Thursday 29 November 2012

Aneesa Price...Coffin Girls!

Hi everyone,

I am thrilled to have my new pal Aneesa Price with me today! Aneesa has written an awesome book, Coffin Girls, and has been getting terrific praise for it. Please read on and learn more about it. Heck, click that "like" button on Amazon, or buy it! You'll be glad you did. Aneesa also has an interesting little blog about the future of swag. You'll want to check it out as well.

Welcome Aneesa!




Does Bling Bring the Swagger to Book Sales?

 

Indie Thoughts by Aneesa Price

 

Facebook, Twitter and every social network is inundated with ‘ebook and swag giveaways’. They started off with more affordable prizes such as bookmarks and postcards then progressed to bling in the form of necklaces, jewelled bookmarks and bracelets. Now the recent trend seems to be the amazing prize of a Kindle or Nook giveaway – with the Kindle Fire being the biggest draw card.

I resisted going the swag route – not because I’m adverse to it but simply because as a new indie writer, just starting out with absolutely no budget, every ebook I gave away ate into my personal bank account. So, you can imagine that swag seemed like a dream.

To Swag or Not to Swag?

I first gave into the lure of getting my own swag when I observed the huge interest it drew and to be honest, my sales went from looking hugely promising to despondently dwindling. Another thing happened - I got a bit of disposable income, which meant that I could carve out some of that for swag. The thing with being an indie is that you cannot discount that indie writers mostly have day jobs, family responsibilities and thus also financial responsibilities with the majority of their income coming from outside of the sales of their books. But, because I was worried about my sales and I needed to create some form of hype around my work, I bit the bullet.

What Swag To Choose?

The first thing I do before embarking on any venture related to indie writing is Google. Google is the most informative and amazing resource any writer has access to and Google gave me information on swag. My search led me to a blog by Curiosity Quills. What resonated the most was that the swag being given away should be functional as well as decorative and promotional. And even better, Curiosity Quills provided the website address of an international printing company called Vistaprint (www.vistaprint.co.uk).

I then spent hours poring over the contents of a variety of websites and settled on Vistaprint, who was affordable even with taking shipping into consideration. Having said that – if any indie writers are reading this blog and mosey over to Vistaprint or any other site – note that affordable is a relative term because what I paid still made me grimace.

In the end I settled for calendars, notebooks, postcards, tote bags, etc. The great thing is that you can build an online portfolio and order as little or as much as you want whenever you want to. So, I may not have a stock room full of swag – I have a small box – but I do have access to an on-site, personal portfolio for future use.

The Price of Swag?

Buying swag is one thing, shipping the swag from the vendor to your home is another. But the hidden cost that is not always taken into consideration pertains to shipping. Do not discount this because the indie writing and social literary networks are internationally spread and when you do a giveaway, what you send will be weighed and measured by your postal service or couriers.  

Some authors are limiting giveaways to their home country. I can respect and understand why but what bothers me about this is that the literary community is an international one and by limiting a giveaway to a country, you exclude many from participating.

So now, I basically sit with a box of swag in the cupboard while I save money towards the shipping! (LOL – I’ve got to laugh at the irony of the situation.)

Has it Worked?

I’ve only recently started giving away the swag. Has it helped sales? Absolutely not (*grinning again*). But what it has done, which is why I’m a swag believer, is assist me in promoting me as a writer. The number of Author Page likes for Aneesa Price – Sugary, Spicy Reads has increased, so have the number of friend requests I receive and I’ve also been experiencing renewed interests from reviewers to host my work on their blogs and to provide me with honest reviews.

So, yes – it does work. I believe that Swag fits into the category of ‘short term (financial) pain for long term (sales and promotional) gain’.

The Future of Swag?

At the moment it seems to be flooding the literary social networks and to be honest, there’s a feeling of ‘you snooze, you lose’ if you don’t get onto the swag bandwagon. So my recommendation to other indie authors is to get out there and do the swag thing (but save up first – do not put yourself personally out of pocket).

What will swag look like in future and will I reap the benefits in the form of reader reach? Well I don’t know the answer right now but I’ll be watching.
 
 
 
Coffin Girls, Elegantly Undead: Book 1 of the Coffin Girls Series, a paranormal romance
A sexy, female vampire with secrets.
A sinfully-handsome witch prince on a mission.
A formidable Vampire Council with something to hide.
An abundance of witch, vampire and fae magick.
A vampire descendent from the original Coffin Girls, Anais runs a successful event and wedding planning business from her majestic New Orleans plantation house. To the Vampire Council, she is seen as an exemplary hostess and household head of a misfit bunch of vampires.
When Yves, her maker and head of the Vampire Council requests her assistance in hosting the mysterious, yet dashing Prince of Witches, Conall, she has no option but to accept. But Anais is the keeper of secrets; secrets that can kill. Protective of her family’s undiscovered uniqueness, Anais is guarded, yet intrigued by the enigmatic witch prince.
Conall and Anais are drawn together when confronted with fatal encounters and an unimaginable destiny… if she’s willing to accept it and fight.  
 
 
 
 

Finding Promise Blurb:
A woman striving for independence.
 
A man with a charmed upbringing.
 
A small town filled with welcoming and quirky characters.
 
Caroline had led the life of a high society daughter and wife, one that was filled with soul-destroying emotional abuse. Upon the death of her husband, she finds that she is financially incapable of supporting herself and flees New York without a plan or destination in mind. Her travels lead her to Promise, a small town on the New England coast.
 
Following instinct, she settles in Promise and begins to explore her new found independence and the pleasurable side of love with ruggedly handsome local, Luke Edwards. Her new-found contentment is shattered as past resurrects itself and she needs to find the courage to face it before she can truly re-build her life.
 
 
 
 
 
Blurb:
“I am female, I am a slut, and most days, I think I'm a loon too, but those are my secrets to keep except from you. … I ask you to play the role of a priest – nonjudgmental, understanding, and to atone me for my sins…” ~ Simone  
Simone, the quintessential desperate housewife, is primarily absorbed on settling her family into their new home in the vibrant, metropolitan city of Johannesburg, South Africa. Unbeknownst to her, the greatest threat lurked not outside of the eight-foot walls and electric fencing but within the walls she seeks sanctuary. But the threat comes disguised as tantalizing pleasures of the most carnal nature that challenges her views of love, marriage and sex. Can Simone resist and rescue her family from the evil she’s let into their lives?
This is her first confession.
 
 

Sunday 25 November 2012

Vonnie Davis...Mona Lisa's Room!

Hi everyone!

Please welcome the wonderful Vonnie Davis to my blog! I'm so pleased to have Vonnie here, not only because she's going to tell us about her fabulous book, but also a little bit about a very interesting Parisian store. The pictures are to die for...talk about inspiration!

Welcome, Vonnie!



I’m always amazed at and incredibly lucky over the delightful people I meet online. A few weeks ago, I met Rosanna when I won a copy of her book, THE SELKIE. Emails were exchanged and before we knew it, we were scheduled to guest blog on each other’s blog. How exciting because it gives me a chance to meet her readers and to share my latest release.

 

I love that Rosanna is a librarian. Libraries and bookstores are my favorite haunts.




There’s a delightful bookstore in Paris called Shakespeare and Company. It sits on the Left Bank, within steps of the Seine and in view of the Notre Dame Cathedral. When we were in Paris, Calvin insisted I had to see it. He claimed it was the most unusual bookstore in the City of Light. I wasn’t prepared for the maze of narrow hallways leading to more alcoves of dust-covered books.

 



This Paris institution has an interesting background. Shakespeare and Co. was first opened at another location by Sylvia Beach, an American expatriate, in 1918. During the 1920’s, it was the gathering place for writers of the “Lost Generation” -- Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Man Ray and Ezra Pound. During this period, the store was the epicenter of Anglo-American literary culture and modernism in Paris. It is featured in Woody Allen’s movie “Midnight in Paris.”

 

When the Nazis occupied the city, the store was closed down and never re-opened until another American, George Whitman, opened a bookstore in 1951 in a building that was once a monastary. Later he renamed his English-language bookstore Shakespeare and Company in tribute to Sylvia Beach. This store became a focal point for literary culture in bohemian Paris.

 

Now here’s where it gets really interesting to me. Whitman, in his youth, had hiked his way through Central America and Europe. He was deeply touched by the generosity of citizens who opened their humble homes to him and shared all they had. This universal-family-ideology stuck with him and, as a result, he opened his bookstore to starving artists and writers. The bookstore includes sleeping facilities, with 13 beds, and Whitman claimed as many as 40,000 people have slept in the shop over the years. His only requirements were that his guests, whom he called “tumbleweeds”, read, work at their art/writing and help out in the bookstore for two hours a day.

 

A delightful book, Time Was Soft There: A Paris Sojourn at Shakespeare and Co. by Jeremy Mercer, tells of a writer’s month living in the famed bookstore. Imagine! Free room and board in Paris. Granted one had little privacy. Bathroom privileges were on a scheduled basis. You had to be up and moving about when the store opened. But this is Paris, y’all!

 

Here’s the book’s description that reinforces what I’m sharing about the place. “Wandering through Paris's Left Bank one day, poor and unemployed, Canadian reporter Jeremy Mercer ducked into a little bookstore called Shakespeare & Co. Mercer bought a book, and the staff invited him up for tea. Within weeks, he was living above the store, working for the proprietor, George Whitman, patron saint of the city's down-and-out writers, and immersing himself in the love affairs and low-down watering holes of the shop's makeshift staff. Time Was Soft There is the story of a journey down a literary rabbit hole in the shadow of Notre Dame, to a place where a hidden bohemia still thrives.”


While in Paris, we visited the bookstore several times. We bought a copy of Antoine de Saint Exupéry’s The Little Prince, mostly to get one of the bookstore’s famous “Kilometer Zero” stamps inside the front cover. There is a plaque in the ground in front of the store called “kilometer Zero” that is considered the official center of Paris.

Regular activities that occur in the bookshop are Sunday tea, poetry readings and writers’ meetings. George Whitman died there at the age of 98, nearly a year ago. His daughter, Sylvia Beach Whitman, now runs the shop and continues to allow young writers to live and work in the store.

 



So, of course, I had to include a scene at Shakespeare and Company in my romantic suspense, MONA LISA’S ROOM. Because my heroine Alyson Moore has unwittingly foiled a terrorist’s bombing attempt, she’s been placed under the protective custody of French agent, Niko Reynard. They’ve argued outside Shakespeare and Company and are now inside the store. Niko’s looking for a little gift as a making-up gesture to his charge, who is pretty upset with him…

 

“Where are you from?” Niko detected an Aussie accent.

“Australia. Brisbane. I’m here to experience Paris, study art and do a bit of poetry writin’.” Eddie’s eyes were scanning the shelves. “Ah, here we go, mate.” He climbed a stepstool to reach what he was after. Turning, he leaned down to hand the two books to Niko.

Thanks. Sketches of Parisian Rooftops and Sketches of Gardens of Paris.” He quickly scanned through the pages. Aly would love these.

Eddie hailed a greeting at two men, dressed in suits, when they entered and ambled through the narrow store, quietly talking as they climbed the few wooden steps to the next section.

Niko briefly glanced at them before flipping the books over to check the prices. “I’ll take all three.” He waited for the total and paid his bill. “Wrap them please so my lady friend can’t see them. They’re a surprise.”

“Oh, lucky her. I just love…”

Suddenly, screams followed by loud thumping and books falling filled the bookstore. Niko sprinted in the direction of the high-pitched shrieking, gun in hand. He bounded up the steps and rounded the corner. “Aly! Aly! What the hell.”

He skidded to a halt. One of the well-dressed men he saw entering the store earlier was on the floor, books covering most of his body. His companion was staggering, holding his hands over his eye and screaming like a banshee as blood ran down his face.

In the corner stood a pale and trembling Aly, her frightened blue eyes dominated her face. “They…they grabbed me! Said they’d kill me if I resisted. I…I karate kicked them.” She swallowed, obviously trying to gain control. “Kung…kung-fooed the hell out of them, too. And…and…”—she pointed to the screaming man still on his feet—“I think I poked his eye out with one of my stilettos.”

Niko ran a hand down his face, keeping it over his mouth to hide the smile. What a piece of work. He wanted to laugh. He wanted to hug her. And damned if he didn’t want to shake the daylights out of her for stepping out of his sight. Hadn’t he told her to stay with him?

“You okay?” Niko’s gaze swept over her, looking for injuries. He fought the urge to pull her to him and embrace her until her trembling stopped. Frankly, if he were honest, his nerves weren’t the greatest right this moment, either. When he heard her scream earlier, cold fear did a free-fall straight through his system.

Some professional he was. While buying books, Aly had to defend herself. His gaze took in the shambles. By the looks of things, hell if she hadn’t done a damn fine job. “Answer me! Did one of these bastards hurt you? Are you okay?”

“I…I gotta pee.” She was shaking violently. No doubt going into shock. Today’s events finally took their toll.

“I’ll show her to the dunny,” came the Aussie accent behind him. “Ain’t no wonder she’s gotta use the loo. The woman beat the bullocks out of the blokes, she did. Gobsmacked ’em, I’ll wager. Shall I call the police or will you?”

“I am the police. Counterterrorism unit.”

 

View the Book Trailer: http://bit.ly/MonaTrailer

BUY LINKS:

THE WILD ROSE PRESS (digital) -- http://bit.ly/MonaLisaDigital

THE WILD ROSE PRESS (paperback) -- http://bit.ly/MonaLisasRoom

AMAZON (paperback) -- http://amzn.to/QQZGyD


FIND ME ONLINE AT http://www.vonniedavis.com


 

Tuesday 20 November 2012

Night Owl Reviews has reviewed The Selkie!

I'm so thrilled to share that Night Owl Reviews has given my paranormal romance The Selkie 4 lovely stars! Reviewer Pauline Michael had this to say:

"Rosanna Leo livens up a legend with this fantastic paranormal romance. Maggie Collins is delightful....Calan Kirk is a hero that fantasies and followed by dreams are made of. What more could any woman want? Calan is a legendary skilled lover with a sense of humor and a body that belongs in a museum. I loved the witty exchanges between our leading couple; their chemistry is astounding and I enjoyed all their interactions....the vivid descriptions transport the reader to breathtaking Orkney shores where folktales abound and it’s easy to suspend your disbelief and give in to the magic in the mist. I look forward to seeing what else this author has to offer."

Here's a link to the whole review: http://www.nightowlreviews.com/nor/Reviews/Paulinemichael-reviews-The-Selkie-by-Rosanna-Leo.aspx

 
 
Pick up your copy of The Selkie today at http://www.lsbooks.com/the-selkie-p698.php
And thank you!

Thursday 15 November 2012

Telma Cortez...Extended Duty!

Hi friends;

I'm so pleased today to welcome the talented Telma Cortez to my blog! This lovely Brazilian lady has penned a sexy book about a pilot you will remember for some time.  Please make Telma feel at home and check out this hot book!

Welcome Telma!



“Grant Edwards, pilot and adventurer, has no idea what he’s getting into when he agrees to entertain a woman
at the request of Charles Stross, the CEO of Vision Air, and also Grant’s friend and boss.
Charles, in turn, has no idea he has set in motion a chain of events that could cost him one of the finest pilots he had ever hired.”

Excerpt:
Long after all the passengers had disembarked, the post-flight paperwork was completed and turned in, Grant’s mind was occupied with the beautiful stranger. Even Trella Matthews, a very attractive flight attendant for VisionAire who was in the crew lounge, couldn’t break through his preoccupation.
“I’m here on an overnight,” Trella had whispered in his ear, her body pressed intimately against him, “are you busy tonight?” He wasn’t able to concentrate, even with Trella offering to share a night of physical delight which he would ordinarily have jumped at. He stammered a lame excuse and Trella backed away slightly, her eyes narrowing as she gazed at him. “Wow baby,” she teased, “If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you’ve got it bad for some lucky girl.”
“I don’t know her name or anything about her,” he admitted.
Trella smiled gently and patted his shoulder. “If you change your mind or feel the need of consolation, Grant, I’ll be at the villa tonight.” She hugged him then turned him loose, and he belatedly realized he was going to the villa too. By the time the short limo ride to the villa was over, he was reconsidering Trella’s offer.
He put his travel bag in his room, showered and changed before going down to the bar in the great room downstairs. He was about to sip from his glass of dark rum when his cell phone rang. It was Charles Stross. “Hi Boss, what’s up?” he asked cheerfully. The day suddenly seemed brighter again.
“Listen Grant, I hate to do this to you on your scheduled rest period, but I need a favor.”
Grant’s day darkened a bit, but, what the hell, Charles had more than once done favors for Grant. “Sure Boss, anything at all, what can I do to help?”
“I’ve sent a guest to the villa. She’s the daughter of a very dear friend. Her fiancé was killed in Iraq about a year ago and she has never really come out of her depression. My friend says she can’t shake it off and get back to living her life. I figured if anyone could bring her out of her shell it would be you. I want you to show her a good time, use your company credit card. Listen, Grant, take all the time you need, I’ll take care of your schedule and your pay. Think you can handle this for me?”
It was little enough to do for Charles, and he was paying for it. How bad could it be?



http://www.amazon.com/Extended-Duty-AeroRomance-Series-ebook/dp/B00A2TTPJQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1352665882&sr=8-4&keywords=telma+cortez

Tuesday 13 November 2012

Brenda Dyer...Love's Prophecy!

Hello!

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of meeting a lovely author named Brenda Dyer. Then I got to read her book Love's Prophecy. It has fast become one of my favorite books ever, one I know I will return to again. I just had to have Brenda here today and am so pleased she's sharing two excerpts, on from Love's Prophecy, and one from her current WIP. Please welcome Brenda Dyer!





1)    Did you always want to be an author?  If not, what else would you have done?

 

No, I didn’t always want to be a writer/author. In fact, I didn’t care for writing back in high school.  I had cool story ideas running around my brain, but it seemed too hard to get them from my head down on paper. LOL, the few times I did write a story, it read nothing like how I saw it in my mind.

When the idea for Love’s Prophecy came to me, I had no other choice but to write it. When I tried to ignore the budding story, the characters haunted me, driving me crazy.

If I didn’t become an author I would have become a mother, chef, gardener, painter...wait, I am all of those things, LOL.

What I SHOULD have been—and wanted to before I started liking boys and partying—was to become a vet. I believe I would have been a good one.

 

2)    What is the strangest job you ever had and why?

The strangest job I ever had was a Chambermaid. To this day I won’t sleep on a hotel/motel bed using their blankets and bedspreads—I KNOW they don’t get washed very often, and I know what gets left behind on them...

 

3)    What is your favourite book of all time and why?

Actually, I have three favorites: Fellowship of the Ring. Two Towers. Return of the King.

The why is because they are A.W.E.S.O.M.E. Plain and simple, lol.

 

4)    Describe your ideal hero or heroine (details please! *wink wink*)

My ideal heroine is smart and strong—I’m not talking physical strength, I mean emotional strength. And she needs to have strength of character. I’m not really drawn to the kick-ass type of heroines who are stronger than the heroes, lol. I also need her to have a great sense of humor, and to be able to look and think outside the box.

As for what I look for in a hero, well it’s pretty much the same characteristics as the heroine only I do like a hero that can and does kick some ASS! And if he looks like Aragorn from Lord of the Rings, then that doesn’t hurt either.

 

5)    If you could share a romantic evening with any character from romance literature (any genre), who would it be and what would you do to him/her (ahem! With him/her)?

I would want to share a romantic evening with Aragorn from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I would love to lie beside him and listen while he tells me tales of the Eldar Days, while feeding me bits of chocolate covered fruit. Also, I would like for him to teach me how to use a sword. Maybe he would stand behind me with his arms around me as he shows me the proper sword wielding stance. Maybe we would laugh together, and then our faces would come close—maybe our lips would accidently touch. Then he would kiss me tentatively...then next thing ya know, we would be...

In this fantasy I am not married of course, LOL.

 

6)    What comes first for you: plot or character?

Usually plot. Actually, always plot.

 

7)    Who is, hands down, the sexiest actor of all time?

There are many I find sexy. But it’s not the actors per-say I find sexy, but the characters and rolls they play.

 

8)    Describe your writing style please.

LOL, slow. 

 

9)    Who is your favourite author and why?

J.R.R Tolkien. He weaves incredible stories.
 

10) What is on the horizon for you? Any interesting news or books we should know about?

I’m working on book #2 of The Prophecy Series called Prophecy’s Child. This is Kal’s story. I’m very excited about this book and am working furiously to get it ready for publication.
 

Thank you so much Rosanna for having me on your blog. I had a wonderful time. 

 

Brenda Dyer lives in the small town of Sooke off the coast of British Columbia with her husband, two teenage boys, and an assortment of animals.

She is a graduate from LongRidge Writers group.

When she isn't writing you can find her out in her gardens or working with her two miniature horses.

Brenda loves to hear from readers. If you would like to contact her, visit her website.

http://www.brendamdyer.com

http:.//www.brendamdyer.blogspot.com

 

 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrendaMDyer
Website: http://www.brendamdyer.com
Twitter: twitter.com/brendaMDyer
Blog site: http://www.brendamdyer.blogspot.com
Buy links: Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00702YWF0
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/128967
All romance e-books: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-love039sprophecy-677191-139.html
Barne and Noble: bit.lylz89nmB
Love's Prophecy Blurb:
Dark warriors of might...
Mel is a vampire warrior sworn to hunt and kill demons in the dark streets of Vancouver. But he's burdened with a new assignment: find the meaning behind the Vampire Prophecy. Having no faith in the gods and their empty words, he believes there's no truth to the ancient legend until he meets Breeana, a human woman who bears the mark of the prophecy and resembles the mysterious woman haunting his dreams. When a vengeful demon spies Breeana in his arms, she is marked for death. He must take her from the world she knows until he can eliminate the threat. But the real danger is the role Breeana must play in fulfilling the prophecy and the intense feelings she brings out in him. Mel is forced to choose between his obligations to his kind, the world, and the woman he loves. Does he have the courage to let the one woman who could heal his wounded heart and soul go, or will he risk her life and bind her to him for all eternity?
Small warriors of light...
Veterinarian, Dr. Breeana Spencer yearns for love and companionship, but the disappointment of failed relationships has left her bitter. She now finds solace in romance novels. But when she meets a mysterious stranger, she's drawn to him by a connection so forceful it shatters all reason, leaving her incapable of resisting him. Yet there's more to him than smoldering good looks and a rock-hard body. As she's drawn deeper into his danger-filled world, she learns she's part of an ancient vampire legend. Breeana fears her future is no longer hers and will not include Mel. As their enemies close in, desperate to destroy them both, she must fight to convince Mel her place is at his side. A  life-altering choice is before her—one that will take all her courage and love to make.
 
Excerpt from Love’s Prophecy, book #1 in The Prophecy Series
 
 “I'm doing this for your own good!” Mel shouted.
“My own good? You're doing this for your own good.” Breeana’s eyes widened. “Oh…my God. You never loved me.”
“How can you say that—”
“If you did, you wouldn't be able to imagine a second without me, so—go to hell!” She jabbed a finger toward the door, her body vibrating with unrestrained rage and pain. “Get out.”
Mel grabbed her arm, but she jerked it from his grasp. “Breeana, you're better off without me. Please try to understand. This isn't easy for me either.”
Madness completely took over and she spun away, screaming, “Don't touch me! Just…leave so I can pack.” She marched across the room to the closet and grabbed her bag.
“Breeana, please listen to me.” He tried to stop her by stepping in her way, but she stalked around him, grabbing her clothes along the way, shoving them into the bag.
On her way to the bathroom, she stopped and glanced at him over her shoulder. He stood in the middle of the room, his face a mask of hurt and pain. “You're right about one thing, I do hate you. I hate you for breaking my heart. I hate you for deceiving me, but most of all, I hate you because you're a coward.” The last one was low but she really didn't give a shit. She wanted to hurt him. Wanted him to feel as miserable and dead inside as she did.
“If you believe nothing else, believe that I love you and always will.” He took a cautious step toward her but she backed away, holding up one hand.
“Don't.” She sniffed. “I can't—I won't listen to any more of your lies.” She brushed at her damp cheeks. “God, I'm pathetic. I was really sucked in by you, wasn't I? Did you have a good laugh at my expense? This silly little human woman falling for all your bullshit. Well, I see you now for what you really are.”
He launched at her and grabbed her arms, hauling her against his chest. “Don't you dare. I never lied to you.”
She tore from his grip, her breath coming in shallow gasps. “You're right, you didn't lie. I guess I was just a fool and an idiot. I was hoping our love would be enough, but obviously not. Though I may be an idiot, but at least I'm not a coward.” She squeezed her eyes shut, blocking out the hurt and anger on his face. “You're so afraid to take a chance on love because of what-ifs. You're so worried that something will go wrong that you opt to throw it away first. And if you think so little of yourself that you feel you don't deserve love, then you are more messed up than I thought.”
Mel backed away from her until the backs of his thighs hit the bed. He sagged down. His eyes were slits of glittering silver riveted on her face. In a barren voice he said, “If you need to hurt me, go ahead, I deserve it, but never question why I'm doing this or that I love you. I do this only to keep you safe.”
“If I hear that excuse one more time, I'm going to scream. You do this to keep yourself safe. You never even gave me a choice. You made the decisions for me. You decided I would come to hate you, not me. You decided I'd be better off without you, not me. So, please, get out and let me pack.”
 
 
Excerpt from my current—unedited—WIP called Prophecy’s Child, book #2 in The Prophecy Series
 
Katherine jerked back and shoved against his chest. “Do you have a condom?”
      It took Kal a sec to understand her words, but then he smiled and nuzzled her neck. “No, but it’s okay. I don’t have any diseases.”
Apparently this wasn’t what she wanted to hear because the next moment she scrambled out from under him and jumped off the bed. She crossed her arms over her chest as she paced the room.
Confused and more turned on than he’d been in years, Kal’s voice was hard when he asked, “What the hell, Kat?”
She stopped at the end of the bed and glared down at him. “The last time we didn’t use a condom I ended up pregnant and alone. So sorry if I don’t want to chance it.”
Kal closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. He needed a minute to allow his mind and body to catch up with the abrupt change in position. One second they were sharing a passionate kiss, the next…not.
Damnit.
Anger and sexual frustration mixed together to form a hot ball in his gut. A huge part of him wanted to pull her back onto the bed and pick up where they left off, while another side wanted to tie her to a chair, stuff a cloth in her mouth so she couldn’t interrupt, and explain to her exactly why he left her. 
But one look at the hurt shining in her eyes had him squirming with guilt. “You’re right. I’m sorry. We—I got carried away.”
She marched over to the bedroom entrance. “I want you out of my house.”
Not this again. He’d hoped they’d gotten passed this shit at least.
Kal jumped off the bed and followed her back into the living room. “I told you we need to talk.”
She whirled to face him; her hair whipped around her head before settling about her shoulders. A thick strand from her bangs covered one of her eyes, but the message he read in the other was crystal clear: she wished him excruciating pain then death. “Talk? We have nothing to talk about. Ike is my son, not yours.”
“There’re things about me you don’t know—things that directly affect our son.”
With an angry swipe of her hand, she pushed her hair off her face. Her eyes narrowed to deadly slits and her cheeks turned red. “Nothing about you affects my son. I raised him.” She marched to the door and pulled it open. Without looking in his direction, she commanded, “Leave.”
Kal opened his mouth to tell her he was a vampire, but nothing came out. He had renewed respect for Mel who had to tell his wife Breeana about the existence of vampires. He fully appreciated now how hard that must have been.
Screw it.
There was no delicate way to tell her. The best approach was most likely the direct, in-your-face one. In a flash, Kal came up behind her. He stood so close he felt her body heat and smelled the lemony scent that was all her own.
With one hand he slammed the door, and with the other, he twirled her around. Before she could scream he gripped her shoulders, stared down into her frightened eyes and willed his fangs to descend. “I’m a vampire and so is Ike.”
 
 
 
 

Friday 9 November 2012

Autumn's Harvest Blog Hop!

Hello Autumn's Harvest hoppers! Welcome to my humble online abode.

A big thank you to Carrie Ann Ryan for being such a wonderful hostess!
This is an exciting event. Over 200 participating authors and bloggers and just as many giveaways. And that's not all....
We have THREE grand prizes. You as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email address and be entered to win. Yep, you can enter over 200 times!

Click on the link below to take you to the hop!

www.carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com





Now what are those prizes?

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet
2nd Grand Prize: A $50 Amazon or B&N Gift Card
3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains 10+ paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!

** everything but the swag prize is international.  **

All you need to do is comment on each blog to be eligible for the grand prizes. PLEASE COMMENT WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS.

I'll be doing a prize giveaway of my own, but more on that in a minute!

So, for this hop we're talking about the things that make autumn special. My fave aspect is the red leaves. It puts me in mind of my other favorite red things...RED-HEADED MEN!! Yep, you heard me. I'm not going to wax poetic on warm cuddles by the fireplace. I'm going right to the good stuff. Bring on my red-headed men!

Simon Woods, the delicious Brit actor who played Mr. Bingley in the Keira Knightley Pride and Prejudice. With those innocent blue eyes and that shock of orange hair, he just makes my toes curl!



Oh, my lovely Kevin McKidd! This wonderful sexy actor came to my attention during the miniseries Rome. However, whether he's a Roman centurion, a modern-day Scot or a dashing doctor, I will gladly take him!


And for all you fellow fans of the wonderful Diana Gabaldon's Outlander novels, who could not fall in crazy love with the fictional Jamie Fraser? Tall, buff and bare under that kilt! Red-headed goodness in a literary package! This pic below is just one artist's representation, but so close to the image in my mind of Jamie.


Now to win my prize, please tell me who your fave ginger man is! And don't forget to leave an email address.
What can you win? Well, only my sexy firefighter romance Up In Flames! With a red cover!!


Blurb:

Juliet Baker is not looking forward to coming home after six months. Yes, the fiery brunette wants to make a go of turning her parents' farmhouse into a B&B. She’s just not looking forward to seeing the place where they died. To make things worse, she knows she'll finally have to face her cheating, firefighter ex-boyfriend.

Luckily, her sister has found Jules a boarder. Easy money, right? Not when she realizes the boarder is Captain Shane Gaskill. Not only is Shane a firefighter, he’s the town's hot new fire captain.

Jules is determined to hate all firefighters. After all, the men of that precious brotherhood protected her cheating ex. Shane, however, proves he’s different from the start. He's protective and kind, and she can't stop looking at his smoking, Viking-hot body. She learns, though, that Shane isn't so willing to love again either. He's been hurt, too. They both fight the sexual chemistry, and resulting tenderness, between them. But when a stalker begins to target Jules, they realize they can't fight their desire forever.

As the threats escalate, Shane and Jules are thrown together. The resulting passion overwhelms them. But are they willing to trust each other and surrender to the flames of love?
Excerpt:
They all watched as an old pick-up truck pulled into the gas station lot. As she pulled out the nozzle, Jules checked out the driver. And then she did a double take.
Driving the pick-up was the most scrumptious specimen of manhood she’d ever seen. He was tall and buff and had windblown blond hair. And, she noticed as her tongue dried out, he wasn’t wearing a shirt. As the truck approached, she could make out the clear definition of his pecs, the muscular shoulders and arms. And as he parked his truck next to her Jeep, she took note of a strong jaw, full lips and hair that kept falling into his eyes. Tom Brady at his finest could not have looked so fine.
Jules tried very hard to pick up her jaw and not drip gas on her shoes.
Somehow, she managed to insert the nozzle into her tank and watched as Mr. Mitchell headed over to speak to the man. She’d never seen him before. There was no way he was from Riverbend. She knew everyone in town and would never have forgotten someone so … edible.
Not that she cared. She was through with men. They no longer had anything to do with her master plan. If she wanted her B&B to be a success, she couldn’t spend her time drooling.
The stranger jumped out of his truck and his eyes landed on Jules. He grinned at her and nodded, but his brown eyes narrowed, as if her appearance annoyed him in some way. Feeling flushed, and a little annoyed herself, she gave him a curt, little nod and tried to concentrate on pumping gas.
The half-naked muscle man laughed at something Mr. Mitchell said, then spoke. “I don’t suppose you sell drinks in your store. I could murder a root beer right now.”
His voice was soft and deep. Upon hearing him, Jules felt a low throbbing in her belly, a clenching of her womb.
Oh my God. What is going on here?
Mr. Mitchell motioned to his grandson. “Gary, fetch the man a root beer.” And then he said something else, but she didn’t hear it.
She was too busy watching a lone bead of sweat as it trickled slowly between the stranger’s pecs. She dragged her eyes back up to his handsome face, only to find him staring at her. Grinning. His eyes knowing and seductive.
She felt her face combust, a veritable explosion of scarlet.
Mr. Mitchell’s lips were moving again, even though she barely registered his words at first. “Where are my manners? I should introduce you two young people.”
Feeling a sudden, overwhelming need to escape, Jules laughed nervously and got back into her Jeep. “Sorry, Mr. Mitchell. I’m late. Gotta run! Bye!”
And then, not knowing why and feeling the eyes of the blond man on her back, she fled the gas station. It was rude, she knew, but she didn’t want to know the gorgeous man’s name. Didn’t want Mr. Mitchell introducing her to the county’s next young stud. She had just made up her mind men were not going to be a part of her life. Certainly not such a hot commodity.
The stranger with the sinful bod was a prescription for heartache. Just as Kevin had been. It was best to give men like him a very wide berth.
So he might think she was a little flighty, possibly abrupt. If it helped her keep her sanity, it was worth it. What did she care what Thor thought of her anyway?
Her mind made up, and her behavior rationalized, she headed for home.

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