Welcome LW Herndon!

Thank you, Lila for having me on your blog.

Did you choose your genre or did it choose you? 

The genre chose me. I read across genres and enjoy them, but when I sit down to write stories they are always fantasy based. My plots vary depending on which pseudonym I’m writing under, but the need to create unusual worlds, and characters that are challenged by them, is who I am as a writer. 

It’s five o’clock somewhere…Let’s have a drink! What cocktail best describes you and why? 

A good blended scotch. The best have so many layers and make you remember them. I’d like to think of myself the same way. Wouldn’t we all? 

On my desk I have a rhino that my husband gave me to remind me I’m rhino-tough, as you have to be in the business. Is there anything you have that you use to remind you of that?

I need a rhino! Frankly, I’ll stew for a day. Talk to my spouse or my critique partner. Then turn to logic. Whatever the issue, there are always logical ways to deal with a situation or perhaps frame it from a different perspective. Afterward, I usually go back to my writing cave for several days and submerge myself in characters—they may talk back, but I don’t need a thick skin for them. 

It seems we all endured English and/or World literature coming up in high school…What was the worst book you were ever forced to read and what about it turned you off? 

Wow, the worst? I don’t retain the worst for long. But I can mention one of the books that has stayed with me for a long time. It was from my son’s school curriculum, not my own. The Giver by Lois Lowery. People have different takes on the open ending of the story, which I really like. My son and I disagree, but I like to think it’s because I’m more of an optimist. I think about that story often, the mark of a gifted storyteller. 

You have a million dollars that you must donate to one charitable organization. Which one would you choose and why? 

I would split up the donations. I’m a very middle-of-the-road kind of person and like the idea of spreading goodness around. However, a major portion would go to homeless shelters for families, battered women, and especially children.  

Do you have one of those pesky day jobs, or are you a full-time writer? If you do have another career what do you do and do you enjoy it? 

I had a full-time career in information technology, but now my day job is writing. Eight to ten hours a day. The great thing is that I’m accountable for all the decisions and productivity. The tough thing is, the buck stops with me.

Due to the world we live in, most editors will tell a romance writer they have the moral obligation to protect their characters from scary life altering things, thereby being obligated to the reader. What are your thoughts on this? Do you protect your characters and how? 

I don’t protect my characters, but sometimes I protect my readers. Things happen in my stories and they aren’t always good, but I leave the worst of things off-screen. I’m not a big believer that realism in fiction means graphic gore or violence. And while my stories do have some bad things happen, the overall theme for the series and each book is one of hope, so scary is only a tool to highlight a critical point in the story.  

Wine or beer? - wine

Cake or pie? – toss up, a moist flavorful cake or a fruit pie. I like them both

Steak or burgers? – steak!

Candle light or pitch dark? – candlelight is sexy

LW Herndon is a pseudonym for the author of the Thaddeus Kane urban fantasy novels and the Declan Other Realm young adult urban fantasy tales. More information on LW Herndon and future books can be found at the website http://www.lwherndon.com and blog http://demonssorcerersandmore.com/lwherndonblog

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter

The Mark of Kane, the first in the Thaddeus Kane novels is available

Hallowed Vengeance, the second in the Thaddeus Kane novels is due for Fall 2012 release

My name is Thaddeus Kane. I exist in Los Angeles, the city known for the hustle of Hollywood, an average 266 days a year of sunshine, and smog.

That’s not my L.A. I operate under the mantle of the city as a troubleshooter for the demon clan who saved my life. Not a bad job if I can stay alive, but I have my limits. I refuse to risk innocents, which causes me problems. That one line I won’t cross for anyone. Loyalties—I have them. I’m pretty sure none of my associates would approve of my particular choices.

Human sorcerers are murdering my clan to harness superpowers and I’m the only one capable of finding the evil. A tough assignment, made harder by my secret alliance with a rival demoness to save prophetic teenagers from the same horrible fate. I’m all they’ve got.

EXCERPT:

Lifting my camera, I pointed my lens at the far side of the crowd and framed another shot. “Would think the fire was too hot for anyone to get inside to check.”

“Neighbors have confirmed everyone should have been home.”

“Tragic.” I kept my tone light, conversational, but I couldn’t shake how close we’d both been to reaching Ayden and his family in time. Perhaps minutes from saving them.

“Premeditated.”

I turned to check around me, mostly to obscure any view of her by the rest of the crowd.

She followed my search for a moment, and then comprehension dawned on her face and her color paled. “You think the killer is still here?” Nervously, she stepped farther away from me.

I hesitated for a mere second, then took her by the arm and guided her quickly to the edge of the gathering. “If that’s the case, Jezrielle, you’d best leave.”

She froze, body and expression, suddenly speechless. Then in a hoarse voice, she choked out, “How?”

With my back to the crowd, I looked at my camera and pretended to check the number of shots I had left. I didn’t acknowledge her or her question, did not give any overt sign of a continued conversation with her. In my mind, I saw her name, one of several on a list in the folders at home. From my pocket, I withdrew a new memory card and a small slip of paper with my cell phone number.

“Go. Now.” I brushed by her, slipped the paper into her pocket, and raised the camera for more shots of the inquiring minds attracted to the scene. I knew the minute she took my advice. Her scent shifted direction and diminished with my first fully confirmed, very tantalizing aroma, of live pre-immortal.

Purchase links

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Mark-Kane-Thaddeus-Novel-ebook/dp/B0050DZEH6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1305203053&sr=1-1

Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mark-of-kane-lw-herndon/1101877243?ean=2940012585523

For the giveaway: A $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour as well as to the host with the most comments. Additionally, two random drawn winners will receive the 2^nd Thaddeus Kane ebook, on its release date, Fall 2012.

Welcome, Leah Petersen!

Did you choose your genre or did it choose you?

Barring school assignments and the occasional guilt-driven foray into the “respectable” genres, I’ve always read sci-fi and fantasy. Everything I write eventually includes some magical ability or technology that we don’t have (yet.) I don’t think I could write anything that didn’t have some fantastical or presently impossible element. Isn’t that what imagination is for? To experience the things you couldn’t otherwise?

It’s five o’clock somewhere…Let’s have a drink! What cocktail best describes you and why?

A good, hoppy beer. I can be strong and abrasive but once you get used to me, you’re probably drunk. 

On my desk I have a rhino that my husband gave me to remind me I’m rhino-tough, as you have to be in the business. Is there anything you have that you use to remind you of that?

I’m a very un-sentimental un-symbolic kind of person. When I need the toughen-up pep talk I usually just go off alone and sulk and bitch for an hour or two and then I feel better and get back with the program.

I have two muses, Arwen and Bronwyn, they have very distinct personalities. Can you share a bit about your muse?

My muse and I have a fairly contentious relationship. We’re either hot or cold. When we’re hot, it’s a mind-blowing one night stand, otherwise she doesn’t return my calls. She’s a bit of a bitch. I think her name’s Leah Petersen.

It seems we all endured English and/or World literature coming up in high school…What was the worst book you were ever forced to read and what about it turned you off?

I have no idea. I probably blocked that memory.

You have a million dollars that you must donate to one charitable organization. Which one would you choose and why?

Suicide prevention. Especially for teens. Especially especially for gay teens. As for why, simply that suicide has touched my life in more ways than one and no one should ever have to go through that, the survivors OR the victims.

Do you have one of those pesky day jobs, or are you a full-time writer? If you do have another career what do you do and do you enjoy it?

My day job is accounting. It’s interesting and challenging enough that I’m happy with it. It stays at the office, though. It’s a paycheck that’s not painful to earn but it’s not welcome in my home.

I had an editor early on that showed me the way…have you had anyone in particular that gave you a gentle **ahem** nudge in the right direction? How did they do that and how did you react?

Gabrielle Harbowy was my editor for Fighting Gravity and continues to be for my current projects. She’s been incredible. She’s got that gift of telling you something really sucks in a way that makes it easy to see the value in the feedback and without making it sound like she’s saying it really sucks.

Wine or beer?

Depends on the mood. Whichever one, it can’t be weak or sweet. Strong beers and dry red wines for me.

Cake or pie?

Fruit pie. Cake is merely a vehicle for frosting.

 

When Jacob Dawes is Selected for the Imperial Intellectual Complex as a child, he’s catapulted from the poverty-stricken slums of his birth into a world where his status as an unclass is something no one can forget, or forgive. His growing scientific renown draws the attention of the emperor, a young man Jacob’s own age, and they find themselves drawn to each other in an unlikely, and ill-advised relationship. Jacob may have won the emperor’s heart, but it’s no protection when he’s accused of treason. And fighting his own execution would mean betraying the man he loves.

EXCERPT   

After dinner, a servant summoned me to the emperor. This was now twice in as many nights. Was it about something I’d said the night before? That stupid ring?

I was led to where the emperor was talking with the ship’s captain in one of the hallways.  

“Good evening, Mr. Dawes. I see you survived the lift-off.” He walked as he spoke, gesturing for me to accompany him. 

“It was an incredible experience, Excellence. This is a nice ship you have.” 

“Thank you. It’s not a new ship, there was no time for that. But many things were upgraded, the engines included. They’re the best of the best, I’m told. I thought about you during the lift-off. I wondered what you’d make of it.” 

“You did?” I asked, stunned.

“Is there something wrong with that?” he asked, his mouth twisted in what looked like amusement but was probably something more dangerous to me. 

“No, sir. I guess not…”

“Does it bother you?” He seemed to be teasing me again. 

“Some,” I answered. 

He stopped. “Why?” 

“Because I’m afraid of you.” 

He laughed, and started down the hallway again. But after a sideways glance at my face, he quieted. “You really mean that?” 

“Yes.” 

“Oh.” His answer was soft, subdued, even. I got the distinct impression that I’d hurt his feelings.

“You must get that all the time.” 

“I do,” he answered, but didn’t look at me. I was more and more sure that I’d offended him somehow. 

“So why should it matter, then, Excellence?” 

He thought for a moment. “I don’t know. I should be used to it. Of course, no one ever comes out and says it in so many words. It’s a bit of a shock to hear it confirmed like that.” 

He stopped again, facing me, a slight furrow between his eyes that I would have called uncertainty, even vulnerability, if I hadn’t known who he was. “Why are you afraid of me?”  

“Who wouldn’t be afraid? You can do anything you want with my life and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.” 

The furrow deepened and he waited, as if I hadn’t explained myself at all. 

“You uprooted my life a couple of weeks ago, who knows what you might do tomorrow?” 

“You mean, you didn’t want this assignment?” he asked.

Apparently I wasn’t frightened enough to keep my mouth shut. “I want to be here,” I pointed to the ship around us, “but I didn’t want to be reassigned, no.” 

“Mr. Dawes...” He hesitated. “I had no idea. I’m sorry.”  

I shrugged but didn’t look at him.

“Would you like to be assigned back to the IIC?”

“Yes, Excellence.”

“Then you will be.” He started walking again, gesturing to me to accompany him. My stomach was jittery. I couldn’t believe what I’d just said. But he wasn’t reacting like an angry sovereign. He was acting like just another guy whose feelings were hurt. 

“I’m sorry if I offended you,” I tried. 

He turned to me. “Actually, you have no idea how much I appreciate your honesty.” 

There was no reason for me to believe he was lying or just being diplomatic—and I couldn’t imagine why he would try to spare my feelings—but that didn’t make me feel much better. I was still on edge, certain I’d said far too much.

Leah Petersen lives in North Carolina. She does the day-job, wife, and mother thing, much like everyone else. She prides herself on being able to hold a book with her feet so she can knit while reading. She’s still working on knitting while writing.

FIGHTING GRAVITY is her first novel.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/LeahPetersen

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

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/leahpetersen

Google+: http://profiles.google.com/leahpetersen

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/lpetersenauthor/

Leah will be giving away a prize pack containing these items hand knit by the author: a hat, a replica of the symbol of an important institution referenced in Fighting Gravity to TWO randomly drawn commenters during the tour.

Welcome, Donna Del Oro!

Did you choose your genre or did it choose you?

Donna: Ever since I read Ken Follett’s THE DAY OF THE JACKAL and THE EYE OF THE NEEDLE, I’ve wanted to write spy thrillers. Then I read everything that Robert Ludlum could turn out, just as soon as each book hit the market. Now I read Daniel Silva, Brad Thor, Alex Berenson. That was oh, so many years ago!  Spy thrillers with romantic subplots personify excitement, intelligence, secrecy, mystery.

Did you enjoy language arts in school? Did you have a teacher that particularly encouraged you to write?

Donna: No, not especially. I started writing and illustrating my own comic books when I was very young. It was the perfect blend of my favorite two things, art and storytelling.

It’s five o’clock somewhere…Let’s have a drink! What cocktail best describes you and why?

Donna: I’d have to ask for a Grey Goose martini, shaken with an olive.  Vodka is one of the few alcoholic drinks I can take without getting sick. Nothing symbolic about it. Besides, it’s a classy drink and I love nostalgia.

On my desk I have a rhino that my husband gave me to remind me I’m rhino-tough, as you have to be in the business. Is there anything you have that you use to remind you of that?

Donna: I used to feel heartbroken when I got a rejection. Now I shrug and say, “Your loss.” That’s exactly how I feel.

I have two muses, Arwen and Bronwyn, they have very distinct personalities. Can you share a bit about your muse?

Donna: No muses. I get a lot of ideas from movies, newspapers, books…and dreams. I have a very fertile dream life. Some times I’ll wake up with a complete scene already to go because I’ve dreamt it.

It seems we all endured English and/or World literature coming up in high school…What was the worst book you were ever forced to read and what about it turned you off?

Donna: John Milton’s PARADISE LOST. It was so depressing!

You have a million dollars that you must donate to one charitable organization. Which one would you choose and why?

Donna: MADD (Mothers Against Driving Drunk) and Wounded Warriors. Both very worthy causes.

Do you have one of those pesky day jobs, or are you a full-time writer? If you do have another career what do you do and do you enjoy it?

Donna: I’m a retired high school English teacher, so I FINALLY get to write as little or as much as I want to each day. I love the freedom of choosing. It’s GREAT!!

Due to the world we live in, most editors will tell a romance writer they have the moral obligation to protect their characters from scary life altering things, thereby being obligated to the reader. What are your thoughts on this? Do you protect your characters and how?

Donna: I don’t write to a formula or what an editor might want. One reason why I like not having an agent. Most agents will encourage/pressure a writer to write a certain way in order to sell to a specific publisher. I don’t want to feel constrained in a creative way. One agent told me I didn’t have the hero and heroine meet until chapter three and she, bending to trendy vogues, wanted them to meet in the first chapter and I should rewrite the beginning of the book—a spy thriller. That told me she was the WRONG agent for me and to look elsewhere.

Romance has come a long, long way since Fabio graced the covers regularly…it seems the hinges are off the proverbial door. How far is too far in your mind? Are there things you simply won’t write?

Donna: I don’t write straight romances or erotica. They bore me.

I’ve been asked, as has my husband, if we do “all that stuff in my stories.” Do you get asked this and if so how do you handle it?

Donna: Just to be cheeky, I say, “Of course.”

I had an editor early on that showed me the way…have you had anyone in particular that gave you a gentle **ahem** nudge in the right direction? How did they do that and how did you react?

Donna: No, I’ve found my own way.

Donna Del Oro spent her childhood in two places, Silicon Valley, CA and the countryside of East Texas, as her father tried several job opportunities. Finally settling in Silicon Valley, she grew up in a bilingual, bicultural world--Spanish on her mother's side and English on her father's. Comfortable in both worlds, she decided upon retiring from teaching to write about her Hispanic side. Four women's fiction books resulted and a series about professional singers, their careers and love lives. Retired and devoting much of her abundant free time to exercise, writing, singing and her grandson, Donna has finally reached a point in life that totally satisfies her. Life is good and she has no complaints, just a lot of gratitude for her many blessings. 

Website

A BODYGUARD OF LIES (release: Jan. 13th) has a dual setting, a contemporary one and a WWII/London setting. It's a blend of romance, mystery and WWII espionage. I researched it while in England, Ireland and Germany in 2009. The story involves a Jewish-American FBI analyst, who's recruited by MI-5 to go undercover and investigate a naturalized American grandmother. The elderly woman is suspected by MI-5 of being a notorious Nazi spy never caught by the Allies during the war, who caused the deaths of thousands and is wanted for war crimes. Jake Bernstein runs into a series of unexpected obstacles and complications: This spy knows a secret that could endanger the royal family; the old woman has a beautiful granddaughter who threatens to derail his investigation; a neo-Nazi group in Ireland known as the Celtic Wolves; and a clever, cagey old woman who's not as weak as she looks.

Excerpt:

The major handed Jake a secure mobile phone, which he tucked into his jacket’s inside pocket.  Acknowledging the older man’s military background and bearing, Jake gave a quick half-salute, biting back the sarcastic retort that sprang to mind. I’m thirty-two, Major, not thirteen.

“Will do, Major,” he said and grabbed the handle of his suitcase. “Where the hell is this motor coach going, anyway? Besides the Republic of Ireland?” Major Temple’s bushy gray eyebrows arched. “No, didn’t have a chance to read the itinerary. Too busy with the files.”

Temple chomped on his pipe, one side of his mouth upturned in another wry smile. Jake sensed the man was holding something back.

“Southwest England, Wales, Republic of Ireland, a bit of Scotland. Two weeks’ worth.”

“And if I conclude this investigation in less time?”

“Then we debrief and back home you go. We’ll handle the filing of charges and arrest warrants if needed. Extradition, if necessary, for Mrs. Snider.  Well then, good luck, ol’ man.”

Jake nodded and took his leave. Outside, he hailed the guide, a friendly, outgoing sort who introduced himself as Robert Morse. The man quickly turned the suitcase over to the driver, who stowed it in the storage bin at the side of the motor coach. As soon as Robert checked him in and indicated that he could take on board his carryon, Jake moved to the coach’s front door. He suddenly stepped aside as a young, very pretty blonde climbed down, spun around and helped an elderly woman descend.

“Sorry, Robert, my grandmother has to visit the restroom.”

The blonde glanced over at Jake, grinned in greeting, then took her grandmother’s arm and followed the direction of Robert’s sweeping arm. The two women entered the glass-fronted hotel lobby and walked slowly around the corner of the lobby’s counter. Jake’s gaze clung to them.

So there they were. Mary McCoy Snider and her granddaughter, Meghan Larsen. What a hottie!

“Quite a looker, that one,” Robert murmured them, his eyes following their progress as well.

An understatement, Jake thought as he nodded to the man in agreement. The granddaughter was lovely—had the face and figure of a Hollywood starlet. She had a wholesome but sexy look about her. The red lipstick she wore accentuated her full, sensual mouth; her deep-set blue eyes were large and luminous. A boxy navy-blue pea jacket concealed some of her curves, but the overall effect of a beautiful, symmetrical face, a tanned complexion, long blonde waves partly covered with a large, black beret, and graceful motion was powerful. Like a slap of warm sunshine in this cold, damp country. Seduc—er, schmoozing that girl was going to be a perk, not a chore.

Already, he was warming to this assignment.

The grandmother, bulky in a long wooly coat, looked attractive despite her purported eighty-five years of age. The elderly woman was well preserved, he decided, and must have been quite a beauty in her youth. Like her granddaughter, she would’ve turned men’s heads and carried her power over them like a Hollywood pinup girl.

“Would you care to board, Mr. Schoenberger?”offered Robert, the tour guide, interrupting his reverie.

“Call me Jake.  I’ll wait until the women return.”

The tour guide tossed him a knowing smirk.

A few minutes later, Jake was helping the elderly woman up to the steep first step. Mary McCoy Snider paused on the steps, holding onto the railing on the coach’s door, and looked back at Jake, her dark blue eyes sharp with intelligence.

“Thank you, young man. What’s your name?” she asked, a slight Texas drawl softening her naturally strong, clear voice.

“Jake. Jake Schoenberger from Virginia.” He smiled up at the elderly grandmother, who then nodded and moved up into the coach. He slid his gaze down to the granddaughter, who’d paused at the coach’s door. The top of her head came to his jawline.

“Thanks for helping, Jake,” she said, blinking up at him before climbing the steps herself. Her long honey-blonde hair brushed his shoulder when she moved past him. There was a self-conscious shyness in her manner. Which Jake found odd, for such a beautiful woman. Wow. His pulse revved up.

Dude, you’re on duty.

Wasn’t that why they chose him? Get close, peel off the layers of distrust...

He proceeded up after Meghan Larsen, appreciating the rear view. Too bad, he thought, when the two women took seats near the front of the packed coach. The one vacant double-seat was in the rear of the coach. He nodded a friendly greeting to all of the passengers as he passed them on his way to the back. They were mostly couples but another single man, an older guy in his fifties, sat alone at the halfway point in the coach. Two women of about the man’s same age—maybe mid-forties—were behind him. They perked up as he walked by, shot him wide smiles beaming with anticipation.

He knew that look.

After stowing his carry-on underneath the empty seat next to him, Jake sat down. His long legs brushed against the seat in front. Damn, like traveling in coach. Two weeks in this freakin’ bus—how was he going to stand it?

He leaned over. From his vantage point, he could see the blonde’s wavy locks falling about her shoulders. She was sitting on the opposite side of the coach in the aisle seat, her grandmother in the window seat. Damn, he’d have to find a way of sitting closer to them. Maybe their seats on the coach weren’t fixed ...or he could feign motion sickness and ask Robert to place him further forward.

As he was plotting a way to chat up Mary Snider and her granddaughter, the blonde swiveled her upper body and looked down the aisle. Their eyes locked together briefly and she smiled. Despite a night without sleep and heavy with jet lag, his pulse kicked up. Something lurched in his chest. His groin clenched. Jake returned the smile.

Good, he thought, she noticed me. Contact with targets made.

Welcome Emily Cale!

 

Did you choose your genre or did it choose you?

It totally chose me. I'd never really considered writing romance, but somehow no matter what I tried I somehow ended up writing a romance. I finally figured out it was easier to start that way.

Did you enjoy language arts in school? Did you have a teacher that particularly encouraged you to write?

I always loved English class. I had some great teachers who really encouraged me to read and write as much as possible. My eighth grade teacher was especially supportive and pushed me to make my reading better. 

It’s five o’clock somewhere…Let’s have a drink! What cocktail best describes you and why?

I don't usually do cocktails. I'm much more of white wine girl. I love the crisp and clean taste of a great sauvignon blanc.

On my desk I have a rhino that my husband gave me to remind me I’m rhino-tough, as you have to be in the business. Is there anything you have that you use to remind you of that?

I have a poster my husband gave me that says "You are so f-ing awesome". I look at it a lot and remind myself of how far I've already come.

I have two muses, Arwen and Bronwyn, they have very distinct personalities. Can you share a bit about your muse?

I don't have one particular muse. I tend to find inspiration for each story I write and focus on that instead. That said, the men are usually very hunky and useful for inspiration.

It seems we all endured English and/or World literature coming up in high school…What was the worst book you were ever forced to read and what about it turned you off?

Somehow I was forced to read through 8 different versions of the Odyssey while going through school. I can't stand the book, usually because I've read it so many times and don't understand the appeal.

You have a million dollars that you must donate to one charitable organization. Which one would you choose and why?

I would choose the Nothing But Nets campaign (http://www.nothingbutnets.net/). There are a number of mosquito-borne diseases in developing countries that are responsible for a lot of morbidity and mortality. It is so easy to help prevent a lot of these conditions, like malaria, but the people there don't have the money to spend on it.

Do you have one of those pesky day jobs, or are you a full-time writer? If you do have another career what do you do and do you enjoy it?

I don't know if it officially counts as a day job, but I'm a full-time PhD student. I enjoy it…most of the time. There are certainly days where I'm ready to quit and write full-time instead. I have to stop and remind myself that I really do love what I'm working on and that it will pay off in the end. Of course, I also have to remind myself to do the same with writing.

Due to the world we live in, most editors will tell a romance writer they have the moral obligation to protect their characters from scary life altering things, thereby being obligated to the reader. What are your thoughts on this? Do you protect your characters and how?

I think it depends on the characters. I think most people know that romance is fiction. Obviously my characters are not making real choices and are playing to fantasies. Sometimes it is hard to sneak in a condom just for the sake of protecting the characters. Still, I think that, in general, it is important to do. I protect characters not because I believe I'm obligated to, but because I typically write smart characters who wouldn't normally make the decision not to use a condom. If they forget or screw up, then they know it and will likely mention it in the story.

Romance has come a long, long way since Fabio graced the covers regularly…it seems the hinges are off the proverbial door. How far is too far in your mind? Are there things you simply won’t write?

I'm not sure there is necessarily a too far in mind. There are topics that I'm not personally interested in reading, but other people might be. That said, I think that most publishers have good guidelines as far as what is not really commercially acceptable (no incest, bestiality, etc.). I don't write stuff that I'm overly uncomfortable with, mainly because I think it shows in my writing. That said, I don't have any problem with people who do and sometimes read in areas I would never write.

I’ve been asked, as has my husband, if we do “all that stuff in my stories.” Do you get asked this and if so how do you handle it?

LOL. I get asked that all the time. I normally laugh it off and simply say no, but point people toward the fact that I write fiction. I don't barrel race, study zoology, or have a mummy in my lab, but people never assume that part of my story is true.

I had an editor early on that showed me the way…have you had anyone in particular that gave you a gentle **ahem** nudge in the right direction? How did they do that and how did you react?

I could list so many people here, but my first editor was the fabulous Clarissa Yip (who is actually the editor for Getting Ahead). I can't imagine how hard it was for her to get through that first manuscript, but it came back to me with red marks that you would even believe. I took one look and closed the document. I then opened it a few days later and started working through every single comment, page by page. By the end, I felt completely numb and broken. I think I burst into tears when she wrote back and told me I'd done a good job.

Wine or beer?

Wine. Preferably white.

Satin or cotton?

Cotton.

Fries or tots?

Tots.

Cake or pie?

Both, please.

Steak or burgers?

Burgers.

Candle light or pitch dark?

For what? Probably candle light.

Thanks so much for having me!

Colton is exactly the kind of distraction Amber doesn't want, but he might be exactly what she needs to get back on track.

Recovering from a bad fall during competition, Amber McDonald decides to spend her last week of training before her next rodeo at a Colorado ranch, away from any and all distractions. It'd be the perfect arrangement—if only her fear wasn't stopping her from getting back on her horse.

Then Colt Riley steps in. He's sexy and seems to have incredible insight into her situation, but he's everything she's been trying to stay away from.

Colt knows exactly what Amber is going through...because he's been there before. Forced to give up his riding career after an accident, he sets his mind to helping her get back on track. All that's easier said than done, especially when she discovers his hidden past. Will his efforts be enough to help her get ahead?

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Publisher: http://www.breathlesspress.com/getting-ahead

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007B25V7M/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wwwbreathless-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007B25V7M

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/getting-ahead-emily-cale/1109505995?ean=2940033070534

All Romance ebooks: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-gettingahead-728018-340.html

Emily Cale spent the majority of her childhood as a visitor to the worlds of her favorite authors. With encouragement from her English teachers, she put pen to paper and began imagining her own stories. Preferring the fascinating lives of her characters, she majored in creative writing. When not lost in a manuscript or a good book, she enjoys crocheting, rock climbing, and playing board games. She currently lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her husband and a very spoiled cat.

You can find Emily online on her blog (http://www.emilycale.blogspot.com) or on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/emilycale.

Six From Assumed Master, Coming May 3...

“You’ve known the entire time she was here, didn’t you?” Dante growled, pacing the space between Allen’s desk in his office and the two King Louis chairs in front of it. Blake had taken up kneeling not far away with his eyes to the floor. Apparently he knew the perfect storm was in the making. Nicki sat on a cushion to the side of the desk, her hands neatly folded in her lap. “And she’s been down here all week with Keegan hasn’t she?”

“Yes, she has been here the whole time,” Allen admitted.

For more sixes please go to: http://www.sixsunday.com/

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Welcome Carrie Ann Ryan!

The Allure of Werewolves

            Why do I find werewolves to be so alluring and romantic? Oh, well…I just love them! They’re so primal—so animalistic. So…mine.

            They’re beyond sexy. Well, at least my Jamenson boys are. *wink* I love the fact that not only is there a man on the outside that I can fall for, but here is another crawling beneath the who can care for me too.

            Two souls and two beings taking care of their mates? Yeah, that’s perfect. I love the growling and the protectiveness. I love the fact that their strong—and can teach me to be strong too.

            I love the fact that their sense are heightened and can scent things that others can’t. That they can taste things that others can’t.

            Reed is a werewolf—a sexy one. And he has a two mates. Yep two. Willow is a witch who tastes of bitter apple and honey. Something Reed loves. And Josh is a human leanring how to live within the supernatural world.

            Werewolves are mysterious. Their origins and presence hidden deep in secrecy in and in another culture. I want to know more and break that code. Find out what makes them tick.

            That’s why werewolves are so alluring. They’re so much more than humans and something that I can dream of.

            What do you think the allure of werewolves is? What do you love about them?

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:

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Twitter: @CarrieAnnRyan

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An Alpha’s Path

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A Taste for a Mate

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Trinity Bound

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Trinity Bound 

Hannah Lewis, a rare earth witch, is taken from the only life she’s ever known. Held at her will by a sadistic wolf, she almost gives up hope that she’d ever see her real life again. But as her fellow captive, a werewolf named Reed, tries to calm her fears, she begins to feel a spark of something she never thought she’d feel – love. But is Reed, alone, enough to get her out of this dark basement so she can move on with her life?

Reed Jamenson, the artist of a werewolf Pack of Alpha males, knows instinctually that Hannah is his mate. Thus, despite their imprisonment, he will do all to protect her and then worry about their hearts. But is he strong enough to find a way for both of them to escape? And why does he feel as though something else is missing?

Josh Kolb, an ex-military human, stumbles upon Reed and Hannah and finds he must trust this new world of supernatural beings to survive. But that desire will lead the three to a triangle of attraction that will test the boundaries they all possess and its consequences in defeating the enemy. Can they all trust one another to save themselves and life as they know it? Even at the cost of their own hearts? 

Trinity Bound Excerpt

Reed planted his feet, his fists clenched. Josh did the same on the other side of her, yet with a gun in one hand and a blade in another. As a human, he would need all the protection he could get. A gun wouldn’t necessarily kill the beasts, but it would slow them down. And frankly, he looked damn sexy all armored up. Reed too, with his natural charisma.

And, totally not the time again to let her thoughts wonder.

But what a place they would go.

Hannah gave a nod to both men and closed her eyes, calling to the Earth. She may be a Healer, but she could still go on the offensive with the Earth and kick ass if she had too. Well, at least she hoped he could. She’d trained with her mother – Hannah held back that sharp pain of loss – but she really hadn’t used it, and tiredness ached her bones.

Another wolf’s howl echoed in the not too far distance. Hannah concentrated and moved her arms like an orchestra conductor to take a large pile of soil, rocks and roots in her hold. The resulting mass looked like a crested wave and slammed into the wolves trying to come from behind in a sneak attack.

Stupid wolves. Didn’t they know she could feel them when they trampled heavy-footed on her Earth?

Josh and Reed each granted her a look of pleasant surprise, then a sexy smile.

They’d underestimated her. They wouldn’t do it again.