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Friday, October 31, 2014

Finish This Halloween Story - There Are Prizes!

We're giving away 5 Romance Books '4' Us Tees and 5 RB4U totes! AND, on winner will receive a $10 GC for Amazon or B&N! Simply finish this short story in a few sentences. Put you story ending in a comment and be sure to add your email address. Contest ends midnight 1 November.

Halloween story:
When Aunt Joan asked her to house-sit for the weekend and take care of her 11 cats and 3 dogs, Mary Lou jumped at the chance to escape city life and relax in the splendor of the place she vaguely remembered. She had clouded recollections of visiting as a child; some were positive but then others seemed... Some nagging, eerie visions plagued her memories but she couldn't recall what they were or why she had them.

Besides the meowing of cats and barking dog noises, the place was quiet...and then the phone calls began. Constant, annoying calls...with no response to her "hello".

She would have ignored the calls, except that Aunt Joan promised to call...and no call had come from her so far.

After two hours of irritating calls, Mary Lou hesitated to answer the damn ringing phone. There was no caller ID on the old phone her aunt insisted on keeping...along with the century-old mansion. Mary Lou's cell phone didn't work, not out in the middle of isolated, stretches of land where she had sought solitude.

A storm raged outside, and the lights flickered on and off. She had no flashlight but knew there were candles on the dining room table. Candles would be fine...if she had a way to light them. She grabbed an ornate candle holder with a white candle and ran into the kitchen. Assuming she'd lose power any second, Mary Lou rushed to the gas stove and turned it on. Glowing flames provided the source she needed to light her candle...just in time before the lights went out and all was dark.

And, the phone rang again.

Mary Lou suddenly realized that no other sound could be heard. The cats and dogs had ceased making any noises. Were they hiding? Afraid of the storm?

The glowing candle gave her enough light to find her way back into the living room. She hesitated to answer the phone, but then a slight sense of fear was pushed aside by anger. Whoever was calling would get an earful because she'd say more than just "hello".

She picked up the phone in one hand while holding the candle in the other. "Who is this?" she blurted out in a tone laced with frustration and courage.

The caller answered and said...

That's it. Now YOU finish the story!
Happy Halloween!
Marianne

photo:Flickr:AviaVenefica's photostream

 

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Seniors as Heroes and Heroines In Books

              
Author, Sandra K. Marshall, is addressing age in romance books in our blog today.

Okay, you might wonder what prompted me to write about this topic, so I'm going to tell you.  Last Friday, I went to our TWA retiree luncheon for management and salaried retirees.  My old manager who follows my blog faithfully came to me and told me I needed to write a book about 80 year-olds because they still have sex and to use him for the cover model.


He laughs and says, "The details will be longer because we're a bit slower."  I laughed and said, "Phil, no one wants to read about old people having sex."  He said, "Why not? We read sexy books."  Needless to say, we had a good laugh over this conversation, but it did make me think because there are a lot of older people out there who read romances and even erotica.  They just might want to see themselves in a story depicting their sex lives.
 
This man has always been a handsome man, and still is even though he's not as tall and robust as he was once.  He's active, plays golf, goes on cruises, travels a lot, and his wife and him are both active.  He has a great sense of humor and would make a great character in a book. 
 
Here are some actors and actresses who are 80 plus who could be models for books if they were the main characters.
Christopher Plummer
Angela Lansbury
 
Betty White
 
What do you think?  Would you use 80 year-olds as heroes and heroines in a book?  Smile!  Probably not as we're a young oriented world, and most young people don't want to think of their parents and grandparents having sex.  Wink!



Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Guest Blog: Vicki Batman: You Can't Name Your Hero X!

I didn’t fall into writing in the traditional way of being interested as a youngster and studied creative writing or journalism in school. A friend challenged me to try because she knew how much I wanted to. I wanted to write like Dick Francis, awesome mystery writer, but I had a slight problem as his books were centered on the horse racing business in England.

Yea, I know little about horse racing, mostly how to lose money when betting, and have never been to England.

However, I worked and worked, revised and edited, and lo and behold, my baby is about to be birthed.

I struggled with naming my hero. I’d thought of one name and then discarded because it was similar to someone I knew. I couldn’t name him Batman as that guy was already out there. He-he-he. So he became Hero X. One day, I heard over my shoulder an ad for a new television show, calling a character “Allan.” Liking it, I did a search and replace. Bye-bye Hero X. Not long later, I heard an ad for a garage door company-- “Wellborn.” I tested Allan Wellborn and liked the sound and there was the bonus of looking good on a business card. The name speaks of dependability, and Allan is well-born.

My heroine’s name was pretty easy. She was named Hattie, short for Harriette. It’s old-fashioned, but I see and hear sass in it and sass is a good thing. The dialogue between the hero and heroine is pretty sassy too. Out of the clear blue, I typed Cooks as her last name which works because Hattie always seems to be cooking up trouble. LOL

BLURB:
Interested in more about my cute twosome? Here’s a blurb from my romantic comedy mystery, Temporarily Employed
New Job. New Love. And Murder.

Hattie Cook's dream job is down the toilet and her new SUV violated. Desperate for cash to cover the basic necessities of rent and food, she takes a temporary job at Buy Rite Insurance Company where she uncovers an embezzling scam tied to the death of a former employee--the very one she replaced.

Detective Allan Charles Wellborn has secretly adored Hattie all his life. When the police determine there's more to the death of a former Buy Rite employee, he steps in to lead the investigation. Overly dedicated, always perfect, he puts his job first, even if doing so ultimately hurts the one he loves.

Can the killer be found before Hattie's time is up?


What are your favorite male and female names?

BIO:
Like some of her characters, award-winning author, Vicki Batman has worked a wide variety of jobs including lifeguard, ride attendant at an amusement park; a hardware store, department store, book store, antique store clerk; administrative assistant in an international real estate firm; and a general “do anything gal” at a financial services firm--the list is endless, giving her plenty of crazy material for her writing.

Writing for several years, she has completed three manuscripts, written essays, and sold many short stories. She is a member of RWA and several writing groups and chapters. In 2004, she joined DARA and has served in many capacities, including 2009 President. DARA awarded her the Robin Teer Memorial Service Award in 2010. Most days begin with her hands set to the keyboard and thinking "What if??"

Links for Vicki Batman
http://vickibatman.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1ipdLkv
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VickiBatman
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/vickibatman
Goodreads
https://www.amazon.com/author/vickibatman
LinkedIn
Smashwords
Plotting Princesses
Shelfari: http://www.shelfari.com/o1515093723
Email: vlmbatman@hotmail.com

Buy links for Temporarily Employed
Amazon ebook
Amazon paperback
The Wild Rose Press ebook
The Wild Rose Press paperback

Monday, October 27, 2014

Looking forward to the Nanowrimo by Janice Seagraves

I know a lot of people in the US are thinking about Halloween, but I'm thinking about next month.

November first, is the start day of the Nanowrimo.

This will be my eighth year doing the Nano. I started doing this before I was a published author. I think its a great exercise for writers. Proving the impossible--that you can write a novel in a month.

It also means I have seven finished manuscripts.

Not all my Nanowrimo stories stay idle on my hard drive.

One manuscript, Matrix Crystal Hunter, is a Nano story. I wrote it two years ago. Let it set for six month then revised it. Let it sit another few months and then polished it.

It was published last year and did well. Number ten for a few days on Amazon best sellers list for Science Fiction Romance, then dropped to number eleven for two more weeks.





untitled
Team Alpha Three's spaceship is out of power after fighting a wormhole, and parked on the primitive world of Zenevieva. With half the team sick from radiation poisoning, the team commander entrust geologist, Maya Gladstone, to find enough matrix crystals to power up their spacecraft, so they can go home to Earth.  

 Vach Namaste of the powerful Clan Namaste, a native of the planet, has desired the lovely Maya since she stepped off the spaceship on that astonishing day a year ago. He’s hounded her every step since. As Hymeneal Night approaches, he makes plans to take her as his bride… willing or not.
“What’s wrong?”
Excerpt: 
“There’s a bow in the rock wall.” Vach backed up, causing Maya to withdraw. “I’m bigger than the last time I went through here, but that was several years ago when my cousin, Xeno , brought me.”
He handed her the flashlight.
“Is there another way?” She shone the light around, noting how the crevice narrowed overhead.
“Not that I know of.” He grunted, trying to remove his robe, but there wasn't much room to maneuver.
“Here, let me help you.” Maya pulled the robe off his shoulder. “Surely the ancients didn't come through here?” She jerked one sleeve down over his hand and then reached to get the other side too, but found herself wedged between the rock wall and his hard body. Fighting the impulse to feel his muscles, she managed to get his other sleeve down.
“If there’s another entrance, it must have been blocked a long time ago.” He started to pull his tunic off, but struggled, thanks to his big arms and the lack of room. “Can you help me with my shirt?”
As Vach lifted his arms over his head, Maya grabbed a handful of cloth so she could lift the material high over his shoulders. “What are you going to do? Strip down and lube yourself with my cooking oil?”
“No.” He chuckled, his voice muffled by the shirt. “But that’s a good idea.”
With his arms up, Maya got a whiff of his spicy, male scent. It always surprised her that the Zeemen didn't stink after exertion as humans did. I wouldn’t mind rubbing his body down with oil. Warmth spiraled through her middle. She bit her lip. Keep your mind on business and not on being in a tight spot with a handsome Zeeman.
Vach stuck his clothes in the tote and then sidestepped through the narrow opening. Grunting as he pushed past the bow, he finally got through.
Maya approached the bend and realized it was about breast height on her. No wonder Vach had a problem, with his deep chest and heavily muscled back.
Contemplating the aperture, she stood on tiptoe but couldn't get high enough. Finally, she squatted down but then found she needed to keep her knees bent out sideways. Oh no, not awkward at all.
She managed a few crab steps before she got stuck. Vach grabbed her arm to pull her the rest of the way through. Her hiking boots slid over the loose gravel, while her thighs took the strain. He helped her to stand, leaving his hands placed on her waist as she leaned against the wall, panting. “I don’t know how we’re going to manage that going back.”
“At least we know it’s there.” His breath puffed against her face. It smelled of mint.
He must have used my toothpaste. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
With an electric jolt, Maya realized her shirt had risen up and Vach hands were resting on her bare skin. She became hyperaware of his scent, his closeness and the fact that he wore no shirt.
Moving even closer toward her in the confined space, he whispered in her ear. “I like the smell of your hair.”
His hand slid further under her shirt, gliding over her ribs.
Heat went through her as she rested her hand on his shoulder. “It’s my shampoo.”
“It’s nice.”
“You can borrow it sometime.”
————————————————————————————————-
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
P.S.
Can you do me a huge favor? I in a Halloween blog hop, I'd love if you'd drop by and leave a comment. There's a chance at a prize too.



Sunday, October 26, 2014

Are You Ready to go Indie?

Going Indie isn't an easy decision for some. Whether it makes sense for you depends on several things, which I've outlined below. Your own preferences/experience will decide the order of importance here, but the points don't vary much.

1. Where you are in your career
2. How important control is to you
3. Your frustration level with traditional publishing
4. How comfortable you are with risk

Going Indie requires an Entrepreneurial spirit. There is risk involved when you decide to wear both a publisher's hat and an author's hat. You need to step outside your comfort zone, be able to make decisions, and you'll have only yourself to blame when things don't go as planned.

But if you have the spirit, and control over your own intellectual property is important to you, going Indie gives you so much more flexibility in how/where/when/for how much your books are sold.



So how do you decide? Take stock of where you are and what you want for the future. Much like I'm going to do here.

Where am I in my Career?

I didn't know squat about the publishing world when I started out some 8 years ago. I could no more have gone off on my own then, at least not effectively, than I could have solved the world's major problems. The early years with traditional publishers gave me time to learn, to perfect my craft, and to figure out that I knew a better way, for me, to do things.

How much Control do I Want/Need?

Once I felt comfortable in the writing/publishing world, it made sense for me to seek the next level. I am a bit of a...erm...control freak. That is, I like to have some say over how things are done that affect me. Scratch that. Truth be told, I like to have complete say in how things happen that affect me. I can't always get that control, but in this one thing...my writing career...I can and do have control because I'm publishing most (soon all) of my books myself. Fortunately I'm fairly technical and don't break out in hives when I have to learn how to do new things online. So that made the idea of becoming my own publisher more than doable.

How Frustrated am I With my Publishers?

I love the publishing houses that decided to take a risk on me when I was brand spankin' new to the writing world. I feel a sense of loyalty to them that will never go away. But they are necessarily limited in how much they can do for me or my books because I'm only one of hundreds of authors with thousands of books. I get that. I didn't decide to go off on my own because I have animus against them for how they treated me. Well...not entirely anyway. #:0) I did it because it was the best business decision for me. And to be fair, I wouldn't have had as much success on my own if my publishers hadn't given me the time and vehicle to create a name for myself.

How Allergic am I to Risk?

I've made some mistakes, but most screw-ups are totally reversible. There aren't many things you can do that will permanently destroy your career if you go Indie. Of course you could get into a flame war with a reader/reviewer/vendor, but you could do that as an author in a publishing house too. The key to limiting risk and enhancing success is to always approach everything you do with professionalism. Choose writing as your career. This might sound simplistic, but some of the best authors I know haven't done that yet. They think they have, but when it comes down to it, they are unwilling to take the steps to really make it happen.

For the most part, Indie authors are serious about their careers. They have to be because everything success, every milestone, and every failure rests solely on their shoulders. It's a sobering and exhilarating place to be. And I'm lovin' every minute of it!





Saturday, October 25, 2014

Interview of Author Christina Tetreault

Today I'm pleased to present an interview of romance author Christina Tetreault.

Latest Book: Redeeming The Billionaire


Buy Links:
Amazon
iTunes
KOBO
B&N

Link to book trailer:
http://youtu.be/XPnAF-kn_Co



BIO:
I started writing at the age of 10 on my grandmother's manual typewriter and never stopped. When I am not driving my 3 daughters (ages 7, 5, and 5) around to their various activities or chasing around our two dogs, I am working on a story or reading a romance novel. I just finished Redeeming The Billionaire book 5 in the Sherbrookes of Newport series, and I have started book 2 in my new series Love On The North Shore. You can visit my website www.christinatetreault.com or follow me on Facebook to learn more about my characters and to track my progress on my current writing projects.

Q: What’s your writing schedule like? Do you strive for a certain amount of words each day?
A: Over the past two years my writing schedule has changed. This fall it once again changed. Now that all three of my daughters are in school all day, I write while they are gone. I do not strive for a certain number of words or pages because that is too stressful for me. I just write until I either run out of steam or the girls come home on the bus.

Q: What is the most important thing you do for your career now, as compared to when you first started writing?
A: When I first started writing, I was only doing it for me. I didn’t have to interact with anyone. Now, I make an effort to communicate on a regular basis with the people who enjoy reading my books. Sometime I even ask for their input on certain aspects of my novels.

Q: How much of yourself is hidden in the characters in the book?
A: There is a tiny piece of me hidden in my characters, I can not deny that. For example Callie from my first book is a teacher who loves dogs. Guess what, I was a teacher and I am a huge dog lover. I also sometimes draw on characteristics from my friends and incorporate them into my characters.

Q: Of all your characters, who’s your favorite, and why?
A: I think of all my characters Callie and Dylan from The Teacher’s Billionaire are my favorite because they are the first characters others got to meet.

Q: If you could change something about your first book, what would it be?
A: I would show more development between Callie and her father who she meets for the first time in the book.

Q: How do you choose names for your characters?
A: Often I use names that I have heard and like. Other times I use the lists of baby names that you can find on the web. Whenever I do choose a name I take into consideration what nicknames might be associated with it.

Q: Give one advice tip to an aspiring author.
A: Stick with it and keep learning. I am always learning new ways to improve my writing.

Q: What genre would you like to try writing that you haven’t yet tried?
A: One of these days I want to try writing a paranormal romance.

Q: Have you ever used an incident from your real life into one of your books?
A: Yes. In my newest book Addison had a house fire destroy her home as a child. Four years ago I lost my house to a house fire.

Q: Any part of a book that drives you crazy as you write: beginning, middle, or end?
A: I struggle with the beginning of a novel. Once I get going I am fine.

Fun Stuff:
Q: What is your favorite holiday and why?
A: The 4th of July because there is no stress associated with it like there is with Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Q: What are two things people might be surprised to know about you?
A: I write all my stories long hand first and I am a certified scuba diver.

Q: As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A: For a long time I wanted to be both a writer and an astronaut.

Q: Favorite food.
A: Pizza.

Q: Favorite happy memory.
A: Getting married.

Q: Favorite drink.
A: Coffee.

Q: Hot summer days or chilly winter nights?
A: Hot summer days. I hate the cold.

Q: What is the top thing on your bucket list?
A: Travel all around England and Scotland.

Q: If you could have a super power, what would it be?
A: I would love to fly.

Tell us where to find you: website(s), publisher’s page(s), blog(s), Facebook page(s), etc. List them all!
Author Links:
Website: http://www.christinatetreault.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christinatetreaultauthor
Twitter: @cgricci

BLURB:
Billionaire Trent Sherbrooke works hard and plays harder. He’s never once cared what the media or society says about him, until now. Intent on making his way into the United States Senate, Trent hires campaign advisor Marty Phillips, a ruthless force in politics who will stop at nothing to get his candidate elected.

After a chance encounter throws local small business owner Addison Raimono in Trent’s path, Marty believes he’s found Trent’s ticket into Washington.

Ignoring his conscience that insists he leave Addison alone, Trent sets out to win her over. Soon what he assumed would be a relationship to salvage his reputation turns into so much more. But can a relationship that began as a lie ever survive?

EXCERPT:
Marty folded up the sleeves of his shirt. “It’s all a matter of importance. The who doesn’t matter. The wonderful opportunity it presents does. Now, I need to know everything. How did you meet her? How long have you known her? Have you slept with her yet?”

Trent pinched the bridge of his nose. Christ, couldn’t he have a cup of coffee with a woman without someone assuming he’d slept with her? “I met her just before we met last week. I bumped into her on the sidewalk and spilled coffee on her. When this picture was taken I had stopped in the bakery and when I saw her again I said hello. We talked for a few minutes before she left.”

As Marty chewed he jotted notes down on a legal pad. “That’s it? You didn’t ask her out to dinner? Get her phone number?”

Did the man think he asked out every attractive female he met? "More or less."


Marty looked up at him. “More or less, I need to know everything. And when I say everything, I mean it.”

“I told her I wanted this office redecorated and asked if she might be interested. Shirley called and set up an appointment with her.” After giving Shirley the instructions, he hadn’t thought anymore about it.

“Excellent. When?”

“I’ll have to check my calendar.”

Marty tapped his pen against his pad several times before he spoke. “We might have to change our time table a little, but I’d like to keep to it if possible. A wedding at the end of next summer is ideal. That would give you a solid year of marriage before the actual election.”

Caution flags jumped up as he listened to Marty. The advisor’s original plan had been acceptable. A marriage to a wealthy socialite who viewed their relationship as a way to achieve her own goals was one thing. What Marty proposed now was entirely something else.

“Perhaps we should stick with what we originally discussed. Why don’t I go through these and pick a candidate.” Trent reached for the binders Marty had put together. “Then they’ll be no need to adjust our timeline.”

“You hired me because you want to win.” Marty pointed his pen at the picture of Addison. “She’s your ticket to the Senate.”

Trent’s eyes focused on the picture. What had she just said to him when the picture was taken? It must have been funny because he had a huge smile on his face. Come to think of it, he’d smiled through much of their conversation. She’d had an easygoing nature with a great sense of humor. There had been no awkward moments or long gaps of silence. Under different circumstances he wouldn’t mind getting to know her better.

“The women in here may help repair your reputation.” Marty pointed to the binders he’d put together of potential wife candidates. “This one though will win the hearts of voters.” He nodded toward the newspaper on the table. “I don’t understand the problem. She’s beautiful and well-educated.”

Marty had him there. Addison was attractive and, from all he could tell, intelligent. Even with that knowledge, a corner of his conscience prickled at the idea.

Across the table Marty popped a pickle in his mouth and chewed as he waited. “If it helps look at it this way. Her involvement with you will put her business on the fast track. The whole thing will still more or less be a business agreement.”

Trent nodded. Marty had a point. If he and Addison became romantically involved it would do more for her business than an ad during the Super Bowl.

“If you’re going to make it in politics you need to learn to do what’s right for your career, everything else comes second. Trust me, I’ve been around long enough to know that few politicians make it with their conscience intact.” Marty pushed the paper closer to him. “So what’s it going to be?”

Addison’s face beamed up at him. “We’ll try it your way, but if it’s not working we will fall back to our original plan.” Sure, they’d had an enjoyable conversation over coffee but he was not prepared to wager the rest of his life on that. He picked up his untouched sandwich. “I’m assuming you made sure she’s not involved with anyone.”

The look Marty gave him said it all. “Unless she’s got a secret lover tucked in her closet, she’s single and has been for over a year.”

“Okay, I’ll let you know how things go. But in the meantime, keep working on who leaked this picture.”

Friday, October 24, 2014

Reincarnation. Yes? No? Maybe?



Reincarnation. Yes? No? Maybe?

It’s that time of year again when thoughts turn to the supernatural—witches, ghosts, monsters, vampires, shifters. I want to talk about another supernatural phenomenon: reincarnation.



You don’t hear much about reincarnation nowadays, but back in the 1970’s the occult was all the rage. Along with that came interest in reincarnation. I always thought being reincarnated meant you came back as an animal. Not so. Although there may be a belief out there that says we are reborn as animals, I didn’t encounter that in my readings. If I were to come back as an animal, I want to be a spoiled housecat like my very spoiled diva cat. To feed my interest in reincarnation, I devoured books by Edgar Cayce and Ruth Montgomery, two experts on recurring lives.

Here’s the definition of reincarnation from Dictionary.com:  Being reborn in another body. Several religions, including Hinduism, believe that the human spirit returns to Earth in different forms again and again as it strives for perfection.

The object of being born again is to make up for past sins, aka karma, and try to live a better life than the last one. When a soul reaches perfection, think Mother Theresa, that soul goes to its reward in heaven and isn’t reborn again. Here’s the definition of karma from the Urban Dictionary: the Buddhist belief that whatever you do comes back to you, e.g. if you do something good, something good will happen to you, and vice versa.

When a person dies, his/her soul goes to a spiritual plane, think Purgatory. That soul has a guide who reviews that person’s past lives and determines what the person must do in the next life to atone for sins and wrongs and attain perfection. Then the soul is reborn as an infant. Young children will sometimes remember their past lives, but that goes away as they get older.

One of the theories being tossed around in those heady, riotous 1970’s was that many of the Vietnam War protesters were the reborn souls of men who had died in World War 2, and that they didn’t want any more wars. Interesting to think about.

When my son was three or four, he used to tell my husband and me that when he lived with his “other daddy” he had a black dog that lay at the bottom of the stairs. My son has had only one daddy, and we’re a cat family. We’ve never had a dog. I got chills every time my son told us that story. As he got older, any memories he had of his “other daddy” and the black dog left him. I think it’s telling that my son never said his “other mommy,” which makes me think he recognized me from being with him in a past life.

A friend once told me that when her little brother was three years old, he’d tell the family stories of living in Paris, France, in the 1700’s. He’d describe the sounds of the carriage wheels and the smells of the city. How would he have known that, especially the smells? He couldn’t even read.

Things have happened in my life to make me believe reincarnation could be real. When I was a small child, my grandmother had paintings of scenes from Ancient Rome hanging in her house. I’d stare at those paintings and know what it was like to live there. I still remember the familiar feeling and the happiness I got when looking at those paintings. Around the same time, I used to have dreams where I was dressed in flowing Roman clothes and standing in a garden decorated with Roman statuary. To this day whenever I see a wooden door in a stone wall leading to a garden, I get chills. In a past life, did I live in Ancient Rome and did I have a garden with a wooden door? I love anything to do with Ancient Rome and read all I can about it. It was a very brutal time in our history, yet, I feel it was a happy time for me.


On the other hand, I hate, absolutely hate, the Middle Ages. I rarely read Medieval romances. I think I lived a very bad life then. Of course, most of us can say that. Unless you were of the nobility, you lived a particularly harsh life in that dark period.

Some years back, I toured an old house a friend had just bought. I’d never seen that house before. In the basement was a “vault” room, a place where the original owners stored their money and jewels. As soon as I entered, I knew without a doubt I’d been in that room before. Has this ever happened to you?

Once, when my son was a toddler, a friend invited a group of us to her house to have our fortunes told by a psychic who did past life readings. A fun evening. I brought my son because my husband was working that night. Without my asking the psychic anything about my son, the man looked at him and told me that my son had been my brother in a previous life and he was with me in this life because I needed to teach him a lesson. I haven’t figured out yet what that lesson is. At the same reading, I showed the psychic pictures of my husband and also my ex-husband. He couldn’t get a reading on my husband, but he told me I’d been with my ex in another life and I’d done something bad to him. I had to make it up to him in this life. That could explain so much of what I went through with my ex and why I put up with the things I did.

People will say they were a queen or a Pharaoh or some famous person in another life. The reality is, if reincarnation is true, most of us lived ordinary lives of quiet desperation.

One of the tenets of reincarnation is that you must do no harm to another living creature. If you’re in business, ambition is good, but you must not hurt others in your rise to the top. This is wonderful advice no matter your beliefs.

If you’re of a more scientific bent, my memories and experiences, as well as the memories and experiences of others, could be what Carl Jung called “the collective unconscious.” Here’s the definition: (in Jungian psychology) the part of the unconscious mind that is derived from ancestral memory and experience and is common to all humankind, as distinct from the individual's unconscious. In other words, my memories of Ancient Rome might be in my DNA, passed down through the ages from my Italian lineage.

There are times when I want to believe in reincarnation. It’s comforting to know we are given another chance to get things right. They say in each life you’re surrounded by the same people. It’s also comforting to know your loved ones will be with you in your new life. At other times, I feel tired and don’t really want to do this all over again. What about you? Have you had experiences like mine? Things you can’t explain. Are you a believer in reincarnation? Or are you a person who rejects it and thinks it’s nothing more than the collective unconscious? Or are you a maybe like me?

I’d love to hear about your “unexplained” experiences.


In the spirit of the season, my scary, sexy shifter romance, with elements of suspense and reincarnation, is on sale for only 99 cents.


Nick Radford is a reluctant werewolf who’s been fighting the Beast within for nearly 500 years. He’s never killed a human, but the Beast is gaining strength and Nick may not be able to ward off his inner demon much longer. Kyla Yaeger is an elite were-hunter with a scarred past. Her life’s mission is to slay the werewolves who slaughtered her parents. Her quest has brought her to Maine where she's been summoned to destroy the werewolf terrorizing the quaint little village of Heavensent. The last thing she needs is to get distracted by her mysterious--not to mention hunky--new neighbor Nick Radford. By the time Kyla learns Nick is her target, she's already fallen for him, making her task of killing him that much harder. She is torn between her love for him and her duty to kill her sworn enemy. Nick fights his forbidden love for Kyla, knowing she is duty-bound to kill him. Kyla and Nick must join together to fight an even bigger threat--one that will destroy all humanity. Only by their combined powers can they destroy the evil and bring an end to a centuries old curse.







Thursday, October 23, 2014

Interview of Author Darlene Fredette

Today I'm pleased to present an interview of romance author Darlene Fredette.

Latest Book: Law of Attraction

Buy Link
The Wild Rose Press Purchase Link

BIO:
An avid reader since childhood, Darlene loved to put a pencil to paper and plot out stories of her own. She writes heartwarming contemporary romances with a focus on plot-driven page-turners. When Darlene isn’t writing, editing, or reading, she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and Yellow Lab.



Q: Your novel is being made into a TV series/movie. Who’s in your dream cast?
A: When writing Law of Attraction, I saw my hero (Steven Mitchell) as Patrick Dempsey (McDreamy from Grey’s Anatomy). My heroine (Christina Crawford) is a visual of Mandy Moore.

Q: How much of yourself is hidden in the characters in the book?
A: Not a single smidgen of me is in my stories. I’m way too boring to write about, lol.

Q: Of all your characters, who’s your favorite, and why?
A: All of my characters are special, but in the current story I’m writing ‘Hershey’s Choice’ Britt Wells (the heroine) is turning out to be my favorite. She’s funny, crazy, sensitive, and sweet.

Q: Do you eat comfort food/listen to music when writing?
A: I can’t listen to music when writing or I’d be doing more singing than writing. And I don’t eat while writing because I wouldn’t have fingers free for typing, lol.

Q: Covers. Ever get one you wish you could change?
A: In the past, I wasn’t a fan of covers with a man and a woman in a tight embrace, but once I saw the cover for my Christmas novella, I quickly changed my mind. The cover artists captured the story and the main characters perfectly. I’ve been very lucky with covers.

Q: Give one advice tip to an aspiring author.
A: Just write. If you’re not good at deadlines, then don’t set any. Write when you can. Everyone has daily interruptions (work, family, etc). The less pressure you place on yourself, the more the story will flow from the tips of your fingers.

Q: What genre would you like to try writing that you haven’t yet tried?
A: I’ll always write contemporary romance, but I started writing a story that has a western and time travel theme. It’s challenging yet fun to write a romance in a different genre.

Q: Have you ever used an incident from your real life into one of your books?
A: Not an incident from my life is in my books, but definitely places I’ve visited. In my Christmas novella, the fictional town of Redford Falls was created with pieces from a few local areas we visit.

Q: Out of your entire backlist, which book has the best opening line? What's the line?
A: I like the opening to Law of Attraction because it portrays my heroine’s frustration with her dating life.
“You have got to be kidding me.” Christina slammed the receiver on its cradle. “What the hell is going on? That’s the fifth guy to ditch me this month.” She gripped the arm of her chair. At least he had the decency to call

Q: How many stories are swirling around in your head? Do you keep a mental list, a computer file, or a spiral notebook filled with the ideas?
A: Too many, lol! I have several notebooks, each for its own story. Once a story enters my thoughts, I grab a new notebook and jot down the main plot. When I think of new ideas and character names, I write them in the notebook before I forget.

Fun Stuff:
Q: What is your favorite holiday and why?
A: Christmas, because it’s the holiday filled with love. I enjoy the lights, decorations, music, and seeing the joy on my family’s faces when they open their gifts.

Q: What are two things people might be surprised to know about you?
A: I’m quiet/introvert. I’ve been told I’m quite humorous, which surprised me, lol.

Q: As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A: A teacher.

Q: Favorite food.
A: Dessert.

Q: Favorite happy memory.
A: My wedding day and the day my daughter was born.

Q: Favorite drink.
A: Milk.

Q: Hot summer days or chilly winter nights?
A: Definitely, hot summer days!

Q: What is the top thing on your bucket list?
A: Fly in an airplane.

Q: If you could have a super power, what would it be?
A: The power to remove evil from the world.

Tell us where to find you: website(s), publisher’s page(s), blog(s), Facebook page(s), etc. List them all!
Web Blog: http://findingthewritewords.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DarleneLF
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DarleneLF
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/DarleneLF
The Wild Rose Press Author Page

BLURB:
Lawyer Christina Crawford has a successful career and stable financial future, but is it enough? Her world is disrupted when a routine divorce case means working with a man she never expected—or wanted—to see again. During their first meeting, she can't deny a connection still exists. Her head warns her to run, but her heart yearns to stay.

Steven Mitchell is ruthless in the court room, but outside those doors, his easy charm, good looks and unlimited stream of female companions gives him an unscrupulous reputation. Six years ago Christina saw beyond his façade, but the emotions she evoked scared him and he pushed her away. Now he wants a second chance and he is determined to get her back...even if he has to play dirty.

EXCERPT:
Heart pounding in her chest, she closed the door behind him. Wearing her best business face, she returned to this disastrous meeting and sat. Christina drew in a deep breath, and a measure of control was restored. She picked up her pen and flipped open the case file. “So, according to these documents, your client is contesting the divorce?”

Steven reached across the table and snatched the pen from her hand. “What’s the rush, Christina? We haven’t seen each other in years. There’s a lot of catching up to do.”

She clenched her teeth together, barely parting her lips as she spoke. “We have nothing but this case to discuss.”

“Come on, don’t be like that.” He leaned back in his chair, frowning. “You’re not still holding a grudge, are you? What happened was so long ago. I hoped we could start fresh, as friends.”

“Are you freaking serious?” She glared an icy stare. Forget a slow death by high heel. She’d get more pleasure strangling him with her bare hands. “You accused me of misconduct, had me fired, and now you want to be friends?” Her heart thumped a rapid beat in her ears. “You’re out of your mind.”

Anything else you’d like to add?
Be sure to drop by my web site during the month of October to enter an awesome giveaway to celebrate the release of Law of Attraction!

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Take Home a Wolf for Halloween


Just in time for Halloween, a very sexy shifter.

When Jamie Dalton moved into the mouse her grandparents left her she was just looking to reconnect with her past and settle in familiar surroundings. Digging through the attic for treasures, she found a nearly life-sized statue of a wolf and a very old, very strange book, Legends of the Werewolf. Each night after returning home from her job as the town's head librarian, she curled up in a big chair with her little black cat, Mischief, fascinated by what she read. She was shocked when her new neighbor, Mike Volka, introduced himself and the eyes watching her looked just like the wolf in the book.

 Mike Volka's ancestors once owned Jamie's house and the book that is his heritage as a wolf shifter, the one that will guide his future, is hidden somewhere inside. He sure didn't expect the intense sexual heat the erupted between them. When he sneaks into her house and sees her asleep in the big chair, the book open on her lap, the temptation to have her is too great for him. Using the hypnotic power of the shifter, he draws her into his web and they have sex so hot it nearly burns down the house.

But can a union born in stealth survive? Is she the human mate his family had told him might be waiting for him? Will Jamie succumb to his hot alpha impact and can she believe what others dismiss as a fanciful legend? On Halloween night it will come to an explosive conclusion but will the heat consume them or bind them closer together.

Excerpt:

She closed her eyes for just a moment, to clear her head…and opened them again as the stroke of a hand on her cheek roused her. She inhaled sharply at the sight of Mike Volka leaning over the chair, staring at her with those hot amber eyes. His dark hair had fallen forward like a silk curtain, just enough scruff on his chin to give him that extra sexy appearance. Her breath caught in her throat when he slid one thumb lightly over her bottom lip.
“You sleep so nicely, Jamie. But this chair has to be uncomfortable.”
She shifted her body and gazed down at her lap. “Where’s my book? And Mischief?” She frowned. “What have you done with them?”
His smile set fire to her nerve endings. “I put the book over there on the coffee table. It had slipped to the floor. I didn’t think it was good for something so old to just be lying there.”
“And my cat?”
“Is sleeping peacefully.” He gestured toward the couch.
Sure enough, the little ball of black fur lay curled up against one of the throw pillows, deep in a kitty dream.
“But how—?”
“Sshhh.”
His scent tantalized her nostrils, clean and earthy, soothing and arousing at the same time. He leaned closer to her and brushed his mouth over hers. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a little voice asked her why she didn’t feel this at all odd. She was not the least bit afraid or worried or frightened by what was happening. Instead, she had a sense that this was all preordained—her moving into the house, finding the book, meeting Mike, this thing happening between them. Then her brain shut down, any chance of rational thought disappeared, and she gave herself over to the feelings consuming her.
The simple contact of his lips woke the pulses in every one of her erogenous zones. His tongue traced a path along the seam before pushing gently and coaxing her to open to him. When he thrust inside her mouth, the contact, almost animalistic, stole her breath.
Jamie lifted her hands and tunneled her fingers in his hair, the mane of black silk rich and luxurious to her touch. Reason fled as the kiss drew her into an erotic vortex. She clutched at his hair as if it were a lifeline, anchoring her as his tongue plundered and his lips bruised. When he lifted his head at last, she gave a cry of protest at the loss of contact.



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