Realmantic Moments

Steamed? Don't Let it Burn You...

2012-03-12T01:00:00.000-04:00

Continuing on the theme of deadly sins that can crush ourcareers, I’d like to take a few minutes today to talk about anger…AKA wrath.

This life can be a lonely one no doubt about it. Writersspend copious amounts of time alone, sitting behind a screen, typing andcreating…Or do they? How much time is actually spent out of your day writing,or doing things that will improve your writing, or learning, or talking withother writers about writing specifically, or writing?

My guess is not as much time as you could be.

How much of your time is actually spent in the annals ofsocial networks flat out bitching? About not having enough time to write, orabout your editor, or fighting with another writer about something petty? Howmany times have you let your temper get the best of you over something incybertown, or something in your personal life, and you’ve announced that greatdispleasure through a rant online?

Don’t lie…that’s another sin altogether. I was as guilty asthe next person. Was being the key word. No more.

You see I figured out how damaging being a raging lunatic onthe social networks can be and how that can damn you as a writer in a Dixieminute. People do not care about your husbands or what asses they are, theycare not about how ill-behaved your kids are, they do not care if you hateso-and-so, and they do not give a rat’s back side if you disagree with youreditor. And they sure care less and less and less as time goes by and beforeyou know it all they notice is how many times you’re online making a completeass of yourself, sometimes in a chemically induced stupor, ranting.

People want their writers to be as happy ever after as thecharacters said writers are writing about. After so much negative coming fromsomeone, trust me, they will walk away and more often than not they won’t comeback.

Yes, we all get angry, but it’s how we deal with that angerthat defines us as a person and as a writer. No, we don’t make contact withmany actual fleshies during out day to vent to, and it seems harmless enoughletting it go in a world that can most often be considered “non-reality” sincewe are just talking to air, an empty space. Right? Wrong. That empty space isnot just where all the writers live and rant, it’s where your readers live andwatch and spread word of impending doom when their favorite story teller goeshigh and to the right and acts like a complete child in public.

The next time you feel the need to purge, think on that. Doyou really want to post something you’ll soon regret? Something that will turnoff your readers? If you think anger makes you more real to them, it doesn’t.It only makes you less approachable and less likeable. No one wants to bearound someone that is unhappy all the time and constantly displays thatunhappiness through tirades and fits.

Find another way to channel it. Get away from the screen acouple of hours a day and make a fleshy friend you can share with. Go for arun, God knows most writers don’t get enough exercise anyway. Buy a hanging bagand punch at that a while. And if all else fails take it out on a character ortwo. I know with some of the sub-genres I write it’s easy enough to find someoneto take a whip to.

Whatever you do, don’t take it to your readers. You willregret it…

Anger, if not restrained, is frequently more hurtful to us thanthe injury that provokes it.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Six From Assumed Master, Book Four Identity Series...Coming Soon...

2012-03-11T01:00:00.000-05:00

“I’m just a bit nervous. Feels almostlike first time jitters.” A squeaky laugh floated out of her and her throatclenched so tight it hurt.

“If you’re not ready…”

“I need to do this, Sir,” Julie assured him,pulling back and taking a deep breath. “I want to be normal again.

Find more fantabulous writers and their sixes here: http://sixsunday.com

Thanks for coming by today!

Welcome, Brenda Whiteside!

2012-03-09T01:00:00.000-05:00

Has yourmuse always known what genre you would eventually be published in?

She mighthave, but she kept me in the dark. As a new writer, I dabbled in severaldirections but mostly slice of life short stories. A writer friend of mine madean observation way back – a bed always figured somewhere in my stories. Hmmm… Iguess it was no wonder my first published novel was a contemporary romance.

Do you readyour sub-genre consistently or do you prefer another?

I’m allover the map on what I read. I mainly read suspense thrillers, romance andwomen’s fiction. Not necessarily in that order.

If youweren’t writing, what would your fantasy occupation be?

I’d love tobe on the stage, but I’m probably too chicken. There were a few years whenalmost daily I was asked if I knew I looked like Teri Garr. Vicarious thrill!

Do you livenear, or have you ever visited, the locations you use as settings in yourworks?

Yes,mostly. My first book took place in Minneapolis where I lived and madereference to Phoenix and Las Vegas. I’ve lived both places. A couple of shortstook place in Minneapolis. Honey On White Bread, which released in December,takes place in Phoenix with a short detour to Hemet, California. I’ve been toHemet. My work in progress takes place in Flagstaff, Arizona – one of myfavorite cities. There’s a follow up in the planning stages to this book whichwill take place in Austria. I’ve visited Austria a couple of times. I have anovella releasing this year that is set in Amarillo. Can’t remember ever beingthere.

If youdon’t live near or you haven’t visited your setting locations, how did youresearch them?

Amarillowas pretty easy. Since I have been in Texas numerous times, I had goodreference. Most of the book takes place in my heroine’s bed so the city wasn’ttoo important!

Where doyou see brick and mortar book stores in five years?

Not muchdifferent from now. There may be fewer. I have hope for the littleindependents. I’ve embraced ebooks as so many of us have. But there are times Ilike to ‘feel’ a book.

Do you putany stock in reviews or is reader feedback more important to you and why?

Reederfeedback is terribly important. If only they would post their comments on booksites! But still, I know when I’ve hit the mark if a reader tells me. My latestrelease, Honey On White Bread, has yet to garner a commercial review. But Ihave several great reader reviews on Goodreads and Amazon. Reviewers certainlyserve a purpose. They are readers with an audience.

Where doyou write? Home office, local Starbucks?

Home in mycomfy nook. My second favorite spot is in bed, coffee in hand, feet under thecovers and laptop on lap.

Do you havemood music you write to? What are your top five picks?

I have tohave silence when I write. I know so many writers who choose their music bywhat they’re writing. I tried, thinking they must know something I don’t.Couldn’t do it.

Are you afull-time writer or do you have other obligations? If you have another career,what do you do?

I’m afull-time writer as of last year. Of course, that doesn’t relieve me of allkinds of other obligations. LOL Life, you know.

You’ve justfound a magic lamp, the genie popped out and granted you three wishes…what arethey?

1) Myhusband is able to fish all the lakes on his bucket list

2) Myson’s music career takes off

3) I’ma grandma by this time next year

If you wonthe lottery but the stipulation was you had to give away half the winnings,what would you do with that half?

My firstinclination was to say I’d give it to my various family members. But on secondthought, I’m going to assume I’ve won enough to share my half with them.Working on that assumption, I would use the other half to benefit children.That’s a bit vague so I’d have to do some research, but when I think ofmistreated or hungry children, I ache. I’d like to help those children.

Do youbelieve that we as writers have certain moral obligations to our readers? Howdo you fulfill them? I’ve honestly never thought about that. I write forentertainment’s sake. Since I write romance, and my intention is to createenjoyment, I would hope that my stories are uplifting and respectful to bothwomen and men.

Do you havechildren and what do they think about your career?

I have oneson who is a gifted singer/songwriter. He is thrilled with I do and is a bigsupporter.

Favoritemovie?

I have toname two: Dirty Dancing, Harold and Maude

Bubblebaths or long, hot steamy showers?

Both!Depends on my mood and if I want to read and sip wine – that’s a bit harder todo in the shower.

Beach ormountains?

Mountainsbut beach runs a close second.

Chocolate,vanilla, or swirl cones?

Vanilla. Ilove vanilla anything.

Four wheeldrives or sports cars?

Oh, dang,do I have to choose? I’d like a car for every mood I have!

Oil orlotion?

Lotion formoisture. Oil (scented) instead of perfume.

Convinced she was born to be an artist, Brenda nevertook her love of writing seriously. And then one day, sometime after college,after marrying a man doing a stint in the army and the birth of her son, shefound more satisfaction filling a blank page with words than an empty canvaswith color. She left her paints behind. After publishing several short stories,she turned to writing novels. Regardless of the length of her story, thecharacters drive her forward, taking her on their journey of discovery andlove.

Brenda and her husband are gypsies at heart havinglived in six states and two countries. Recently, they moved to prairie countryin Arizona and are enjoying the wide-open spaces while tending fruit trees andveggie gardens. They share their home with their dog, Rusty. When Brenda isn’tat her laptop writing, she enjoys hiking, motorcycle riding and the company ofgood friends.

VisitBrenda at www.brendawhiteside.com.

Oron FaceBook: www.facebook.com/BrendaWhitesideAuthor

Sheblogs on the 9^th and 24^th of every month at http://rosesofprose.blogspot.com

Sheblogs occasionally on her personal blog http://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/

When seventeen-year-oldClaire Flanagan is wrenched from her father and deposited at the GoodShepherd’s Home for Wayward Girls, all dreams for Hollywood stardom are lost.But when twenty-year-old Benjamin Russell helps secure her release, she startsto believe in a happy future with him…until she discovers his ex-girlfriend ispregnant.

In this post WWII comingof age novel, Claire discovers the silver screen can’t compare with thefight she takes on for the leading role in her own life.

EXCERPT

My gazelingered on Benjamin. His smile was tepid, his blue eyes veiled, as he politelyapplauded. The only one I cared about pleasing gave me nothing. I brieflycurtsied for the judges, flashed my Hollywood smile at each of them andstrolled off the stage. I glanced back over my shoulder before sliding behindthe curtain. On second look, Benjamin’s smile was crooked, warm and he wasstill watching me. Perhaps I was making something of nothing, still, hopeswelled in my chest.

“Youknocked their socks off, Claire.”

“Thanks,Kevin.”

“I’ll bewatching you in the movies some day.”

Doubtloomed.

That’swhat I wanted, wasn’t it? I felt at home on the stage. There were no nerves,and I liked to wow the judges. Could I compare the thrill of being a Hollywoodstar with the thrill of a future with Benjamin Willis Russell as my real lifeleading man? The bright lights of Hollywood paled in comparison to his blueeyes. I leaned my elbows on my knees with my head in my hands.

“Don’tbe nervous.” Kevin leaned down to whisper in my ear. “I have a feeling you havethem all in the palm of your hand.”

All?Benjamin was barely at my fingertips. Hollywood fame seemed more attainable.Maybe I didn’t have to choose. I bolted upright. The solution appeared to beeasy enough. I calmed myself with the rationale I could have it all. A decisionto choose between Benjamin and a career didn’t need to be made right then, ifat all.

Brenda willbe giving away a 1940's double feature night at the movies which will consistof two DVD movies from the era starring the movie idols the heroine mentionsoften in the book - one Betty Grable movie and one Tyrone Power movie - pluspopcorn and a box of candy to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour(US/Canada only please).

Melange Books, Publisher
http://www.melange-books.com/authors/brendawhiteside/honey.html
Amazon
http://tinyurl.com/7ccuqn6
All Romance eBooks
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-honeyonwhitebread-657446-173.html

And the Winners Are....

2012-03-08T08:50:00.001-05:00

Good morning everyone!

Thanks so much to all of you that came out the past few days to help me celebrate the one year anniversary of my Identity series. It's been a great week!

Not only did the anniversary roll around on the sixth, I celebrated my birthday, my husband's birthday and we celebrated 15 years of wedded bliss that day. As you can imagine we ate lots and lots of cake Tuesday. :)

While all the celebrating has been going on I've been diligently writing away on book four of the series, Assumed Master, due out soon although we've no official delivery date as of yet. In fact, I'm still working on an official blurb, but promise to get it to you all soon...However, as an added bonus and bit of the party, after I announce the winners...:)...Yes, I'm getting there...LOL I will be sharing a brand new excerpt from Dante and Julie's continuing saga...

So, without further ado, here goes. The winner of the newsletter sign up and proud owner of a $5.00 Amazon gift card is...Chey!

The winner of the $10.00 Amazon gift card random comment drawing is...Tamsyn!

Congratulations and thank you so much for helping me party in style in celebration of so much. Enjoy shopping!

From Assumed Master, Julie finds herself re-entering the lifestyle after being away for some months in mourning...and she seems to have located her protege...

“Excuse me, I don’t mean to be out ofline or pry,” a voice prodded from Julie’s right as a female hand landed on herforearm. “I was wondering. Are you taken by Dante or Alan or both? I thoughtDante was with Blake. Or do they share you? Dante and Alan I mean, not Danteand Blake. Or maybe they do to? Not that it matters I suppose…”

“What is your point?” Julie asked,not knowing whether to be irritated by the girl’s forward personality or giveher kudos for being so sure of herself as to just ask what she wanted to knowtaboo or not. Everyone knew it was rude to pry into the relationships of othersunless the information was put out there for scrutiny or the participatingparties brought it up first. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you at a munch or atone of Alan’s parties. Maybe I’m the one that should be asking so manyquestions.”

“I’m sorry. I’m a little bit new at allthis. My name’s Nicki.” The black-haired, blue-eyed pixie stuck her hand out.When Julie didn’t make a move to accept it, she withdrew it and twisted hermouth up a bit on one side. “Sorry again. You must be a Madame and I’veoverstepped even further.”

“How old are you?” Julie asked,examining Nicki from head to toe. She didn’t look a day over seventeen.

“Twenty-six.”

“And who are you here with?”

“Am I in trouble?”

“No, you’re not. I just want to knowwhat poor excuse for a Dom left you to wander alone.” Placing a few baconwrapped scallops on her plate, Julie tilted her head toward the side. “Grab aplate and come with me. You’re thin as a rail. I myself like to eat. I thinkit’s unnatural not to.”

“I…uh…okay?” Nicki snatched a platefrom the stack and fell in beside Julie as the line moved forward.

“Well, who are you with?”

“Linn Dabney.”

“Layne Dabney’s little brother? Nowonder you’re lost.” Rolling her eyes, Julie grabbed a couple of steak skewers,dunked them in an Asian sauce, and placed them on the side of her plate beforemoving forward. “I don’t see anything on your plate yet.”

“Oh, sorry,” Nicki mumbled, taking acouple of shrimp.

“Two shrimp does not a meal make,”Julie said picking up a few more and placing them on the girl’s plate. “Eatlike you mean it. Most Doms like a girl that enjoys her food. They also likethe results, a well-padded ass.”

“Oh, I’m not a sub.”

“You’re not?” She had to stifle alaugh. “Well, we’ll see about that part. Shelby didn’t think she was either.Now, is this how you knew everyone’s names? This Linn Dabney?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I’m not a ma’am. I’m…” Julieremembered a time she’d have used Marie or Chelsea or Hayden in a pinch. “I’mjust Julie. Julie Seidler.”

Nicki gasped and nearly dropped herplate. “You’re Mason’s wife?”

“Yes, I was.” It came out as asqueaky whisper then realizing it wasn’t this girl’s fault she wasn’t beingproperly trained, she bolstered herself a bit. “We had a lot of good yearstogether.”

“I’m sorry. I should have put two andtwo together. The bits I get from Linn don’t always come with explanations andall the details. He told me about you getting willed to someone else, but hefailed to point out when he explained who Dante was that you were the one.”

“You’re really rather chatty aren’tyou?”

“Is that a problem?”

“I have the same problem when I get nervous,”Julie admitted. Perusing the desserts end, she chose two mini-cheesecakes forher plate then put one on Nicki’s. “That and I organize. And cook. A lot.” Shegrabbed a napkin and smiled. “Now come with me, Miss Nicki. You’re done messingwith the likes of Linn Dabney. I have back up on this so no arguments and if heargues, well, he’ll find himself on the wrong end of two scrappy Masters.”

Do You Love What You Do?

2012-03-08T01:00:00.000-05:00

Lust is to the other passions what the nervous fluid is to life;it supports them all, lends strength to them all ambition, cruelty, avarice,revenge, are all founded on lust. –Marquis de Sade

Wow, I don’t believe I could have summed it up better if I’dtried. That Sade knew his way around this deadly sin that’s for sure. Thedictionary defines lust as intense or unbridled sexual desire, but it alsodefines it as intense longing, which is the kind of lust writers suffer fromand will tear apart their career if left unchecked. Rather than physical lust,a writer’s lust takes form in the almost addictive need for mental oregotistical pleasure.

Let’s face it, all those accolades can cause some pretty headyfeelings. Funny thing, this lust—it would seem directly proportionate to prideand gluttony. Remember those guys? While we might be busy feeling very goodfrom a few sales, a few good reviews, a few cudos from readers, fans, andfamily we might just start ignoring criticism and guidance altogether. In fact,we might start to believe we’re better than everyone around us, experts, neverwrong. In short, we begin to fathom that we are gods of some sort, immortal inour own time…perfect.

This foe lust can cause us to compromise ourselves in order to getmore of what we want. We’ll listen to others rather than listen to our heartsand common sense. Sounds a lot like sexual lust doesn’t it? Odd that the verything we write about can be our moralistic downfall not in what we write but why wewrite it.

Trust me when I say this is no lecture on the sins of the flesh,but rather the sins of the mind.

Is sex a sin? I’ve heard it repeatedly from writers they areaccused of writing porn, consorting and toying with “things” better left alone,feeding garbage to the minds of the young, etc, etc, etc. I don’t believe thesin is in the sex, the love and romance we write about with some naughty goingson to spice it up, it’s in the way we might begin to think while doing it. Withclouded judgment due to the lust for a puffed up ego, which can lead to theambition, cruelty, avarice and revenge about which Sade speaks.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s absolutely nothing wrong withambition. In fact, the world would be stalemated and stagnant without theambition of great minds, but it’s how you pursue that ambition that needs to bekept in check. Be sure you’re not cruel to others to gain a rung on the ladder.Don’t seek revenge because you lust for what your fellow writers have. As Ispoke of before, I’ve seen this revenge take the form of horrible commentsabout writers all over the place as well as nasty little reviews left at suchplaces as Amazon, B&N and Goodreads. What a sad state of affairs.

Rather than lust, let’s replace that desire with love. Let’s lovewhat we do and remember why we do it. Not foremost for fame and fortune, thosethings are important—we need to make a living, but loving what you do no matterthe outcome should be the goal. If you don’t love writing, would do it withoutever making a dime, it might not be the occupation for you, because the fact ofthe matter is, it’s tough to make a living doing this. Is it wrong to want tomove up, do better, make a meager living at this, work at a larger press thanyou may be at now? No. Just bear in mind, many try, few succeed. Although, it’snot impossible. It’s a hard road though, and just like in our novels love canmake it a lot more tolerable.

Be kind. Think with your common sense. Write from your heart.

Don’t let lust destroy your reputation, your ambition, or your career...

Do you love what you do?

Welcome, Heather Thurmeier

2012-03-07T01:00:00.000-05:00

Has yourmuse always known what genre you would eventually be published in?

Yes, mostlyanyways. I think I was always meant to write romance. I’m a serious romantic soit only makes sense that I’d want to create as many happy endings for mycharacters as possible.

Do you readyour sub-genre consistently or do you prefer another?

I read alittle bit of a lot of things. I judge a book by the book, not by the genre. Ilove contemporary and paranormal romance. But I also love other genres like YA,post-apocalyptic, dystopian, and I LOVE a good series of anything.

If youweren’t writing, what would your fantasy occupation be?

I’d want tobe a professional equestrian rider. Is that an occupation? I took Englishriding lessons in high school and totally loved the feeling of jumping. So if Icould do anything, it would be something with horses.

Do you livenear, or have you ever visited, the locations you use as settings in yourworks?

Yes and no,but mostly yes. In LOVE ON LANDING Tali and Gavin are in Paris and I did spenda week there once with my husband. There’s one scene in the book (no, not thesmexy part!) that is totally inspired by that trip. Tali and Gavin eating pizzawith a side of wine—way too much wine—is basically how hubs and I spent onefine evening in Paris. I’d say all of my books have some elements of thesetting drawn from real life. Even the fictional community of Meadow Ridge isdrawn from a myriad of places I’ve been.

If youdon’t live near or you haven’t visited your setting locations, how did youresearch them?

For theones that I haven’t been too, I spend time online researching the location bylooking up tourist information, real estate listings, and even street maps. Ifind it really fun to learn about places I’ve never been to!

Where doyou see brick and mortar book stores in five years?

Hopefullystill surviving. I love taking my kids to our local bookstore to browse and buybooks. But I think brick and mortar stores need to figure out how to staycurrent in the ever-changing book market. I’m not sure anyone’s figured out howto do that yet, but I hope they do soon!

Do you putany stock in reviews or is reader feedback more important to you and why?

I thinkboth reviews and reader feedback is great. Reviews are good for spreading theword about your book and giving potential readers an idea of what they canexpect. But reader feedback is important too because they’re the ones thatbought your book and will hopefully buy your next. However, in either case I think writers haveto be careful not to get too caught up in what other people think of theirwork. It’s critical to remember that you can’t please everyone all the time andthat ultimately the writer has to listen to their internal voice to guide theirwork.

Where doyou write? Home office, local Starbucks?

Usually Iwrite at home on my couch while the kids are at school. On occasion you can findme at Panera Bread working while enjoying a U Pick 2. Yum. Now I’m kindahungry!

Do you havemood music you write to? What are your top five picks?

I don’tlike to listen to music while I write. I really like silence the best. Musictends to distract me and all I want to do is sing along. But sometimes when I’mout and the people around me are too noisy, I’ll put some music on. My top fivepicks are Bare Naked Ladies, whatever the 20 on 20 is currently playing,Christmas music (yep, all year round!), Black Eyed Peas, and some older countrylike Garth Brooks and Dixie Chicks.

Are you afull-time writer or do you have other obligations? If you have another career,what do you do?

My firstcareer is being a stay-at-home mom to two little girls. So all of myobligations to them come first. That means that I give up my writing time oncea month to go be classroom mom and often bring in baking for class parties. Andthere’s always after school activities and play dates to squeeze in there too!

You’ve justfound a magic lamp, the genie popped out and granted you three wishes…what arethey?

For theworld as a whole to learn the word tolerance and apply it to their daily lives.

For mychildren to live happy, healthy, long lives.

For morewishes, of course!

If you wonthe lottery but the stipulation was you had to give away half the winnings,what would you do with that half?

I wouldsplit up the half that I had to give away and share it with as many people as Icould while still making a solid difference to those I gave it to. I’d wantpeople who are hungry to get food. I’d want people who are sick to get medicalcare (because I believe no one should go without this basic human right). I’dgive money to research for disease treatment and prevention. And I think I’ddonate to some kind of environmental sustainability initiates because I thinkit’s time we started to pay attention to the mistakes we’re making withconcerns to the planet.

Do youbelieve that we as writers have certain moral obligations to our readers? Howdo you fulfill them?

I think ouronly obligation to our readers is to entertain them. Anything beyond that isjust gravy.

Do you havechildren and what do they think about your career?

They thinkit’s pretty awesome that mom writes books. My oldest likes to write andillustrate her own books now too. It’s pretty awesome!

Favoritemovie?

Just one?!Here’s my top four since I can’t choose just one. Tommy Boy, Armageddon,Avatar, and Die Hard.

Bubblebaths or long, hot steamy showers?

If it’s anice, deep tub, then bubble bath. If it’s a plain old tub, then steamy shower.

Beach ormountains?

Either, Ijust love a pretty view.

Chocolate,vanilla, or swirl cones?

Swirl. Ilike a little of each. Dipped in rainbow sprinkles, please.

Four wheeldrives or sports cars?

4 wheeldrive. I like to feel like I’m driving a tank. Of course I’d really love it ifmy 4 wheels were electric or some other fuel efficient option.

Oil orlotion?

Lotion.Yummy smelling fruity lotion. No flowers. Oil is just greasy.

Heather Thurmeier was born and raised in theCanadian prairies, but now she lives in upstate New York with her own personalromance Hero (aka her husband) and their two little princesses. When she's notbusy taking care of the kids and an adventurous puppy named Indy, Heather'shard at work on her next romance novel. She loves to hear from readers. Heart,humor, and a happily ever after.

Website:http://heatherthurmeier.com

Email:heatherthurmeier@gmail.com

Twitter: @hthurmeier

Facebook: HeatherThurmeier, author

When Tali tries to recoverfrom a recent break-up with a trip to Paris for some retail therapy, shediscovers shopping isn’t the only way to cure her broken heart. On route, she meetsnew pilot, Gavin. Tali and Gavin have instant chemistry and friction as theirpersonalities clash at 30,000 feet.

One night in bed isn’tenough to quell the fireworks between Tali and Gavin and when tempers erupt,Tali’s ex-boyfriend is there to pick up the pieces. Too bad she’s finallyrealized what she really wants in life…and it isn’t her ex or the life herfather has planned back home.

Nowall Tali wants is the man who loved her enough to tell her what she didn’t wantto hear, but can she win his heart back again on the trip home and find Love onLanding?

Excerpt :

TaliRadcliff leaned her head back against the headrest and gazed out the window.Raindrops splattered onto the double-paned glass blurring her view of therunway. Not that she could look past her sad, pathetic reflection anyway.

Thereflection staring back at her turned the raindrops to tears on her cheeks andshe instinctively wiped them away, only to find her cheeks sensitive andslightly swollen. She sighed and closed her eyes, desperately trying to blockout the urge to start crying again. Instead, she focused on the white noise ofthe engines revving as the jet picked up speed for takeoff.

Herbody pushed harder into the back of the soft, cream-colored leather seat, herstomach falling as the wheels of the aircraft left the solid tarmac below. Thejet crept higher and higher, increasing the distance between Tali and the lifeshe would temporarily leave behind—the heartache she tried so hard to forget.

Ifonly it were as easy as a little distance.

“Don’tdo it,” she whispered. “You left your tears in your bedroom, where they belong.”A beauty queen never cries unless she’sgot a shiny new tiara on her head and a bouquet of fragrant flowers in herarms.

It wasa good rule of thumb to remember, one she’d learned long ago and tried to stickto at all cost. Of course, sometimes she had to give in and cry, but not often.Tali wasn’t a crier, she was far too feisty to give into silly tears.

From Identity Series, Book 3, Assumed Identity...The Series Turns a Year Old!

2012-03-04T01:00:00.000-05:00

"Some of them are dark and they scare me a little bit." Saying it made her shrink from his touch and she pulled her knees up, curling into a ball.

"Share them with me."

"I have one where I’ve just come in from work, or shopping, or something. It’s dark and I try to turn on the lights and they won’t work. Then there’s a voice...

Please enjoy more sixes at: www.sixsunday.com ...Until next week, happy reading!

The Unidentifiable Identity Series...

2012-03-03T01:00:00.000-05:00

It's been almost a year since the first book in the Identity series hit e-shelves. In fact it was March 7, quite a birthday gift if I do say so myself. The idea for Identity Crisis came to me at a time when I was still stumbling around looking for my place in this crazy e-book world and I was intensely interested in the BDSM world. It was supposed to be a stand alone. A short novella just to assuage my curiosity, then a funny thing happened, a few more inticing characters joined the party and before I knew it, a series was born. Although, I have realized over the past few months that most people don't really associate or connect the books as a series, persay. I'm not sure why and have come to the determination that either I've not marketed well enough as such, or they don't understand why it doesn't follow the usual rules of what a series embodies.

You see, the Identity series doesn't rotate around a core of characters that come along for the ride through all the books. All four books in this series can be read independent of each other because they follow a common theme--identity. Each and every character has an identity issue that they are struggling with concerning their sexuality.

For Chad Dearborn, hero from Identity Crisis--book one, it's is fear of who he is and what he wants to do. His mate Tori wants to do it all and is very happy when he brings his friend Ren around. In True Identity, the identity issues are shared by the hero, Steph Sachelles, a seasoned Master, and the woman that fumbles and stumbles into his life, Jillian Stewart, military brat and grad student.

Now before I go further, I'll just mention here that Steph along with some of the others from Steele Image in True Identity make guest appearances in an anthology I wrote with some treasured friends and great writers, BethAnn Buehler, JL Oiler and JA Lawson. It was the second installation in the Force Recon Somalia and my Masters and Mistresses fit very well into the lives of Alli and Brogan. If you love my military writing and haven't read the first two books in that anthology series, I suggest they are worth checking out.

Back to Identity...

It took a while to get in tune with the person with the problems in book three, Julie Marie Hayden Chelsea Stevens. Whew! Yes, I know it was a mouthful for all involved. :) She's a bit of a mess to say the least, starting with her name. Who wouldn't be identity confused with that on their birth certificate? But Julie's identity troubles run much deeper than her namesake. She has OCD and a family history that is Springer worthy. She's given up on love, until she meets Mason. Assumed Identity debuted in January and with the press still warm, Dante, another character from that book, spoke up and said, "Excuse me, our story is not finished."

"Um, yes it is, Dante--everyone knows threes is the rule."

"No, it's not...let me tell you what happened to us fifteen years later..."

Dear Lord...damn demanding Doms. Well, Dante got his way. I'm in the final stages of finishing "the rest of their story." This will be the final installment of this series and is the only book that follows the story of any characters involved. And he was right, their story did have more to tell. Assumed Master doesn't even have an official blurb yet, but I'll share the tag line and cover with you today.

So, now you have it. The behind the scenes explanation of the unidentifiable Identity series...yes, they are connected. Please enjoy the beautiful covers provided to me through Carl J Franklin, graphics guru, Rebel Ink Press...and remember, these can be read stand alone or out of order to include the fourth book due out later this year...but I promise once one captures your attention, you'll want more...

Someone once said you never truly know a person,

Chad Dearborn was raised with a silver spoon in his mouth. He was given everything a person could want and more, country clubs were his daycares and Paris and London his playgrounds. Heir to Dearborn Inc., Chad stands to inherit a veritable fortune. But the problem is his parents want to gift him the perfect wife to go with it. A woman in the form of a molded, plastic, jet set dolly. Certainly not Chad’s idea of an ideal mate. He wants a woman that can hold her own, in and out of the bedroom. Who knew he’d find her in one of Portland’s hottest leather clubs? Chad was fascinated by what went on there, but something just wouldn’t let him cross that line.

until you sleep with them.

Country clubs? Europe? The closest Tori Myers ever came to those things were the covers of magazines. With an absent father, a less than attentive mother and nowhere to go, Tori finds herself drawn to an alternative lifestyle at the tender age of eighteen. Vertigo is a treasure chest of Dom’s willing to give her anything she wants. But when Chad Dearborn walks through the door, Tori figures out sometimes what your heart wants isn’t necessarily what your body is willing to compromise to have.

Or do you?

The thing that just wouldn’t let Chad cross the line with his sexuality has come home to roost. And as a result, he's faced with a huge decision. Accept who he is and what he wants. Or continue to fight the biggest identity crisis of his life.

You have to leave the city of your comfort…

Jillian Stewart was as straight laced as they came. Or was she? After one man tearing her down to her very foundation, she’s set out on a path of self-discovery. Pursuing a Master’s degree in sociology, Jill’s determined to wrap her mind around the complexities of the BDSM world. Getting into a good doctorate program won’t be easy so she’s pulling out all the stops. After disregarding her professor’s warning against subjecting herself to the lifestyle, Jill finds she’s drawn to her tutor. But this isn’t her world. Is it?

and go into the wilderness of your intuition…

A career Marine Corps officer, Stephan Sachelles has always chosen to keep his lifestyle choices to himself. He avoids the underground house parties on the base to frequent a club miles from home in an effort to protect his privacy. Steph’s been a Master at Steele Image for years and he's enjoyed the company of many of the subs there with no intention of ever settling on just one. How would he make that work…it wasn’t like he could convert his base house into the dungeon of his dreams. Then Jill walks through the door. Steph’s intuition tells him there’s wild abandon inside her fighting for a chance at life. In the depths of her eyes, far behind the over analysis of everything she encounters, Steph sees the heart of a true submissive. But the resistance Jill puts up is driving Steph crazy. While she’s a good student, she just won't let go. Fighting his own internal battle, Steph finds he wants nothing more than to be the only Master to help her find her true identity.

Innocent childhood games of dress-up and pretend…

Julie Stevens is as straight as they come. Or so she tries to convince herself. But it isn’t easy believing that little white lie when she has the two most sexually eccentric best friends on the planet. One is a bi-sexual Domme who believes if it looks fun, try it. The other is a gay man in the role of slave to his very sexy Master whom Julie often wishes wasn’t gay. Dante’s commanding presence makes her want to do things that set her on fire with need and embarrassment. Given her boring vanilla life, how exactly does she fit into their world? Would they like to have a shinier third wheel?

Are a completely different animal for grownups…

After one wild evening and a bit too much liquid encouragement, Julie discovers a side of herself she’s always tried to ignore. The realization she’s a sub not only scares her, it excites her and she yearns for more. But the process of finding the right man to teach her becomes a real issue, until Mason comes along. He’s everything Julie imagines a Dom should be. Armed with her masque and Renaissance costume, Julie is thrown for a loop when the handsome Master draws more willingness out of her than she ever thought possible. Is it possible she’s more than a submissive? And will the assumptions he’s made about her identity end up tearing them apart?

We may be born to the lifestyle...But Lady Fate sometimes dictates how it should be lived...

You can purchase the entire series, Assumed Master pending release, at:

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=author&qString=lila+munro&searchBy=author&qString=lila+munro

http://www.bookstrand.com/lila-munro

http://www.amazon.com/Lila-Munro/e/B0055KK140/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/lila-munro?keyword=lila+munro&store=allproducts

Thanks for stopping by and helping me celebrate this milestone and anniversary today...to show my appreciation I'll be giving away a $10.00 Amazon gift card...please leave a comment and I'll randomly draw a winner and don't forget to leave you email addy so I can contact you if you win :) . Contest open until March 7.

Lila

Gluttony...The Bottomless Pit

2012-03-01T01:00:00.000-05:00

Good morning, All!

So good to have you here today for mycontinuing series on the deadly sins and how they can kill a writer’s careerand fast. Guess who came to the party today?

Gluttony.

Eeewww…right?

Most people would associate gluttonywith food or drink. It conjures images of very large folks who don’t take careof themselves. Well, guess what…gluttons come in all sizes, shapes, and colors.What?! You mean skinny people can be gluttons? Middle sized humans? They can begluttons? Black ones, white ones, purple ones, green ones? Yes. Yes. Yes. And,yes. Want to know why? Because gluttony doesn’t just fall in the realm of food anddrink.

Gluttony is the excessive consumptionor use of anything. It’s defined by someone wanting more and more and more ofsomething. And it is ugly!

Let’s explore some of the ways I haveseen writers being gluttonous. I’ve seen them continually pounding readers overthe head with their posts and purchase links. I have watched them jump on everybandwagon that comes along, bash other writers, be mean in public, and whineabout their personal lives. I sit here and wonder what they are thinking whenthe belong to more social networks than they can keep up with when truth betold they are again pounding the same people over the head repeatedly as theyare failing to actually connect with new faces and names only “friending” thesame individuals over and over again. They are multiple people, multiple nom deplumes, and have multiple identities and have a page and/or blog for every singleone of them. They are putting out titles at an alarming rate—as anyone whoknows me can attest, I believe in quality over quantity. They back bite andfight over things that aren’t worth the time and effort they exert trying tomake a point that is muddled by so much drama Shakespeare would roll in his gravewere he privy to what’s going on in today’s world.

And why? What is the root of all thismadness?

Greed. Plain and simple. Yet another deadly sin.

Peopleare glutton for attention and fame, driven for the heady power and financial gain to be had from such things, yet fail to realize the very basics ofbuilding the foundation to attain such lofty goals.

Ever heard of less is more?

How about simple is better?

Or anything worth doing is worth doingright?

Humble ring a bell?

And just how, you might be asking bynow, can this sin known as gluttony tear down a writer’s career? Isn’t the pointto get one’s name out there? Well, yes, but not at the cost of your reputationand loss of self. Gluttony makes writers weak. They will give in to pokes andprods, allowing others to help them destroy their reputation through all thedrama that is social networking. It lends to less that quality works due to theperceived need to hurry up and get it out not matter what the cost. Sooner orlater the readers will associate speed with poor quality and stop reading.Reviewers will destroy you and people will stop buying your wares. Isn’t thatthe exact opposite of what one wants in this industry? It limits yourboundaries because you never step outside the box where those who reside insideyour box make you feel good. It causes lapse in growth by creating a tunnelvision in you. It’s the “I’m popular here” mentality that sets in. Why should Imove on when I’m getting all the attention I want right here? Your audience is retainedto a small circle and no one past that parameter ever knows your name.

Sounds like a pretty sad existencedoesn’t it? It is. No one wants to be around someone that can’t see anything oranyone around them for only seeing themselves reflected back. Funny how mostgluttons are also narcissistic. Coincidence? I think not.

Gluttons are telling the world, “Ionly care about me.”

Which is sad because a writer shouldcare about their readers and fans, their friends and family. The people thatgave them a chance at this dream.

Here’s my advice. Slow down. Learnyour craft. Make long lasting positive relationships that will endure the goodand bad and last through the long haul. Negativity breeds negativity. Be the positivewhere there might not otherwise be any. Find your identity and develop it.Ignore the urge to jump on bandwagons. Be yourself and remain true to you. Behumble and appreciative.

Do one thing and do it well. Life is too short to be sotired…

I leave you with this from Erich Fromm:

Greed is a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an endlesseffort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction.

Leaping...Or In My Case...Catching...

2012-02-29T08:15:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone!

A huge happy birthday to all those Leaper babies out there. :) Birthdays are a funny thing and it seems that Leapers aren't the only babies with an oddity surrounding their day. My great-granny was born on Ground Hog day...the big thing in our family was to tease her relentlessly about whether or not she witnessed her shadow or not. Seems I remember, she was more accurate that Phil. My son is an April Fool's Day baby. I worried constantly as a young mother that the other kids would tease him as relentlessly as we'd teased granny all those years. Was this payback from some birthday god for my indiscretion as a child? Well, those fears were basically unfounded. My son is a pretty tough cookie. Seems to be the norm for military kids and after a few times of him laughing along and a few jokes of h is own, the kids quit the teasing and all was forgotten by third grade or so. I have a friend that was born on Valentine's, although I must admit how cool is that one? I myself would hate to share a birthday with Christ for a bag full of reasons, but I do share one with my husband which I don't mind at all actually. And for the record, yes, we were also married that day. I know mushy, corny, sentimental, but we love it and wouldn't be us without that little quirk in our life. So, Leapers, although you do have the corner market on least amount of days you must try to convince everyone you are in fact 29...again...it would seem you also have he corner market in terms of it being a convincing argument. Cudos! And Happy Birthday!

So, what am I doing with this extra day of the year? Catching up! You see, my husband just returned...FINALLY...from a year long deployment to the big sandbox across the way and I've been so enthralled with his presence my work has piled up on this desk until I barely see my monitor. Today he's in some training or other so I'm mustering the energy to do something about it. Starting with blogs. :) Next on the list...taming the dozen or so characters that have made an appearance since he's come back and whispered in my ear. Yes, you'll all get a turn today with jotting down some facts about you and your story and your life. I look forward to meeting you all...

Oh! Almost forgot...:) Contest anyone?

If you're a Leaper, please leave me a comment down there...I'll enter you to win a set of my Identity books in ARC form PDF style...I'll post the winner tomorrow afternoon...Good luck!

Lila

All Freedoms are Created Equally...

2012-02-28T01:00:00.000-05:00

I know as I sit writing this I'm getting ready to be burned at the stake, and that's okay. I've been sitting here silent for as long as I can and win, lose, or draw it's time I spoke up.

I've never been one to be a sheep or cow to popular opinion or hop atop each and every bandwagon that floats by because it's the "PC" thing to do. I do my research before rendering a judgment on something and educate myself. I look at all sides and weigh what's being said against what my own research says to be true. In a word, I hold myself personally responsible for uncovering all the facts before I begin to point accusatory fingers. And even then I am very careful as there are several others pointing right back at me. Does anyone ever remember that before they being slinging mud and rocks?

It is my sad opinion that no they do not. Nor do they hold everyone equally in the freedom palm. They only consider themselves in their perceived plight. And perceived is exactly what the issue is...

And what issue is it that I'm cashing in on today?

Why PayPal and Bookstrand of course. Did anyone really think I and my big mouth could take a pass on this one, particularly when I am married one of the very people that fights for the rights and freedoms of ALL...yes, you read that correctly...ALL...peoples in these great states. Not a select few, not a chosen wad. A...L...L of the citizens.

You see, the people that are up on their soap boxes raking PayPal and Bookstrand across the coals are failing to recognize that these are businesses and retain certain rights just as writers do. Read your constitution witch hunters before you stand in cyber town squares crying heresy. If you did you would know that we as writers are not being discriminated against nor has our freedom of speech been impaired.

Amendment One: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Read above--Congress shall make no law. CONGRESS. Has Congress made and ratified a law concerning PayPal or Bookstrand? Did they ratify a law anywhere that says whomever is writing the material in question must cease and desist doing so immediately or face the consequences? If so, please point out said law. I would love to see it.

Amendment Fourteen--Article One: 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to thejurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Again, read--No State shall make or enforce law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens, nor shall any state deprive any person life, liberty, or property...

And what does that mean exactly? The owners of PayPal and Bookstrand are citizens and thereby entitled to life, liberty and property. Their businesses are THEIR property, the same as your writing is your property and thereby they can do anything they please with it.

They, in fact, owe you nothing.

They are privately run businesses and neither business told you, at any time, you would be required by law to cease and desist your writing of any material. What they did do was state that they would no longer play part in the sale of the items. That is THEIR choice. Just as it is your choice to write said items and distribute them in any number of other ways. Your material is not banned nor is it being burned. They, as private citizens are entitled to the same rights as you, are making a decision to simply not play part in the exchange of these goods. Something they are free to do.

So you would scream your rights are being stomped on all the while trying to take away theirs?

Look at the hand you are pointing with...how many fingers are pointing back? Think about that...

Welcome, Malia Mallory!

2012-02-27T01:00:00.000-05:00

Hasyour muse always known what genre you would eventually be published in?

Ididn't know what area I would be first published in. I usually have writtenmore romance type things and even a thriller. Yet, I got in gear to publish theerotica first.

Doyou read your sub-genre consistently or do you prefer another?

Formy own down time, I tend to read regency romance or romantic suspense typefiction. Sometimes I like to read biographies as well.

Ifyou weren’t writing, what would your fantasy occupation be?

I'dlove to go to culinary school and become a chef.

Doyou live near, or have you ever visited, the locations you use as settings inyour works?

Yes.I've lived many places throughout the United States and travelled a good dealin the US too. This is pretty helpful with setting.

Ifyou don’t live near or you haven’t visited your setting locations, how did youresearch them?

Iuse film and books and of course, the internet. If I know or can find someonein that locale, I'll ask them to look it over during beta reading.

Wheredo you see brick and mortar book stores in five years?

I'mcertainly concerned that they will be harder to find. Even though I'm a hugefan of ebooks and reading ebooks for convenience and space, I do like tobrowse. I'm hoping we'll see a resurgence of independent bookstores.

Doyou put any stock in reviews or is reader feedback more important to you andwhy?

Nowriter can please everyone. In erotica, reviews are not super common and peopleseem more likely to vent when unhappy than when they are happy. I do getpositive emails. I think another downfall in erotica is sometimes people do notget what they expect. Everyone has different tastes. I can't help looking atreviews and such, but I try to keep it in perspective. Often the reviews canvary widely. One person will love it and another simply won't. Entertainment isvery subjective.

Wheredo you write? Home office, local Starbucks?

Iwrite at home. I do sometimes outline or jot down ideas when I'm out though.

Doyou have mood music you write to? What are your top five picks?

Itend to listen to classical or instrumental music. I'm a big fan of GeorgeWinston, Liz Story and other Windham Hill artists. I also listen to Enya andthings in that genre. I want something that blocks out a little noise, occupiesmy mind but doesn't distract too much.

Areyou a full-time writer or do you have other obligations? If you have anothercareer, what do you do?

Iwill soon be a full time mom as well!

You’vejust found a magic lamp, the genie popped out and granted you three wishes…whatare they?

Mythree wishes would be a healthy baby, success with my writing and enough moneyto bring over my family for a visit.

Ifyou won the lottery but the stipulation was you had to give away half thewinnings, what would you do with that half?

Iwould probably split it up a bit. I might give some to my alma mater and thenperhaps pick some local charities like the food bank.

Doyou believe that we as writers have certain moral obligations to our readers?How do you fulfill them?

Moralobligation sounds tricky. I think I have the obligation to let the reader knowwhat they are buying and I hope that they are entertained by it. I know somewriters feel very strongly about depicting safe sex etc. I think that is veryimportant but readers need to know that what I write is fiction.

Doyou have children and what do they think about your career?

Ihave a soon arriving child who, of course, has no opinion as yet.

Howwould you feel if you found out your children were practicing an alternativelifestyle?

I'msure I would feel some initial surprise. I would be most concerned about mychild being safe, healthy and happy.

Doyou think certain genres are exploited? How so?

Ican see a couple interpretations of this question. On one hand it makes methink of some pretty taboo sexual subjects that if you write about themdirectly (i.e. in romance or erotica) can get you into some trouble. But if youput the same thing into a book and label it a "thriller" you arefine.

Anotherway to view it might be that sometimes writers try to copy what is hot. This isone way you end up with tons of vampire books. However, that doesn't mean itisn't good. If the book is good, it's good. However, if it isn't well writtenand is just trying to sell some copies on the coat strings of a trend, sure,that can be a problem.

Howdo you do your research for these genres?

Ihave an erotica steampunk novella in the works. Steampunk is a pretty hot areathese days. What I realized though as I did some research, is that I wasalready a steampunk fan and had already been consuming books and movies in thegenre. It didn't seem like such a leap then and my plot fits in nicely.

Doyou have a favorite author you read in these genres?

Itis impossible to have just one favorite. There are so many good authors.

Howfar is too far for you?

Inmy own work, I have written some BDSM related themes. Some are fairly light andsome are moderate. I never get into blood or injury. All the situations arevery clearly consensual. You can find stuff that is much more hard core, butthat isn’t really my area.

Favoritemovie?

I'ma huge movie fan. How could I possible choose just one?

Bubblebaths or long, hot steamy showers?

Ihaven't taken a good bath in so long I have to go with that.

Beachor mountains?

Iwould probably say mountains but I have the occasional beach mood.

Chocolate,vanilla, or swirl cones?

Swirl!I can't ever decide.

Fourwheel drives or sports cars?

Ilike sports cars, but it wouldn't be very practical I suppose.

Oilor lotion?

Lotion.

Malia Mallory is the author of The ABCs of Eroticaseries, which includes so far A is for Anal, B is for Beach, Cis for C*ck Ring D is for Domination, and now, R is for Revenge.The ABCs of Erotica covers the erotic spectrum from BDSM to ménage andeverything in between. More releases in the series are on the way. She has alsoreleased Mia's Cop Craving and Santa's Backdoor Baby. She has hitthe bestselling erotica lists at both Amazon and iTunes. Her books areavailable in electronic format at major retailers like Amazon, Barnes &Noble, iTunes and AllRomance Books.

For a free copy of B is for Beach from The ABCs ofErotica, head to her website and sign up for the newsletter at http://www.maliamallory.com/Join_My_Mailing_List.php.

Connect with Malia Mallory

Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/@MaliaMallory

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/MaliaMallory

Blog - http://abcsoferotica.wordpress.com/

Web Page - http://www.maliamallory.com

Excerptfrom The ABCs of Erotica - R is for Revenge

Michael opened theend table drawer, revealing a variety of items including a scarf, a mask and aping pong paddle.

Victoria moved tolook more closely. “Oh my, what do we have here?” She reached inside and pulledout an exceptionally long scarf.

Michael took itfrom her. “I think I know something we can do with this.”

She took a deepbreath. “Yes.” Her simple response was not only agreement, it was acquiescence.

“Take off yourblouse.” Michael’s voice was firm.

“Michael….”Victoria hesitated.

Michael tossed thescarf back into the drawer. “It’s up to you Victoria.”

She took a deepbreath and then unbuttoned her blouse. She pulled it out of the waistband ofher skirt and tossed it on the couch.

Michael reachedout his index finger and traced the edge of the scalloped lace bra thenretrieved the scarf. He tossed one end up over an exposed ceiling beam andpulled the ends even.

He gave Victoria aquestioning look. “Well?”

Her face wasflushed, and her eyes bright. She simply nodded.

“Put your handstogether over your head.”

Victoria steppedunderneath the hanging ends of the scarf. She crossed her wrists and lifted herarms over her head. Michael wrapped the silken scarf around her wrists and tiedthem in place. He returned to the drawer and fished out a black eye mask andthen returned and tugged it in place over her eyes.

“How do you feel?”

“Excited … Michael,what are you going to do?”

“I’m not sure yet.I guess you’ll have to find out.” He waved his hands around her eyes testingthe eye mask. When he was satisfied that Victoria couldn’t see, he crossed tothe closet and opened the door quietly. He motioned Grace to come out, but heheld a finger to his lips. Grace slipped off her shoes and tiptoed across theroom.

Amazon Author Page - http://amzn.to/xpbkfg

Barnes & Noble - http://bit.ly/xPUUJe

iTunes - http://bit.ly/Avk7oK

Smashwords - http://bit.ly/AsvNJN

All Romance - http://bit.ly/ACe7k2

From Book Two Identity Series, True Identity...

2012-02-26T01:00:00.000-05:00

“I think your head’s telling you no you won’t,but your body says yes you will. I think you will. Perhaps sometime when I haveyou all wrapped up in some pretty blue silk rope.” Steph twisted her nipple andsent a series of shock waves across Jill that settled between her legs. Shesquirmed not knowing what to do with the conflicting feelings she had at thefact that Steph could turn her on like that. “Yes, I definitely think you will.

Find more six sentences at: http://sixsunday.com ....

Thanks for stopping by!

Welcome Back, Lee Ann!

2012-02-24T01:00:00.000-05:00

A Taleof Two Houses

Since the release of my newestromance, In Love’s Own Time (RebelInk Press), I’ve been telling people it’s acontemporary/historical/paranormal/time travel/fantasy story but I’m not sureif they believe me – until they read it. In Love’s Own Time offerselements of all the sub-genres. As faras inspiration goes, I’ve shared several places the connection between a hugeold Edwardian beauty in the small town where I live and my subdivision. In short, my neighborhood was a flourishingfruit farm with apple and peach orchards, strawberry fields, and more in theearly 1900’s. Profits from the farmenabled the owner to build the house in 1904 but he died, unmarried andchildless the next winter from pneumonia. Although some of the inspiration comes from this, it’s also a tale oftwo houses.

One is the house built withstrawberry season profits. The homestands on almost a full block of land. Back around 1900, it was the upscale neighborhood for the up and comingto build homes but today it’s just another vintage neighborhood. This house acquired the name of “Twin Oaks”long after Howard Speakman built the place but I’ve admired it since moving totown. I discovered it by accident, awrong turn onto a side street just off the beaten path and wondered for yearsabout the story behind it. Because itreminded me of my own childhood home, I never forgot about it. When I moved to my present home andresearched the history of the land, it delighted me I had a small connectionbetween my place and the old beautiful house.

The second of two homes is the housewhere I spent my first and formative years in my hometown of St. Joseph,Missouri. Also brick, my childhood home– which my cousin and I sometimes called ‘Tara’ like Scarlett O’Hara’splantation – rambled three stories tall too but it was built in the early1880’s so it’s Victorian rather than Edwardian. The distinct differences might be visible only to a student ofhistorical architecture or someone with a lot of diverse interests like me butthey’re present. Built by a family ofmedical doctors who practiced at the hospital just up around the corner on thenext street, our home passed back and forth between two prominent physicians’families thanks to some intermarrying of sons and daughters (or maybe it wasdaughters and sons). When my parentsbought it in the 1960’s, they were the first non-related folks to own theplace.

So I grew up in a similar sort ofhouse, one considered by many to be haunted. And the paranormal did seem like our normal there. When you live with the odd little thingseveryday you don’t think of them as unusual until you live somewhere else whereglitch odd moments don’t happen.

Between these two houses, the actualhistory, and the idea of a ghost in the house, I came up with the story for In Love’s Own Time. Factor in my almost lifelong fascinationwith time travel, ghostly encounters, and love of history – you’ve got theelements for the story. And maybe the factI adored the old movie The Ghost and Mrs.Muir as a child and bought a DVD of it to share with my kids adds into therecipe too. I always thought it unfairthe sea captain and the widow couldn’t be together until her death, sweet asthe end of the movie might be so I conjured up a way someone in love with aghost could cross the veils to be together in the flesh.

Theremay be no place like home and nothing like love…..when history teacher LillianDorsey inherits a three story Edwardian brick mansion from the grandfather whobanished her pregnant mother decades before, it’s a no brainer. She’ll visit the place, see it and sell it. Instead Lillian’s captivated by the beautifulhome and intrigued by the ghost of the original owner, Howard Speakman. Soon she’s flirting with the charming, wittygentleman who’s been dead for more than a century and before long, they admitit’s a mutual attraction. Still, whenshe’s alive and he’s dead, any shot at being together seems impossible.

Butwhere there’s a will, there’s a way….one afternoon while pretending to visitthe past the impossible becomes a brief reality. If they visited 1904 before, Lillian knowsthey can do it again and if so, she can prevent Howard’s untimely death. With a combination of love, powerful hope,and stubborn will, Lillian bends time to her will and returns to the summer of1904. But Howard’s death looms ahead andif she’s to find a happy ending, she must save him from his original death.

Please enjoy an excerpt:

“Lillian.”Howard sounded hoarse, his voice cracking with emotion although she wasn’t surewhich one, fear, elation, or sorrow. “This is 1904.”

“How couldit be?” Even as she protested, she knew it was true. The old house was new. The smell of fresh paint mingled with theDutch cake aroma and as she’d noticed earlier, the book covers werebright. Howard’s sheet music pages neveryellowed but sparkled unblemished white. It was true and if it was 1904, then Howard was alive. He wasn’t a ghost.

Lillianreached for him, stretched out her hand to touch him, and closed her fingersover his arm. Through the wool of hissleeve, his skin was warm, so alive, and tears formed in her eyes. Her right hand stroked the curve of his cheekand she clasped his hand with the other. He twined his fingers through hers, tight as if he might never let go,and pulled her right hand to his lips, brushing her skin with a faint, softkiss.

“Oh,Howard.” Her voice broke. “Howard, you’re real.”

She couldtouch him now and she could smell him, a rich masculine aroma of soap andleather, and the outdoors. Before, he’dbeen a ghost, not tangible, not touchable but for now, he was both and shereveled in him with every sense. Shetouched his hair with trembling fingers and rubbed her cheek against his suitjacket. When she lifted her face, hiseyes blazed with emotion and she knew before he bent down they’d kiss.

In herdream, the kiss’d been sweet but in reality, it was sweeter. His lips heated hers, melted, and movedagainst her mouth until she couldn’t breathe. She put her arms around his neck and he held her, one hand flat againsther back. Until now, he’d beenunattainable, almost fantasy, but now he was a man, a man who held her in hisarms, and she wanted him. Desire burnedlike a wavering candle flame but without warning, Howard released her.

“Lillian, Iforgot myself. You must forgive me.”

Her lips,bruised from his mouth, stretched into a smile. “I’ll never forgive you if youdon’t kiss me again, Howard.”

“Ishouldn’t.” His voice sounded muffled. “But I’ll, sweet Lillian, though Ishouldn’t. However, for the moment I’malive. Carpe diem!”

You can find Lee Ann at:

Facebook: Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy

Twitter: @leeannwriter

A Page In The Life: http://leeannsontheimermurphywriterauthor.com

Rebel Writer: Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy

http://leeannsontheimermurphy.blogspot.com

PurchaseLinks:

http://www.amazon.com/In-Loves-Own-Time-ebook/dp/B007A209G6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329492235&sr=8-1

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-inlovesowntime-722388-148.html

http://www.bookstrand.com/in-loves-own-time

http://www.barnhttp://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-loves-own-time-leeann-sontheimer-murphy/1108895972?ean=2940013948822&itm=7&usri=sontheimer+murphyesandnoble.co

Envy...Don't Allow it to Steal Your Joy

2012-02-23T01:00:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! So happy to see you back for week two of mydeadly sins series. And what’s on the agenda today? Envy—also known as jealousy’shateful cousin. Yes, they are closely related by marriage, but are a taddifferent. Envy is actually the desire to possess someone else’s goodies: atrait, a status (or status symbol), an ability or someone else’s situation.Jealousy runs a close second coming in with suspicion of one’s competition orto believe that they are one-upping you in some way.

Now being as the theme of these posts is how the deadly sinscan kill your career as a writer, let’s get right to it.

I myself have been guilty on more than one occasion of boththese horrible attributes. Green with them in fact, and I would venture to saythat anyone that says they’ve not been guilty of them is a liar. Sorry but we’reall human and therefore flawed. Face it and be truthful, every single personhere and reading has at one point or other felt the sting of someone havingsomething or doing something you do not or have not.

As writers, there’s a lot to be jealous and envious of.Reviews, awards, someone else’s grammatical abilities or plotting genius. The fieldsare ripe with things to distract us from what we’re doing. How many among uscan say they’ve not puffed up like a toad and wished there was an unlike buttonon Facebook when another writer has boasted of an achievement—which by the wayif you’ve been the one boasting, it is possible you were a bit excessive inyour bragging in which case you should see last week’s post on pride. J Just sayin’.

Back to envy. Is there one among us that can honestly saythey’ve not cursed out another writer under their breath or wished them illintent through at least one bad review? Wondered if they ever got a bad reviewin their life and wish you could figure out how to dummy one somewhere just forspite? I daresay there are those than have actually done such things on Amazon,Goodreads, and other such places where proof of purchase is not even requiredto leave such evil comments. Just let me say here, if you’re a writer and dosuch a thing and get caught you get what you deserve—loss of reputation.

What about the times you’ve lain awake tossing and turning,bugging your mate because so-and-so won such-and-such award and as far as you’reconcerned you were much more deserving. After all, you are the supreme expertand he/she just sucks. Doesn’t he/she?

She got a silver star!? Why?! How?!

Let me tell you a little secret about silver stars. And thisis off the envy subject for a moment, but it might just quell some of youranxiety at least in this area. A while back I figured out the “formula” fordetermining the recipients of such things at a certain establishment. You see,just because someone got one doesn’t mean they are outselling you. Know what isrequired to receive one of those damnable things? You merely have to sell ten,yes TEN, copies of a work in any given genre category. Which means someonemight sell ten in BDSM, GLBT, Contemporary, etc, BUT…you might sell six in onecategory, five in another, yet seven somewhere else, making you eighteen sales,but still no star. Rank is where it’s at boys and girls. When I found this out,I quit losing sleep over those stupid stars. J

Now…what did I or any of you gain over fretting and beingenvious of someone else’s star? Nothing but a stomach upset, a headache, and afew hours less sleep.

Stars! Big deal!

So, you might be saying to yourself at this point, where inthe world is she going and just how can envy kill my career. Simple. You allowit to.

Envy will lead to decreased productivity in several ways. It’sdistracting. Sometimes you might find yourself so caught up in surfing posts atFacebook and other places to find out who’s doing what now and getting praisedfor this, that, or the other thing that it takes up all your time and you failto meet your word count for the day. So often I see people post I don’t havetime to write. Really? You had several hours to be diddling around the socialnetworks posting derogatory things about other people—all of which wereobviously driven by our sin of the day—envy. Not only that, envy drives us andencourages us to allow it to steal our joy. That’s right. We hand it overwillingly because we start to believe we’re not up to snuff. We fall in a slumpand quit trying. I can’t count the times I’ve told my best friend I’ve had itand just want to quit. Envy is an evil entity and coupled with its horriblecousin jealousy it can drain us and make us feel worthless if we allow it to.Allow it to?

Wrong answer! Instead of being envious, be happy for thosepeople you see gleaning accolades. Wouldn’t you want them to be happy for you?And instead of giving in and halting productivity due to worrying over someonehaving something or getting something you didn’t, use that time you would be otherwise wasting honing your ownskills so next time the award, praise, star, review is posted, it’s your nameshining at the top. Find someone to talkto, but don’t be a whiner. We’ve all been there and done it, been the victim ofenvy. I’m willing to listen, just be willing to hear me say don’t let it beatyou. Have your moment and move on. Idea swap with someone—I’m open to ideas.Ask someone you’ve seen succeed to read a few paragraphs for you, but bewilling to accept their constructive criticism.

Do anything to keep yourself moving forward, but don’t,under any circumstances, let envy be the reason you failed.

Tune in next week, when the sin of the day will be gluttony…thinkit isn’t possible in our world? Think again…

Welcome, Shandonna Richards!

2012-02-22T01:00:00.000-05:00

Has your muse always known what genre you would eventually be published in?

Yes, I think so. I’ve always leaned towards uplifting and heartwarming stuff.

Do you read your sub-genre consistently or do you prefer another?

I love reading romances especially Harlequin books. There’s just something magical about the power of love and happy endings.

Where do you write? Home office, local Starbucks?

I often write in my home office when everyone else in the house is asleep.

Do you have mood music you write to? What are your top picks?

Oh, I enjoy classical music. I love anything with strings in it. My favorite of course would be Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet.

Favorite movie?

The Ten Commandments (1956)

Bubble baths or long, hot steamy showers?

Bubble baths for sure!

Beach or mountains?

Beach

Chocolate, vanilla, or swirl cones?

Ooh, chocolate for sure!

Four wheel drives or sports cars?

Four wheel drives.

Oil or lotion?

Hmm. I’d have to say both!

Emma Wiggins is aboutto marry her heart-stopping, gorgeous boss, CEO Evan Fletcher, in sevendays—too bad he doesn’t know it yet!

Desperate to fulfill her ailing grandfather’s last wish tosee her settle down and get married, Emma Wiggins, a 30-year-old,career-focused executive tells him a little white lie on his deathbed that sheis in fact engaged--to her boss, deliciously handsome and emotionallyunavailable, Evan Fletcher.

The situation takes an unexpected turn when hergrandfather's condition improves slightly and to her shock, he goes ahead andarranges a wedding ceremony at his hospital bedside before he passes on. Now,all Emma has to do is convince unsuspecting, commitment-phobic Evan to tie theknot with her in seven days. Can love blossom in the most unlikely situation?

Website / Twitter

Presidents, Sexy or Not...That is the Question...

2012-02-20T01:00:00.001-05:00

Happy President’s Day, y’all!

Most people associate today with the celebration of all USPresidents, but in fact it started out and is intended for commemoration of twosignificant figureheads: George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Now I rememberback in the old days…yes, I’m old enough to tell that story now—you know aboutmile high snow drifts and walking barefoot and all that crap our parents toldus to make us feel better about our current dilemma? So, back in the old days,when I was in the throes of primary school, I remember celebrating two days inFebruary. One for Washington and one for Lincoln, on their birthdays. It wassort of akin now that I think of it to Feast days in the Catholic Church. Odd?I doubt it since most of our founding fathers were Catholic, I’m sure they useda few ideas from their ideals. Anyway…another discussion, another day…back tothe topic at hand.

How many times did you color Washington and Lincoln and hangthem on the windows at school? I remember at least six. I think we may havestopped once we started the sixth grade. We also colored depictions of therevolution and civil war and log cabins and learned about Illinois and foundout about Washington’s dental issues and…Yes, we actually did used to learn ourhistory. I always remember thinking of Martha as a very stout woman akin tosomeone’s mean looking nanny. Every image I’ve found of her today supports thattheory. She was a bit on the matronly side to say the least. Of course,Washington didn’t really look like a prime catch either. Maybe they both lookedbetter in their younger days before he went around campaigning in the dead ofwinter with no food for the troops and not enough warm shoes. I’m sure, beingas I’m an experienced military wife, this idea set Martha to blazing with worryand I’d be surprised if that stoic look on her face wasn’t to hide the pain herulcer was causing her when she posed. It must have taken some love and resolveto put up with the military life back then. In today’s world Martha would havepacked up and left before the first toe was lost to frost bite that winter.

Andrew Jackson…Does anyone else in the crowd think the manwas handsome? I do. His bride must have thought so too as Mr. Jackson would beconsidered to be a cradle robber by today’s standards. He was a mere eighteenwhen he wed his love who was only sixteen at the time. Now there’s a love storyright? Look at him though, who could blame the poor girl for being smitten? Ithink he’s hero material worthy. Why don’t more of we writers use this as animage inspiration for our Romeos?

I think Gerald Ford was probably not hero material. Although,he is heroic for literally being pushed into the presidency and having to takeover at a very hostile time in America. I’ll give him credit for that. However,did anyone know his life was attempted upon not once but twice in his shortreign as President? And both times by women. What did he do to piss off theladies so much?

Obviously the most notable romance hero prototype for modernwomen has to be JFK, even through the Marilyn indiscretion I think any womanwould have gladly been at his side. The man was handsome and young and full ofideas and wanted to leave the world a better place than he found it. Did hesucceed? I’m undecided. With his time on this Earth as well as in the seatbeing cut short the world will never know. I’m sure the tides of fate were seton their ear that fateful day and destiny was unfulfilled, goals never founded.Looking back on the years I grew up in, I have to ask myself had that personmissed, how different would things be now? Camelot. The stuff the originalromance heroes were made of. JFK is worthy of that title in my book, but in my talehe’d have kept it at home.

Here’s one for my gay friends…James Buchanan. He is the onlyUS President never to marry but it is widely rumored that he was romanticallyinvolved with a senator. Yes, he was male, there were no such things as femalesenators back then. He wasn’t a bad looking guy. Sort of mysterious looking andalmost an air about him that says piss off. And as in today’s society, doesthis man scream the stereotypes thrust upon my gay friends? See stereotypers ofthe world, you cannot judge a book by its cover. When will we learn that? Gaydoes not mean a man flits about like a butterfly in a pink tutu. I’d do thisman, he’s good looking and well built. Looks equal not persuasion. Learn it,live by it!

One more quicky fact then on to something else. We had onevery sexually active president in the form of John Tyler. He had fifteen kids.God bless his wife and apparently he did not cheat. If he did when did he findthe time? Stud!

Now a quick list of past President’s I find un-sexy and nota bit hero worthy. Three dodged the draft…again being a military wife I respecteveryone’s freedom to choose and do as they please, but I gotta say, UNSEXY torun from one’s country Mr. Clinton, Mr. Bush and Mr. Cleveland, who by the waypaid a man $150.00 to take his place. William Howard Taft weighed over threehundred pounds. Now I’m not saying big people aren’t sexy, but this one apparentlyjust didn’t take care of himself at all. Trust me this was not three hundredpounds of muscle bought and paid for at Gold’s, nor was it solid, ruggedsnuggle up and feel safe pounds. It was just gross pounds. Mr. Johnson, Mr.Jefferson, Mr. Harding, Mr. Garfield and Mr. Roosevelt—there were two more butthey’re already mentioned—you cheated on your wives. Shame on you! No true herocheats. Not that I’m naïve, extramarital affairs have always been a part ofmarriage, the degree to which they are hidden and kept discreet determined by thetimes, but I’m sure the First Ladies were hurt very much. The most powerfulwoman in all the land wasn’t enough for these guys. Sad.

So, who do you find to be the sexiest, most romance heroworthy?

Thanks for stopping by today…

Lila

From Where it All Started...Identity Crisis, Book One Identity Series...

2012-02-19T01:00:00.000-05:00

An electric hum sizzled across Tori Dearborn’s sun kissed skin, setting the tiny hairs on her arms and on the back of her neck on edge as she stared at the outfit hanging on the back of the closet door in her bedroom. It was quite a number. A set of red leather chaps accompanied a red leather corset and matching g-string. Tori walked over and buried her face in the material, inhaling deeply, as a slow, delicious warmth enveloped her, sending a dull ache straight to the core of her womb. Leather. New leather.

Please be sure to stop by and follow along for some more great sixes at: http://sixsunday.com

Thanks for coming by!

Welcome, Rebecca Royce!

2012-02-17T01:00:00.000-05:00

Hi Lila! Thank you so much for having me here today as I am talking about Embraced, the second book in my Conditioned series. This book, in fact this whole series, is really fun for me to write. It’s very easy for me to get lost in these stories and not realize that hours have passed and thousands of words have been written.

I don’t actually find this to be true with every book I write. Some books—some stories that I love writing and love how they turned out—it is a struggle to get words out onto the page. Maybe it’s more about me then the story, I don’t know. All I am sure about is that Embraced was a joy to write.
For such a dark concept—the idea that we, as a society, are locking up psychics at birth to keep them from the rest of us—it is surprisingly believable for me to exist within that world for a period of time while I write the books.

How about all of you? Some worlds easier than others?

As a teenager, I would hide in my room to read my favorite romance novels when I was supposed to be doing my homework. I hope, these days, that my parents think it was worth it. I am the mother of three adorable boys and I am fortunate to be married to my best friend. We live in northern New Jersey and try not to freeze too badly during the winter months.

I am in love with science fiction, fantasy, and the paranormal and try to use all of these elements in my writing. I've been told I'm a little bloodthirsty so I hope that when you read my work you'll enjoy the action packed ride that always ends in romance. I love to write series because I love to see characters develop over time and it always makes me happy to see my favorite characters make guest appearances in other books. In my world anything is possible, anything can happen, and you should suspect that it will. I'd love to hear from you!

Website /Facebook / Facebook Fan Page / Buy Link

Benedicte Lavelle is a single father raising two small daughters. When his neighbors put him in charge of handling the haunting that plagues their neighborhood, he has no choice but to use disreputable means in order to bring in a Conditioned ghost hunter to help with their problem. He doesn’t expect to be drawn to the young woman who arrives at his house in chains. He doesn’t expect to have his entire life thrown into upheaval when she is snatched away.

Conditioned prisoner Seven-Two-Four has never had a name. She cannot read, and is scheduled to die as soon as she is returned to the Institution. The Conditioned are not considered human, but Seven can see ghost energy and she can love Ben like no one ever has before.

When fate takes Seven from Ben’s arms, can he move on and find a new purpose in life or will he be forever trapped by the need to rescue those like his lost love?

Embraced Excerpt:

“Does it take this much out of you every time you do it?”

“No.” She raised a dainty hand to rub at her eyes. “I was already tired. I shouldn’t have attempted it. I wanted to give you the services you’re entitled to. I don’t want to fail at this job. Not right before my death.”

His stomach turned at the thought. She didn’t know how old she was, but in his mind she couldn’t be more than thirty, and maybe she was even younger.

“I don’t want you doing anything that might cause you pain. I’m responsible for your welfare.”

She nodded, her blue eyes sad as they looked at him. “Okay, sir.”

“Ben. Please call me Ben.”

“I can’t do that.”

He rubbed her hair out of her eyes. “You can. What can I get you? Water? Food?”

“I know it’s very early but I really need some sleep. I’d rather save my meal for tomorrow, if that’s okay?”

His heart broke every time she spoke about her expectations. “Seven, listen to me. While you’re here I’m going to feed you three meals a day. Maybe a snack too, if you want one. I’m in charge, right? You have to do what I tell you, and I’m informing you that despite what Madame says, you will eat a lot here.”

The smallest smile formed on her lips. “Really? I don’t want you to get into trouble.”

He helped her sit up, feeling sorry he had to let her go at all. She was a young woman—and he didn’t care who disagreed, she was, in fact a woman and not an it—and she was in his home. Ben was responsible for her well-being. God help anyone who told him how he was going to care for someone who lived within his walls. No one would abuse her here.

“I won’t get into trouble. I’m a lawyer. You can trust me to know what I can do within the law.” He stood up. “You’re welcome to go to bed. I’d also be glad to feed you.”

“Where should I sleep?” She looked down on the floor and he followed her gaze. Suddenly, he understood what she thought.

“Not on the floor. No way.” He extended his hand and was relieved when she took it. “We have beds in this house. You’ll use one.”

“Thank you.”

The simplicity of her gratefulness made him stop in his tracks. Who might this woman have been if she’d not been Conditioned?

Pride--Is it Killing Your Career?

2012-02-16T01:00:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone! Glad to see you here checking out my seven partseries on the deadly sins and how they can kill one’s career. I will try tohave one up every week until I’ve covered them all and hope to see you back andquite possibly participate in some reasonable discussions on my thoughts. I’dalso love to see your thoughts as well. Just please, be respectful of eachother when leaving comments and remember we’re all human.

I don’t really know what prompted me to write this seriesother than personal observations. JPeople are continually bashing everyone and everything and continually blaminganyone and anything else for their failure. Some people are failing and can’teven recognize that they’re doing so, due in part to one of the deadly sinsthat are killing their career, which we’ll get to in due time. Actually, Iguess failing and not recognizing it could be categorized under any number ofthe seven…perception is everything. Right?

So, I’ll just start this series off at the top, with pride.Now, just so were clear here, I’m not in any way, shape, or fashion saying oneshould not take pride in their work. Taking pride in something and beingprideful are two completely different things.

Taking pride in something means giving it all you’ve got soas to gain the best end result. Like combing your hair before an interviewbecause you want to show that you care about yourself. That’s pride. Beingprideful is the complete opposite. Pride in the negative sense is defined asthe excessive belief in one’s ability. It’s also known as vanity and hindersone’s ability to recognize the world around oneself. Confused yet? Well, let’sput it this way. It’s the difference between being humbly beautiful and stuckup pretty. JGet it now?

Now, just how does this pride manifest itself in a writer’sworld and how does it kill one’s career? Geeze, the better question is whatdoesn’t pride touch and destroy if left unchecked. I think the most blatantexample of pride would be the writer that believes he/she knows better thanher/his editor and refuses to listen. Just let me say, no one is perfect and everyone has room for improvement, somemore so than others, but it is pride that keeps those individuals from seeingwhere the improvement is necessary and pride that makes them tell their editorto bugger off. I can tell you this much, had I not listened to a very hardeditor at one time in my career, I’m quite certain my career would be dead as adoor nail today. You see, not listening to these educated and not-paid-nearlyenough individuals leads to bad reviews and reader dissatisfaction. How?

No one wants to weed through a million changes in point ofview, stumble over misplaced commas, missing punctuation, inconsistencies instory lines, misspelled and misused words, or try to figure out if there is astory there at all. Eventually reviewers will stop requesting your work andreaders will stop buying it because they will never expect anything more than agarbled mess of drivel. The result--a career that’s DOA.

Another prideful act? Proclaiming oneself an expert in afield that one truly has no clue about. In other words…when a writer fails todo appropriate research to back up one’s work. This is just a slap in the faceof readers that know the difference. I’ve seen it over and over.Misinformation. What really irks me to no end are the books that are allegedmilitary romances in which the writer failed to figure out the most basic factsabout military life. I live this life and to see fakers and posers attemptingto write the military hero that haven’t a clue makes me ill, quite frankly. Iimagine it makes millions of readers quite ill as well. If you don’t know it, don’twrite it. Words to live by.

I’ve seen it written repeatedly the past few weeks that ifwe wrote what we knew we’d be like Stephen King and writing about writers orsome such thing. No, we wouldn’t if we’d simply do our research. The internetis a wonder, writers of the world. It’s geared for more than social networkingand playing games and spreading rumors. You’d be surprised how much researchyou can do with this mysterious tool. If nothing else, interview someone whodoes know. I’m a military wife, but I don’t have the corner market on military romance.Ask, I’ll answer. I’ve seen it all, done almost all of it, and wished I couldhave skipped some parts. It’s no fun watching your neighbor get the dreadedvisit. It’s no fun watching a friend bury a friend and it’s no picnic movingevery 36 months. If you really want to know what it’s like, ask. And by theway, I’m not afraid to talk about the repeal of DADT…I can tell you the realstory of why it took so long and it wasn’t because we’re all a bunch ofhomophobic morons. I’ve had gay friends a lifetime and never thought of them asanything more or less than another human, and I damn sure don’t care what theirorientation is when it comes to battle as long as they have my husband’s backwhen it matters.

Disregarding other writers and looking down your nose atthem. This also applies to your readers. Anyone that thinks what their readerssay about your work isn’t worth listening to is a fool. It means everything,good or bad. To me readers feedback is more important that a reviewers. This isa person that paid for my work and if I expect them to be a repeat customer Ibetter listen. You have to treat your career as a business and make sounddecisions based on your customer base. Again see above where we sometimes thinkwe are too perfect to listen to an editor. The same applies to our readers.They know what they like. If you want to make it in this business some part ofyou has to accept that you are indeed writing for an audience. If youconstantly write for self only, no one will read it because you didn’t write iffor them. It’s just a cold hard fact. Does that mean give away your joy or beuntrue to yourself? No. It simply means get down from your high horse and honeyour craft. As far as treating other writers like crap, well, let me tell you.It’s a small world here believe or not with all hundreds of thousands of use millingabout. A poor attitude won’t gain you any friends and isn’t this life lonelyenough already as we sit here behind our screens day after day. By ourselves?Cultivate positive relationships and treat people the way you would want to betreated. In this business everyone knows someone—word will spread and beforeyou know it contracts will dry up and doors will be slammed in your face.

What prideful thing is killing your career? Set it aside andreplace it with pride. Don’t kill your career with this deadly sin. Cultivateit by combing your hair before the interview.

Welcome, Jezebel Jorge!

2012-02-15T01:00:00.000-05:00

A Day In The Life Of...

Courtney Dalton - Pro wrestling diva and heroine of my newrelease Séances & Suplexes.

In addition to being the baddest bitch in the wrestlingbusiness Courtney also owns two Body Perfect gyms in Marietta, Georgia andNashville, Tennessee. Being a former fitness competitor and a blackbelt inAikido, she is very active in running her gyms and teaches fitness classes.

When she's not on the road she splits her time between thetwo cities. Today she's in Nashville fora TV taping. TVs are the most stressful days for anyone in the wrestlingbusiness. They've got to be on their game both inside and out of the ring.Courtney is not just eye candy when she goes to the ring with rookie sensationAlex Kafelnikov. She's his behind the scenes manager and he's her favorite newboy toy.

Courtney begins every day with a protein shake and sinceshe's at home she heads straight to her gym to teach a morning class and sparin the octagon. On her drive to the gym she does call ins to radio stations tohype Alex's upcoming matching matches.

Like any good boy toy, Alex brings her a health breakfastwhich they share in her office before hitting the weights for their morningworkout. After making sure that things are going smoothly at both her gyms,Courtney showers and gets in another protein shake before going to the salonfor a spray on tan, makeup, and getting her hair done.

Once she's in diva mode, Courtney has to meet her ex husbandBryson for lunch. Their five year old daughter Tabitha has inherited some ofher Grandmère Dinera's witchy talents. The kid sees spirits and reads auras andis also psychic. The way things are headed it's looking like little Tabitha isgoing to develop into the most powerful DeFliehr witch ever. Courtney and Bryson are still coming to termswith the child's powers, but that have both agreed to allow Tabitha to be homeschooled by a Voo Doo priestess turned nanny.

Bryson also happens to be the wrestling promotion's booker.The guy in charge of determining the outcomes of the matches and developingstorylines. When she doesn't get her way with Bryson she always goes behind hisback to one of the promotion's owners, Billy Dalton. He's always had a hardtime telling Courtney no, especially since it was revealed in Headlocks &Hexes that it was Billy, and not Bryson, who fathered her seven year old twins.

They work for an old school promotion that, unlike the WWE,doesn't believe in scripts. They get the finish for Alex's match and everythingelse is improvised in the ring. Courtney is given a list of bullet points andthen after changing into a slinky dress and stilettos she steps in front of thecamera with Alex by her side looking menacing.

After promos, Courtney grabs a healthy dinner, maybe a tunapita and a apple from catering . Then it's show time. No matter what kind ofday they've been having nothing else matters when they step through the curtainand walk the aisle. Courtney's not afraid to mix it up with the boys and getinvolved in the action. Bryson has the concussion to prove it.

Growing up around the wrestling business has made Courtney apro and most of the time knows when to hold back and let Alex shine in thering. All too soon the match is overwith. Courtney raises Alex's hand in victory and they bask in the jeers andboos before heading back to the dressing room.

Bryson's taking Tabitha home with him and the twins are withBilly. That allows Courtney and Alex some post-show playtime. Something theymanage to sneak in a lot of in Séances & Suplexes.

Headlocks & Hexes, the first book in my Ring Dreamsseries, is currently a free download on Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Headlocks-Hexes-Ring-Dreams-ebook/dp/B0061C1492/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1328708815&sr=8-2 (Feb 14-18)

Please leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy ofSéances & Suplexes.

Courtney Dalton doesn't believe in the L--- word.Pro wrestling rookie sensation Alex Kafelnikov is just supposed to be a BoyToy. Nothing more. Nothing less. Both of them are dealing with the deaths oftheir fathers. She's also got a new gym to open, a custody battle with herex, and a young daughter who might just be the most powerful DeFliehr witchever.

Then there's Billy, the father of her twin sons. ForCourtney, it's always been Billy. At least until Alex comes along and makes herbelieve in the possibility of happily ever after. Well, at least happy here andnow.

Jezebel Jorge is a practicing witch and gifted medium.When she's writing it usually feels like she's merely taking dictation for thevoices running amok inside her head.

She currently lives in Nashville, TN with a spoiled rottenGolden Retriever / Great Pyrenees mix named Harry Potter and a mouthy spiritguide with a fondness for snakes who just happens to be named Odessa.

To find out more about Jezebel Jorge, please visit

http://www.witchlitchick.comor http://www.jezebeljorge.com.

And the winner is...

2012-02-14T19:02:00.002-05:00

June Manning! Congratulations, June! You're the new owner of the three Julianne MacLean novels. Thanks to everyone that participated and thanks so much to Reading Romances for hosting the blog hop...It was a lot of fun and I made a few new friends. :)

Lila

Denying One's Identity?

2012-02-14T01:00:00.000-05:00

Good day to all! Happy Valentine's Day!

I must say the past few weeks I've found myself scratching my head more than once at the remarks I see all over the cyber highways from romance writers that say they hate Valentine's Day. I don't get it. Forgive me, but for the life of me I cannot fathom denying the very existence and epitome of romance and still call myself a romance writer. I've seen all sorts of negative nasty stuff tossed up here and there about the holiday and I really take pause. You would accuse the card makers and candy makers and wine makers and balloon blowers of commercializing it and raping the Cupids of the world in the name of love, yet you weave your tales and sell them as...romance? Should you not lump yourself in with these "villains?" How can you hate romance and use it as a tool to make a living at the same time?

Yes, confused to say the least. The only fault I have with this day is that it's not celebrated inadvertently everyday. We should shower our loved one with passion every day of the year, not just today. But, I digress...hopeless romantic I am. And isn't that what it takes to write romance? A love of it? Again, scratching my head...

Maybe it's time for a bit of history concerning this horrible, wretched day...

There are several theories and fables about the origins of Valentine's Day, starting with...ancient Rome. Apparenlty those Romans are the root of all the evil that is Valentine's Day, and it all started with a holiday honoring Juno, Queen of Roman gods and goddesses, also revered as goddess of women and marriage. Legend has it this little feast in Juno's name took place on February 14 followed by a huge fertility fest the next day honoring Lupercus and Faunus...fertility gods. Who knew?

Along with all the festivies, little boys and girls were kept separated until on the eve of the festival when their names were place in jars and each young man drew the name of a girl to be paired up with her for the extent of the feasting and merriment.

Well, that explains it...or, maybe not?

Perhaps a priest by the name of Valentine is to blame?

Under the rule of Emperor Claudius II, Rome participated in many unpopular and gruesome campaigns. In an effort to get more men to man up and join the forces, Claudius banned marriages and engagements. However, Valentine, being the defiant priest he was, secretly continued to marry couples. When he was found out, Valentine was put to death February 14, 270 AD. Several other versions of Valentine's story are widely circulated, but the ending is always the same and thus Valentine's Day was established.

And I guess when all else fails, blame the Brits and the French (for whom without kissing would be pretty boring), no offense--I love my cousins across the big blue pond. It does seem however, that during the Middle Ages it was widely believed that birds began seeking their mate on February 14, which further cemented the notion that Valentine's Day was a day to celebrate love and romance. I myself find this one a bit farfetched, but as in modern romance tales--aren't all things supposed to be possible?

Now all that being said, I'd just like to say that instead of denying my identity, I'll be celebrating the holiday of lovers in high fashion. Even though my husband is away on "business," still!, I'll be indulging in some lovely take out from somewhere expensive and award myself one piece of the finest chocolate I can locate. I might buy myself a rose.

I don't hate Valentine's Day...I make my living by romance and if that makes me villainous--guilty as charged.

Lila

(information courtesy of: http://www.stvalentinesday.org/history-of-st-valentines-day.html )

Welcome, Tory Richards!

2012-02-13T01:00:00.000-05:00

Hieveryone! It’s not often I’m given the go ahead to shamelessly plug my book soI’m going to take advantage of it…and shamelessly plug my book. But first Ithought I’d devote a couple of short paragraphs on me.

I live inFlorida. Was born in Maine. I have one sister, one daughter, one niece, onegranddaughter, one grandson, one step-father, one soul mate, and oneson-in-law. That’s a lot of ones in my life. LOL Writing is my passion and hasbeen since the ripe old age of thirteen. I’m a syfy junkie and Saturday is theone day of the week set aside for moi. I spend all day on the computer with thesoothing sound of syfy in the background, and I don’t even get out of myjammies.

I like goodcoffee and sweet tea, though I’m trying to cut down on my sugar this year.Traveling and eating chocolate are my hobbies. I have three cats, four if youcount the one I share with my soul mate. Last of the Mohicans is my favoritemovie and the one movie I can’t watch because it freaks me out is The Exorcist. I hope to retire in a few short yearsbut if the economy keeps going the way it is now I’ll never know what it meansto sleep in late, take naps, and do absolutely nothing.

Exceptwrite! That brings me to my current release. On February first The Mercenary Way came out with The Wild Rose Press. Previously released a few years ago as Against the Odds, more content and lotsof heat have been added for re-release. Belowis a blurb and steaming hot excerpt. Enjoy!

Whena ruthless gem smuggler mistakes Sarah for her best friend Susan, she'skidnapped and stashed on an island. Her only hope of rescue is Susan's cousinClint -- a soldier-of-fortune whose my-way-or-else attitude is as infuriatingas his muscular body is distracting.

Clint, ex-Navy SEAL turnedmercenary, desperately needs a vacation. Rescuing a kidnapped woman from anisland paradise isn't what he had in mind. And when he encounters Sarah's sassymouth and tempting ways, he soon realizes he's the one in trouble.

EXCERPT –

“Is Stan─”

“Sshh!” hewarned briskly, his gaze returning to hers. “Now isn’t the time forconversation, angel.”

Sarahpressed her lips. She didn’t like being told to be quiet. She dropped her eyesbefore his steady gaze, beginning to feel self-conscious of their intimatesituation. Clint was too sexy and in spite of his gruff ways, she was attractedto him. Sarah recalled the eagerness of her response when he’d had his fingersinside her. She was hungry for that particular feeling again but now was hardlythe place or the time.

“You canget off me now,” she spoke quietly, pushing against his shoulders. “They’regoing away.”

Clintdidn’t budge. “They may have lowered someone to the ground to continue thesearch,” he reasoned. “Be quiet.”

Sarahlistened to the sound of the chopper diminish as it moved further away andraised her eyes to the top of the trees above them where the sky was visible.And where Clint’s gaze was focused. She couldn’t help noticing how thick andmuscular his arched neck was. The veins were evident beneath his whiskered jaw.

“You canstill get off me,” she insisted, wincing at the weakness in her tone. Heglanced down at her. Their gazes met and held. Sarah tried to gauge what he wasthinking. After an awkward moment of silence, Sarah looked away, but not beforeshe acknowledged the flame of awareness in Clint’s pupils. His body grew taut.

She caughther breath when his cock turned hard and demanding against her. With littlebetween them, it was easy to determine Clint wasn’t lacking there. And theknowledge turned Sarah hotter. It seemed the danger of being captured was overbut another more primal danger threatened her.

She knewshe was playing with fire but couldn’t stop herself from acknowledging Clint’shard-on in the most obvious way. Parting her legs, she arched into the hardshaft, being rewarded when he sucked in his breath.

“You knowif I was a smart man I’d roll off, start walking and not look back.”

Sarahstiffened. Then why didn’t he? When Clint didn’t move right away, Sarah closedher eyes so she wouldn’t have to look at him. His closeness was unnerving,catching her off guard when she realized how much she liked his weight againsther. However, closing her eyes turned out to be a bigger mistake when all itdid was enhance the charged atmosphere between them.

Her earspicked up the low drone of the helicopter as it was all but out of ear shot,but her senses were acutely aware of Clint. His breath was against her face,hot and intimate, his heart beating against her chest keeping rhythm withanother more vital part of his body. When he began to grind his aroused cockagainst her, she began to respond to the situation against her will.

Suddenly,she felt alive. Her breasts became ultra-sensitive, swelling against his chestas her nipples hardened into tight little nubs. In her mind’s eye, Sarah couldsee his mouth on her, licking and tugging on them until she was breathless andon fire. As her breathing became shallow, she closed her legs to the liquidheat pooling there, denying its existence along with the hard shaft she’dunknowingly trapped there.

Oh God!What is happening to me? An explosive rush swept through her blood. She kepther eyes closed, desperate to ignore the changes in her body, trying to ignorethat it was a man like Clint— callous, raw, and totally unlovable—who wasturning her on to such a feverish pitch. She struggled to bring her breathingunder control, embarrassed when a soft whimper broke the silence.

“Open youreyes,” he demanded in a voice hoarse with desire.

“No.” Theway Sarah figured it, if she didn’t look at him, nothing would happen. Hecouldn’t possible know she was so turned on she was burning up with it.

“I’m goingto kiss you.”

It soundedlike a threat. Her eyes flew open. “No!” The firmness she tried to inject intoher tone came out weak and throaty, revealing her condition. The savageexpression on his face frightened her but not nearly as much as the untamedwildfire racing through her body. His body began to move against her, hishardness fitting perfectly in the damp crevice between her legs. The ache inthe lower half of her body became a tangible, almost painful, reminder that shehadn’t had a cock in there in a long time. Too long.

“No? Areyou sure about that, angel?”

“Yes,” shegasped, mesmerized by the smoldering look in his eyes. “I don’t think it’s wiseto complicate things.” Not to mention she was scared out of her wits that she’denjoy it. And she wasn’t forgetting the fact he’d already fingered her. She’dnever hear the end of it.

“One littlekiss doesn’t have to complicate anything,” he returned with a wolfish grin.

He wasactually teasing her—or was he testing her? “We both know that’s not all youhave on your mind,” she pointed out.

“No, butmaybe a good fuck will tame that mean mouth of yours. Right now, though, a kissis all we have time for.”

Right now?That insinuated they might have time for a good fuck, later.

I'm a fifty-something author who discovered my passion forwriting and story telling at the ripe old age of thirteen. Before I received myfirst manual typewriter, with pencil in hand, I would jot my stories down onnotebook paper. Later, after receiving that desired typewriter I spent hours inmy bedroom, where my parents thought I was doing homework. Writing turned outto be a kind of therapy for me, something I didn't realize until years later.

I also hold down a full time day job. So basically I'm workingall the time. Only writing is a hobby for me, something I do during the quietof the evenings and on my weekends. My goals are simple and realistic. By thetime I retire I'll be happy if I'm just making enough "mad money"from it to be able to travel a little, and spoil my grandchildren.

I'll travel any place a cruise ship will take me. I've beento: Greece, Italy, Croatia, Spain, and Alaska just to name a few places. Idon't like to fly, even before I found myself on a plane on 9/11, but I will ifI'm given enough legal drugs. I collect antiques and art, and I love chocolate,who doesn't? And I'm addicted to good coffee and sweet ice tea.

For a while life got in the way of my dreams. A few yearsago I decided to get serious and haven't looked back!

Find Tory and her books at:

http://www.toryrichards.com

http://www.debbiewallace.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100000953754308

http://twitter.com/#!/ToryRichards

http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=4548655443

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/

A Few From Assumed Master, Current WIP...

2012-02-12T01:00:00.000-05:00

Julietried to stand again and when he stopped her, she curled up into a ball on herend of the couch and tried to make herself invisible. She hadn’t had to admit herfears to anyone in almost twenty years. She didn’t relish the idea of having todo it now. Only one person in the world had seen her at her most vulnerable andhe was now gone, leaving her to a world she couldn’t function in normallyanymore for months before she figured out how to stand on her own two feetagain. Going back to being that dependent on someone else didn’t sit well withher, especially when they were here today full of life and could be gonetomorrow, leaving her in the care of someone else to fend for herself. Again.

Find more sixes here: http://www.sixsunday.com/

Like a Thief in the Night

2012-02-10T01:00:00.000-05:00

You know, it's not often I take to the airwaves and outright complain aboutmuch. Sure I admonish those who complain about their edits, I criticize thosethat treat people crappy at the holidays, but I never publicly discuss or callout the less than savory characters in our world or put down another writer.While I shall remain silent on the party involved, I simply could not let thispass without saying something.

I thought we as writers only need worry about piracy and plagiarism in ourworld. Piracy has been an issue since I first set foot in this arena andcontinues to be so while plagiarism has only just come prominently to theforefront as far as I can tell over the past few weeks or so. Then along came copyright infringement to join the party. And just what are the definitions of such? Because believe it or not, none of them are quite the same and they all function within their own parameters.

Piracy:

n. pl. pi·ra·cies

a. Robbery committed at sea.

b. A similar act of robbery, as the hijacking of an airplane.

2. The unauthorized use or reproduction of copyrighted or patented material: software piracy.

3. The operation of an unlicensed, illegal radio or television station.

(from the free online dictionary: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/plagiary)

There...see how easy that was, that documentation...now I won't get in trouble for this...

Plagiarism: The act of kidnapping something--

Note how I worded it in my own terms? That is also taking care of plagiarism or piracy...making something your own via information or an idea.

Copyright Infringement:

Noun

copyright infringement - a violation of the rights secured by a copyright

infringement of copyright

plagiarisation, plagiarization, piracy, plagiarism - the act of plagiarizing; taking someone's words or ideas as if they were your own

infringement, violation - an act that disregards an agreement or a right; "he claimed a violation of his rights under the Fifth Amendment"

(Also from the free dictionary)

Now, with all that being explained, never in my wildest dreams did I think this thing would happen.

A few weeks ago it came to my attention that someone, a colleague, was using my entire interview verbatim after being aguest here. Not only that, this person took my entire cover letter that I sendto my guests and was using that as if it were theirs, verbatim I might add, withonly the blog and personal information swapped out. Did I mention this person is not only a writer but a creative writing teacher? At the college level? Makes me wonder just what this person teaches their students about what's right and wrong.

Now, I beg the question. Who among us needs an enemy in the form of a pirateor a plagiarist or a copyright infringer when we have people who are allegedly in our corner doing this?

It also begs this question. If this person has no more creativity or drivethan to steal from another writer something as simple as a blog interview andcover letter, where exactly does this person come up with material to write anentire book?

Attention thief: Had you asked, I would have helped you create something exclusively yours.Borrowing ideas is one thing, we all borrow from time to time then turn thatidea into something uniquely ours. This is just outright disgusting.

You know what? You can keep that interview...if you're that desperate, consider it my gift to a lost cause. I've come up with an entirely new one because unlike you I am not lazy nor creatively crippled.

Shame on you! We should never have to worry about one of our own stabbingus.

Beware fellow writers, plagiarists, pirates, and copyright infringement doesn't just come in the form of a faceless entity in the night--they are right here among us biting the hands that feed. Guard yours, you could be next.

Lila

Welcome, Suzzana C Ryan!

2012-02-09T01:00:00.000-05:00

Thank you Lila for having me visit you today. It’s always great to visit with anotherfellow Rebel Ink Press author.

On writing m/m/f...

When I began my journey into erotic romance writing I knewthere would come a time when I ventured into unknown territory that territorybeing two men together, sexually. I love writing love scenes, especiallygraphic juicy one. But they’ve always been between a man and a woman, wellwriting in the paranormal genre, male and female is a better way to describethe characters. Then came my avidinterest in reading what my peers had written, hence the ménage. Curiosity killedthe cat. But not this cat, I wanted more, from m/f/m, I ventured further tom/m/f and bonga bonga. I found this hot,arousing and new scenarios appeared; newcharacters and that brings me to my new WIP “Leah’s two Bears.”

I fell in love with Barry and Logan two hulking, masculine,dark haired chested bisexual men. They’re funny, rough, sweet, loving andneedy. It was easy to write their love scenes, it was natural and it was easybecause of their genuine love for one another. Notice I said bisexual that’s where Leah comesin, a pretty, very feminine damsel in distress. Both men are attracted to her instantly;Leah is exactly what they were looking for to complete their sexual triangle. However,can Leah accept them both and their love for one another? Can two men who loveone another share what they have with another? And if love ensues, can Leah love them both? Can their bond survive what lies ahead inlife? Questions, I am sure that any three people who venture into such arelationship must answer.

This WIP has me intrigued and because I love thesecharacters, it is perhaps one of the most enjoyable ones I’ve written so far.My other works include the short stories My Body MY Soul, available now forpurchase and in March A Vampire for her Birthday will be available. Black Rose will follow then For the Love ofJake and Kendra’s Interview with Love. Ihave two paranormal novels contracted with Rebel Ink Press.

Enjoy the two blurbs that are attached for your enjoyment.You can find me: Suzzana C Ryan @

http://www.suzzanacryan.webs.com Amazon.com

http://www.suzzanacryan.blospot.com Barnes andNoble

http://www.suzzanacryanromanceauthor.blogspot,com Thebookstrand.com

Twitter and Face book Omnilit

http://www.rebelinkpress.com Coffeetimeromance

Lori had had enough of Tony’s cheating. The last straw wasfinding him burying his big, hard cock in her best friend in the middle ofLori's living room. Tony had broken her heart for the last time and of allthings, he'd done it on a day when lovers should be celebrating, Valentine’sDay.

As always, Tony tries to justify his behavior, promisingLori a night of passion. Lori throws him out anyway, unknowing that whatawaited Tony that night was a date with hell. Tony is brutally murdered and Lori is the only suspect. But then his body disappears from the morgueand a very alive Tony shows up at Lori’s apartment accompanied by a mysteriousand very beautiful woman. Tony makes love to Lori, the likes of which she'snever experienced with him before. Andhe vows his undying love and tells Lori he'll never hurt her again. Then he explains that he has to leave her.

Can love survive death? Can a dead man keep a promise toreturn and love a woman for all eternity? Can a woman give her body and soul toa man and wait twenty years for him to return to her? Perhaps..

Edited excerp from A Vampire for Her birthday...

Elliot moved slowlytowards her and he knew Tawny didn’t have the will to move away from him.Elliot oozed sex appeal and he knew he'd ignited her senses as he watched herlovely face and saw her reaction to him. Was she under his spell or was heunder hers? It didn't matter. Elliot didwhat he did best. He took her into his embrace and used his Vampire will on heras his lips touched hers.

Magic.

Elliotswooned.

He'd neverfelt anything like her before.

Elliot knew by the confused look on her faceTawny was in turmoil. As Elliot put hislips to hers, he felt her thoughts. She wondered who he was and she wanted toknow why he was there. Elliot kept kissing her. He loved that she wondered whyhis kiss felt so incredible. He'd make all her thoughts of self-destructionfloat away. He deepened his kiss.

Magic.

Sheresponded to his deepening kiss by putting her hands to his neck and pullinghis face closer to hers, deepening the kiss on her own as well. He feltsomething deep inside of her snap and with it he felt her longing, ages old.Elliot could feel her heat. He needed nomore coaxing than Tawny’s soft little tongue sliding along his lips. He openedhis mouth and let his tongue connect with hers once again. Elliot heard hersoft female moan, knowing her pussy would be aching from their carnal kiss. Helet her tongue suck at his, rolling it around hers as they kissed, long andhard. Elliot broke away gently and moved his lips over her scarred cheek,kissing it softly as he felt her thoughts again. She was in awe of him. Elliotknew the scar held her back because she thought it marred her perfection. Heknew she hated it. That it always separated her from the rest of her kind and Elliotwanted to take all her pain away. He wanted to make her feel special. He wantedto made her feel loved. He never wanted her to look at herself with disdainever again.

Welcome, Liz Borino!

2012-02-08T01:00:00.000-05:00

Has your muse always known what genre you would eventuallybe published in? No! He still doesn’tknow what genre I’m published in. No lie. Out of nowhere he added murdermystery the other day.

If you weren’t writing, what would your fantasy occupationbe? Writing is my fantasy occupation, butbefore I realized that I wanted to be an actress.

Do you live near, or have you ever visited, the locationsyou use as settings in your works? Yes, I love New York City, where Expectations was set. Now, I haven’tlived in Hartford, but I always do research before setting my books anywhere.

Where do you see brick and mortar book stores in five years?I think there will be one Barnes and Noble in every three towns and paper bookswill become a luxury item. I must admit I’m biased as most of my work is ine-book format.

Do you put any stock in reviews or is reader feedback moreimportant to you and why? Both actually. See, reviews are important becausereviewers are readers. In fact, they’re very influential readers who have animpact on other reader’s impressions of your work. On the other hand, Iwouldn’t make a decision for them. My betas are the only outside source thatmight have an impact on my story.

Where do you write? Home office, local Starbucks? All of theabove. Wherever I can.

Are you a full-time writer or do you have other obligations?If you have another career, what do you do? I am a full-time writer, but I’malso a full time student.

You’ve just found a magic lamp, the genie popped out andgranted you three wishes…what are they? Three wishes? Financial security, preferably from my writing. Goodhealth. And, yes, I’m a romantic and would love to meet/marry my soul mate.

If you won the lottery but the stipulation was you had togive away half the winnings, what would you do with that half? Give it toPlanned Parenthood. That’s one of my pet causes. They’re over-utilized andunderfunded.

Do you believe that we as writers have certain moralobligations to our readers? How do you fulfill them? Yes, I believe we do. Ifeel bad whenever the antagonist has the upper hand for too long. More thananything, I’m big into showing equality in relationship. Aren’t I a boringwriter?

Favorite movie? A Home at the End of the World

Bubble baths or long, hot steamy showers? Showers

Beach or mountains? Beach

Chocolate, vanilla, or swirl cones? None of the above…Idon’t like ice cream.

Four wheel drives or sports cars? Four wheel Drives…. I livein PA. I need the snow protection.

Oil or lotion? Lotion

http://www.facebook.com/lizborino

http://lizborino.com

http://lazydaypub.com/index.html

Welcome Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy!

2012-02-07T01:00:00.000-05:00

Please help me give Lee Ann a warm welcome. Though she's visited with me before, this is her first appearance in 2012 and her first time on the couch at the new Realmantic Moments. She's here to talk about her style of romance and share a bit from her latest release, A Patient Heart...Welcome, Lee Ann!

Howreal do you want your romance? Some readers prefer what I’d call fantasy –rendezvous with sheiks and billionaires, princes and movie idols. They like their story rich, not in detail butwith money. Some romances read like alove story version of Lifestyles of theRich and Famous. For those who liketo dream big, good. But I prefer a reallife kind of love story and so far, the comments I gather from my readersindicate they do too.

Somy romances feature mechanics (Reid Ramsay, LoveNever Fails), a federal Marshall (Timothy Campbell, Witness Protection Program), blue collar guys (Johnny Devereaux, Sing We Now of Christmas), a nightclubowner and former civilian contractor (Connor Donavan, A Patient Heart), and turn of the century fruit farmer (who happensto be a ghost in the first part of the story) named Howard Speakman (In Love’s Own Time). These are all Rebel Ink Press titles andupcoming Rebel releases will also have a mechanic, an aviator who runs a littlebootleg whiskey on the side, and a TV weatherman as the hero. Some of my other releases for other pressesincluding a vampire who is also a truck driver, a songwriter, and a poultryplant worker. Occupations for myheroines include teachers, nurses, singers, broadcasters, and resort owners.

Myphysical settings aren’t exotic either – mostly my native Missouri and theneighboring Arkansas and Oklahoma. Iwrite about the real life America I know or the one I heard about in mygrandparents’ many stories.

I’velong heard it’s best to write what you know and so I do. And so far, people in both my own hometown ofSt. Joseph, Missouri and my adopted community of Neosho seem to enjoy thefamiliar settings. So do many readersI’ve heard from who hail from around the United States and in the world. Some tell me I depict their own hometownsuntil they’re homesick. Others say Ipaint a life with such real colors they can imagine it well even though it’sdifferent than what they live.

My little writer’s tagline reads “romance thatlives and breathes the power of love” and I tell people I write everything fromsweet to heat but maybe I should add something about real life or reality intothe picture.

I’dlike to share the blurb, cover, and a short excerpt from my latest A Patient Heart, a Rebel Ink Presstitle.

The blurb:As a little girl,Catherine dreamed she'd marry Connor Donavan one day and as teenagers, thatdream seemed within reach. Until Connor ended their relationship, leaving townand breaking Catherine's heart. Ten years later, far from the old hometown,Catherine reports for work as a nurse one snowy January evening and learns thather new patient is none other than her old love, Connor. When he recognizesher, all the old feelings stir but a few sparks fly, too. As Connor recoversfrom an accident, Catherine realizes she loves him more than ever and he seemsto love her as well. But after he leaves the hospital and convalesces at herhome, his real life intrudes into their quiet time together. Then Connor leavesCatherine behind and she stays until a message sends her speeding to KansasCity, to Connor's club... On Valentine's Day.

Excerpt:

“Kiss me,” he said, those dark eyes steadylike a star in the night sky. Their pull drew her in like the tide on a beach,irresistible and powerful. Catherine couldn’t resist so she maneuvered in andput her mouth over his. As if weighted with magnets her lips attached to hisand he kissed her back, strong for a man in the hospital. The deep mouth caressmade her tingle and her body revved, answering the intensity with the same. Shebroke away first, still skittish about being caught.

“Is that better?” she asked.

“A lot,” Connor said, “I’ll be here whenyou get back but hurry or I might starve.”

Catherine laughed. “I doubt it.”

When she returned with a bag from one ofthe fast food places out on Neosho Boulevard in hand, she found him back in thechair. He sniffed at the aroma wafting out of the sack when she opened it andsighed with happiness when she handed him his double cheeseburger.

“Thank you,” he said, appreciative. “Itsmells so good.”

She opened her single burger. “Go slow,Connor. You haven’t eaten much yet and I don’t want to make you sick.”

“I’ll be fine,” he said as he bit into thethick burger. He devoured it but with such slow precision Catherine found nofault. She finished hers at the same pace and removed the trash then sat backon the edge of the bed since he had the sole chair.

“That was awesome,” Connor said, lookingsomnolent after his meal. “I think it made me sleepy, though.”

Always a nurse, she asked, “Would you liketo go back to bed?”

He turned his head so he could face her.“I don’t unless you want to climb in with me.”

All of sudden, he evoked the past, revivedmemories that sent a fever racing through her blood with warp speed. Whether hekidded or meant it, Catherine’s heart race increased, so much she was glad shewasn’t hooked to any monitors. Her breath caught somewhere between lungs andthroat and then he winked.

“Scared you, didn’t I?” Connor said,laughter enriching his voice. “I’d love to just cuddle with you but somehow Ifigure they wouldn’t like it here.”

“No, I don’t think they would. You got myattention, though.”

“Did I really?” One minute he seemedtough, the next vulnerable and she couldn’t read him, decide which was real orif both were.

“Oh, you do,” Catherine said. “But youmight want to lose the Foley first, heal a bit more and get some strength backbefore you invite me into bed, here or anywhere.”

He shifted in the chair, winced and with awry smile replied, “Point taken, lady. So if we can’t go to bed, what are wegoing to do?”

Somehow she doubted they were going to playcheckers but she laughed. “Tell me what’d you be doing right now if you wereback home and not in the hospital.”

“What time is it?”

She checked her watch. “It’s almostseven.”

Connor sighed. “I’d be at my club and theearly crowd would be there. We’d be serving drinks half price right up untilseven and then we’d have an hour before the band, if we had one tonight. Ifnot, I’d tend a little bar, keep an eye on everything, stroll through the placedoing a meet and greet and keep everything rolling.”

“You do all that?”

“Yeah, I do most of the time.”

“Don’t you have any employees? You make itsound like a one-man operation.”

He chuckled. “It was when I started theplace but I’ve got a couple, a guy named Larry who tends bar, Lupe, who worksin the kitchen, and King, my bouncer. They handle a lot. Then I have threewaitresses, Trixie, Lisa, and Jen.”

Catherine counted six, four of which werewomen. Green jealousy reared up, ugly and potent but in a mild tone she asked,“Are they running things while you’re gone?”

“I hope the hell they are,” he said, andthen dismay clouded his face. “I hadn’t thought about it. How many days have Ibeen here? Two?”

“This is the evening of the third fullday,” she told him. “If you feel up to calling, I’ll loan you my cell phone.”

He wrinkled his nose. “Maybe I should callup there tomorrow. Tonight, they’ll be busy or they should be. What day of theweek is it, anyway?”

“This is Tuesday.”

Connor nodded. “They should be able tohandle it. I bet they wonder why I haven’t called by now – I planned to checkin every day. Did you cancel my reservation or did I just dream you were goingto do that?”

“I haven’t,” she said, “It slipped my mindbut I can do it whenever you want.”

His eyelids drooped to half mast. “I’mtired tonight. Maybe you can take care of it tomorrow.”

“Okay. Now, seriously, do you want to lieback down? I can help you crawl back in bed without tangling the IV lines andthe Foley cath.”

“Maybe in a few minutes,” he said. “I wantto get my strength back and get out of here as soon as I can.”

Fatigue touched his face but under it shesaw determination and stubborn will. On impulse Catherine rose from her seat onthe bed and came behind the chair. She plucked a comb from her purse andfluffed out his shoulder length hair. “Then will you let me comb your hair?It’s a mess.”

“Yeah,” he said soft-voiced. “I’d likeit.”

She laughed. “It may hurt – some of it istangled. I’ll try to be gentle.”

She ran the comb through his hair, lanknow from his hospital stay but she thought under normal circumstances it wouldbe just as soft and thick as she remembered. Catherine worked the knots out ofhis locks with careful hands and he grunted with pleasure more than once.

“Don’t quit,” he said, eyes shut. “Thatfeels nice.”

“Good.” Catherine teased the comb throughhis hair again. “Tomorrow maybe you can get a shave.”

“Maybe I should just let you shave itall,” he said.

A frisson rippled down her spine,delicious and cold as she imagined how he might look without facial hair. Curiositywarred with an inner appreciation of his moustache and beard which gave him anexotic flair and desire to restore him to the clean shaven look she recalled.

“It’s your call,” Catherine said and hegrinned.

“My people at the club would crap,” Connorlaughed, “It itches so I think I’ll let you shave it all. They won’t recognizeme.”

ButI did whiskers and all.

Links:

Available for $4.99 on Amazon,Barnes and Noble, Bookstrand, All Romance Ebooks

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-apatientheart-677026-148.html

http://www.amazon.com/A-Patient-Heart-ebook/dp/B0073FQIPG/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1328046555&sr=8-15

Facebook:Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy

Twitter:@leeannwriter

A PageIn The Life: http://leeannsontheimermurphywriterauthor.blogspot.com

RebelWriter: Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy http://leeannsontheimermurphy.blogspot.com

SeanachieStories – Tuesday Tales And More http://seanachiestories-tuesdaytalesandmore.blogspot.com

Welcome Romancing the Valentine Giveaway Hop Visitors!

2012-02-06T01:00:00.000-05:00

Hey there everyone!

I'm so excited to be a part of this little Valentine's Hop. I hope everyone's having a great time so far, I know I am. :) For those of you who don't know me, I'm Lila Munro, procurer of all things realmantica, which means in essence I made a word up to describe my writing style. I'm a sucker for realism in romance. It's my belief that while yes we enjoy the fantasy, we also need to be able to believe that finding our own hero or heroine in real life is completely attainable.

I found mine almost fifteen years ago and he captured me for keeps not three months later. He came riding in on his dusty tank---just kidding! He is a military man though, my favorite hero to write about, and while I've wavered from that path a bit over the past few months 2012 will see my return to that genre almost exclusively.

Now, on to why you're here. ;) The prize! I'm giving away three Julianne MacLean novels--real paperback ones in fact that will require mailing via the snail. The set includes The Mistress Diaries, When a Stranger Loves Me and In My Wildest Fantasies...And you might say what's the biggie? They are all signed by Miss MacLean herself and come with matching book marks. :) And what do you have to do to be entered into my little contest? Answer one question--

What was Zoey Matthews occupation in my highly popular menage novel Three for Keeps?

Email your answer to lilasromance@gmail.com and you'll be entered. I do believe this hop ends February 14, the big day, so I'll be drawing my winner then.

Thanks for stopping by everyone! Happy hopping!

Lila Munro

Six From Assumed Master, Current WIP...

2012-02-05T01:00:00.000-05:00

“Yougave me to him? I wasn’t yours to give! I’ll try not to be too needy while inyour care,” Julie spat as she rose from her chair. She walked to Mason’s desk,flipped the top of the small black box that sat on the corner up, and retrieveda small silver key. She reached aroundher throat and with a shuddering gasp unlocked her collar. After the initialshock of the dull click sank in, she tore it from around her neck and threw itat Dante.

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

Welcome, TD Jones!

2012-02-03T01:00:00.000-05:00

Has our muse always known what genre you would eventually bepublished in?

No, I have a muse that thinks I need to be published inevery genre.

Do you read your sub-genre consistently or do you preferanother?

I like reading romance with humor and family drama in, which is what Iwrite also.

If you weren’t writing, what would your fantasy occupationbe?

Publisher. I would love to make someone’s life change just by taking theirstory and publishing it.

Do you live near, or have you ever visited, the locationsyou use as settings in your works?

I live in West Texas and all my stories areset in West Texas towns. I make up the names but can picture the towns like Isee around here.

Where do you see brick and mortar book stores in five years?

I think bookstores will be around forever due to people still love the feel ofbooks in their hands.

Do you put any stock in reviews or is reader feedback moreimportant to you and why?

I like thereader feedback due to they are honest and if someone likes your book they aremore than likely to tell their friends and family.

Where do you write? Home office, local Starbucks?

I have ahome office. I love having an office in my home; it is my escape from the realworld.

Do you have mood music you write to? What are you top fivepicks?

I’m not really one that writes to music. If I do happen to put somethingon it will be George Strait or Fleetwood Mac.

Bubble baths or long, hot steamy showers? Haven’t you heard?Bubble Baths cure everything. I would live in a bath tub if I could.

Beach or mountains? Beach..love the sunshine

Chocolate,vanilla, or swirl cones? Swirl. I like a mixture of both worlds.

Four wheel drives or sports cars? Sport cars. I love thespeed.

Maggie Dawson wasleft at the altar at the young age of eighteen. Now years later Kevin Walker isback in town and Maggie’s life is turned upside down. She is determined not tofall in love with this guy for a second time. He broke her heart once, she isnot letting him do it again or is she?

Kevin Walker comes back to Clover, Texas to sell the familyranch and never expects to run into Maggie, who is now the town doctor. Hestarts to fall in love with her again, but will she let him in?

Maggie always had a secret thought deep down in her heartthat someday Kevin would come back to her. He would say he was sorry forleaving, and everything would be wonderful. They would live happily ever afterlike in the fairy tales. Never in the fairy tale did she dream that her princewould come back to town, and bring his pregnant fiancée with him.

My name is Teresa Jones and I write under the name of T.D.Jones. I write romance, family drama and mystery. I’m a Texas gal and love thewide open sky. I’m here today to promote my book called “Coming Up For Air”

Coming Up For Air is about young love lost but found laterin life. It’s a sweet romance published by XoXo Publishing. I have several morebooks coming out this spring so be sure to check out my sites.

My contact information is:

www.tdjones.weebly.com

www.writingonthego.blogspot.com

www.twitter/TDJones5

Facebook: TD Jones/Author

Welcome, Deena Remiel!

2012-02-02T01:00:00.000-05:00

Doyou read your sub-genre consistently or do you prefer another?

WhenI’m writing, I love reading historical romance and romantic suspense. Inbetween books, I like to read in my paranormal genre.

Doyou live near, or have you ever visited, the locations you use as settings inyour works?

Funnything. I researched online about Sedona and the Superstition Mountains, wrotemy books, and THEN was able to go visit! I found that my research was asaccurate as being there because of how detailed the information was online. Theonly thing about visiting my locations… I could not replace that personalsensual experience of sight, sound, smell, touch, even taste.

Doyou put any stock in reviews or is reader feedback more important to you andwhy?

Initially,I believe reader feedback is crucial. It’s their approval and subsequentsupport by telling the world that they loved my work that gets things rolling.Reviews add another layer from the business end of things. Ultimately, it’s thereaders who I want to hear from most. If I know I’m pleasing my fans, I’mthrilled.

Wheredo you write? Home office, local Starbucks?

Iwrite on my office couch, my living room couch, my bed, on a chair at the gymwhere my younger daughter goes for gymnastics team practice. LOL

Doyou have mood music you write to? What are your top five picks?

Idon’t, actually. I adore music and grew up listening, playing, and singing it.It is far too distracting to me. However, when I’m finished writing a novel, Ilike to make a playlist that goes along with it.

You’vejust found a magic lamp, the genie popped out and granted you three wishes…whatare they?

Wish#1 - I wish for peace on earth.

Wish#2 - I wish for my family and friends to be happy and healthy forever.

Wish#3 – I wish that I never run out of wonderful stories to tell!

Doyou have children and what do they think about your career?

Ido! I have two girls – one is a preteen and the other a teenager. They are sosupportive of my writing and understanding when their laundry or thesupermarket shopping is late getting done. They help out around the house whenI’m in marathon mode.

Favoritemovie? Pretty Woman, Princess Bride, and ALL MUSICALS!

Bubblebaths or long, hot steamy showers? Long, hot steamy showers… partner optional,but preferred!

Beachor mountains? Beach

Chocolate,vanilla, or swirl cones? Swirl it for me! I love the best of both worlds!

Fourwheel drives or sports cars? Sports cars for the weekend, four wheel drives forthe weekdays.

Oilor lotion? Vanilla-scented lotion for me!

deenaremiel@yahoo.com

Purchase links: www.decadentpublishing.com

{Serena lay asleep in her hospital bed, a small,seemingly fragile wisp of a woman. The way the setting sun cast a glow abouther face, she looked enchanting and more like a delicate flower. He couldalmost smell the sweet scent of a Lily of the Valley in the air. He shookhimself free of his musings as he moved into her room and quietly took a seatnext to her.

Glancing around the room, he found thesweet-smelling culprit that had captivated him—a small bottle of perfume.Returning to gaze upon his enchantress, he noticed the bruising along her jawline much more pronounced since he’d first come upon her. A cold, steel angerwelled within him. His eyes trailed down to her slender arm outfitted with anIV, and to all the machines with their bells and beeps.

“I’m sorry, Serena,” he whispered. “You wouldn’thave needed all of this if I could’ve done my job properly.” He bristled infrustration and leaned his head against his arms resting on the bedrail. Henoticed her stirring in her sleep. She seemed agitated and surprised him byblindly reaching out to grab hold of his hand.

“Mmm…I cannot die. I am immortal. An feidir le heinne cuidiu liom? Cananyone help me? Graim thu, Raphael, anam chara. I love you, my soul mate.”Serena whimpered and fell silent once again.

The chair screeched across the floor as Raphaelsprung out of it like a Jack-in-the-box. Her hand stayed firmly gripped aroundhis, and a flood of memories—well-hidden for centuries—came crashing throughunbidden. Sirona, Goddess of Healing—the love of his immortal life, his wife—smiled at him as they walked in themountains. She bathed him in the hot roman baths. She made love with him underthe stars. She was lifeless in his arms as he carried her to her temple. He wasasking E.L. to wipe his memory clean of all remembrances of her and to hardenhis heart.

Raphael wrenched his hand away from Serena’s tightgrasp, involuntarily backing up to the door. He clutched his chest over hisracing heart, now filled with centuries of unresolved anguish, his mind buzzedwith too many questions.

Serena’s eyes fluttered open. He must have had a lookof utter horror on his face because she raised her hand to her face shieldingthe bruise. “It appears worse than it feels,” she stated quietly. “Really. Haveyou come to fix the TV? They told me someone would be coming by this afternoonto fix it.”

“Uh…no,” Raphael croaked. “I, uh…I’m sorry. Ididn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I’ll be on my way.” I have to get out of here. Whothe hell is she, some kind of witch? Why is this happening now? And where do Ibegin to process what I just experienced?

“But wait. Who are you? Why did you come to myroom?”

Now shedoesn’t know who I am? What gives? “I’m the one who found you and broughtyou here to the hospital, actually. I was checking to see how you were doing.Now I see you’re doing much better, so I’m going to leave you to your rest.”Raphael headed to the exit.

“Wait! Please, before you go I’d like to saysomething.” He turned around slowly and stood transfixed by her glitteringemerald eyes. “Thank you. You saved my life, and I’m forever grateful.” Shesmiled, and her eyes brimmed with unshed tears.

“Make no mistake,” he grumbled. “I didn’t saveyou. The doctors did. But you’re welcome for bringing you here. Now, I reallymust go.”

“Hey,” Serena shouted as he walked out the door,“what did you say your name was?”

He stopped but couldn’t face her again. “I didn’t.”}

Welcome, Carrie Ann Ryan!

2012-02-01T01:00:00.000-05:00

Keeping the Sex Fresh

Oh geez, just writing the titlemakes me blush. I’m a prude I think. I love writing paranormal romance witherotic romance. But sometimes I want to blush and hide under the covers. Iusually find myself writing those scenesin public. I have no idea why. In fact, I’m writing this post sitting in acoffee shop with children running around. And I wrote my first m/m/f scene for my upcoming Trinity Bound with my mother-in-lawsitting next to me on the couch.

Talk about awkward. O_o

But how do we authors keep ourwriting fresh? Settings always seem to help me. If you constantly have peoplein a bed there are only so many things you can do. Yes, it can get *ahem*interesting, but sometimes changing the settings help.

*blushes*

If you put your characters outside,in a studio or in a workroom, suddenly you have all these extra *ahem* props.Like mud, paint, benches and other goodies. If you have your hero and heroinedoing the same thing every time you get bored. And so will the reader.

In An Alpha’s Path, I actually have them in bedrooms and hotel roomsfor most of the book. Because that worked for them. But in the rest of theseries my characters seem to get *ahem* frisky everywhere.

But really, if you need to keep itfresh, write something that interests you. And go with it. If there is an*ahem* fantasy out there you wouldn’t do in real life – put it in a book. Liveit out through your characters. And your readers can do the same.

What are some ways you keep the sexfresh – in your writing?

*blushes* This was fun today, sothanks for letting me stop by! I’m going to go hide under the covers again.

Carrie Ann Ryan is aparanormal and contemporary romanceauthor. Her first book, AnAlpha's Path, is the first book in her Redwood Pack series. She's alsoan avid reader and lover of romance and fiction novels. She love meeting newauthors and new worlds. Any recommendations you have are appreciated.Carrie Ann lives in New England with her husband and two kittens.

Carrie Ann loveshearing from readers. You can find her at:

Website and Blog / FacebookAuthor Page / FacebookFriend

Twitter: @CarrieAnnRyan

Melanie is atwenty-five year old chemist who has spent all of her adult life slaving atschool. With her PhD in hand, she's to start her dream job, but before shedoes, her friend persuades her to relax and try to live again. A blind date setup through her friends seems like the perfect solution. Melanie can take onenight away from the lab and let her inner vixen out on a fixed blind date - achance to get crazy with a perfect stranger. The gorgeous hunk she's to meetexceeds her wildest dreams – be he is more than what he appears and Melanie'sanalytical mind goes into overdrive.

Kade, a slightly older werewolf (at over onehundred years), needs a night way from the Pack. Too many responsibilities andone near miss with a potential mate made Kade hide in his work, the only peacehe can find. His brother convinces him to meet the sexy woman for a one nightof fun. What could it hurt? But when he finds this woman could be his mate, canhe convince her to leave her orderly, sane world and be with him and hiswolf-half, for life?

Excerpt

Melanie tooka deep breath as she gave herself a good look in the mirror. This bathroom maybe the greatest and most luxurious thing she’d ever seen, but she barely gaveit a second glance.

What thehell was she doing? There was a gorgeous god standing in the room that shepractically ran from. What the hell was she doing in here?

Allthroughout dinner, she couldn’t seem to string two coherent sentences together.She resembled acting like a ditzy, shy deer in the headlights. It was no wonderKade was just fine with not having sex tonight. Oh, he may have said that hewanted her, but he didn’t seem to fight for it.

Oh, that wasjust great. Kade was considerate of her feelings, yet here she was, making himthe bad guy. This whole experience made her a wreck. Maybe Mel wasn’texperienced with men, but she was experienced with meeting people andcommunicating with another human being. Tonight was a once in a lifetimeopportunity to have wild and passionate sex with a near stranger. And oh yes,just looking at Kade, she knew it would be exactly that. She grew damp justthinking about him, and what wicked things could await her if she would justsay yes.

And honestly, what was stopping her? Goingthrough with this would leave her with an amazing and glorious memory. Sheneeded more of those. The need to hear she was beautiful, sexy and wantedoverwhelmed her. Mel didn’t want to be the “smart” one anymore. She squared hershoulders and looked at herself in the mirror once more.

Welcome, Amy Corwin!

2012-01-31T01:00:00.000-05:00

Has yourmuse always known what genre you would eventually be published in?

Yes, although I’ll admit to some genre confusion. In my naivety, Ithought if a story ended happily with a man and a woman together on the lastpage (a kiss was nice, but not required) then it was a romance. Obviously, thatmeant that a lot of stories that were really not romances were—in my mind.

I learned my mistake and settled into mystery. I’ve always lovedmysteries of every flavor and it’s what I like to write, regardless of thetrappings (paranormal, romances, contemporary, historical, etc.)

Do you readyour sub-genre consistently or do you prefer another?

The main genre I read is mystery, but I also read the classic Regencyromances, paranormal, suspense, crime, a few thrillers, horror, and sciencefiction. I don’t really know how to classify P.G. Wodehouse or Saki (H. H.Munro) but I read them, too, particularly when I’m feeling down and just need abreak.

If youweren’t writing, what would your fantasy occupation be?

My day job is in the computer field as an enterprise admin, and I’vebeen fortunate to finally attain my fantasy position. Although if we’re talkingwhat I might like to be, I’d have to include: vet, archaeologist,ornithologist, or bum. When I was a kid, I often fantasized about just packing abunch of stuff into a wheel barrow and escaping to live in the woods on my own.Of course, I soon realized that it might not be the best plan and wouldprobably be pretty uncomfortable when a bear decided he needed my fish morethan I did, but…it was a fantasy.

Do you livenear, or have you ever visited, the locations you use as settings in yourworks?

Absolutely. Of course it was thirty years ago, but still…. A lot of mystories are set in London or in various make-believe locations in its vicinity.I took a trip to England in the late 70’s and even attended university at theUniversity of Aberdeen in Scotland. That year, I took many, many trips aroundScotland and England (as well as other locations). It was a fabulous time, andI loved it. All of my Regency mysteries like The Vital Principle and TheNecklace are loosely based upon places I saw or visited, although they areheavily fictionalized.

For my paranormal romance, Vampire Protector, I actually set it in anarea in Virginia where I used to go birding quite a bit. Of course, the townitself is completely fictional, but it’s based upon an area I know very well.

If youdon’t live near or you haven’t visited your setting locations, how did youresearch them?

For locations I haven’t recently visited, I use Google Earth to zoomin and see what the streets and countryside really look like. It’s an amazing tool.In addition, I have a large map of London and its environs from the Regencyperiod that I reference when my characters like those in A Rose Before Dyinghave to navigate the streets of London.

Where doyou see brick and mortar book stores in five years?

Unfortunately, I think brick-and-mortar stores are in a bit of a bind.There will inevitably be more consolidation. Some independent stores may dowell, at least for a while, but we’re seeing a wholesale move to e-books nowand it’s changing the landscape dramatically.

It won’t mean the end (at least for a while) of physical books. Afterall, you can still buy a CD album, but you don’t see a lot of record storesanymore. You do see combined stores though, cafés with a CD section, for example.Those types of hybrids may crop up. Certainly, discount stores and chains likeTarget and Walmart will carry at least some books for the foreseeable future.

I’m not completely in agreement with Konrath regarding the death oftraditional bookstores, publishers and agents. Most of the time, you don’t seethings completely disappear. What tends to occur is a gradual morphing intosomething that perhaps none of us are accurately predicting.

Do you putany stock in reviews or is reader feedback more important to you and why?

I don’t think you can separate reviews from reader feedback. Often,they are one-in-the-same. That said, I pay attention to both. When someonereads your book, whether from the perspective of reader or reviewer, she willdevelop valid opinions. If someone has a problem with your book, it’s a realissue, regardless of whether you agree with it or not. In some cases, I mayhave made a mistake (after all, I’m only human, as are all my editors, and wemiss things) or I simply misunderstood something I researched. It may be thatfor whatever reason, my writing didn’t appeal to the reader, or my charactersdidn’t grab her.

Perhaps the plot or theme didn’t resonate.

Whatever the criticism, it is valid and if you approach these thingswith an open mind, you can often learn something about what works, whatdoesn’t, and what you may have completely missed.

Criticism is an opportunity. I always approach it that way,immediately after I weep, gnash my teeth, and stumble back into the house aftera three-day bender.

Where doyou write? Home office, local Starbucks?

Everywhere. Mostly at home, but when I have to travel for my day job,I write wherever and whenever I get the opportunity. I have an amazing abilityto tune out everything around me. In fact, it’s so good that I have to becareful not to miss my plane when I’m concentrating.

Do you havemood music you write to? What are your top five picks?

Actually, no (see above). It doesn’t do me any good. I completelyblock out all noise around me and become as good as deaf when I’m working.

Are you afull-time writer or do you have other obligations? If you have another career,what do you do?

Computer specialist. It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it. Otherthan Mike Rowe, of course.

You’ve justfound a magic lamp, the genie popped out and granted you three wishes…what arethey?

That’s a really good question. I’ve always wanted to be smarter, but Isuspect it might not really make my life that much easier. I’d probably justget more frustrated when folks don’t understand what I’m rambling on about atwork.

I’ve never wanted to be rich, because then you have a full time jobmanaging your money. I would like to have enough, however, not to have to worryabout it all the time. But I’m not sure I’d waste a wish on that.

I guess the problem for me is that I’m really quite content with whereI am in life. I have a great husband, a tumble-down log home that is indesperate need of repair, 2 dogs and 2 cats. It’s a pretty good life, allthings considered. We need things, like a new kitchen (the oven doesn’t workall the time and the floor is rotting through) and we’d love to add on to our20 acres to preserve the swamp behind the house…. Things like that. But wouldyou really want to waste a wish on that? It’s such small potatoes.

And I wish my parents could have lived long enough to see my firsthard cover mystery, Whacked!, come out this year. But then, those types ofwishes always result in unintended consequences like poor quality of life, etc.I’m always reminded of the horror that evolved from a wish like that in theshort story, The Monkey’s Paw.

While it would be attractive to wish for things like world peace andan end to hunger, those types of wishes have even larger unintendedconsequences. Sort of like everyone becoming brain-dead and useless like theEloi from H.G. Wells’ novel, The Time Machine. You can’t have light withoutdark. It is our struggle to survive and competition that leads to invention andforces us to excel. If we have nothing to struggle for, nothing just out of ourreach, then there is no reason to try. Adversity may be unpleasant but itcreates excellence.

I would love to be a NY Times Bestseller, though. That would be sweet,although I suspect there are downsides to that, as well. Fame isn’t always whatit’s cracked up to be, stalkers being what they are these days.

You know, I think I’d wish to give my wishes to someone who needs themmore. J

If you wonthe lottery but the stipulation was you had to give away half the winnings,what would you do with that half?

I’m torn. Half of me would use my half to set aside more wildlife habitat.Especially in areas where they’ve been installing bird blenders (windmills).They have such a devastating impact on raptors. Raptors have a low reproductiverate as it is and frankly, I don’t see how they (or many other species) aregoing to survive our efforts to “go green. Sorry—I obviously could go on andon.

My other possibility would be to endow a practical skills-based schoolfor the underprivileged. A school that would teach real-life skills likebusiness writing (or any kind of writing, period), balancing a check book/bankaccount, developing a budget, basic problem solving skills (you’d be amazed athow few people can actually define a problem well enough to allow them toresolve it), job interview skills, real-world math (how to figure out how muchcarpeting you need to redo your living room, how to make change, etc), and soon. I’d like to help kids get the information they need to improve their lives,get a job, and feel like they have more control over their destiny.

Do youbelieve that we as writers have certain moral obligations to our readers? Howdo you fulfill them?

I’m not sure “moral obligation” is applicable to fiction. Because it’sall just made up. It’s not immoral to write a bad story, it’s just sad.

I do think, however, it would be nice for us to let our readers knowwhat kind of content to expect so they don’t buy books with expectations aboutcontent and get disappointed. If a reader wants the bedroom door closed, thenit’s nice for her to be able to identify books that will meet this expectation.The same is true for any other kind of content, be it violence, expletives, etc.

Do you havechildren and what do they think about your career?

Only children of the furry, four-legged variety. As far as I know,they have no opinion of my work. Although they do hate it when I’m actuallyworking.

Amy Corwin is acharter member of the Romance Writers of America and recently joined MysteryWriters of America. She has been writing for the last ten years. She writes romance, historical and cozy mysteries.To be truthful, most of her books include a bit of murder and mayhem since shediscovered that killing off at least one character is a highly effective way tomake the remaining ones toe the plot line.

Amy’s booksinclude the three Regency romantic mysteries, I BID ONE AMERICAN, THE BRICKLAYER’SHELPER, and THE NECKLACE; Regency mysteries, THE VITAL PRINCIPLE, and A ROSEBEFORE DYING; and her first cozy mystery, WHACKED!, will come in in 2012 fromFive Star.

Join her anddiscover that every good romance has a touch of mystery.

Website: http://www.amycorwin.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/amycorwin

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

Blog: http://amycorwin.blogspot.com

A Rose Before Dying

A murderer is stalking the streets of London and theevidence points to Sir Edward, the uncle of Charles Vance, Earl of Castlemoor.The first victim is none other than Sir Edward’s mistress who threw him overfor a younger man, giving him a clear motive to kill her. However, Charles isconvinced Sir Edward is innocent and enlists the aide of Mr. Knighton Gaunt ofthe Second Sons Inquiry Agency. When more clues surface, including roseshinting at another victim, Charles steps in and takes control. He can’t let hisuncle hang for murders he didn’t commit, despite his uncle’s foul temper andabundant motivation.

Charles teams up with noted rosarian Ariadne Wellfleet todecipher the clues and prove Sir Edward’s innocence and stop the murdererbefore he can strike again.

In this excerpt from A Rose Before Dying, Charles Vance, Lord Castlemoor, has brought a rose to the Wellfleets,hoping someone can identify it. The rose is the only clue he has to identifythe next victim of a vicious killer bent on framing Charles’ uncle.

EXCERPT

He pulled out the small bundle containing the rose. He knewit was useless, her father, the rose expert, was dead. But he couldn’t stop asmall spurt of hope. “I’d like to identify this rose. Do you recognize it?”

“I supposed you’re only asking me as a last resort. Becausemy father is no longer with us.” She held out a peremptory hand. “Let me seeit.”

Her face was a smooth, expressionless mask. However, hedetected traces of tired resignation at the implication that she could not beexpected to have the depth of knowledge exhibited by a man.

When he placed the limp spray in her palm, she held it up toher nose and breathed in several times with closed eyes, cupping the flowers inher hands. Then she gave it a cursory examination before pulling the petals offof one flower.

“Stop!” He reached over to wrench it out of her hand. Sheturned her shoulder, blocking him. “What are you doing?”

“Counting the petals. Why?”

“You’re destroying it! How shall I identify it if you ruinit?”

She held it out. “Take it. Plant it, or allow me to root it.Or graft it. If it grows, you can ask your friend, Mr. Lee, to identify it intwo or three years from the shape of the bush and bloom habit. Most men who grow roses agree that it takesat least one cycle of blooming to identify a rose with any assurance.”

“Two years!”

“Yes—if you want to be sure. And isn’t that why you wish toidentify it? So you can purchase a specimen for your own garden?”

“Yes—but….”

“Yes?”

He gazed into her coolly discerning eyes and realized shewas aware that he was not being open with her. But given Mr. Lee’s reaction, hecould not bring himself to tell the complete truth. The rose wouldn’t last longenough to find another master gardener, assuming he could even locate one inLondon. “It’s…a wager. Silly, I know, but one of my friends said I couldn’tidentify this rose.” The tips of his ears burned.

“I see.” Her eyes grew colder. “This is all a wager?” Sheglanced at Rose.

“No, of course not. Not Rose—she’s not part of it.”

Miss Wellfleet’s fingers pushed the petals into a line onthe table and hovered over them. Thirteen petals, thin and wilting, spread in atattered line. The slender spray was dying. The small, tight buds had alreadyblackened and hung limply. His chest tightened with frustration.

Then with a theatrical gesture that suggested more defiancethan scientific inquiry, she ripped apart the remaining flowers. She arrangedthe petals in three parallel lines, one for each flower. The roses didn’t allhave the same number of petals. The first had thirteen petals. The next hadeleven. The final rose had seventeen.

After examining what remained of the stalk, the yellowstamens, and leaves, she looked at him.

Although she didn’t precisely shrug, there was a quality inher expression that spoke of disdain when she said, “Rosa Collina fastigiata.”

“That’s it?” His tired disappointment reminded him of thelateness of the hour. Useless. Heneedn’t have come here at all. Lee had it right the first time.

“Well, yes. What were you expecting?”

“Something…more. A name….”

“That is a name.”Irritation sharpened her voice. “Or Flat-Flowered Hill Rose, if you prefer anEnglish one.”

“You’re sure?”’

Her eyes hardened. “As sure as I can be from this smallspray.” She flung the petals and twig onto the table. “No one can be absolutelysure without seeing the bush and knowing the growth habit and bloom cycles.Have you any idea how many roses there are?”

“I—”

“That’s why your friendmade a clever wager—if wager it was.”

“No. Truly, I apologize. I sincerely appreciate the name.”

“It’s late. You have your name. I hope you win your wager.”

With a coolness he deserved but saddened him nonetheless,she gestured for him to leave. The butler, Mr. Abbott, waited just outside theFrench doors to the greenhouse. His silent presence ensured Miss Wellfleet hadnever been truly alone with Charles. Somehow, this reminded him of howattractive he found her, and he flushed when he caught Mr. Abbott’s curiousgaze.

However, his embarrassment faded as he remembered hispurpose.

A life could be saved if he interpreted Rosa Collina fastigiata properly.

How many people named Collins lived in London? Unless theclue rested with the English name, Flat-Flowered Hill Rose. Did this blossompoint to a location instead of aperson?

Time was slipping away.

The Necklace

Legends foretell death for anyone who possesses thefabled Peckham emerald necklace, lost by an Archer ancestor. Certainly, it hasbrought the Archers nothing but heartache. So Oriana is relieved it’s missing,assuming it ever existed. She has enough difficulties protecting her uncle—andher heart--from his dangerous new friend, Chilton Dacy. However, when Orianafinds the necklace, the curse reawakens. The necklace disappears, only toreappear clutched in a dead man’s hand.

The stranger’s death leaves Oriana with afrightening choice: ask Chilton for help, or face the possibility that she mayhang for murder.

In this scene, ChiltonDacy has been accidentally shot and is convalescing at the Archer residence. Hejust can’t resist teasing Oriana Archer, his reluctant nurse….

Excerpt

“Sir,” Oriana said, frantic tochange the subject to something less provocative. “How did you meet my uncle? Ido not recall him mentioning you before.”

“Umm,” he said unhelpfully.

“I beg your pardon? I’m afraidI did not hear you clearly.”

“Perhaps you’re hard of hearingand should turn around to face me.”

“My hearing is perfectlyadequate, sir.”

“Are you afraid to face me?”

“I am not, but you’re notdressed. This is all quite improper.”

“That was my thought when youtucked me into bed, Miss Archer.”

A burning fire raged up herbosom, scorching her neck and cheeks. She had sincerely hoped he wouldn’tremember. After a dreadfully long silence, she said, “If you will recall, youwere actually unconscious a great deal of the time.”

The bed creaked behind her. Atthe noise, she instinctively turned.

He lounged against the stack ofpillows with his hands locked behind his head. Another fiery wave cascaded overher cheeks as her eyes followed that line down his chest again. The sheet hadslipped even further. It barely covered his lap. A thin line of bandage wasvisible at the top of his thigh where an insolent corner of the sheet hadflipped over.

“And how, precisely, should Irecall it if I was unconscious at the time? All I remember is you unfasteningmy breeches—”

“Sir, it was an unfortunatecircumstance that we must all strive to avoid in the future,” she hurriedlyinterrupted him.

“Oh, I don’t know. I can thinkof a worse fate than being stripped, bathed, and put to bed by a pretty woman.”

“You are obviously sufferingfrom some pernicious form of delirium. I never bathedyou. But, I shall send Joshua up to you directly if you desire towash.” She spun and worked very hard to walk—not run—out of the door.

His deep chuckles raced afterher, despite the fact that she slammed the door shut behind her.

TheVital Principle

Aninquiry agent seeks to expose a spiritualist as a fraud only to uncover amurder.

In 1815, inquiryagent, Knighton Gaunt, is asked by Lord Crowley to attend a séance with theexpress purpose of revealing the spiritualist as a fraud. When the séance endsabruptly, an unseen killer poisons Lord Crowley, leaving Gaunt to investigatenot fraud, but murder.

Suspicion turns firstto the spiritualist, Miss Prudence Barnard. But as Gaunt digs deeper into thetwisted history of the guests at Rosecrest, he discovers a series of deadlysecrets. Long-time friends soon turn against one another as the tension mounts,and Gaunt is challenged to separate fact from fiction before another death atRosecrest.

The Vital Principle is the first mystery in the Second Sons Inquiry Agency series andfeatures coolly intellectual Mr. Knighton Gaunt, the agency’s founder. Thiswitty, historical whodunit in the tradition of Bruce Alexander’s Blind Justice will keep you guessinguntil the unexpected end.

“Murder, mystery, anda dash of romance combined with witty dialogue and unforgettable charactersmake The Vital Principle a book thatwill definitely go on my keeper shelf!” —Lilly Gayle, author of Into the Darkness and Slightly Tarnished.

In this excerpt from TheVital Principle, inquiry agent KnightonGaunt realizes their host, Lord Crowley, has been poisoned.

EXCERPT

Swirling the amber liquid, he held it up to examine it. The lightfrom the candles glowed through the brandy, highlighting the unnaturally darkhue. After rotating the glass with a practiced movement of his wrist, KnightonGaunt sniffed at the fumes before placing it back on the table.

“Well, what’s wrong?” Lord Thompson stared at Crowley as if hesuspected a trick. “Crowley, get up, damn you. Quit playing the fool.” Henudged Crowley’s flaccid arm with his toe.

“Stop!” Knighton pushed Thompson back. “This isn’t a joke.”

“What’s wrong with him? Is he having some kind of a fit?” Mr.Jekyll asked.

“No. It’s not a fit.” Knighton glanced at the dowager. He wasreluctant to inform her that her son was dead, most likely murdered. Shealready appeared to have suffered more grief than she could bear. Her tiredeyes and gray face made him fear any further pain would bring about a completecollapse.

How much could one woman bear?

“Lady Crowley.” He caught Miss Barnard’s eye and to his relief,felt an immediate flicker of understanding. She put an arm around the olderlady’s shoulders, bracing her for the shock. “Lady Crowley, I’m sorry,” hesaid. “Your son is dead.”

“Dead?” Lady Crowley repeated, her voice quavering. She glanceddown as if she could not comprehend what she saw. “How can he be dead? You mustbe mistaken.”

Miss Barnard bent over the dowager and murmured, “I’m sorry, soterribly sorry.”

A sob broke from Lady Crowley’s throat. Miss Barnard held hermore tightly, speaking softly, trying to comfort her.

“Dead!” Miss Spencer leapt out of her chair. She whirled to stareinto the gloomy recesses of the room, her hands covering her mouth. When Mr.Denham touched her arm, she shrieked. “A ghost! It must be! That thing I felt hovering behind me when thecandle blew out. It touched me—I felt its cold fingers! It passed by me on itsway to kill Lord Crowley! It will kill usall! We must leave, now! Now!”

Welcome, Olivia Starke!

2012-01-30T01:00:00.000-05:00

Hasyour muse always known what genre you would eventually be published in? Yeah, I thinkso. With my imagination and interests I could go paranormal or sci-fi. My musechose paranormal. I enjoy recreating natural laws where pretty much anythingcan happen

Doyou read your sub-genre consistently or do you prefer another? I love paranormal, contemporary, but myfavorite is historical—either regency or western. I keep saying one day I’lltackle the genre.

Ifyou weren’t writing, what would your fantasy occupation be? Probably riding instructor/horse trainer formovies or paleontologist. I know, really different occupations, but I have somany interests it’s hard to narrow down.

Doyou live near, or have you ever visited, the locations you use as settings inyour works? I have yet to set a story inan extravagant place like the Bahamas, so I’ve been there at one time oranother. My newest contract Dreaming In Blue is located in L.A. and I haven’tbeen there.

Ifyou don’t live near or you haven’t visited your setting locations, how did youresearch them? Google or ask friends whoeither live there or have been there.

Wheredo you see brick and mortar book stores in five years? I believe there will always be a place for bookstores. Nothing comparesto the tangible pleasure of holding books not to mention that new book smell.Plus, I’m sure they will find a way to adapt.

Doyou put any stock in reviews or is reader feedback more important to you andwhy? Reader feedback and critiques fromfellow writers are what I go by. I avoid reading my reviews, even the good onesfor the most part, though I do promo the good ones ;;)

Wheredo you write? Home office, local Starbucks? Onmy couch in front of the TV. I like working with distractions around me, helpsme focus and keeps my short attention span occupied. Otherwise I stare out thewindow or at the wall and get nothing accomplished.

Doyou have mood music you write to? What are your top five picks? Not really, but if I need a boost in themood of my characters I’ll listen to anything from Black eyed Peas to Godsmack.

Areyou a full-time writer or do you have other obligations? If you have anothercareer, what do you do? Ugh, I’m a retailmanager. Writing full time would be a dream!

You’vejust found a magic lamp, the genie popped out and granted you three wishes…whatare they? World peace, end to famine, anda hundred more wishes ;;)

Ifyou won the lottery but the stipulation was you had to give away half thewinnings, what would you do with that half? Donateit to an animal charity.

Doyou believe that we as writers have certain moral obligations to our readers?How do you fulfill them? I believe weneed to encourage our readers to follow ethical paths by leading our heroes andheroines in that direction. Regardless if they are scoundrels in the beginning,they should turn around by the end of the book and show our readers that goodalways wins over the negative.

Favoritemovie? This is where my geek flag flies—Ilove the Jurassic Park trilogy, Hidalgo, the first Matrix, to name a few.

Bubblebaths or long, hot steamy showers? Bubblebaths with a good book, scented candles, and a glass of wine.

Beachor mountains? After living in Colorado,the mountains!

Chocolate,vanilla, or swirl cones? Strawberryfrozen custard or frozen yogurt, I’m not a huge fan of regular ice cream(unless homemade) and chocolate/vanilla isn’t as yummy strawberry.

Fourwheel drives or sports cars? Four wheeldrive, I have horses and a sports car would be useless for hauling hay.

Oilor lotion? Lotion, oil makes you feellike you to bathe all over again.

Olivia Starke www.authoroliviastarke.com http://romancingthepentoday.blogspot.com

http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=273&osCsid=h9fqmqjampg4h04i8qs9mfiiu2

Ashley Adams signed up with the 1NightStand servicein hopes of stirring up some cougar passion in her lackluster life. When shemeets tall, dark, and oh-so-sexy Justin, the sparks fly. But something deeperlies in their magical connection, something she isn’t prepared for. Will acasual one-night stand change her life forever?

Excerpt: “You’re more beautiful than your picture.” Hereached past her shoulder and hit the emergency stop. Her breath caught in herthroat when the elevator jolted to a halt.

“What are you doing?” She darted a glance up at the securitycamera.

The way his mouth curved at the corners made her kneesknock. “Your profile said you liked to be adventurous.” The tip of his tonguestroked over his bottom lip as he watched her through heavy-lidded eyes.

“I—I meant trekking through the wilds of Africa, sky diving,that sort of thing.” Her heart beat so loudly, surely he had to hear it. Hestepped forward—his finger traced her jaw line before he tipped her chin up.She swallowed.

“Skydiving? Can’t say I’d have the guts to try that, thoughI’d love the chance to kiss a pretty girl in an elevator.”

A corny come-on line if she’d ever heard one, but spokenwith a whiskey-smooth Kentucky drawl—damn, it works for me. That’s what she’dcome for, to have an unforgettable night with a hot hunk to stir up her humdrumlife. After all, she’d dished out the funds for the flight, half the price ofthe hotel room, and the 1NightStand fee.

He moved in close, and a wonderful, heady mix of musk andspice filled her nose. Her insides somersaulted in anticipation, wicked intentwritten all over his perfectly chiseled face. They could be kicked out of thehotel, or worse—arrested and appear on one of those dumbest criminals shows.The elevator wall pressed into her back, but when he leaned forward and touchedhis lips to hers, all the reasons they shouldn’t be doing this in the elevatorevaporated.

From Assumed Master, Sequel to Assumed Identity...

2012-01-29T01:00:00.000-05:00

Itstill seemed odd at times for Julie to be called that. Mrs. Seidler. Forfifteen years she’d been Mason’s wife but she’d been his slave even longer. Angelwas who she was first and foremost. For seventeen years they’d been devoted toeach other and now as Julie sat vigil in this dim hospital room, she felt herworld slipping away with each exhausted breath Mason took. Life as she knew itwas changing and she was terrified to think of what was at the end of this roadthey’d travelled together.

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