Writing a Book Series-Author Guest Panel

Posted on July 9, 2013 by admin

Thanks for joining us today. I’m stoked about today’s post. In my ongoing discussion on constructing a book series, I asked a group of writers, who are in the process of, have written, a book series, to provide some insight into their process and books.

My panel includes V.S. Nelson, Camelia Miron Skiba, Shanyn Hosier, Mary Buckham, and Gina Conkle. I’m very excited to have this incredibly talented panel of authors bringing varied knowledge and experiences, some traditionally published and some self-published, writing different genres that include romance (including a LGBT ménage romance!), paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and historical. Next to their pictures below, I included a brief description of their book series. At the end of the post, please find a brief bio on each along with a picture of their latest release or cover to one of their series!

Mary Buckham: I’m writing two series. One in fiction, one in non-fiction. The fiction one is an Urban Fantasy series focused on a group of five human women with unique gifts recruited to fight growing agitation from the preternatural world that exists side-by-side with the human world, though unknown to most. They do this via a new agency called the INVISIBLE RECRUITS, which echoes the theme of women in the shadows, fighting their own fears and limitations as well as battling threats unknown to most humans. The initial books in the series focus on Alex Noziak, part/witch, part/shaman, who must learn to embrace her gifts to help her team and others or die in the process. The non-fiction series is called WRITING ACTIVE SETTINGS, which explores different elements of utilizing setting on the page as a dynamic, powerful craft tool in several distinct ways.

Shanyn Hosier: Desert Menage is comprised of three books. It follows three characters—Beth, Paul, and John—and their triadic relationship from its comically tenuous beginning in Nine Dates, through its evolution into a strong and equitable bond in Tri Me, culminating with the threesome facing unique and politically charged challenges in Wholly Trinity as they strive to live more openly and begin a family together. Amanda Ryder (series) never asked for her special gifts—she’d been born with the ability to see, hear, and sense things around her no one else could. But her family never believed her innocence and accused her of witchcraft. Her father threw her out of the house on her eighteenth birthday, when an exorcism went horribly wrong. The series follows Amanda as she makes her way in the world, meeting others with paranormal talents, struggling to find her place. It’s not always easy, especially when “good” guys don’t always make “good” choices.

V. S. Nelson: Long ago, seven stepped forward and volunteered for a mission to protect Earth from an evil that escaped their world. Today they are known as those that run Guardians Inc., a world renowned protection agency. Although the books in the series are multi-plotted, each book centers on one of these heroes and their quest for true love.

Camelia Miron Skiba: My series is a 5-story historical romance series called Dacian Legends (Born In Vengeance and Born In Sin already released; Born In Darkness will come out 2015). Each book follows the story of one of the members of a Dacian brotherhood in their quest for revenge, honor and love.

Gina Conkle: Midnight Meetings, a 3 book series with Sourcebooks, tells of men and women entwined with the once golden Sanford family. The Industrial Revolution looms ahead and each character must adapt. A pivotal “midnight meeting” changes lives in each book.

All the series sound great and some I’ve had the pleasure of starting to read! I’d like to observe something here, which I find very interesting. The book titles are connected in some way (all very creative and intriguing), and we definitely see this with many book series.

We have V.S. Nelson’s two published books in her Sekhmet’s Guardians: Eternal Lovers and Eternal Nights. The eternal already clues you in to the immortal aspect.

Cami’s Born In Vengeance, Born in Sin, etc…touching upon each hero’s conflict/story.

Shanyn’s Nine Dates, Tri Me, and Wholly Trinity which all play into the ménage theme.

Mary’s Invisible Recruits, Invisible Magic, Invisible Power. Automatically I wonder, why invisible? Mary explains the invisible relates to internal and external conflicts.

Gina’s Midnight Meetings, which I find a fantastic idea., and the series title immediately clues you in.

My Necromancer Series: Necromancer’s Seduction, Necromancer’s Betrayal, and tentative third title of Necromancer’s Redemption. Each title reflects a specific theme for the heroine’s arc (and other characters as well).

If you visit these authors’ websites and look at the book covers, you see a design theme as well. All this helps the reader connect immediately to the series, and also shows the author put a lot of thought into the look of their series, etc.

One of the challenging aspects for me in writing my series has been filling the reader in on what happened in the previous book. I’ve seen authors do this in various ways, and I think the method used depends on the type of book series. How have you approached filling the reader in? Continue reading →

Viking Romance with Gina Conkle

Posted on June 6, 2013 by admin

I’m very pleased to have Gina Conkle on my blog today.

I happened to connect with Gina, while totally getting into the tv show Vikings, then found she writes Viking themed romance! Gina has written some great historical blog posts related to her writing. Check it out.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Hobbies/interests? When did you start writing?

First, thanks for inviting me here and to you, the readers, for sharing part of your day. I’m guessing one thing we have in common is love of a good story.

My first story began over ten years ago. The “what if” moment came when I’d been reading a Viking non-fiction book and watched the movie “Gladiator.” I wondered, “What happens if a Viking chieftain wants to lay down his sword and be a farmer?”

That’s how the premise for Norse Jewel was born.

As far as other areas of interest, I’m slowly getting back to running. I used to do triathlons…had two injuries and stopped, but now am content with a little running. Our family’s also dipping our toe in organic gardening with a garden box my husband and sons made. You could say it’s a joint effort.

How did you get the story idea for your current title?

There’s a red stone pendant threaded in the story. The heroine, Helena, goes to great lengths to keep the jewel but later questions its value. Continue reading →

Danica Winters-Paranormal Romance Writing Cowgirl

Posted on May 6, 2013 by admin

Please welcome Danica Winters! Her Nymph Series sounds like a must read, with Greek mythology, romance, and settings that include Crete and the wilds of Montana.

Romance in Montana

Whenever I am at a large event outside of my home state I’m always asked where I’m from. Perhaps it is the fact that I have never owned a purse that cost over a hundred dollars or a pair of heels that I’ve seen in a magazine. Or, it could be the fact that my dress clothes have mostly been purchased at ranch supply stores (I’m not kidding). I’m not saying I am unprofessional—no far from it. I always have a nice shine on my boots and my hair is filled with spiraling curls and silver clips (unless I’m at home, in which case you will find me in yoga pants and a sweatshirt even in July). When I tell my readers I’m from Montana I am usually met with a response like, “Are you serious? Montana Montana?”

Those wonderful readers helped to remind me what a wonderful and picturesque state I have the honor of calling my home. It was this reminder which pushed me to write my latest book Montana Mustangs which takes place in a blink-an-you-miss-it town called Somers. Somers lies on the northern tip of Flathead Lake, one of the largest natural lakes west of the Mississippi. Having grown up in Montana I have had the chance to dip into this bone-chilling lake that rests in the bosom of the Mission mountains. The water of the lake reflects the snow-capped craggy mountain tops and as soon as you see it you are instantly reminded about how small we are in the grand puzzle of life.

The truth is that most of my writing is inspired by not only the ethereal beauty of Flathead Lake, but all of the beauty that surrounds me in this wonderful state. Every morning when I leave my home I’m met with the nod and wave as I pass my neighbors on a dirt road that has been forgotten by GPS. This slow-paced lifestyle is solely focused on the love of nature and the bounty it has to offer. In addition to the necessary love of the outdoors I am filled with a need to write—a need to share with those who love the written word.

In Montana Mustangs I have created a work in which I have tried to capture my love of Montana in addition to capturing the hearts of my many wonderful and loyal fans. If you love books that are outside of the normal Mary Jane romances and if you like the unexpected twists and turns of mystery than you will love the paranormal romance Montana Mustangs—the second book in the Nymph Series. Continue reading →

Mimi Sebastian

On the dark side of love

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