Book Tour: Amongst the Ruins by Saewod Tice

Today we are having a bit of fun with author, Saewod Tice.

DID YOU ALWAYS WANT TO BE A WRITER?

There is always the one question interviewers ask: “Did you always know you wanted to write?”
Most responses I’ve seen from authors is always that they knew they would be a writer someday. To be honest, for me, it wasn’t something I knew I would do someday or even attempt to succeed. Had I always written short stories, poems, journal upon journal of thoughts and feelings? Yes. I’ve always had a desire, even a need, to do something creative as a part of my life.

But not all writers knew they would be writers, let alone find themselves able to submit their work to an agent or publisher. I only found my confident enough to take the leap after my husband pushed for me to do it. The rejections were disheartening, but then I got some great advice and a way to look at the rejection as an improvement tool. (Yes, it was/is much easier to say than it is to do – even still.)

So, for fun, let’s take the Clarke Patented "Am I Really a Writer?" multiple-choice test below and find out once and for all if you've got what it takes!

THE CLARKE PATENTED "AM I REALLY A WRITER?" TEST
(Borrowed from www.caroclarke.com)

A. I think I'm a writer because:
1. I enjoy writing
2. I enjoy reading
3. I enjoy typing
4. I enjoy knowing that I am a creative being

B. I tend to get my ideas from:
1. the world around me
2. the fantasies within me
3. the TV in front of me
4. the concept of "idea" is so, you know, anal retentive

C. I try to write:
1. one sustained period a day
2. one sustained period whenever inspiration strikes me
3. you mean I actually have to write something all the time?
4. only when it won't violate my imaginative flow

D. I believe that adjectives and adverbs:
1. should be used sparingly
2. should be used vigorously, fulsomely, and without stint
3. are what, exactly?
4. are pathetic attempts to limit my creative energy

E. I structure my novel-in-progress by:
1. writing to a prepared plot outline
2. writing according to how the story seems to be telling itself
3. writing whatever comes into my head from moment to moment
4. how mundane actually to have a "novel-in-progress"; I have a concept

F. I achieve the self-discipline to write by:
1. forcing myself to work whether I'm in the mood or not
2. letting guilt finally force me to do something, anything
3. jotting down half a page now and again and rewarding myself with ice cream
4. self-discipline is the enemy of creativity

G. I deal with difficult, blocked or 'dry' periods by:
1. working on something else to retain good writing habits
2. panicking and bingeing
3. wondering if I shouldn't take up decoy carving instead
4. only real writers are really blocked

H. I strive to make my work:
1. as good as it can be by rewriting and polishing
2. as good as that first true inspiration will allow it to be
3. as unembarrassing as I can before going to my writing group – they're really mean
4. as unintrusive in my creative life as possible

I. I approach the task of finding an agent or publisher by:
1. researching the market thoroughly and learning how to make a professional
submission
2. sending my manuscript and a very nice letter to my writing tutor's publisher
3. sending my manuscript to the publishers of the latest best-seller
4. they'll be knocking on my door begging me for my manuscript

J. I accept rejection slips:
1. with a pang, then move to the next submission
2. with a little sigh: I secretly knew it was no good
3. with a howl of unbelieving rage: ignorant jackasses, don't they know true talent when they see it...
4. I'm too sensitive to put myself through such a negative experience

K. I see myself in the future:
1. finding satisfaction in writing novels my readers enjoy
2. becoming a rich and famous best-seller and appearing on TV
3. winning the Pulitzer, the Booker, and the Nobel Prize for Literature
4. being the most famous person on the planet. Hey, in the universe!

L. I want to write because:
1. I have characters and stories bursting to come to life
2. I like the idea of having a book published
3. I like the idea of being a writer
4. I didn't say I wanted to write, just that I know I'm a writer,
and this is a dumb test, anyway

How to score this test:

Count up the numbers of the answers you have selected.

If you have a total of:
12-16: You seem to have what it takes. I'll see you in print one day.
17-25: Time to get serious. Take one giant step towards a professional attitude.
26-35: What a dweeb. Quit dreaming and get a life.
36-48: Jerk extraordinaire! Out of my sight, thou posturing ninny!

Having taken the Clarke's Patented "Am I Really a Writer?" Test, you now know if you are a real writer or not. If you are, congratulations! If you aren't, contact me for some useful websites on needlework, photography or windsurfing.

The above is just for fun. If you want to know if you are a real writer, Write. If you write, you’re a writer. If you don’t, then you aren’t. Is it really that simple? Yes, it is. Being a published author does not define you as a writer. Remember that as you make those keystrokes on your computer or your pen strokes to notebook.
I’ve been extremely fortunate to be welcomed by multiple publishers into their family of writers, but I still feel the sharp sting of rejections. It’s taking me awhile to truly say it out loud or in an official manner, but regardless, my name is Saewod and I’m a writer.

Saewod Tice
Author of Amongst the Ruins

Available on:
Amazon - www.amazon.com/Amongst-Ruins-Chronicles-2020-ebook/dp/B005OZIIVE/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_3
&
Noble Young Adult - www.nobleyoungadult.com/Books/329

Visit below to check out upcoming releases:
www.saewod.webs.com
www.thechroniclesof2020.webs.com

Blurb:  In the year 2220, only about 15% of Earth's population have survived and thrived after the Nuclear Disaster of 2020.

With the collapse of modern society, the population has regressed into eight clans.

Amongst these clans, an unusual girl grows from child to adult.

Raised on the run and in hiding, Shilo wants to be free of the expectations of women. But in a ruined world where anyone could be an enemy, only the radiation-twisted mutants are clearly identifiable. A fertile female is a precious treasure, and any lapse in caution can mean a loss of the freedom she longs for.

Training as hard as a soldier would, in order to free herself from social constraints, she finds herself faced with an offer from a new clan--an offer that provides her with what she desires. But her recently found independence brings discovery, and discovery brings two very different men from her past—and each of them is determined to claim her.

One is obsessed with owning her, the other desires her as the only person who can make him love again.

 

Bio:  Saewod Tice lives in Central Pennsylvania with her husband and two children. A self-proclaimed foul mouthed, book nerd who loves reading genres ranging from Young Adult to Horror to Erotica.

To escape the structured, methodical confines of her day job, she delves into her overzealous imagination producing dystopian worlds and romances. When not writing or spending time with her family, she embraces her Computer Geekdom through the internet. Including being a member of Writing.com, TextNovel writing forums, and RWC group.

Website / Facebook / Twitter

Coming attraction by one of my favourite authors

I can’t wait!  In March 2012 one of my favourite authors is bringing out her next book – Bear Meets Girl.  Mmmmm . . . love the cover, don’t you?  Except for the blurb, she also has an excerpt on her website which I will include so that you can drool with me :)

Blurb:
Lou Crushek is a reasonable, mellow, easygoing kind of guy—especially for a shapeshifting bear. But once someone starts killing the scumbags he works so hard to bust, that really gets under his fur. Especially when that someone is a curvy she -- tiger who's bringing his passion out of hibernation...

Marcella Malone is a member of an elite feline protection unit, and Crush is proving one major pain in her gorgeous tail. The only reason she's joined forces with him is to track down the wealthy human who's got her entire species in his ruthless sights. But there's no denying that beneath that big, burly exterior is a man who knows how to rub her in all the right ways...

Except:
(Unedited/Unproofed)

While the two females found reasons to laugh, Crush finished putting away his groceries and put down food for Lola. That was around the time the laughter stopped.

"You have a dog?"

"I'm fostering for a friend." He whistled and Lola came out of the hiding place she always went to whenever his idiot brothers broke into his home. It used to be his apartment, now it was his house.

Lola trotted into the kitchen but commenced to barking as soon as she saw Malone and Dr. Davis.

The two women looked at him and he shrugged. "She's not a cat-friendly dog."

"You foster this dog?"

He didn't know why Malone sounded so disbelieving. Bears had pet dogs all the time.

"Yeah. You have a problem with that?"

Lola continued to bark so Crush said, "Cut it." She did and trotted over to him, turning and sitting down on his foot while facing the two felines.

Malone and the other woman exchanged another glance and Malone said, "This is your dog."

"She's a foster. That's all."

"Uh-huh. How long have you fostered her?"

"Three years."

The felines began laughing again and Lola snarled at them. That was his girl.

"What?" he asked.

"She's your dog. Your dog. No one fosters a dog for three years."

"It's hard to place her."

"A purebred English bulldog?" the woman with Malone kindly asked. Unlike the She-tiger, this woman had basic manners.

"I don't have papers or anything and she's been fixed."

"No one has shown interest in it?"

" 'It' is a her," he snapped at Malone. "And there have been a few interested people but they weren't the right family for her."

"For three years?"

"Why are you here?" he barked, fed up with this line of questioning.

"I need a boyfriend or my aunts are bringing in a matchmaker so they can possibly hook me up with a distant relative."

With a snort, Crush picked up Lola and put her in front of her food bowl.

"What's that mean?" Malone asked.

"It means you're insane. I thought you just acted crazy for the crowd. But no" -- he faced Malone, briefly studied her pretty face -- "you're really crazy."

"Crazy's relative," the woman with Malone remarked. When Crush only stared at her she smiled and added, "I should introduce myself. I'm Jai Davis."

Crush tipped his head to the side and studied her. "Jai Davis? Head of the medical team for the Carnivores?"

"You know the head of our medical team?"

He shrugged at Malone's question. "They mention her at the beginning of every game."

"Wow," Malone said, eyes wide. "You really are a fan."

"Why are you here?" he barked again, annoyed with having strangers in his house. "In my space?"

"I'll tell ya what ya can do with your space -- "

"Cella."

Hearing her friend's voice, Malone took a deep breath and said, "I need a favor."

"From me?"

"Yes. From you."

Crush sized the feline up before answering, "No."

"No? What do you mean no?"

"I mean no."

"But I haven't even told you what it is yet."

"I know. But I don't deal with crazy in my private life."

Malone crossed her arms in front of her chest, gold eyes locked on him until she snapped at her friend, "And you can stop laughing."

Her hand over her mouth, Dr. Davis choked, and mumbled, "Excuse me," before quickly walking out of the kitchen.

"Thank you very much, cop, for embarrassing me!"

Crush gawked down at the feline, mouth open.

"What are you looking at me like that for?"

"I embarrassed you? Is that what you just said to me?"

"Your point?"

"You've been embarrassing me since I met you. It's like your goal or something."

"My goal is to get you to loosen up. You're so uptight."

"Why do you care if I'm uptight or not?"

"Because I'm a caring and giving person."

Imitating her stance, Crush crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at her.

Finally, after a couple of minutes, she finally admitted, "All right, fine. In truth I just like how your face gets all red when I embarrass you."

"Honesty. How nice of you to finally use some."

"If it makes you feel any better, I only torment those I actually like."

"Why would that bit of information make me feel better? That's like saying ‘I only set fire to the ones I love.'"

"It's nothing like that. I just think you take yourself too seriously. Although after meeting your brothers, I can see why you're more tense than most polar bears."

"Tenser."

"What?"

"It's not ‘more tense,' it's tenser."

"Really? You're correcting my grammar?"

Frustrated again -- because she was kind of right -- Crush snapped, "It's not like I invited you over here to abuse you about your grammar. You came over uninvited."

"Because I need your help."

"In some wacky scheme?"

"Of course it's not wacky. I just need you to pretend to be my boyfriend so my aunts don't bring in a matchmaker in the hopes of getting me married off to my cousin."

As the feline stated her purpose in coming to his house, Dr. Davis walked back into the kitchen. But she took one look at Crush's flabbergasted expression, covered her mouth, turned, and ran out again, her laughter floating in from his dining room.

Isn’t that fun!  I can’t wait!!

Book Tour: Another Chance by Michelle Beattie

Another Chance

By Michelle Beatti

Being a veterinarian in the late 1800’s is difficult enough, but for Jillian Matthews it’s impossible.  Not allowed in the vet schools, she trained at her father’s side until she had the skills needed to move west.  Jillian accepts an advertisement for a position in Montana, using only her initials which happen to be same as her father’s.  Convinced that in the untamed west, her skills will be valued and appreciated, regardless of her gender, she’s quickly proved wrong.

Wade Parker is sure the pretty redhead claiming to be the vet he sent for is one of his ranch hands’ practical jokes but the fiery woman very quickly puts him in his place and proves him wrong.  His impression, however, turns south when the animal she operated on later dies.  With a ranch on the verge of bankruptcy, losing an animal was the last thing he could afford and he can’t help thinking the old vet, the male doctor, wouldn’t have let his animal die.

With Wade’s initial reaction guiding them, the town is quick to want Jillian out.   But the more Wade gets to know Jillian, the more he sees her grit and compassion, the harder he falls for her.  When Wade realizes he was too hasty in his judgment and urges the town to give Jillian another chance, he makes more than few enemies.  Enemies that would do almost anything to get her out, and to make sure Wade doesn’t take her side again.

Soon threats turn to violence and both Wade and Jillian must make a stand.  The problem is, at what cost?

 

Excerpt Chapter One

Montana Territory, May 1879

"They're not going to get here in time."

Wade Parker ran a frustrated hand under his Stetson. What was taking so long? he wondered. He'd sent for the veterinarian almost an hour ago. Once he'd realized he'd had no other choice.

"They'll be here soon, son. But the way the rain's coming down, it'll slow down old Doc and Scott." James rested a calloused hand on Wade's shoulder. "Go check on the cow again, and I'll have a look outside."

Wade had been taught from a very young age that no matter how bad things ever got, there was always something to be thankful for. And right now, he was thankful for two things. One, for James. Not only had James been foreman of the Triple P for as long as Wade could remember, he was also a friend. A friend who, at times like these, was the rock Wade needed.

The other thing Wade was damn glad for was that Doc Fletcher's replacement hadn't arrived yet from Pennsylvania. Not that Wade hadn't helped chose his replacement and not that he wasn't satisfied of the new doc's qualifications, but with the lives of his animals at stake, he needed a familiar face tonight. One that he trusted. One that would get him through this latest crisis.

Because that was all Wade’s life had been since losing first his wife, then his father, a series of crises. He couldn’t afford, in the very real sense of the word, another.

Feeling much older than his twenty-eight years, Wade made his way to the stall. Behind him James' boots squished on the wet barn floor. Wade shook his head, disgusted not only with the decrepit state of his barn, but with the decrepit state of the whole ranch. If only his pa hadn't run them so far into debt. Wade braced his forearms on the stall and wished, not for the first time, that things could be different.

The animal's eyes were glazed with pain; her mooing was now raspy where a few short hours ago it had been loud and strong. Though she struggled to get up, she wasn't able to do more than lift her head. He cursed again, feeling an iron band of tension wrap around his shoulders.

Already in debt until he was practically drowning in it, he needed these animals to live. He'd already sold off a piece of his herd but he couldn't afford to sell them all. He needed enough to keep breeding, enough to keep selling. And if nothing else happened, maybe, just maybe, he'd start thinking about starting that horse ranch.

"They're here!" James yelled.

Relief poured through Wade. "Hang in there, girl. Help's on the way."

Wade ran to the door.

"Well," James said, pushing his hat further up his forehead. "This sure is an unexpected surprise."

"What's the problem?" Wade asked, stepping around James.

He stopped dead, felt his jaw slacken.

What greeted him in the yellow glow of the barn was not even remotely close to old Doc Fletcher, or the J. Matthews they'd hired to replace him. This wasn't the short, plump vet Wade had expected. Neither was he the tall, strapping man that Wade had pictured crossing a country to replace Doc Fletcher. Instead there stood a woman barely tall enough to reach Wade's shoulder.

She held her horse's reins in one gloved hand and saddle bags in the other. Though she didn't seem to notice, water streamed over the brim of her hat in a continuous flow. Her eyes never left his and the directness of that gaze stopped him momentarily. Wade turned to Scott. Scott Taylor, the only ranch hand Wade could afford besides James, shrugged.

"She was at Doc's place. Told me she could help," he explained.

"Doc's place?" Wade shook his head. That made no sense. If Doc wasn't at his place, then it should have been Dr. Matthews, as was the agreement made when they hired the new vet. He turned back to the woman.

Green eyes, a heart-shaped face. She was pretty, no question, but it wasn't pretty he needed at the moment. He glared at Scott then James. "This isn't the time for one of your practical jokes. We need a doctor now, dammit!"

He stepped out into the rain hoping, praying, Doc Fletcher was waiting around the corner with his bag in hand. Darkness and sheets of rain greeted Wade, but no Doc Fletcher.

The woman's voice cut through the rain like lightning. "Could you see that my horse is looked after?"

Wade spun round. She handed the reins to Scott then skirted past James, who stood wide eyed, and strode purposefully into the barn, saddle bags in hand.

"Wait just a minute!" Wade said as he loped behind her.

"What?" she asked, never once breaking stride.

"Where's Doc Fletcher?"

"He left town."

"Since when? He was still here last I heard."

"Apparently he didn't feel you needed to be apprised of his comings and goings," she said, slipping into the stall. She tossed her hat and dripping slicker onto the clean straw. A thick braid of auburn hair fell down her back.

Stunned, Wade could only watch as she opened her saddle bags, set a pristine white cloth onto the straw, and began placing shiny medical tools onto it.

None of what he was seeing made a lick of sense. "What are you doing?"

Her hands stilled, and her fiery green eyes snapped. "What I was sent for." She took her stethoscope, placed the hearing buds in her ears.

His gaze snapped right back. "I didn't fetch you, I fetched Doc Fletcher."

"No, you fetched the veterinarian."

"Exactly! So who the hell are you?"

Her braid had fallen over her shoulder and she tossed it over in frustration. "We don't have time for questions. Do you, or do not want your animal looked after?"

Not waiting for an answer, she shifted to her knees, skimmed her hands over the distended belly of the animal. He couldn't help it, his eyes roved over the woman. Her black belt cinched a tiny waist. Leaning over the way she was, it was only natural that he noticed the way her skirt draped over her trim backside.

He had no idea who she was. Her shoulders didn't look broad enough, nor did her hands appear strong enough to do what needed to be done. Why was she at Doc's? Why had she told Scott she could help? Granted, it did appear she knew what she was doing, yet his mind was telling him it was impossible. But, as she said, they didn't have the luxury of time. If Doc wasn't coming, she was his only hope.

His belly hitched. The band around his shoulders tightened threefold. Just when he thought things couldn't possibly get worse.

She placed the stethoscope to the cow's brown hide. The barn was silent as she worked, except for the constant patter of rain, both inside and outside.

"Is this her first time?" she asked when the cow tried once again to raise her head, then gave up with a low moan.

"It is," Wade answered.

"Calf must be too big for her." She fixed those green eyes on his again. "I'll need clean towels, warm water and all of you to help hold this cow down while I do the surgery."

Wade took a breath, nodded. Whether she knew what she was doing or not, she was here and she was all they had. He'd just have to trust that she could get his animal through this crisis alive.

"I'll get what you need," he answered, refusing to dwell on what ifs. He turned to James, who'd joined him at the stall. "Stay here in case she needs anything else."

Wade strode down the aisle, his pace increasing when the cow moaned again.

Scott, who was in the last stall tending the woman's horse, looked up as Wade approached. "You need me?"

"We will, just as soon as I get back."

"I'll be ready," Scott answered.

Wade ran for the house. His mother came running the moment he stepped inside. Worry filled her eyes.

"Did you lose them?"

"Not yet." Though with this unexpected turn of events, the possibility seemed more likely than ever.

Eileen Parker's shoulders fell. "Well, that's a blessing I'll take." Her hand shot up as he moved. "Don't you step off that rug with those muddy boots!"

"Ma, I'm in a hurry," Wade grumbled, though he placed his foot back onto the rug. "We need hot water and as many old rags or towels you can spare."

"I figured you might and I've had pots simmering on the stove. The rags are right there at your feet, I'll get the water from the kitchen."

About the Author:

Michelle Beattie has been writing for 16 years. Her first pirate novel was released in December 2008 under the title, What a Pirate Desires. Since then she added two more to her series, Romancing the Pirate and A Pirate's Possession.

Changing gears a bit, Michelle has decided to follow the growing trend of published authors independently publishing their own books. She released her first independent title, a contemporary light paranormal, Love By Accident, in October and is following it up with a historical western, Another Chance.

Her pirate books have received wonderful praise from publisher's weekly, Romantic Times and several on-line review sites as well as have been published in several languages. Love By Accident hit #14 in ghosts on Amazon's site on its release day.

Michelle lives in Alberta, Canada with her husband, two daughters and a rabbit.

twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/M_Beattie

facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Michelle-Beattie-Romance-Author/100613946697175

website:  http://www.michellebeattie.com

In my mailbox (30)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren every Sunday. It is a weekly meme that lets everyone see what books you have received in the mail or bought that week.

This week I only received one eBook which I won in a giveaway on Lu’s blog A Muggle’s Magical Book Blog.

Thank you to Lu and the author, Nuayma!

What is in your mailbox this week?

Book Tour: Diamonds and Toads by K.E. Saxon

Diamonds and Toads: A Modern Fairy Tale

By K.E. Saxon

Blurb:

Once upon a time, there were two sisters, one blessed,and one cursed by fairy magic...

So each sister's story begins.

Delilah Perrault is blessed with riches beyond her wildest dreams and the man she's had her eye on for ages--even though he secretly has designs on her newfound wealth instead. Delilah's half-sister, Isadora, is cursed with having her every utterance come out as an obscene and humiliating quip, just when the gorgeous hunk she dumped years before under pressure from mama swaggers back into her life.
If you like Bewitched, Sex and the City and Gossip Girl, try out this modern girl's fairy tale.

Get it Amazon for the Kindle or on Smashwords and at BN for the Nook

Excerpt

CHAPTER ONE

Chas Regan slammed the phone down. Fuck! What the hell was he supposed to do now? He leaned back in his executive chair, allowing the front rollers to lift off the floor, and dug the base of his palms into his eyelids. His heart still raced so fast that it caused a shot of stomach bile to blast into his throat.

The company was lost. Gone. No more. His entire family’s empire, a glimmering speck of its former glory lost in the vast abyss of others that had gone before it.

He could have saved it, too, he knew, if only he’d been able to come up with that measly five million in time. But he hadn’t been able to liquidate enough capital before tonight’s deadline. If only that blasted prospective buyer would loosen her grip on her cash, he’d have had his two-year-old thoroughbred sold a month ago and his problems would be solved.

He needed more time. More money and time.

The intercom on his phone buzzed, followed by his assistant’s voice saying, “Chas, Delilah Perrault is here to see you. Should I show her in?”

His churning stomach sank to his toes, but he couldn’t see a way out of meeting with her right now. He sprang into an upright position and did a quick finger-comb through his hair. “Yes. That’s fine, Sharon.”

* * *

Delilah walked into the office with a big grin on her face. She couldn’t wait to tell Chas all that had happened this morning. He’d been a sage advisor these past few months since they’d begun working on the charity together and she hoped he wouldn’t mind giving her a little more now.

After the strange encounter with the beggar woman two days ago—and the ‘found’ diamond—Delilah had called Chas and canceled their lunch. To tell the truth, if it weren’t for the diamond that rested in the bottom of her coin purse, she’d have tossed the whole thing off as a lucid dream.

She hadn’t told a soul about the encounter, either, and she was pretty sure she wasn’t going to.

“Hi,” she said, noticing immediately the sexy contrast between his slightly rumpled blond hair and his crisp, tailor-made suit. Her already jangled nerves started to tap dance across their endings the closer she came to him. Breathe in, breathe out. Thankfully, she’d managed to keep her deeper feelings for him to herself, thus far. She could just imagine how awkward their friendship would become if he ever realized what she felt. He probably wouldn’t want to work with her anymore.

It wasn’t until she’d taken a seat on his leather couch that she picked up on the tension lines around his eyes and mouth. “Is this a bad time? Am I interrupting something?” She shot to her feet. “I’ll just leave now. I-I shouldn’t have come without calling first. But I have got some exciting news to tell you, so maybe—could we meet for dinner?” She took a step toward the door.

Chas jumped up and waved her back to her seat. “No, no, no. Sit. Tell me the good news.”

She hesitated and then shrugged. “Well, if you’re sure?” She sat down and beamed at him. “Guess what?” She was so excited and proud of herself, she wanted to do a jig. Instead, she clasped her hands in her lap and said, “I’m a multi-millionairess as of ten-thirty-two this morning.”

“No shit?”

“No shit.”

“How many? Two? Three?”

“More.” She sat forward. “It’s like all my years of training as a gemologist have finally paid off.” She bit her lip to keep from grinning like a buffoon and glanced down. Lifting her gaze to his, she said, “A couple of days ago, I got it in my head to put some of my savings in diamond stocks—not a lot—just enough to get my feet wet.”

Chas’s brows shot into his hairline. “A couple of days ago?”

“I know. Amazing. Anyway, today I made—I made a hundred million! Dollars.”

Chas jackknifed forward in his chair. “A hundred million? That’s—that’s near to impossible.”

She laughed. “Exactly! I feel like crowing! You were the first person I thought to tell because you’re so—so good with money. Will you help me to invest it?”

A strange look flashed in his baby blues as he studied her for a moment. It unnerved her. Maybe she’d overstepped their friendship with the request? She was about to apologize to him and tell him she’d find someone else to help her when he laughed and the look changed. Brightened. Became recognizable. Comfortable. Compelling. For the first time since she’d entered his office, his face relaxed into the boyish grin that had become so familiar to her since they’d started working together on the charity event months ago. “Well, I guess I can’t propose to you now. You’ll think I’m only doing it for your money.”

Her heart tripped, then hammered against her ribcage. It took every ounce of her willpower not to let on with her eyes, her hands, or any other part of her body that he’d just spoken her deepest wish, made it a joke. She hoped the grin she gave him was less hungry than friendly. “Hey, women do it all the time—why not a guy?” She linked the fingers of her hands together and did a little stretch. Did her voice sound as out of breath, wobbly, to him as it did to her? “Besides, I could use a financial wizard for a husband, now that I’m worth loads of dough.”

Chas’s expression grew serious. He swiveled around and pulled something from his desk drawer then rose to his feet and came toward her. Instead of sitting next to her, as she expected, he knelt down in front of her.

“What’s this?” A nervous chuckle escaped her throat. “What are you doing?” Against her will, his close proximity brought on a fiery blush.

He lifted both of her hands. When her fingers twitched over the velvet box in his palm, her breath caught in her lungs. “I know you think I wasn’t serious,” he said. “But I was. I’d been planning to ask you to be my wife on Valentine’s Day, but if I wait any longer, you’ll be suspicious of my motives.”

He released her hands and opened the box. Resting inside was a brilliant cut solitaire in a platinum setting. “Will you marry me, Delilah?”

A rush of euphoria made her head spin, but somehow she managed to say, “YES!”

* * *

Delilah was so high with happiness, she felt as if she floated across the parking garage toward her car. She sighed. They’d finally kissed. She lifted her fingers to her lips. They still tingled from the warm contact. It had been as wonderful as she’d dreamed it would be. He’d tasted so masculine, felt so strong. It’d made her feel feminine, sexy even.

She shook her head and grinned. She was going to marry Chas Regan. Amazing. All this time she’d been pining away for the guy and—who knew?—he’d been doing the same thing for her!

Since he’d returned to the family business a year ago, moved back to Houston from Boston, they had formed a companionable friendship. Based mostly on their shared interest in charity work. He was very much involved in funding for cancer research—his mother had died of a rare form of it a little less than two years ago—and that was one of Delilah’s pet charities as well.

Once they’d met up again at a charity benefit, become reacquainted, they’d started sharing meals together several times a week, sometimes twice in the same day. He’d even begun confiding in her about his devastation at his mother’s sudden illness and death, a thing, she was sure, he didn’t speak of with others. And the more she learned about him, the man he’d grown up to be, the more she’d fallen in love with him.

Of course, she, being the fat one in her family, never thought for a second that he could ever think of her in any romantic way.

She stopped walking and thrust her hand out in front of her. The ring sparkled, even in the dim light, and the fit was perfect. He must have done some sleuthing to get it just right. The thought of him planning for weeks such a romantic proposal gave her a giddy feeling in her chest. He loved her! Oh, he hadn’t said the words—he wasn’t the sort, she knew. So many men weren’t. At least that’s what she’d read in loads of women’s magazines. But she hoped that one day, somehow, she’d finally get him to say them aloud.

She started to walk again, and then it became a jog, and then a full-out run, which wasn’t easy in her floral print slim lined dress. She couldn’t wait to tell her stepmother and half-sister! Wouldn’t their jaws drop to the floor! Not only had she managed to pull their family back into the financial realm they’d been in before her father’s imprisonment, but, she, Delilah Perrault, had snagged the one perfect prospect her stepmother had pegged to be her skinny, beautiful half-sister’s future husband.

* * *

Chas hung up the phone. Relief washed over him. The creditors were going to give him until a week from this coming Monday to wire them the money now that he had access to some funds.

He sat back and gnawed on a piece of dead skin next to his fingernail. Okay, asking Delilah to marry him hadn’t been the noblest way to deal with his dilemma. But he’d been desperate. He’d briefly thought of simply asking her for the money, but he’d quickly nixed it. He needed this all kept under wraps, and keeping her in the dark about it while he ‘borrowed’ some of her money—just long enough to swing things back in his favor—seemed the best plan of action.

His already burning stomach twisted into a knot and he popped several antacids into his mouth. Okay. He admitted it. He’d taken advantage of a sweet girl who had a crush on him so that he could keep the hounds at bay a little longer—and get hold of those funds he needed.

He’d pay her back. With interest. And heck, he just might go through with the marriage, too. If she really wanted him. He liked her a lot. She was a good friend. And easy to talk to. Most times, made him feel calm and settled inside. His stomach hardly ever gave him grief when he was with her. That was something, wasn’t it?

She was pretty, too. Electric blue eyes, dark silky hair, long limbs, but soft and curvy. At five-eight, she was just right for his own six-three height.

And, dear God, that kiss they’d shared! It had sent shock waves all the way through him. No, it wouldn’t be such a bad match. Not such a bad match at all.

Except, he needed her to be on his arm over the next few months while he proved to his creditors that he was a responsible sort—they could trust him with their money. So, he’d best spend a little less time at the office and spend some real time with her. Not in bed, of course. He wouldn’t be that much of a bastard. Once he’d paid back the money, then yes. After that kiss—hell yes. But not until then.

His gaze dropped to the ring box on his desk. Good thing his last fiancée—the fourth to be exact—had over-nighted that ring to his office eight months ago. It had come in handy.

* * *

Author Bio:

K.E. Saxon is a third-generation Texan and has been a lover of romance fiction since her first (sneaked) read of her older sister's copy of "The Flame and the Flower" by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. She is a member of the West Houston Chapter of Romance Writer's of America and is a devoted subscriber to the Romance Divas online forum. She has two cats, a 24-year-old cockatiel, a funny, supportive husband, and a garden that's been fried by the recent drought. When she isn't in her writer's cave writing, you can find her puttering in her organic vegetable garden or in her kitchen trying out a new recipe. An animal (and bug) lover since before she could speak, she made pets of all kinds of critters when she was a kid growing up. Her mother even swears that she made a pet of a cockroach one time (but K.E. doesn't believe her). She likes to write funny, sexy romances.

Website: http://www.kesaxon.com

Blog: http://www.kesaxon.com/blog.html

Twitter: @KESaxonAuthor

FB: http://on.fb.me/nqScVw

Interview and giveaway with Lexus Luke

Today we meet Lexus Luke, author of Manitou The Sky People Saga.

Let’s jump right in.

Lexus, when did you start writing? Writing has been a constant in my life. I’ve done it since elementary school and made a career of it as a TV writer-producer and now writer-editor for a magazine.

How long does it usually take you to write a book? Since I have a day job, it can take any where from three to
six months to write a first draft, then another month or two for editing and finally getting and incorporating beta reader feedback. By the way, I’m always looking for beta readers, so if any of your readers are interested please have them contact me.

What inspired you to write this book? Manitou The Sky People Saga was inspired by Manitou Springs and Garden of the Gods – two landmarks near my home that just invite one’s creativity to run amok. My imagination went crazy inventing lure and legends as well as incorporating true facts. Much of the details about Ute Indians, for example, are true.

What kind of research did you have to do? Since I live nearby, it was pretty easy to hop in the car and be on site within minutes. And I did that often for inspiration. Research on Ute Indians was done online and with history books purchased locally.

Who designed cover? I designed the cover that incorporates art by Sabrina C. Kleis, an artist I found on deviantART

What is your next project? Theoi, book two in the Sky People Saga, and I can’t wait to share it with readers – many of whom have emailed me asking when the next book will be out.

A typical day in your life would look like . . . I typically get up at 4:30 a.m. to write before work. My day job begins at 7:30 a.m. There is a library upstairs from my office, so I try to take my lunch hours there as often as possible for some quiet writing. After work, my brain is usually fried and good creative writing isn’t possible then. That’s when I do a little marketing – like contacting book bloggers :) and surfing social media. The last hour before bed, I like to read or knit.

What is the hardest thing about being an author? Having to have a day job is the hardest part for me right now. Not that I don’t like my day job. If I have to have a day job – and I do, it’s a great one to have. It’s just frustrating when I want to work on my fiction and can’t.

Do you hear from your readers much?  What do they say? I do. My readers have been especially communicative – which I love. It’s tremendously satisfying when readers get you and your work. When they talk about your characters as though they’re real people, that is an even more amazing experience.

Who are some of the authors that inspire you? I love, love, love a genre I’ve dubbed science fantasy. I adore classics by C.S. Lewis, Madeleine L’Engle, J.R.R. Tolkien, etc. and also contemporary writers like J.K. Rowling and Suzanne Collins.

What is in your own TBR pile? I’ve got a stack of indie books right now. I’ve already read The Trylle Triology by Amanda Hocking. Next on my to-read list are:
Big Dragons Don’t Cry by C.M. Barrett
Megan’s Way by Melissa Foster
The Venom of Vipers by K.C. May
The Practice Date by Victorine Lieske
If You Go Into The Woods by David Gaughran.

All those have to wait, of course, because I don’t like to read fiction when I’m knee deep in writing a novel myself.
 



Blurb: When her adoptive parents were murdered a year ago, fifteen-year-old Wray Sky moved home to Manitou Springs, Colorado to live with her Ute Indian great-grandmother. Wray’s faith in all that is logical gets rocked to the core by bones that never die, her sudden mind bending abilities and the realization that her parents' murder may not have been as random as everyone thought.
With support from sweetheart, Kanaan, and best friend, Amaya, Wray faces danger from unknown sources and ultimately discovers that she isn’t who, or what, she thinks she is.



 Bio:
Born in a U.S. Army hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, Lexus Luke grew up a military brat.
After graduating first in her class from the School of Journalism at the University of Colorado in in Boulder, she worked as a producer at TV stations in Omaha, Denver and Colorado Springs.
Penning an award-winning screenplay was her first foray into the world of fiction. Her debut novel, Manitou The Sky People Saga, is a young adult fantasy garnering positive reviews from readers.
A cat lover, and avid knitter and crocheter, she lives, with her husband, in beautiful, story-inspiring Colorado.
Links: If you have them, please feel free to use your Amazon and BN.com affiliate links to the book. Otherwise:


Amazon: http://amzn.to/pTq6L5

BN.com: http://bit.ly/oWNcem

www.lexusluke.com

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

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lexus-Luke/160471924010777

I am so happy that Lexus have offered a free eCopy of her book.  Leave a comment saying hi to Lexus and don’t forget to leave you contact details. 
The winner will be notified when the giveaway closes on 01 December 2011.

Author interview and giveaway with Kate Bowyer

Kate is the author of Isolation, the first in The Lost Angel series.

Here is what the blurb says:

Goodreads blurb: When Christian's grandmother begs a demon to take away her suffering and let her die, she unknowingly puts the life of her grandson in danger.
Soon after her death, terrible accidents start to happen around Christian and the unexplained bumps in the night now happen in the full glare of the day with real consequences. These paranormal activities send his father to the local tavern every night and his mother to the mental ward.
Things outside of home are just as bad, for at school he's known as the freak with all the kids and teachers afraid of him. Christian's only companions are his Guardian Angel and a demon, but they're after just one thing.........his soul.
As he gets older his only thought is to escape these two powerful beings and to lead a normal life, but he can't do it alone. Then at one of his lowest points, Ariel walks into his life and gives him hope for the future.
The demon, not willing to give up the boys soul, plays out his final act leading Christian into a no win situation with someone he should have been able to trust the most.

Sounds like a must read!  

Let’s get to know Kate a little better.

Kate, when did you start writing? Technically my first book was done in second grade. My book was about a dog, I did all of the drawings, and it was horrible. My mother got my older sister to “help me” and I remember that she went through and put a bunch of “he said” and “she said” into my masterpiece, which I thought made the story terrible. I didn't start writing again until college.

What inspired you to write this book? I knew two things right away, I was looking to write a scary story and I wanted to write one with a Guardian Angel in it. But I also had this thought sitting in my head, why do bad things happen to good people? With those three things I came up with Isolation.

Did you listen to any music while writing your book? Most days I needed just good old fashioned quiet to write, but there were a few times that I went into Pandora and put on Gregorian Chants. If you read the book I bet you'll get a hankering for them also.

What kind of research did you have to do? I did a lot of research into both angels and demons; what people's beliefs are in them, and what their stories were in the bible. I also researched names for the main characters and some things about the Catholic church.


What is your next project? I'm currently writing book 2 in The Lost Angel Trilogy. After this series I already have plans for a dystopian book that I'll be diving into. I've actually had that idea for much longer than my current project.

What is the hardest thing about being an author? For me it's wanting to please everyone. I want every reader to enjoy themselves with my book. I'm a big reader and I know the sinking feeling I get when a book I'm reading just doesn't deliver like I want it to.

Do you hear from your readers much? What do they say? I've heard from some readers and it's very exciting for me. The most common things I hear is that they really liked the story, they thought the characters were strong, and they loved all the twists in it, especially how shocking the ending is.

What is in your own TBR pile? And do you read very much? My Goodreads TBR list is fairly large, but a few of the titles are, “The Maze Runner” by James Dashner, “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger and “The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb” by Melanie Benjamin.
I've been a big reader since 4^th grade. I remember how magical it felt to go to the school's library and pick out a book that would whisk me far away. I even had an imaginary place where I'd always read. It was inspired by the “Secret Garden” and it was a cabin in the woods where all day long it drizzled outside while I'm inside next to a fire just reading and reading.

Where do you like to hang out when your on the web? That's easy I love twitter, there are just so many interesting people on it and I love the instant connections. I also love to hang out on Goodreads, I mean a place where people can chat about books all day long is just for me.


Author Bio: KATE BOWYER is a wife and mother who has written and published short stories, with Isolation: A Cursed Soul being her first full length novel. She lives with her family and two dogs in Idaho where she takes her inspiration from the haunted house she calls home, classic old time Hollywood horror movies and the attic that she sits and writes in.

Links
My website: http://katebowyer.com
Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/Isolation-Cursed-Angel-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B005HG6BGO/
Barnes&Noble Page: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/isolation-kate-bowyer/1104896843
International Sales: http://phibblebooks.com/isolation-a-cursed-soul-kate-bowyer.html

Kate is giveaway an eCopy of Isolation: A Cursed Soul to a lucky commenter. 

Just leave a message for Kate and I will draw a name on 29 November 2011.


Thank you so much for joining us today, Kate.  We wish you much success for the future.

Book Tour: THE DEMON SIDE by Heaven Liegh Eldeen

Guest post by Heaven Liegh Eldeen:  Women in Fiction
With the recent release of my novella, The Demon Side, I decided to do a little research into who is today’s reader. Spending hours upon hours speaking with friends, random folk at the library, and reading article after article pertaining to studies online, only one conclusion is clear. More women read than men, especially when it comes to the Fiction genre.

Now, I am sure we can think of a million and one reasons why this is; everything from the obvious differences of gender, to the theory men’s brains are more drawn to mathematical and scientific studies, whereas women tend to be the more literature and creative driven sex. No matter the reasoning, it doesn’t change the facts that women rule the book world.

With this new found knowledge, one question keeps popping up in my head…where are the real heroines at? And, no, I don’t mean bat girl. I mean really, what woman would waste three hours a night squeezing into that outfit before she’s off to fight the crime of Gotham City? I don’t believe for one minute any woman can do a round house kick in a pleather cat suit without pulling her groin. Trust me, I’ve tried. But that’s a story for a different day.

My personal opinion is, too many novels focus either on a five-foot-nine, hundred-thirty pound, overly attractive, mindless twit of a woman being the helpless damsel in distress, trusting the first guy she meets with her life, then she suddenly falls in love with her hero, or you find an unrealistic, six foot, hundred-twenty pound, ass kicking broad with an I.Q. far beyond that of Albert Einstein’s, who happens to have an arsenal of top secret military equipment in her underwear drawer next to her four hundred dollar Nancy Meyer thongs.

I’m not complaining, mind you. I love those novels. I am a sucker for super-secret feminist agents and the girl next door survivalist. But, where is the five-foot-five, hundred-sixty-nine pound housewife with three kids, who can swing a broom better than Babe Ruth or Reggie Jackson can swing a bat and knows that running up the stairs to get away from an ax murderer equals eminent death?

Where is the relatable, everyday woman we pass each day in the aisles of Wal-Mart? Why can’t she save the world with a blue light special shotgun and her knowledge of household chemicals? Would it be so bad if the first time she nabs herself a hottie, she forgot to shave and yet he still can’t help but to rub her legs up and down until he finally…well, you get the idea.

Truth be told, the reason we don’t find our super heroes and ultimate victims at the local thrift store is because too often, they remind us of our own realities. What woman wants to spend her hard earned money and few precious moments of free time reading about what may be herself? I definitely do not. I’m reminded enough of this when I walk past my kitchen and see the line of tourists waiting to catch a glimpse of my leaning tower of dishes in the sink.

We buy into these women because they offer us an alternate world, far from the daily charade of keeping up with our responsibilities. Throughout the chapters, we can choose who we wish to be, depending how the story unfolds. No longer are we the everyday woman rushing the kids off to school, racing to work, arguing about who is picking up Timmy from soccer practice and wondering why our underwear drawer is filled with chocolate and granny-panties instead of a laser sighted mini-gun.

One paragraph may beckon us to be the woman suffocating her perfect body in a under sized cat suit, when the paragraph after, demands we allow the true hero to take our hand and lead us into the burning building of unavoidable doom. And all it costs is a little of our time, faith in our imagination and a small cover charge.

 

The Demon Side:  Every kid has problems. Every kid has even more problems when they move to a new home. But when a kid with problems moves to a new home that has a Demon living inside it—look out!

Etta’s world is about to spin out of control when she encounters her new roommate—and Rahovart, that ancient trickster, is in for a few surprises too. So don’t mind all the crashing and rumbling; that’s just the normal noise Angels and Demons make when they’re fighting an epic war in the attic.

One thing’s for sure: Etta and Rahovart will have to go through Hell to Heaven and back again before that old Victorian home in Quantico Town finally quiets down…

A little bit about Heaven:
Heaven started her writing career two years ago after being challenged by a relative to write something different than the barrage of vampire novels on the market. With her ‘Oh, Yes I can!’ attitude, determination and support from her family, she completed her first novel The Demon Side, releasing this October. When she’s not kissing owies, climbing Mount Dishmore, or obsessing over her Facebook book page, you can find her at the computer revising or editing one of her five works in progress. Having lived in many states, she has now settled down in California with her husband, her son and a beta fish named Barry.

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Myspace / Publisher

Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer

We went to the midnight screening of Breaking Dawn Part I on Tuesday night (thank you Nella!).  Loved the movie – I think it is the best of the movies so far . . . and Breaking Dawn is my favourite of the series too.  I think the second part is going to be awesome!  Cannot wait for the year to pass.  :)



Watching the movie has put me in a Twilight-mood, so I am planning to re-read the series in December (I am thinking that it should be sooner!) and wondered if anyone would like to join me?  I just want to recapture the Twilight feeling a bit.  So any takers?

You can email me, or just leave a comment below.

Adding to my Wish List: Unison Spark by Andy Marino

 

This book is a bit of science fiction that has drawn me in.  I can’t wait till it is released . . . or when I can get my hands on a copy :)

Goodreads blurb:
Everyone is obsessed with Unison, the social network that knows you better than you know yourself. Everyone who can afford it, that is. Living beneath the vast ceiling that separates Eastern Seaboard City into rich topside and poor sub-canopy zones, fifteen-year-old Mistletoe can only dream of logging in and has to make do with technological hand-me-downs.
Worlds collide when Ambrose Truax, the privileged heir to the Unison empire, wanders into the dangerous sub-canopy streets and Mistletoe saves him from suspicious, uniformed men. They soon discover that they share eerily similar dreams, hinting at a significant past.
Together, Ambrose and Mistletoe begin to unravel the mystery of their identities and learn that they’re pawns in a bigger game: the Unison 3.0 upgrade, a whole new kind of Friendship.

Author interview with Andrea Dean Van Scoyoc

Andrea is our guest author today.  She is the creator of Dante’s Diary.
Here is the Goodreads blurb: Ivana Morriander has lived life to its fullest. She has seen and done things that most people could only imagine doing. To the unsuspecting person she is beautiful, smart and taking each day by the hand to enjoy all it has to offer.
But, "life," when describing Ivana, is an interesting oxymoron; Ivana is not alive and hasn't been for a very long time. A woman with everything, she freely mingles with humans - as one of them - and enjoys their company, preferring to leave what she is and the baleful tale of how she came to be, within the pages of her beloved diary.
One of the few humans to know what Ivana actually is, Dante Compegna, her best friend, chronicles this amazing woman's journey through life, in the form of matching diary entries, based on Ivana's own records. It is within those pages that he learns the true secret of his friend's existence ... and the real story of the oftentimes sad and lonely tragedy of what it means to be one of the living dead ... But it is within those same pages that he is suddenly privy to a mind-numbing discovery and the shocking truth about himself and his family when he realizes that meeting Ivana may not have simply been coincidence ... after all!

Andrea, tell us a little about yourself. When did you start writing?
I have been crafting stories since I was a small child. In my little world, I travelled to lands far and away and everywhere in between.
Being a storyteller is just natural to me. I guess becoming an author was simply the next logical step.

Does your family support you in your writing?
Oh yes, although I make suggestions to my parents of what and what not to read. Ha ha.
My husband wasn’t always so sure I’d have an audience (how many women write some of the twisted and sadistically sick things I have?) but he’s proud of me.

How long does it usually take you to write a book?
It used to take me up to two years and I’d work on three books at a time. Now I can hammer out a book in about a month.

What would be able to distract you from your goal?
Moving to the Cotswolds and into my dream cottage. Nothing short of that. ;)

What inspired you to write this book?
Nothing inspires me to write. It’s just natural for me.
Now…some of my short stories, weird things inspire me at times…but not my novels. I write just because that’s what I do.

What kind of research did you have to do?
I’ve had to do loads of research over the years. Many of my novels have a historical base to them, so I have to make sure of locales (what they were named 8 or 900 years ago) and even more specific research for locales, what kind of clothes people used to wear during a certain era, what they were made of, etc.
This is especially prevalent in my pirate series, The Grounds of Nachmasheeghan. I had to do a LOAD of research for that book because it starts in 1756 Scotland.

Who designed cover?
I do most of my own covers. You gotta love istockphoto.com, but for my Dante’s Diary Vampire series, being as I have newly signed with Helm Publishing, Dianne is going to handle the new cover design for Dante’s Diary and the next two books in the series, The Lost Memories of Ivana Morriander – Vampire and The Estate of Barren Hill – Pennings By Ivana Morriander – Vampire.
There are other “diaries” in negotiations, as well, so just subscribe – by e-mail – to my blog on my website so you don’t miss news.

What is your next project?
Well, I just finished up book 3 of the Dante’s Diary Vampire series and my writing partner, Yvonne Mason and I have just finished up the only comedy series I’ve ever written, book 2 of When Fates Collide – Mardi Gras Bound.
Just awaiting the proof and once we have it, it’ll be on the market in no time, joining book 1, When Fates Collide – A Morgan and Harrington Mystery.

A typical day in your life would be . . .
Writing, working full time, juggling submissions for my VERY busy magazine, running my topsite and working with my publicist.

What is the hardest thing about being an author?Networking and being recognized as a professional. The world of writing is awash with people who think they can write (when they really can’t) and those who think everything should be handed to them with no work on their part.
It’s a monumental task for the pros in the business who are looking to network, to weed through all the slackers to reach the fellow pros.
Just myself, I constantly run into people who have no clue what it means to seriously network and that really gets infuriating.

Do you hear from your readers much? What do they say?
I hear from them all the time and I get everything from, “You’re the best author on the planet, why aren’t you in the news like the others and have all the fame they do?” to, “You’re a sick freak and should be locked up.”
Ha ha!

Wow, that is a harsh commenter!! LoL

Who are some of the authors that inspire you?
No authors inspire me. I can’t stand the thought of my work being compared to anyone else’s and prefer stand on my own…though the comparisons have happened…especially when I first blazed onto the scene six years ago and took it by storm.
It’s not that I don’t like the authors I have been compared to, it’s not that – at all – but there is too much of the same thing already drowning the market…the same story, just different names and locations, etc and I want to offer something different.

What is in your own TBR pile?
Nothing now. I’m caught up…finally! Whew!!!

Wow, you are the first person that could say that – I don’t think I will EVER catch up with my TBR pile.

Author bio:
Critically Acclaimed Best Selling Horror Sinisteria Author of "The Two"...Winner of the 2005 Preditors and Editors Horror Novel of The Year For "A Man of Two Worlds"...2006 Second Place Finisher in the E Readers Poll for "Michael"...2007 3rd Place Finisher E Polls Author of The Year Owner of Twisted Dreams and Worlds Within Worlds Beyond Magazines.


Thank you for visiting with us today, Andrea.  Good luck for your future writings!

Book Tour: Dreams and Curses by Jacqueline Paige

More than just a cover (Guest post by Jacqueline)
I love book covers, it’s one of my favorite steps to seeing one of my books published.

For me it all becomes real when the artist takes the picture out of my head, makes it better and turns it into a cover.

It was like that with the covers for Dreams and Curses. For the first one I saw these pictures that I thought would be great to blend together for the cover of Dreams – of course my skill level in that area is somewhere in the negatives :) so I sent them to Jared over at Off The Wall Creations (who also happens to be my son … I did not get my covers for free! *sigh*) and he was able to take those pictures and make a beautiful cover, way beyond what I had pictured in my head.

When it came to the cover for Curses, it was more than just a book cover. The photo (which I’ll send along) on the back cover was taken by my hubby on one of our few three day escapes up north to hide in a cabin by a lake.

The second story in Curses – This Ring actually stemmed from this photo on one of our trips last year.

The pictures from this trip were breathtaking and I just knew I had to do something to share the way he was able to catch that mist rolling out on the lake in the early morning – so I sent about ten of them to my son and the cover he came up with is way, way beyond anything I could have thought of.

I guess you could say Curses is a family project. The words inside are mine, the photo’s are my hubby’s and my son was able to blend them all together with a breathtaking cover.

You can bet I give my husband the camera every time we go anywhere now!

Blurb IN OUR DREAM:
Jennah Best left the adrenaline packed life of being a cop on the edge for a more peaceful place. She escaped a marriage that almost destroyed her and now lives her life working for a small police station in the town of Ridge. At her age, she’s accepted that it’s too late and too much work to start all over again, until she meets a man in a dream...

While young, Dominic Palmer has always proven he can get the job done.  Or at least, that was the case before he accepted a job and agreed to go undercover as an inmate. When months go by and there’s no word from his outside contact he wonders if he’s been left on the inside for good. He’s fighting to stay alive and keep his sanity, but finds himself completely distracted by a mysterious woman he met in a dream...

Blurb for Behind the Mask

In a fit of temper, Gracelyn’s only sister curses her so she’s forgotten the moment anyone turns away from her. Only one thing, at an exact moment, can break the curse. After years of failed attempts, she is forced to accept living her life completely alone. Her world becomes calm and predictable —until one Halloween night … one costume party … and one masquerading man change everything.

 

About the Author:

Jacqueline Paige is a world class multi-tasker being a mother to five adventurous and unpredictable children, a cafe manager and having a colossal imagination that allows her to step outside of reality into a world of paranormal romance —with just a touch of suspense.

Jacqueline lives in Ontario, Canada and avoids the ever changing weather of the region she lives in by creating other worlds to fall into in her stories of all things paranormal.

Her first book was published in 2009 and since then has published ten. She is always writing and currently has more than a dozen stories in one stage or another of the writing process.

You can find all of Jacqueline’s books at: www.jacqpaige.webs.com

Jacqueline is giving away 1 signed copy (winner’s choice Dreams or Curses) from whole tour and one pdf per week (winner’s choice) from all stops.

To enter please fill out the form – click on the link below.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFNEYVl3bGNEOE1SZ0dPalcxZFVNdmc6MQ

Receive a bonus entry for leaving a comment on the post where you entered.

Adding to my Wish List (24): Reasons to be Happy by Katrina Kittle

I saw this in a giveaway on Book Hounds blog and it sounded so cute that I knew I wanted to read it!

Goodreads says:
REASONS TO BE HAPPY
21. Cat purr vibrating through your skin
22. Jumping on a trampoline in the rain
23. Raw cookie dough
24. Getting yourself all freaked out after a scary movie
25. Dancing like an idiot when no one is watching

What happened to the girl who wrote those things? I miss that girl. She used to be bold and fun. Now she's a big chicken loser.

How could so much change so fast?

Let's see, you could be the plain Jane daughter of two gorgeous famous people, move to a new school, have no real friends, and your mom could get sick, and, oh yeah, you could have the most embarrassing secret in the world.

Yep, that about does it.

So, the real question is, how do I get that girl back?

Hannah's parents are glamorous Hollywood royalty, and sometimes she feels like the ugly duckling in a family of swans. After her mother's tragic death, Hannah's grief is compounded by her desperate need to live up to her mother's image. She tries to control her weight through Bulimia, and her devastated father is too distracted to notice. The secret of her eating disorder weighs heavily on Hannah, but the new eighth grade Beverly Hills clique she's befriended only reinforces her desire to be beautiful. The only one who seems to notice, or care, that something is wrong is Jasper, the quirky mistfit.