Blog Archives

Romancing the Blog Hop

8/31/2012

Today I'm sharing my thoughts on ROMANCE... the heart of our world. I am giving away a copy of one of my ebooks to one lucky commentator. In addition all the people who leave a comment along with their EMAIL ADDRESS will be entered to win the grand prizes!!
1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $130 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: A Large Swag Pack

Romance… for everyone!

The word romance generates a different picture to each of us at different times. Sometimes it is a candlelit dinner just the two of you. At other times, it is flowers or a special gift of jewelry. Romance can be the way he still looks at you and pulls you into his arms or the way he rubs your shoulders after a long day at work. We need to have that spark of romance in order to have a passionate relationship. It makes all the lows worth the work to keep a liaison going s trong. Anyway you look at it…without the romance, the happily ever afters wouldn’t happen.

We, readers and writers, are in the romance industry. We write stories about the magnetic corporate lawywer who captures the eye of his lowly secretary and dreams of what if. We tell the stories of characters who should never have ended up together, yet find love perfectly. We love nothing more than to have our two characters fall in love and connect. We want them to feel the spark of desire and the passion of romance. We want themto be happy and to live happily ever after… or at least happily enough for the next book in the series.

It is this concept of impossible love that I wrote about in my story “Second Time’s the Charm”. Lissa Vincent was a broken woman. She was a lot like me when I divorced my ex-husband. I felt that life had kicked my teeth out. But I knew that I deserved a love story of my own and was determined to get it. “Second Time’s the Charm” is the tale of a woman who doesn’t see the value in herself and needs a little romance to convince her of her own charms.

Middle aged and after a tough divorce with a hostile ex-husband, Lissa was facing a new life on her own two feet. Struggling with being a single parent to her two boys and juggling her job and their needs, left her little time for herself. She never expects that love will even glance her way again. And if she has to meet another guy like her ex, she doesn’t want it to either. But love and romance doesn’t care what she wants when it puts her best friend’s ex-husband, Alex Hunter, in front of her. Alex has to woo Lissa. He pulls out all the stops, the rose petals, holding hands, and the candlelit dinner. He even gains the friendship of her sons. But will it be enough to present them with a happily ever after?

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How does a middle aged, divorcee with two children find her way back to love after a devastating divorce leaves her with no self confidence and no faith in love? Lissa's ex-husband has shredded her self-esteem so she's thrown herself into her children and her work, leaving time for nothing else.

When an life threatening illness in her best friend's family puts Lissa on the path to romance, Lissa finds new love in a most unexpected way--an introduced by her new guy's ex-wife.

Who knew that first time loves could lead to second chances?

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Do you believe in romance? What is the most romantic thing someone has done for you?

To enter... just comment about romance and MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS! It's that simple! Don't forget that the more comments you leave on the various sites, the better your chances are! Good Luck!!

Deborah Gafford Gives Away Prizes

8/30/2012

Deborah Gafford visited on Tuesday and since she found such a welcoming response to her book, she's deciced to give away prizes. She is giving each of the three people she selected (yep, names in a hat) a copy of her latest book. She's sending out emails to the winners shortly.

Congrats to:
Willa Blair
Linda Caroll-Bradd
Tory Richards

Thank you so much everyone for making her feel so welcome! Don't forget that this weekend is Romancing the Blog Hop and I will be giving away one of my books, as well as anyone who leaves a comment with their email address will be entered to win the big prizes of huge swag pack, $130 gift card, and an ereader!

Stop by Tomorrow!!!

MV Freeman is in the Interview Chair and Sharing her Latest Book {CONTEST}

8/28/2012

I'm so excited to have MV Freeman visiting with me today. She is a good friend but also an amazing author. Her latest book's cover is smoking, literally and I can't wait to share it with you! MV is giving away some tea to one lucky commentator.

Hello Melissa, I am very happy to be here! I am going to dive right and answer your questions.

What television sitcom is most like your family? Why? The Middle—this reflects the irreverence, humor and frustrations so well for our family.

What’s your favorite thing to do to relax? Cook, workout, read. I’m very much an introvert. I also enjoy a good movie with my family. They center me.

If you could go back in time to when you were seven years old, what wisdom or advice would you pass on to yourself? I would tell myself to apply myself more—and fight for it. That life does get better. We forget what we were like at that age. But even now, I don’t think I would’ve listened. I’d rather have spoken to my 12-13 yr old self. Ah..what could’ve been.

For what are you grateful? I am grateful for many things. I thank God for my health, family, food on my table, roof over my head and where I live. And most of all for I am grateful for my imagination. I have learned that gratefulness keeps me in perpespective of what truly is important.

Now about you as an author...What authors had an impact on you growing up and as an adult? As a kid the authors that moved me were: Anne MacCaffrey, J.R.R. Tolkien, Madeline L’engle, Susan Cooper, and S.E. Hinton. Hmm. There is a pattern here. That is why one of the genre’s I write is YA. As an adult, I like Ilona Andrews, Anne Stuart, Karen Marie Moning, Garth Nix, Stephanie Myers, Moriah Densley, Kelley Armstrong, Scott Westerfeld, Jeanine Frost, and Janet Lee Carey. (I could go on and on…there are so many).

What is your favorite aspect or writing? Your least favorite? My favorite aspect—is world building and creating. This is called the “Shiney” by some of my friends. It’s new, fresh and exciting. I adore creating. What I am NOT a fan of is the business side. It eats into my writing time and that frustrates me.

What aspect of writing would you most like to improve on? Dialogue and Dialogue tags. I have to fight for it, it is one of the most painful things for me, but when it works it makes it the story so much smoother.

Do you have any“must haves” with you while you’re writing? Coffee, Tea, and music when I am going into first draft. But when I am revising and refining—I need silence.

Do you have a common theme or item that appears in each of your books? I like beauty and the beast stories, or ones with redemption. My stories no matter in what genre will always deal with decisions, boundaries and learning to take responsibility. I didn’t plan on it this way—they just seem to come out.

What have you learned the most from being in the writing business? That it is a tough and brutal business. You have to learn to roll with the punches. Most importantly—it is all up to me. I have to set the time to write. I have to be open to learning. Even when I get rejections—I have to be confident enough with
my own writing to keep sending it out there. (I admit—its tough, but chocolate helps). And finally—that there are some truly AMAZING people out there.

Tell us about your latest release:

INCANDESCENT: Some
gifts are unwanted, and Laurie’s Hudson’s affinity for fire is one she hates.
It has destroyed her relationship with her family and she has few friends.

She’s fought hard to keep the fire inside suppressed, living a low key life as a bartender, until a brutal and charming man blows into her life.

Around Mikhail Petrov, her careful control disintegrates. She is at once drawn to his urbane, cool demeanor and irritated by his overbearing manner. Her options are taken away when he kidnaps her, forcing her into a fight she wants nothing to do with.

As she learns to survive, Laurie faces the hardest choice of all, her freedom or the destruction of the frustrating man she’s come to care for.

How did you decide on your story plot? Oh that is a wickedly hard—but I was inspired by the movie “Eastern Promises”. I Liked the idea of a society that lives on the fringes, that functions out of sight of most people but does have a great impact. So I applied it to my story. I also admit, my favorite actor had a large role in it: Viggo Mortensen.

Thanks for inviting me to be on your blog—I have had a lot of
fun. For one lucky commentator I will give away some tea.

Author Bio: M.V. Freeman is a native of Minnesota, but calls North Alabama her home. She is a member of RWA, and the
chapters: Georgia Romance Writers, Southern Magic, and Heart of Dixie. By day her mind is filled with medical jargon at the local health clinic, but at night she finds herself exploring alternate worlds within our own. Heavily influenced by Slavic languages and culture, you will find she weaves these elements into her stories. Her award winning current story INCANDESCENT is the first in a series. She is currently working on the second book in the series while plotting another series. When she is not writing, she's reading, cooking, throwing around kettle bells, or making coffee.

www.mvfreeman.com
www.crimsonromance.com
twitter @MVFree

Thank you MV for stopping by! Didn't I say her cover was sizzling! :) Make sure you comment!

Deborah Gafford Shares her Thoughts on Life, Writing and her Latest Book

8/27/2012

Today I have Deborah Gafford in the hot seat. I love getting to know new to me authors and sharing them with you. Deborah is an amazing person and a great author. Her cover is so beautiful. I can't wait for you to see it.

Welcome Deborah. Please tell us a little about yourself.
Hmm, where to start? I have been a teacher, a stained glass
artist and shop owner, and even tried my hand at Victorian millinery. Through it all, I always loved writing.

I am married to the love of my life, my high school sweetheart from way back when, and we have one son who is our pride and joy.

I love to travel and have lived in Japan and visited many
places in the Far East. I have traveled all over the United States as well as in Mexico and Scotland.

What’s your favorite thing to do to relax?
I have an antique spinning wheel from the Netherlands and love to spin and weave.I think of story plots while spinning, often imagining a Highland lass with a child at her knee playing in a humble cottage on the Scottish hillside. I love to dye raw wool and then sit and spin it into beautiful yarn to use on my floor loom. My goal is to go from raw wool to dyed, spun yarn, to a beautiful hand woven blanket one day. Could it be I was born in
the wrong century?

If you could go back in time to when you were seven years old, what wisdom or advice would you pass on to yourself?
Hoard more batteries! I loved to read as a child and long after bed time I would read by flashlight under my blanket. Unfortunately the batteries never lasted long enough. How's a young girl supposed to finish Nancy Drew in the dark?

For what are you grateful?
I am grateful for the love and support of my family and friends.
I am blessed with the most loving husband in the world. He, our son and friends make my life a joy even when it's not.

At what age were you the happiest? What triggered such joy?
I have to say I am happiest right now. I am at a point in my life where my husband and I are able to be together all the time since we have both retired from our career jobs and every day is a moment of something new to share together.

What is the number one lie you tell yourself? How is that working out?
Hmm, that I still look or move like I did when I was thirty? I don't know how it's working out just yet. I need to finish turning the rest of the mirrors in my house to the wall and then I'll let you know when I manage to get out of my chair without sounding like a commercial for Rice Krispies cereal: Snap, Crackle, Pop.

Now about you as an author…What authors had an impact on you growing up and as an adult?
I have to say Carolyn Keene, author of the Nancy Drew series, got me interested as a young girl in reading about mystery and adventure. I loved the adventure and the fact that Nancy held her own with adults in the stories. Later, I began reading Agatha Christie, Mary Stewart and Jude Deveraux. Adventure and mystery still held my interest, but romance surged to the forefront and has remained there. These authors brought the world and romance to my doorstep and I've been reading and writing romance ever since.

What is your favorite aspect of writing? Your least favorite?
My favorite aspect of writing is the initial writing of the story, discovering my characters and their stories as I go along. I don't do a lot of external plotting but rather enjoy the journey of the story as it unfolds in my mind. I believe I'm what some call a "Pantster"- writing by the seat of my pants, rather than plotting everything out ahead of time. My least favorite part of writing is
revisions. Sometimes I may sit for half an hour playing around with one paragraph trying to get it "just right". But I love being a writer. What other job lets you work in your pajamas if you feel like it?

What aspect of writing would you most like to improve on?
I suppose I would like to be "faster" but then it's all relative. Some books seem to flow quickly while others move like a very tired snail across the Sahara. Uphill... In a sand storm… Blindfolded….

Do you have any “must haves” with you while you’re writing?
I always have a bottle of Fuji Apple Pear flavored water beside me and sometimes have Celtic music playing in the background. I used to have some chocolate but the keyboard kept getting sticky. "Are" kept turning into arghhhhhhhhhhhh and I don't speak "Pirate".

Do you have a common theme or item that appears in each of your books?
My literary love is Scottish historical romance. Who WOULDN'T want to write about a handsome, brawny man in a kilt? It's a tough job but someone has to do it. Right? Once in a wee while I write contemporary romantic comedy to shake the dust of the glens from my mind and clear it for my next Highland romance. But no matter what I write, there is always a Happy Ever After
ending.

What have you learned the most from being in the writing business?
I'd like to say patience, but I'm still working on that one. It's hard to wait for each novel to finally come out in finished form. Years ago, when I was pregnant with our son, I thought that took a long time. I've since discovered giving birth to a book takes just as much effort and usually more time. The only difference is with delivering the book there's no drug for labor pain, hence the chocolate. Aye, captain, thar she blows!

Tell us about your latest release:

My latest book is THE TALISMAN. This book was fun and challenging to write. I created the original cover (on the left) and learned how to make a video trailer, and although Cecil B. DeMille I'm not, it was a lot of fun to make. You can see the book trailer on my website www.deborahgafford.com and on you tube at http://www.youtube.com/watchv=OBT_7JaWO5U
THE TALISMAN will be released soon with a fabulous new cover, by cover artist Erin Dameron-Hill again featuring cover
model extraordinaire, Jimmy Thomas.

Not only did I need to research daily life, travel, festival and
holy days in medieval Scotland, but I also had to learn all about the process of making medieval ale. Since my heroine, Ailis, was the daughter of a medieval ale brewer I knew she would need to know how to brew a good barrel of ale. Believe me, I now know more than I ever thought possible on brewing ale as they did in medieval days. But who knows, that knowledge may come in handy one day if the local grocery store runs out of interesting things to drink.

There is a very dark side in The Talisman. Ailis O'Brien's family
is murdered in the Highlands and she vows to find the murderer and repay the blood debt at the risk of her own life. Though not of his clan, when Laird Gavin MacPherson finds her stumbling in a Highland forest half starved and nearly senseless with shock, he vows to aid her. Over time, their attraction to each
other begins to deepen promising love to fill the emptiness in their hearts. However, the secret of the talisman threatens to shatter their bond, forcing them to ultimately choose between love and vengeance.

How did you decide on your story plot?
Hopefully, without sounding as if I need a visit to the local loony bin, my characters find me and bring the plot with them. Sometimes I'll be doing the dishes or spinning on my spinning wheel and a character will pop into my head already complete with a story of his or her own. Sometimes a picturesque landscape or stirring music will start an idea and before I know it, a character and plot have formed. The tricky part is convincing the characters to let me tell their story my way. That is what happened with THE TALISMAN.

How did you choose your characters names and location for your story?
I was looking over a huge map of Scotland and reading names of mountains, lochs, and forests when a few seemed to jump out at me. Their names created a mental picture that were just what I needed for the location. For the characters' names, I looked through Scottish and Irish baby names books until I
found ones that fit the images I had in my head.

Do you have a favorite scene? Why?
It is hard to decide on just one. There are several I like but I suppose one of my favorites is the scene when Ailis and Gavin spend the night in an alehouse on a journey to Craigmuir,
Scotand. Without spoiling the scene, all I can say is it is a moment when Ailis and Gavin are forced to see things as they really are, both in their feelings for each other and in a fight to stay alive.

Do you have a character that you identify with? Who and why?
Again, just one character makes it a hard choice. One of my
favorite characters is a secondary character, Calum, Gavin's cousin. Life has made him strong and tough but he has retained his sense of humor. His quips add fun to many of the
scenes.

Here is the Prologue of THE TALISMAN to give you a taste of t
the book. I hope you enjoy it.

Scottish Highlands
A.D. 1570

A terrified scream pierced the quiet of the Highland forest startling Ailis O'Brien. That was her sister Jenny's voice! Dropping the firewood she'd gathered in an old blanket, Ailis ran back through the woods toward the traveling wagon she shared with her father and sister.

The fading light of twilight hampered her as she hurried through
the thick undergrowth. Limbs and roots appeared out of nowhere slowing her progress. A fallen tree branch snagged her skirt causing her to fall. The tumble knocked the air from her, and she lay there gasping, desperately trying to suck in enough air to move as the screaming continued. When she was able to breathe again, she crawled to her feet and yanked fiercely at her skirt freeing it from the tree limb.

The screams stopped abruptly. The sudden silence filled Ailis
with panic. The encroaching darkness fed her fear and she could not run through the forest fast enough. Why, in God's name, could she not move any faster?

A flickering light glowed through the trees ahead. Flames lit the area as she burst free of the forest and ran into the clearing where her family had made camp for the night. The blaze in front of her was much too large for their small campfire. Sweet Mother Mary, their wagon was on fire!

For a moment, the silence of the night was broken only by the sharp snap and crackle of flames as they began to climb up the front end of the wagon. Then she heard a man's harsh shout and the sound of a horse's hooves retreating in the distance. Jerking her gaze toward the sound, she caught a fleeting glimpse of a man in a tartan plaid but it was too dark to make it out clearly or to tell what he looked like. Ailis glanced frantically around the empty campsite looking for her father and sister. Praying they were safe, she ran toward the burning wagon. "Da, Jenny, where are you?"

Ailis' heart pounded in her throat as she forced herself to
climb into the back of the burning wagon to search for her family. She tripped just inside it and looked down. Her father's body lay in a crumpled heap. "Da, get up!" Grabbing his tunic to pull him to safety, she felt a sticky wetness. Lifting her hands, she stared down at her fingers. They were coated with blood.
Frantically, she shook his shoulder trying to rouse him and called to him again. "Da, speak to me! Where are you hurt?" She knelt beside him and searched for his wound to try to stop the bleeding. When she found a hole through his chest, she
realized there was nothing she could do for him. He was dead.

Sorrow threatened to overcome her but fear for her sister forced
her on. Da would want her to find Jenny. But where was she?

The smoke was getting thicker. Ailis could barely breathe.
Coughing, she stumbled past her father's body, and groped through the dense smoke until she found her. "Jenny!" Her sister lay naked, her head twisted unnaturally to one side.

Dear God, no! Not her, too!

Ailis dropped down beside her sister's still form. Her neck was
broken. A glint of something clutched in Jenny's fingers caught Ailis' eye. She reached down and pulled a strange talisman on a leather thong from her sister's hand. Jenny must have pulled it from her murderer's neck. Ailis gripped it tightly. This would prove who killed her father and sister. She would find its owner and avenge her family!

The smoke-filled air burned Ailis' throat. Coughing and gasping
for breath, she made her way to the back of the burning wagon. As she jumped out, her skirt caught on a flaming timber, setting it ablaze. Oh God, she was on fire!Tossing the talisman from her, she tore at her clothing, freeing herself of the flames. Naked and dazed, she backed away from the burning wagon then stood there helpless and watched as the blazing inferno
engulfed it. As it burned out of control, her grief and rage overwhelmed her and she began to scream.

Sometime later, she came to her senses. The wagon and everything in it was nothing more than a large pile of charred, glowing cinders.

Her family was dead!

Murdered.

What was she to do now? She looked down at her nakedness and saw the strange talisman at her feet. Grabbing up the incriminating amulet, she pulled its leather thong around her neck and stumbled into the woods. The blanket she had dropped would cover her while she sought shelter. Da had said
their next stop was a town two day's journey from there, but surely there was somewhere closer. She would find shelter and clothes and then she would find the murderer. Aye, no one would stop her from avenging her family.

The glow of the cinders faded as she staggered deeper into the
forest. She picked up the old blanket and tore an opening in the center large enough to slip over her head. Pulling the blanket down around her, she stumbled further into the woods. Within minutes, it began to rain. She could barely see in front of her.

Suddenly, her foot slipped on wet rock and she pitched forward down a small hill. The last thing she felt was her head hitting the ground.

Thank you Deborah for visiting today. Doesn't The Talisman sound like an amazing read. Who can't resist a hot Scotsman?

Book Spotlight: Tallusion Nights by Ciara Lake

8/26/2012

I am excited to share Tallusian Nights with you. Ciara Lake wrote a sizzling tale sure to take your breath away!

Tallusian Nights by Ciara Lake

Xihirian Shifters 2

Val Braeden is a seasoned Xihirian soldier hardened by the Realmist wars.  He discovers his true mate while on his latest rescue mission. A lovely Tallusian woman’s touch awakens him as no other.  While
escaping the war torn Tallusian capital the Realmist take down Val’s spacedisk.  He crashes into the Tallusian forest.  There Zalora and Val are determined to survive the wilds of Tallusia. Sparks fly, lighting a flame within them both.  Their passion heats the Tallusian nights binding them together forever.

Clitax Tomron is bent on revenge – he’s determined to avenge his father’s death.  Tomron strikes close to Val’s heart, taking his family hostage.  Only one thing stands in Tomron’s way, the power of a beautiful Tallusian princess.  Zalora wants peace and to put an end to these terrorist. She risks everything to save those she feels responsible for and the man of her dreams

Excerpt:
Running through the ruins of her beloved city was like living a nightmare. The moon’s illumination enabled her to see outlines of the fallen buildings. The scene was eerie and bleak. This wasn’t terrorism. This was out-and-out attempted annihilation. First, the planet Gerial and now her world were victims of utter
devastation. These Realmist were seeking to rid the universe of all others who were not like them. It was a blessing they had not irradiated them or at least not yet. But radiation would make Tallusia useless to them. “There has to be a reason for this. Hatred or prejudice couldn’t have caused this.” She pressed
herself closer to him as he took a leap over what looked to be a body. No building was untouched. Most were in ruins. Either by now survivors had been rescued or this rubble was their tomb. A stench rose, confirming the latter for a large number of victims. “My home’s gone.” She clung to his warm firm body.

This man was a true athlete, full of grace and unmistakable skill. He ran with ease. It amazed her. She realized he was her savior from an otherwise disastrous end. “Thank you.” She patted his chest where she clung to him. “Thank you.” Tears ran
down her face. She wiped her face on his uniform.“Sorry I’m making your uniform wet.” He did not comment. She did not expect him to. His full concentration was on getting them to his ship, keeping a look out for dangers. He ran swiftly while he held his weapon. On a few occasions, he jumped over hurdles of debris, landing smoothly, not breaking his gait. Zalora realized he was not the kind of man she was accustomed to interacting with. He was much more. No wonder these Earthen humans feared Xihirians. For Realmist, their fear had turned to
hatred. Val slowed. “Are you tired?”

“No, it’s too slick to run now. I’m afraid I may fall. I don’t want to fall with you on my back. So I’ll have to walk fast for now. I believe we’re almost there.”

“How did you remember the way?”

“I paid attention.”

“I’m glad you did.” She hugged him tighter. He continued to walk at a quick tempo. Zalora closed her eyes. It was just easier to block out everything. Her anxiety ate at her stomach.

“We’ve arrived. It looks like others have been here, too. But I can’t sense anyone now.” Zalora opened her eyes.

“Have they messed with your ship?”

“No or they would have been shocked, literally.” Val tapped his communicator button. A low electronic buzz hummed. “Now we can touch it. I want you to hang my rifle over your shoulder.” He handed it to her.

“You do?”

“Don’t be afraid. It’s on safety.” He waited for her to do as instructed. He walked around to the other side of his ship. He was all business in every stride. His ship was black, sleek, and about two stories high. An electronic ladder came down to greet them. Before she realized, they were almost to the top of his
ship. Again, he moved with inhuman speed and skill. Out of fear for heights, she gripped him tighter, and her nails dug into him. The cockpit opened. He helped her off his back then took his weapon from her.“Get into your seat and buckle in.” His tone was brisk as he pointed to her passenger seat.

Carefully she stretched her leg out toward the cockpit to get into her area. He held her arm to help her. Overcome with emotions, she paused just before she climbed in. Impulsively, she leaned into him, kissing him. Amazingly, he tasted delicious, scrumptious, making her want more. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pressed herself against him as if offering herself. All common sense fled her brain.

Val astonished her with his intense response. He growled in her mouth.  She felt dizzy.  She’d intended her kiss to be brief and sweet, a nice thank-you of sorts. It had not come off sweet. Val had not reacted to it as a sweet thank-you either. Instantly, his business like demeanor evaporated. It seemed to fall off him, kissing her harder, passionately. His large hands cupped her soft bottom, squeezing it. He pressed her into his hardness. She offered no resistance. Sharp teeth accidently nicked her bottom lip. He hesitated for a second. Until Zalora ran her hand through the back of his hair, feeling its silky texture.

Strangely, his nipping her thrilled her, encouraging her to want to bite him back. His tongue pushed into her mouth, inviting her into his mouth. The taste of him made her head feel like it was swirling with emotions. She sighed against him, and a different kind of shiver passed through her. She felt his reaction to her
shivering. He gripped her closer. Again, she wondered at his alluring taste as she kissed him deeper. He pulled back to stare at her. His eyes were extremely bright, wild. His pupils were slits. He was stunning and feral-looking. Feeling wild, she pressed against him to initiate another kiss. This time her kiss was more subdued. It took all her effort to regain her composure. His mouth disconnected from hers.

“We have to go.” His voice was gravelly. It did not sound normal at all. Gently he touched her hair as if examining her curls. He brought a strand to his nose and rubbed it on his face. Then he inhaled deeply. The look he gave her made her core throb with need. Her panties felt damp between her legs. Truly, their kiss
had been short-lived for the wake of emotions it left. Its pleasure had been immeasurable. Her head buzzed. She ached for more.

Buy Link: Bookstrand

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Author Bio:

Reading and writing is a wonderful diversion from an often-difficult world. I love to create my own stories and have control over how things will end. It's exciting to create brand new worlds and characters. My imagination can come alive.

In sci-fi, fantasy, and paranormal stories, I can invent wonderful places and people. Anything is possible in these genres, it's limitless. I'm able to create an escape into a special world filled with unique and fantastic things and there is always a happy ending.

A high school teacher inspired me to write. However, instead of initially pursuing my writing career I became a lawyer. I work in divorce court, so erotic romance is a great escape. There can be true love and happy-endings, at least on my pages.

My two children and I have two good-humored dogs that share our home and ease our stress. I have traveled and lived all over the world, and these experiences have given me great creative ideas. I look forward to creating many more adventures in romance.

Author Links:   Site Facebook

Here's a story of 5 lovely ladies...

8/26/2012

The Wilder Sisters is a series that I wrote based on the idea of a man with five daughters. There is something about a widowed, aging father who has five daughters to care for him in his later years.

The sisters have left their small hometown of Amherst, Ohio after graduation. Each one has chosen a different path. Not even the death of their mother brings the whole family back together for longer than a weekend. However when circumstances throw the sisters back in Amherst, they must face their past and the reason that they left as well as new issues in their lives.

These tales are not autobiographical although I am the oldest of five girls and was born and raised in Amherst. I wanted to write about the dynamic between young and old as well as a family who while never gave up on each other.

Forever Love is Syndie's story. She was hurt by a longtime friend and decided that Amherst didn't have anything to offer her after high school.

Beach Desires is Stacey's story. She has been hiding her true self for years and when she is faced with the idea of returning to Amherst, panics.

A Christmas Accident is Sherri's story. Pregnant with her first child she wants to return to Amherst for a family Christmas, but the highway proves dangerous.

There are two remaining sisters, Shovone and Sarah, whose stories haven't been told. But Amherst always welcomes them home!

The Wilder Sisters

8/25/2012

The Wilder Sisters first book was picked up by Secret Cravings Publishing today.

Forever Love introduces us to Syndie Wilder and her family. Syndie heads back to her hometown, Amherst, Ohio to take care of her father who is dealing with Alzheimer's.

She left Amherst when she graduated because of a bad break-up with her childhood friend and former boyfriend, Thom Johnson. TJ broke her heart and with nothing keeping her in Amherst, she settled in Chicago to pursue her dream of becoming a jewelry designer.

But family is thicker than water...so when her Dad needs her... she returns to Amherst. What she never expected is to see TJ again or to rekindle her romance with him but sometimes it's hard to let the past go!

Forever Love is set to be released in January.

The Christmas Accident is the tale of another Wilder Sister and is set to release around Christmas from Secret Cravings Publishing.

Expecting her first child, Sherri Wilder Davison wants nothing more than to spend time with her father over the holidays, but fate has a way of changing her best-laid plans.

Adam Davison is willing to do anything to make his pregnant wife happy. He will face hell to have her home for the holidays.

For Sherri and Adam, the holidays are a time of celebration and love, but this Christmas will be unlike any they have ever faced.

When a horrible blizzard causes an automobile accident that puts the lives of those Sherri loves on the line, can a Christmas miracle save them?

I hope you enjoyed a glimpse into the world of the Wilder Sisters and will join them for their upcoming releases. There are still two more sisters who are demanding their own stories be told.

So watch out world, the Wilder Sisters are on the loose!

Never Trust A Pretty Wolf Blog Tour {Contest}

8/23/2012

Today I'm hosting a party for an exciting new book-"Never Trust a Pretty Wolf" by Elaine Cantrell. Elaine is sharing with us one of her favorite vacation destinations in a wonderful story. Don't forget that you can win a $25 Amazon gift certificate to one randomly drawn commenter. Also don't forget to follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/06/virtual-book-tour-never-trust-pretty.html.

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Once upon a time on a very cold day a young father and mother put their two sons in the car for a drive to Sugar Mountain, North Carolina. They were on their way to look at some vacation property.

The children didn’t like to ride for such a long distance so their mother bribed them. ‘We’ll have dinner at McDonald’s if you’ll be good,’ she promised. It was hard to be heard over the noise made by the younger boy’s imaginary pink rabbit. (The younger boy always spoke for the rabbit.) The father didn’t like the rabbit. When the younger boy made rabbit ears with his fingers and put the rabbit on his shoulder, he growled, ‘Get that rabbit off me.’

They arrived in Sugar Mountain and drove up the side of a mountain where they met a real estate agent who took them into a beautiful condo. But the beauty of the condo couldn’t compete with the beauty outside. From the balcony they saw hazy blue mountains stacked one behind the other. In a valley far below they saw the small town of Banner Elk. And it was so quiet! No sound could be heard except the sighing of the wind through the trees. The air was so clean it amazed the mother and father. They bought the condo and then went to McDonald’s to reward the boys and the pink rabbit for being good.

Every year after that, they took the boys to Sugar Mountain. It was ten to fifteen degrees cooler than it was in South Carolina where they lived so everybody appreciated the relief from the heat. They went hiking and visited some truly wonderful wilderness areas. The children never grew tired of visiting Grandfather Mountain, so named because the mountain looks like a grandfather’s face and beard in profile. Grandfather Mountain had bears that people threw peanuts to. The bears scared the imaginary rabbit. He was afraid they’d eat him alive, but the younger boy assured the rabbit that he would protect him from the bears.

Sometimes they went horseback riding. The pink rabbit rode on the front of the younger boy’s saddle and urged the horse to go faster.

The boys liked to go river rafting too, but the mother thought the water was too cold. She went shopping at the Tanger Outlets
while the river rafting was going on.

Blowing Rock which was about twenty miles away was one of their favorite outings. The little town looked like something out of a storybook and had so many wonderful shops and restaurants. Once they actually went to the blowing rock and walked out on it. According to legend the wind blew an Indian maiden’s lover back to her after he jumped from the rock. That’s a colorful explanation for why even the snow blows upside down near the rock.

One thing that the mother enjoyed but the boys and father didn’t was going to look for furniture in Lenore which was only a few miles away. Everybody enjoyed going to Linville Caverns which were miles underneath the surface of the earth, but the rabbit didn’t like it when they turned off the lights. The father sometimes played golf, but none of the other family members liked golf. When the boys were small they always took them to the Tweetsie Railroad, a small amusement park.

Sugar Mountain is a popular winter ski resort, but the mother never enjoyed this. She was (and is) far too uncoordinated
to ski.

And of course they went to movies, toured the Mast General Store (an old fashioned general store in business since the
1800’s), found some super restaurants, and explored all the little towns and byways in the area.

But the best thing of all was the beauty of the place and the total relaxation and peace.

Over the years the boys grew up and stopped going very often, but soon they had children who went with their grandparents. The pink rabbit is still going too. He attached himself to the younger boy’s son. The grandfather doesn’t mind the rabbit too much now. His son was not ruined by playing with the rabbit so he guessed his grandson would be fine too.

Sugar Mountain is located in the North Carolina high country in Avery County. It’s between Boone and Banner Elk. I recommend you stay at The Highlands at Sugar if you plan to go there. Even if you go in the winter they have an indoor pool, a weight room, a game room, a sauna, and scheduled activities sponsored by the resort.

Melissa, thanks so much for hosting me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NEVER TRUST A PRETTY WOLF

By Elaine Cantrell

BLURB:
Liesel Wolf has a secret, a dangerous secret she’ll go to any lengths to conceal. When she’s paired in a charity game with sexy marshal Andy
Bryce, a man with secrets of his own, her carefully constructed world comes
crashing down, and Liesel’s on a collision course with her past.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT:
Andy’s hand shot out. “Give me that gun,” he commanded.

“No.”

He took it from her with ease. “I don’t know why you have this,” he whispered, “but if we get out of here alive you have some explaining to do. Now, keep moving but stay in control. Remember, no headlong plunges into the woods.”

Forty‑five minutes later, they exited the woods near the bridge that crossed the little creek. Liesel fearfully scanned the inviting, family‑centered area. “I don’t see anyone.”

“Two o’clock. Men in khaki.” Andy came to a halt and jerked her against him. “Kiss me like you mean it.”

Liesel didn’t mind if she did. Hopefully the khaki men would never imagine that two lovers out for a stroll had only moments before been running for their very lives. She prayed the men didn’t get too good a look at them. Throwing her arms around him, she pressed her body against his.

She wouldn’t have admitted to it for anything, but in spite of the danger, she felt a thrill from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet. Nobody could kiss like Andy Bryce!

Andy took her hand, and they strolled casually across the bridge as if they’d been on a leisurely little walk. He kissed her again before they got into the Mustang. The minute they got in, he put the car in gear and slowly made his way out of the park. “Now, Liesel,” he said. “Why don’t you tell me why those men are trying to kill you?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Elaine Cantrell was born and raised in South Carolina. She holds a Master’s Degree in Personnel Services from Clemson University and is a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, an international honorary sorority for women educators. She is also a member of Romance Writer’s of America and EPIC authors. Her first novel, A New Leaf, was the 2003 winner of the Timeless
Love Contest and was published in 2004 by Oak Tree Books. At present she teaches high school social studies.

LINKS:
website: http://www.elainecantrell.com

blog: http://www.elainepcantrell.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/elainepcantrell

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/elainecantrell

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/elainecantrell

Buy links: http://www.astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=662245&mode=product&product=11343720

http://www.amazon.com/Never-Trust-Pretty-Wolf-ebook/dp/B0088346GK/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339027299&sr=1-1

Don't forget that you can win a $25 Amazon gift certificate to one randomly drawn commenter. Also don't forget to follow the
tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/06/virtual-book-tour-never-trust-pretty.html.

An Interview with Author Wayne Burkhardt

8/22/2012

I'm so glad to have Wayne visiting today. He is a man who I met through a local book signing and through an article about my books in a local newspaper. He is inspiring and wrote a series of books that he worked on to get published. I can't wait to share his book with all of you!

Tell us about yourself:What television sitcom is most like your family? Why?
I don’t watch them so I don’t know.

What’s your favorite thing to do to relax?
Sit under our patio awning while it rains, or sitting in a barber chair in our stuff room.

If you could change one thing about our world, what would it be
and why?
How our representatives are chosen to run our government.
To get there they have to lie and cheat and whoever has the most money to spend – wins.

What is the worst advice you have ever given someone? How did it work out?

I advised my first wife to marry me. It didn’t.

When was the last time you helped someone that was desperately in need? What did you do? Was this person grateful?
My second wife and I created a charity called Fairy Godparents which helped thousands of people and most were very grateful.

Now about you as an author…Did you always want to be an
author?
No, it was a complete surprise at age 75.

What authors had an impact on you growing up and as an
adult?
MarkTwain

What is your favorite aspect or writing? Your least favorite?
Creating exciting and interesting stories that people can’t stop reading. Editing those same stories.

What aspect of writing would you most like to improve on?
A whole bunch of them. I am a novice who has a great editor. The stories pour out of me and she makes them read well.

Do you have any “must haves” with you while you’re writing? My reference library.

What have you learned the most from being in the writing business?
The incredible feeling when you are caught up in your story and don’t know it is 3:00 a.m. When that happens you know you’re on to something.

Tell us about your latest release:
My first book called Shift is an unedited manuscript that was printed for a book signing I wanted to participate in. I have a few copies left but I am hoping the real thing will soon be available.

How did you decide on your story plot?
I HAD A DREAM, a very powerful dream that I remembered when I awoke and I kept adding to it until it became a trilogy.

How did you choose your characters names and location for your story?
From my life.

Do you have a favorite scene? Why?
No, I have many wonderful scenes where I can relate personally.

Do you have a character that you identify with? Who and why?
Yes, the hero, George. I hope I would conduct myself in his style.

Let our readers know how they can get a hold of
you…
Via e-mail at Bideawee@gmail.com.

Thank you Wayne for stopping by today and sharing your thoughts with us. I know that people will be lined up like at the book signing for your book. Congrats!

Book Spotlight and Guest Blog: Dust of My Wings by Carrie Ann Ryan {CONTEST}

8/20/2012

I'm so excited to have Carrie Ann Ryan on my blog today. She is a wonderful writer and is going to share with you about why she writes.Carrie Ann will be awarding Dust of my Wings
"swag" packs to one commenter at every stop, a $25 Amazon GC and necklace (pictured below) to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Don't forget to follow the tour and comment; the more they comment, the better their chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/05/virtual-book-tour-dust-of-my-wings-by.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why We Write

Why do we write? Well...because we have to. It’s not a choice of do I want to play a writer or not.

Because I am a writer. An author. A storyteller.

I always have been. Even as a young girl, I'd annoy my family with my stories and the voices in my head. That's not to say I've always thought of myself as an author. Not even close. When someone would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, it was never to be an author. Because those were dreams that I didn't think would come true. Yes, I'd always tell stories, but I never thought I could be more.

But then another author, Rebecca Royce, told me to be who I wanted to be. To try and write and see what happened.

I love her. Just saying.

Because I am a writer. An author. A storyteller. I write because the there are stories in my head that won't go away. I want to see what happens when the characters in my head who won't shut up actually meet. I want to see the way they interact,
the decisions they make. I want to read what happens as much as my readers do. What worlds can I create? What powers and rules can be formed in a paranormal world? I learn something new in my contemporary worlds every time I open a page.

I love writing. I love meeting new people, developing my craft. Being me.

I love the fact that in Dust of My Wings, I got to break open the angel sterotype and create a whole new world and see what happened when I put my characters together.

Why do we write?

Because we have to.

It's who we are.

Dust of My Wings

by Carrie Ann Ryan

BLURB: Humans aren’t as alone as they choose to believe. Every human possesses a trait of supernatural that lays dormant within their
genetic make-up. Centuries of diluting and breeding have allowed humans to think
they are alone and untouched by magic. But what happens when something changes?

Neat freak lab tech, Lily Banner lives her life as any ordinary human. She’s dedicated to her work and loves to hang out with
her friends at Dante’s Circle, their local bar. When she discovers a strange blue dust at work she meets a handsome stranger holding secrets – and maybe her heart. But after a close call with a thunderstorm, she may not be as ordinary as
she thinks.

Shade Griffin is a warrior angel sent to Earth to protect the supernaturals’ secrets. One problem, he can’t stop leaving dust in odd places around town. Now he has to find every ounce of his dust and keep the presence of the supernatural a secret. But after a close encounter with a sexy lab tech and a lightning quick connection, his millennia old loyalties may shift and he could lose more than just his wings in the chaos.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT: Lily huffed out a breath and placed another tile. “I don’t hate my job, exactly. It’s just not that big of a deal.” She gave a triumphant smile. “And I win.”

Shade looked into her eyes and groaned. Damn, she was sexy when she looked so confident.

“Indeed you did. Congratulations, Lily.” Now for the part that could hurt them both. “How about I buy you a cup of coffee as your winnings?”

Lily looked taken aback, but Shade didn’t budge. He needed to know exactly what she knew about this dust. Breaking into her lab and stealing it would do nothing if the die were already cast.

“Oh, you don’t have to do that. In fact, I really don’t even know you, so I can’t. But thank you.”

She gathered the tiles quickly and started to stand up, but Shade touched her wrist. She jumped, knocking a few tiles back on the table. A jolt of electricity ricocheted through his arm and they both gasped. His erection pressed against the zipper of his jeans and he groaned, but he didn’t let go. Lily’s breath quickened and her pupils dilated. Her strawberry scent wrapped around him like velvet, intoxicating.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dust-Wings-Dantes-Circle-ebook/dp/B008O9AJG4/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital text&ie=UTF8&qid=1343138999&sr=1-5

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dust-of-my-wings-carrie-ann-ryan/1112215145?ean=2940015017830

ARe: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-dustofmywings-857410-140.html

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Carrie Ann Ryan is a bestselling paranormal and contemporary romance author. After spending too much time behind a lab bench, she decided to dive into the romance world and find her werewolf mate - even if its just in her books. Happy endings are always near - even if you have to get over the challenges of falling in love first.

Her first book, An Alpha's Path, is the first in her Redwood Pack series. She's also an avid reader and lover of romance and fiction novels. She loves meeting new authors and new worlds. Any recommendations you have are appreciated. Carrie Ann lives in New England with her husband and two kittens.

Carrie Ann loves hearing from readers. You can find her at:
Website: http://www.carrieannryan.com/

Blog: http://carrieannryan.blogspot.com/

Heartthrob Haven: http://heartthrobhaven.blogspot.com/

Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Carrie-Ann-Ryans-Author-Page/243643205647654

Facebook Friend: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002584098860

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5360266.Carrie_Ann_Ryan

Twitter: @CarrieAnnRyan

Tumblr : http://carrieannryan.tumblr.com/

Carrie Ann will be awarding Dust of my Wings "swag" packs to one commenter at every stop, a $25 Amazon GC and necklace (pictured) to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Don't forget to follow the tour and comment; the more they comment, the better their chances of winning.
The tour dates can be found here:
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/05/virtual-book-tour-dust-of-my-wings-by.html

Release Day Blitz: Bound By Pleasure by Lacey Wolfe {Contest}

8/19/2012

Happy Relase Day to Lacey Wolfe! Her new book "Bound by Pleasure" is sure to be another steamy story. Read the blurb and excerpt for yourself! Don't forget to enter to win an ebook copy of Bound by Pleasure!

Bound by Pleasure
by Lacey Wolfe

Can Megan let her guard down enough to experience the pleasures Greg has to give?

Megan thinks she knows all about the BDSM lifestyle. Her best friend is active in it and she is an erotic romance author who writes about the lifestyle. So when Megan decides to explore it first hand, she learns quickly that everything she thought she knew, she didn’t.

Greg isn’t your typical Dom. He’s an artist and his life is anything but organized. He likes Megan from the start. She’s honest and he sees something in her. The more time he spends with her, the more he finds himself acting in ways he never
has before. He decides to see if she might feel the same way, but the more he pushes to get her to open up, the more it seems she’s stepping away.

Can Megan sort out her feelings before it’s too late?

Excerpt:
Turning off the car, Megan grabbed her purse. She quickly checked her makeup and hair in the rearview mirror. It was now or never. Taking a deep breath, she climbed out of her car and headed for the front door. The house was gorgeous and the yard was well taken care of. Once she made it up the stone walkway, she saw that the door was ajar. Strange.

She pushed it open and called out and was greeted by a deep voice that echoed from somewhere in the back. He directed her to go to his study which she would find to her left.

Well, she had made it this far, and he knew she was here—there was no turning back now. Once again she took a deep breath, and she made her way to his study. The door was closed when she found it, so once inside the room she made sure to shut it back.

Megan couldn’t believe the sight of his office. It was in complete disarray. Not one bit of organization. There were half started paintings on canvases scattered here and there, and piles of paper stacked on the bookshelves and desk. Perhaps it was best to get out of there. She couldn’t understand why Dawn had recommended him. This was not what she’d expected at all.

Right as she was about to leave she heard the doorknob jiggle. Her eyes widened as she wondered what to do next. Should she meet him on her knees? Or simply take a seat in a chair since this was only an interview? She opted for the chair and sat just as he walked in.

It took every ounce of Megan’s self-control not to let her mouth drop open when she saw the man who presented himself in front of her. Once again, this was not what she had expected. In strutted a man in loose, ripped jeans and a baggy t-shirt. He had sandy brown hair that was long and tied back in a ponytail. His eyes were crystal blue. A gorgeous smile was plastered on his face as he took a seat directly in front of her on a bar stool.

“You must be Megan,”he said.

“I am.” She had no idea how to address him or what to say.

“I apologize for keeping you waiting.” He reached over and took a piece of paper from the pile on his desk. “I looked over your application, and I see that you only have a little experience in this lifestyle. Have you ever had a Master?”

“No,” she responded.

Greg’s eyes drifted up and down her body. If she wasn’t feeling self-conscious before, she definitely was now.

“Is something wrong?”he asked.

“No, why?”

“You have to be honest with me or else I won’t even consider you. Trust is very important in a relationship such as you’re wanting to enter into.”

Taking a deep breath, she blurted out, “To be frank, you’re not what I was expecting.”

He chuckled.“Continue.”

“You’re so laid back, your office is not organized, and well, as I said, you are not what I was at all expecting.”

“Tell me then, what were you expecting?”

“A businessman with a powerful job.”

Beachwalk Press Buy Link

About the Author:
Lacey Wolfe has always had a passion for words, whether it’s getting lost in a book or writing her own. From the time she was a child she would slip away to write short stories about people she knew and fantasies she wished would happen. It has always been her dream to be a published author and with her two children now of school age, she finally has
the time to work on making her dream come true.

Lacey lives in Georgia with her husband, son and
daughter, their six cats and one black lab who rules the house.

You can find Lacey at the following places:
Her Site Twitter Facebook

Lacey is giving away one digital copy of Bound by Pleasure to a random commentor through Rafflecopter. Make sure you enter for the chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

First Date Disasters {Rebel Ink Press Blog Hop}

8/17/2012

In honor of Rebel Ink Press’s birthday, I’m going to share my
first date with my ex-husband. I will randomly select one commentor for a gift of one of my titles (your choice).

It was in the fall of 1981. I had met Greg that past August, when
he and a friend were driving around town and gave my girlfriend, Heidi, and I a ride. I know…mom’s warn us about these kind of things for a reason. :) But once our mutual interest became known we were in contact.

Greg was a freshman at Ohio University while I was still a lowly
sophomore at Marion L. Steele High School. We sent letters to each other and even spoke on the phone a few times. But I was still an awkward teenage girl of fifteen who had never really dated before.

Our dating disaster was the first time that Greg was coming home from college and taking me out on a “real” date. Greg was my first “real” boyfriend. We were going to go out to dinner and then to a dance at school. Meeting my family was easy for Greg. His father and my father worked together and being from a small town, everyone knew everyone else. Greg and I even had been to other parties but never had connected before that past summer.

Now that the date was here, I was so nervous about how I was
going to act, that I didn’t want to go out to eat with him. I was embarrassed about eating out at a nice place, since I hadn’t done much of that before. I didn’t want to look like a child so I told him that I wasn’t interested in eating out and let’s just grab some food somewhere. Somewhere meant McDonald’s in our town, so we ate our McDonald’s at the local beach. It was dark and we were in the car, so I had no worries about anyone seeing us or me making a fool of myself.

Since we were alone, we had to keep the conversation going. It was strained and stilted. Each of us weren’t sure how to act with the other. Instead of going to the dance, we decided to go home early and I would see him the following time he returned to town. Basically the whole evening was a bust and I thougtht that I wouldn’t see him again…however, that didn’t prove to be true. We survived our first date disaster. But we didn't survive the marriage! However, that's another tale!

Don't forget to leave a comment about my disaster or your dating disaster for a chance to win one of my ebooks (your choice).

Thank you!!

Don't forget to stop by the other sites including the Rebel Ink Site for chances to win even more prizes (including a Kindle Fire!)

Rebel Reasoning(Rebel Ink Site)
Kate Roth
Melissa Keir
Lila Munro
JL Oiler
Lori Gordon
Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy
Eleanor Tatum
Elicia Seawell
Wendy Smith
Suzzana C Ryan
Remmy Duchene
Eden Glenn
Al Lohn
BL Morticia
DC McMillen
Donna Steele
Anne Holly
Sabrina McAfee
Sarah Bella
Eden Connor
Cassandre Dayne
Dakotah Black
DH Black
Mollie Fiegel
Blair McDowell
Kiki Howell
Alex Jones
DB Moon
Holley Trent
Nancy LaPonzina
Janelle Lee

Visiting with Dynamic Andrew Weston

8/14/2012

Today I'm having Andrew Weston by to visit. I really enjoyed his interview questions and am lucky to count Andrew as a friend. He is a guy who lives the life of a romance hero every day in Greece! So pull up a chair and get to know this sizzling man!

Thank you Andrew for stopping by. Please tell my readers a little about your life. I was born in the city of Birmingham, in the UK and grew up in the towns of Bearwood and Edgbaston, eventually attending Holly Lodge Grammar School for Boy’s where I was School
Captain and Head Boy.

I always loved team events and was an active sportsperson for my school, college and a variety of rugby, martial art, swimming and athletics teams throughout the city.

On graduation in 1977 I joined the Royal Marines and served in a number of roles both in the UK and abroad.

In 1985 I became a police officer with the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary, and fulfilled a variety of uniformed and plain clothed duties until my early retirement in 2008.

Over those years, I wrote and illustrated a selection of private books for my children regarding the life of a tiny kitten, called, “The Adventures of Willy Whiskers”. I also gained further qualifications in Law and Religious Studies, was an active member of Mensa and continued to be an active sportsperson, providing lessons free of charge to local communities.

An unfortunate accident received on duty meant I had to retire early from the police force, but after moving to the sunny Greek island of Kos to speed up my recuperation, I was at last able to devote time to the “Guardian Concept” I had developed over my years in the military and police.

When not writing, I enjoy the many power cuts we get here in Greece, Greek dancing and language lessons, and being told what to do by my wife, Annette. I also have the uncanny ability
to hunt shadows in the dark. To date, I’ve managed to catch three – but let them go on each occasion as it was too scary!

See ladies, don't you agree? He's living a romance hero's life! What television sitcom is most like your family? Why?
Married with children. Why? I’d get strung up if I told you. :) Please use your imagination. Ha ha.

What’s your favorite thing to do to relax?
It’s a combination of several factors, depending on my mood. Running, swimming, reading and watching a good film are top of the list –although I find them difficult to do at the same time.

If you could go back in time to when you were seven years old, what wisdom or advice would you pass on to yourself?
Matrix fan’s will appreciate this one. I’d say, “Take the red pill! For goodness sake, THE RED ONE!”

Seriously, though – looking back – I’d strongly advise myself to
follow my heart instead of my head. It would have led me along an entirely different life course, and I often wonder where I’d be now if I’d chosen differently.

For what are you grateful?
My family – and the fortitude to handle whatever problems come my way.

At what age were you the happiest? What triggered such joy?
I’d have to say that would be when I was about six. My family was still alive and together. It always snowed at Christmas. Summers were still hot and sunny, and I was cocooned from the harsh reality of the world outside. There was still a magical quality to life then that I never forget. I’d love to get that back for everyone.

What is the number one lie you tell yourself? How is that working out?
That I’ll regain the full head of hair I had prior to my accident! Sadly, Mr Cueball still rules in the kingdom of Shine! :)

Now about you as an author…What authors had an impact
on you growing up and as an adult?
Growing up: Arthur C Clarke – Isaac Asimov – Ray Bradbury – Nelle Harper Lee – C. S. Lewis.

As an adult: Stephen R Donaldson – Julian May – Ursula Le Guinn – Raymond E Feist and Trudy Canavan.

Did anyone in your life influence you or encouraged you to be a writer? (teacher, family member, friend)
In my early years, not really. It wasn’t until after my accident and I was well enough to come home from hospital that my wife suggested I keep myself busy by putting all the thoughts and ideas I’d come up with over the years down in writing. So I did.
And look at me now!

What is your favorite aspect of writing? Your least favorite?
My favorite aspect is seeing the polished end result! The fruition of months of work come together that people can enjoy.

My least favorite aspect is having my routine messed with! The repeated power cuts we get here in Greece are very frustrating and I hate living here at times. (But plans are afoot)…

What aspect of writing would you most like to improve on?
Believe it or not, I’d like to improve my ability within the romance genre. Not because I want to be known as a writer of erotic/romance fiction per se, but because it’s a notoriously difficult genre to write well. If I can improve that aspect of my writing, it will enhance the quality of my work across the board when they touch on those themes.

Do you have any “must haves” with you while you’re writing?
Definitely. Strong – good quality coffee and silence

Do you have a common theme or item that appears in each of your books?
Although I’m new, I’d like to think that different aspects of my dark and twisted humor appear in different ways in each story.

What have you learned the most from being in the writing
business?
Be honest with those you work with, (Your publisher and editor, etc) and work with them. It’s so worth it!

Tell us about your latest release:
Blurb:

A small boy runs in front of a truck.

Miners trapped in the aftermath of a devastating underground explosion have no hope of escaping.

A stricken passenger aircraft plunges thousands of feet towards the earth below.

Everyone survives!

Why?

Because they are among the first in a number of miraculous interventions around the globe which heralds to the world that, “Guardian Angels”, blessed with extraordinary powers and
incredible technology, actually do exist!

While society in general reacts with euphoria, not everyone is
pleased!

There are those in power and many within the criminal underworld, who seek to counter the threat they feel these newcomers represent.

Early confrontations ensue, leaving many hungry for retribution. When it comes, their revenge is exacted at a terrible price in lives and suffering.

In turn, this creates a backlash that causes people to lose hope in their newfound friends, and which causes public opinion to change.

Is the fairy tale over before it even begins?

“Guardian Angels” is a powerful and compelling story about the catalyst that could at last, galvanize society to unite and look towards the future with hope.

Sadly, it also reveals how fragile such a spark of hope could be.

Excerpt (unedited):

May had seen the truck coming from over thirty yards away to her right and decided to wait for it to pass before she began
crossing. She glanced across the road opposite, and immediately noticed the young man with a shaven head on the other side of the street, (although most people were young to her), dressed in one of those black fleece jackets that were so popular these days.

She noticed him, because after forty years of working with people, she was an excellent judge of bearing and character, and the man opposite, although appearing to be in his late thirties, perhaps his forties, seemed to radiate the confidence and authority of someone much older.

Not only that, but even at her age, she could see that he had the most magnetic grey eyes she had ever seen. Eyes that briefly flicked over all those around him, herself included, instantly taking in a wealth of information. Eyes that frowned at the CCTV camera’s, positioned only thirty yards away, before focusing intently on someone or something just to her right.

Puzzled, May glanced to her right, noticing almost immediately that the truck was drawing closer, and, somewhat startled by
that same flock of pigeons that began flying into the air all around her, she looked more intently, and realized they were fleeing from a little boy who was so focused on the birds, he obviously wasn’t watching where he was going.

He was running so fast, she knew in an instant that he would be unable to stop in time.

She glanced at the truck, back at the boy, and behind him to a young woman, most likely the boy’s mother, who appeared
terrified and was obviously shouting something to him.

Oh dear, she thought, knowing with dreadful certainty what was about to happen.

The last of the pigeons took to the air, just missing May’s face, and causing her to duck and look away, back across the street to the striking young man in the black fleece.

In all her years of experience, she had never seen eyes that seemed to flash so brightly, as if they had an inner light, eyes that again flicked to her before one last glance at the CCTV cameras, causing him to grimace, almost as if in distaste at being forced to act in public.

Then he did the strangest of things.

Instead of reacting, or beginning to react like the people around her to the accident about to happen, the man stepped forward
into what she would describe was a fighting stance, with both hands raised, at the exact moment the little boy came to a frozen halt in the road in front of her. By now, the truck was almost upon the boy, only a foot away, and because of the shock, time seemed to slow down.

May clearly saw the man’s left hand suddenly shoot out; his palm and fingers opened like a policeman directing traffic to stop. Incredibly, the truck slammed to an instantaneous stop, as if an invisible wall had been placed in front of it, causing the front end to crush in on itself, and the back end to lift from the
pavement.

With his other hand, the man made a sweeping motion, as if he were giving an imaginary opponent a back-handed slap to the
face, and the little boy was swept away from the vehicle with inches to spare, flying past her at incredible speed.

May found it hard to tear her eyes away from the man as his hands continued to move so fast, that even in slow motion, they
became a blur.

Because it was in front of her, she could see glass and other fragments from the truck fanning away from the point of impact,
but instead of showering bystanders, including herself in debris, they seemed to pause momentarily in mid air before dropping vertically straight down onto the ground.

The driver of the truck also seemed to be held in position, shock on his face, eyes tightly shut, despite the fact his vehicle was
now so far up in the air it was almost on its nose, its contents spilling forward, remaining motionless for just a moment before beginning its descent.

She was aware the young man was still gesturing, now reaching out with his right hand upturned, as if he were about to grasp a light bulb, and looking back towards the boy. She was amazed to see his flight through the air altered away from the hard concrete of the road, and into the raised flowerbeds outside the bookstore twenty yards away.

As the child and vehicle came to rest, the man looked intently at them both in turn for a few moments, squinting as if he were
reading small print, before nodding and giving a satisfied grin. People’s attention were still diverted, and so, without ceremony he glanced around once more, focused again on the CCTV cameras with a look of concentration on his face, and began to turn to walk away.

May couldn’t help but think at the young man, Hang on. You
clearly did something to help and you’re just going to leave?

Amazingly, the young man immediately checked his stride as if he had heard what she thought. He stopped, turned around and looked back at her smiling.

His thought came to her.One day the world will see how special that little boy is, May, what he’ll become. We can’t have him messing things up before he’s had a chance to shine, now can
we?

Then he turned again, and he was lost from sight in moments, leaving May quite unnerved, and looking wide-eyed at the mother of the young boy who now stood next to her. She didn’t seem to realize that May was there, and was staring in anger at the back of the young man’s receding jacket, before jumping as if startled into remembering where she was.

Turning, the young lady shouted something and began fighting her way through the crowd toward her son, leaving a bemused May standing alone at the curb wondering what on earth to do.

May was unnerved. What bothered her was the fact that the young man had heard what she’d thought; somehow, he even knew her name, and even though her hearing aid was switched off, she had heard him speak to her across a crowded street without moving his lips. How on earth had he managed that?

I think I’d better go home, she thought, otherwise people will put
me in a home if I start telling them I’ve seen a guardian angel.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How did you decide on your story plot?
That came together over many years. Because of my actual roles within the military and police, I’ve had to witness suffering and devestation first hand on many, many occasions. More than I care to remember in fact. I often used to wonder, “what would have happened if we had got here sooner? Or had the technology or capability to anticipate and prevent such tragedy striking in the first place?”

“What would it be like to have a ‘global emergency response service’ who had the capacity to respond to such events with far more efficiency than that currently possessed? Who could actually ‘undo’ much of the suffering caused?”

So, I took the real life elements I’d witnessed and expanded them to incorporate the ideas I’d begun formulating. I added a structured training system and set of abilities – and the advanced technology needed – to bring the Guardians to life.
Amazingly, when I then took the time to plan the full story out, I realized there was enough material to encompass two trilogies! It was a daunting prospect. Thankfully, it didn’t put me off.

How did you choose your characters names and location for your story?
It took a lot of research. The Guardians have watched mankind for millenia, waiting for the right time to intoduce themselves to a world desperately in need of guidance. In need of a unifying catalyst that will unite people, and help them reach out to the future with hope. So obviously, once they are revealed, what takes place happens within a “global” setting.

Without giving the game away, all I can say at this stage is…Part of the process for naming the characters was to identify
beings from ancient myth and legend who might be attributed with “Guardian” characteristics. How would their names evolve
over time? How might they be incorporated into a modern world? What aspects–if any–from myth and legend, might explain them to us now?

I’m sorry, I cant explain it more clearly at this stage. The reader will understand exactly what I mean once the book is released.
Additionally, certain revelations are made as the series progresses, to help you gradually appreciate just how far back
things may take you…(you’ll see).

Do you have a favorite scene? Why?
Yes. Again, it’s a little difficult to describe because the book
is released later this month and I don’t want to give too much away. BUT–it involves the point where a little girl who has lost everything realises she’s safe after all! There is someone out there–“she can trust”. It was very satisfying to write and will hopefully bring a tear to your eye. :)

Do you have a character that you identify with? Who and why?
To be honest, I was careful to avoid putting too much of myself
into any one character so that I could immediately identify with them. I wanted each one to be distinct and individual. However, I do have a favorite, as she is based on my wife and I think the readers will take to her too. Watch out for someone called
“Yasin”…and you’ll get an idea of why she’s going to be fun.

Thank you Andrew for visiting with us today. I'm sure readers are going to enjoy your book, especially at a time like now when things happen without reason, it would be nice to know someone is watching out for mankind.
Thank you for having me Melissa. Sorry I couldn’t answer some of the questions as fully as I’d have liked. (But Guardian Angels isn’t out until the end of August).I really enjoyed it–and some of the questions even made my brain hurt as I had to think. (Us
guys are really good at that. Yes?) :)

Book Blog: Blood Betrayed by Gabrielle Bisset {CONTEST}

8/13/2012

I'm excited to have Gabrielle Bisset here today sharing about her latest release as well as school memories. I know you will enjoy the excerpt and cover, especially if you love brooding vampires. Don't forget that Gabrielle will be giving away signed cover flats from the Sons of Navarus series at
each stop; $10 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter from all the blog stops. If you would like to follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour
dates can be found here:
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/06/virtual-book-tour-blood-betrayed-by.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks Melissa for having me here today at your blog!

As a college history prof and home schooling mom, back to
school means things to me that it might not to others. As someone who teaches freshman American history, it means meeting new students and breaking in a new crop of freshman. As a homeschooling mom, it means getting back to a schedule we haven't followed for months, which can be challenging, especially for a teenage boy.

I always loved back to school time. My mom would take me
school shopping in August and we'd buy clothes and school supplies. I always wanted to wear my new clothes immediately, but I would have looked silly wearing grey corduroy pants in August. I might have passed out from the heat too!

But the most fun were the school supplies. I'd get pencils, pens, rulers, folders, binders, book covers...all the cool things that
made going back to school so exciting. I loved school—I always have. It's no mystery why I still spend my time in school years after graduating. I loved learning new things and finding new books. I was a book geek way back then.

The first day of school I'd always have butterflies in my stomach. Even if I knew everyone in my class, it would still be so exhilarating to get back that I'd get nervous. Those butterflies would go away a few minutes into the day, but the excitement of school for me never faded. I'm still like that today. The first day with my classes always feels a little scary, but then I get up and begin my lecture and it's like I never had a day off.

Summertime will always be my favorite time of year, with
its relaxing days and wonderful warm weather, but there's something about getting back to school that still sends a zing of anticipation through me. In less than two weeks, I'll be back to
work teaching students about American history, and even though there are no new school supplies, I'll still love that first day back. And when my son and I return to home schooling, I'll feel the same way.

A new year, a new chance to learn so much. Love that!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

I am everything forbidden. I am vampire.

Haunted by betrayal, Saint hides in the human world, giving his heart to no one and finding the only solace from his past in the arms of human women. Now as the Archons begin their takeover of the vampire world, this Son of Navarus has been marked for death.

Summoned to defeat the Archons by the world that shunned him, Saint must face his past and Solenne, the woman he loved and lost a century ago, for only in accepting her will his body and soul finally find salvation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT:
Looking around the eighteenth century French country house, Saint saw that little had changed since the last time he'd been there. Expensively furnished, Solenne's home had been some important sire's until she'd decided that the French countryside offered little of the excitement an ancient vampire craved. At least that was the story Solenne had told. Who knew if it were true.

As he stared up at the crystal chandelier above his head, he said what he wished would be the last words he'd have to say to her. "Just tell me where my room is and where I can work out."

Solenne stood staring at him, and he felt her eyes boring holes through him.

"Saint, I'd hoped we could put the past behind us to work together. Can we at least talk?"

He lowered his gaze to meet hers and saw ocean blue eyes wide with hope staring back at him. That she could think that giving him some doe-eyed look and meaningless words would be enough to erase everything that had happened only made him more enraged about the situation.

"I'm not interested in talking or taking some stroll down memory lane. Just point me to my room and where I can work out."

The fiery look that instantly filled her eyes showed she was the same Solenne from all those years ago. He knew that oh-so-helpful woman from Vasilije's was just an act.

"It doesn't have to be like this. I'd hoped you'd be a bigger man and see how we could work together. I see you're the same man you've always been, unfortunately."

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Gabrielle Bisset spends her days teaching college students American and
European history, but by night she's an erotic romance author.

Her first book, Stolen Destiny, was released by Siren Publishing in June
2011, and since then she's released the novellas of The Victorian Erotic Romance Trilogy--Vampire Dreams, Love's Master, and Masquerade--in addition to Destiny Redeemed. In December 2011, she released Blood Avenged, the first book in the Sons of Navarus series about eight vampires who must protect their world against an enemy that travels among their kind. Blood Betrayed is the second book in the series.

She lives in Pennsylvania with her teenage son and a herd of
pets.
Links:
Website: Gabrielle Bisset Romance http://www.gabriellebisset.com/

Blog: http://gbisset.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002481284652&sk=info

Sons of Navarus Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/SonsOfNavarusSeries

Facebook
Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gabrielle-Bisset/135134056553049

Twitter:
@gabriellebisset https://twitter.com/#!/gabriellebisset

Email: gabriellebisset@gmail.com

Don't forget that Gabrielle will be giving away signed cover flats from the Sons of Navarus series at each stop; $10 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter from all
the blog stops. If you would like to follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/06/virtual-book-tour-blood-betrayed-by.html

Sheri Fredricks shares her steamy novel- Remedy Maker

8/12/2012

Today I'm excited to have Sheri Fredricks drop by to visit. She is a woman who understands how challenges can make you stronger. Recently when Remedy Maker was released, her publishing house closed their doors leaving Sheri to find a new way to share her highly recommended novel with the world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello Sheri and thank you for visiting today. Tell us a little about yourself.

Hi Melissa! Thanks for inviting me. I’m always on the hunt for the uncommon things in life. As an author, I thrive on creating adventures in my mythological kingdom for my readers.

I’m born and raised on the beautiful central coast of California. Once upon a former life, I was an engineering secretary, but I wanted to move away from inflexible right angles and create an unboxed world with no boundaries.

A voracious reader since my early years, I found my brain crowded with stories and characters of my own. Ultimately, my husband encouraged me to write them all down.

I love to spend time at home. A computer hutch keeps me focused on creating stories, but the panoramic view of life on a ranch calls me outside to play in the sun.

Thanks! It sounds like you have an interesting life. Now on to some personal questions.

If you could go back in time to when you were seven years old, what wisdom or advice would you pass on to yourself?

I’d tell myself to choose my friends wisely. The ones who are nice to me, don’t always have my best interest at heart.

For what are you grateful?

I am eternally grateful for the wonderful life God gave me. For the positive people He placed in my life: my loving husband and awesome spawn, crit partners who do more than crit, friends who know when I’m full of BS – and when I’m not, and the gift of creating a unique story.

If a zombie virus took over the world, how many days do you think you could last before you were infected? And what would you do to postpone the inevitable?

If I could barricade myself inside someplace like a Wal-Mart Super Center where I had food, guns, feminine products, ammunition, and other supplies – I’d be set for a few years! To postpone the inevitable, I’d turn-up the outdoor speakers to full blast and only play Justin Bieber music to drive the zombies away.

What television sitcom is most like your family? Why?

I don’t think I’ve watched any Prime Time TV over the past 10 years! Sponge Bob and Punkin Chunkin might be closest shows I’ve seen that depict my family! LOL

What’s your favorite thing to do to relax?

That’d be to go riding—horseback riding that is. Since I started writing with a goal in mind, and helping my husband grow his contracting business, there hasn’t been much time for riding as of late. I miss it. The movement of the horse under me, the pristine scenery of where we ride, and quiet company of my husband and kids help me to find time to decompress.

Let’s find out a little bit about you as an author.

Did you always want to be an author?

I never thought about publication until a few years ago. I wrote short stories for fun and college homework. When I was little and asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always answered, “I want to be rich.” LOL — Wish I were a mouthy teen with all the answers again. I’d know how to accomplish that hefty goal.

What authors had an impact on you growing up and as an adult?

As a young reader, Roald Dahl made quite the impression on me. The way he created Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach took me into a wonderful fictional world waiting for discovery.

My other favorites are:

Cherry Adair – Love her suspenseful, HOT T-Flac guys and stories.

Jacquelyn Frank – That woman knows how to create a paranormal world.

J R Ward – Nuff said.

Do you have any “must haves” with you while you’re writing?

I must have entered The Zone. That sweet spot where all Muse Energy is focused on the written word and when you pull back for breath, fifteen pages are written. Have to have my Zone.

Do you have a common theme or item that appears in each of your books?

A common item in appearing in my books is shape shifting Centaurs and other mythological creatures. The common theme I strive for is “Love Conquers All.”

In Remedy Maker, several outside sources loom up to discourage the hero, Rhycious, from attaining his goals. In order to reach his objectives, he must learn to forgive, adjust, and learn from his past.

What have you learned the most from being in the writing business?

I learned that while writing the story was hard, it was rewarding when I typed the last word. In opposition, I learned that marketing is time consuming and a never-ending endeavor. Better get used to it — it’s not going away.

Tell us about your latest release:

Blurb:

Man by day, Centaur by night, Rhycious is a remedy maker who needs his own healing.

He's the royal physician, famous for his cures. War and posttraumatic stress disorder has broken his spirit, preventing him from finding true happiness. Then a direct order from the queen to investigate an uprising forces him out of his secluded cabin at the edge of the forest.

Patience is an optimistic, good-natured Wood Nymph who works as a mediator to ensure harmony within the Nymph sector.

Environmental pollution in the aquifer stream that feeds the taproot tree of her heart is slowly killing her. Resigned to the fact she will not live long, she sets out to discover the mysterious disappearance of her sister. Experience has taught her to deny herself the love of a male, but the gruff Centaur is different. He doesn't push his expectations on her, only his healing nature.

When Rhycious loses his grip on reality, he believes his inability to control his disorder will drive Patience away. Nevertheless, desire flares, and Patience draws him close. Kidnapping and betrayal turn their mythic joint venture into a deadly bout.

Will their love endure when survival hinges on trusting each other?

Excerpt

She heaved a sigh. Rhycious was a busy man. His fame as the preeminent Remedy Maker of Boronda was unsurpassed by any other healer along the east coast.

And feeling as good as she did now, she could vouch that everything said about him was truth.

What she didn’t believe was her reaction to his kiss. And it wasn’t even a real kiss, more a brush of the lips.

The pads of her fingers touched her lips, recalling the butterfly kiss on her mouth. Summer breezes caressed with more pressure. A tingle spread down to her breasts, causing the buds to tighten.

So why had he acted as though he hadn’t wanted to let go of her? And why did she not want him to?

Patience pushed the thought aside. It wouldn’t get her anywhere. As soon as she could walk and not keel over, she’d split the sheets to search for Serenity again. The Centaur was a nice side trip, but she had to stay the course and find her sister.

Hoof beats thumped on the porch, and then the front door opened and closed. Rhy’s frame filled the doorway, his large body blocking most of the kitchen light. His sweatshirt’s hood covered his head, and with his features concealed in the dark, it was like facing a sexy specter.

He looked delicious, and her skin puckered up like bubble-wrap.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How did you choose your characters names and location for your story?

The first name to pop in my head was Rhycious. And I already knew he was a Centaur. Finding a complimentary name for my heroine was a finger tap through a baby name website and selecting the right one. I had her character chart completed, so her name came easily when I spotted it.

The location was a bit harder. I wanted to find an area with dense, old-growth forest somewhere in the United States. So I did my research and found a few areas. Then I closed my eyes and picked one. LOL, well, sort of.

Do you have a favorite scene? Why?

My favorite scene is the one where Rhycious brings Patience home after he rescues her from the humans who kidnapped her. He’s coming down from an adrenaline rush, and she needs the most nurturing he’s ever given in his life. His remedy making skills must stretch beyond the herbs he’s used to prescribing, and delve into a part of himself he’s kept locked away.

I think I liked it so much because it allowed me a writer’s freedom to portray what might go on inside the mind of an Alpha male Centaur. He’s shut himself away from others for so long, and now the challenge to heal the one he loves without medicine lies before him.

Let our readers know how they can get a hold of you…

Okay – you asked! :)

My Website : www.sherifredricks.com

Remedy Maker buy link:   Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Remedy-Maker-ebook/dp/B008S29WT2/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344020682&sr=1-2&keywords=remedy+maker

Blogging At : http://sherifredricks.blogspot.com/

Twitter:        http://twitter.com/Sheri_Fredricks

Facebook:     http://www.Facebook.com/SheriFredricks

Google+:      http://gplus.to/Sheri Fredricks

Goodreads:    www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomsheri_fredricks

LinkedIn:       http://www.linkedin.com/pub/sheri-fredricks/26/384/829

Is there anything else that you want to share… feel free!!

If you're looking for a book that will take you away to a mythic world that might exist…

If you love hot guys with insatiable appetites who have a dash of vulnerability…

If you're looking for a sensual read with the power to make you gasp…

This would be the book for you.

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