Sky Purington's Blog, page 41

Love A Great Romantic Comedy? Dudes Down Under by Suzannah Burke.

Today I'll be interviewing, Suzannah Burke, author of Dudes Down Under (Dudes Series- Book One), a romantic comedy published by Taylor Street Books.

*Be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win a digital copy of Dudes Down Under! Don't forget to leave your email addy. Contest ends Sunday, October 21st, 6 PM EST.*
ISBN: 1475220715
ASIN:  B007VIWXF4
Number of pages: 286
Word Count: 90,000Amazon
 Book Description Dudes Down Under, the most luxurious resort ever built. It sits on a privately owned Island on the Great Barrier Reef, off the northernmost region of Australia.

No cell-phones, no computers, no paparrazi.

The Menu: The world’s most famous talk show hostess and the owner of the island sign a deal, the result; Hollywood's 'A' listers all vying for a chance to be the first guests.

The Method:
They pay half a million dollars for the privilege of being randomly chosen from a barrel of names on her programme.

The Ingredients:

The winners, include Hollywood’s foremost golden couple.  His very unforgiving ex-wife. 

The young hotel heiress with a habit of driving whilst drunk and little else to commend her.  Blend in a couple of famous expatriate actors

Add the tower owning king of power with an unfortunate hairstyle and attitude.

The television hostess and her film crew.

Add to the mixture:

The most politically incorrect bunch of Australian staff you are likely to meet, anywhere.

The dessert:

Cyril, who has impeccable dress sense, adores Al Pacino and Marlon Brando, drinks to excess, and has a fascinating attitude about well—everything! Well ... yes--he is a Crocodile, but he's family.
Blend the ingredients carefully then stand well back!

'Dudes Down Under' is waiting for you to arrive. Interview SKY:   What inspired you to write this book?
SUZANNAH:   This work is a romantic/comedy, as far from my previously published works as it gets. That’s exactly what caused Dudes Down Under to evolve. I needed to escape from the painful memories associated with writing my biography (Empty Chairs written under my pen name of Stacey Danson). I came up with the idea of creating a place where the fabulously rich and famous folks could really escape. I’d often wondered about the tragedy of the late Princess Diana and my thoughts drifted to what may have happened differently if she had had a place where she could just be herself, relax, and not have to worry about the constant intrusion of the paparrazi …the relentless glare of that ever present spotlight. So … Dudes Down Under which is the name of the resort evolved from that. I created a fictional paradise island where the Hollywood A listers and other very public figures could holiday without publicity … cell phones or intrusion.
SKY:   How did you come up with the title?
SUZANNAH:   The title is the name I came up with for the resort. Dudes … well that part is easy enough. Down Under…yeah, I’m an Australian and that is exaxtly where I have set the novel.
SKY:   What made you choose the main setting for your book?
SUZANNAH:   I had the great good fortune to have spent many years living in the tropical north of Australia. The islands of the Great Barrier Reef were my backyard for a long time. They are truly amongst the most beautiful places on the planet. I have travelled widely and have seen many glorious places, but nothing comes near the serenity and beauty of these islands in my estimation … but then…I’m an Aussie, I could be slightly biased…lol.
SKY:   Tell us about your favorite writing environment. Is it indoors, outdoors, a special room, etc.
SUZANNAH:   I wrote Dudes Down Under when I was living in a small seaside village. I had ocean views from one large window where my desk was set up, and the quieter views of a lake behind me. Water has always held me captive. It calms me and inspires me. I now live in the city which has its own attractions and have a quiet space in a sunlit room where I currently work.
SKY:   How long have you been writing? How long have you been published?
SUZANNAH:   I have been writing for many years now and it was initially for my own pleasure and a release for me. I was so very delighted to have had my work acknowledged and then published by Taylor Street publishing. My first book (Empty Chairs) came out in January 2011.
SKY:   What genre/genres do you prefer to write? Are there other genres you’d like to write in the future?
SUZANNAH:   You know it’s an odd thing, I haven’t yet decided what genre I prefer. I have written non-fiction. Romance and comedy…yet my latest book due out next year is a Political/psychological thriller and I’m currently working on a murder mystery. I love the challenge of attempting and mastering new ways of writing, and the psychological thriller so far was the most exhausting genre, and perhaps the most satisfying.
SKY:   Do you prefer to write short stories, novellas or novels? Why?
SUZANNAH:   I prefer writing novels. I love the challenge of creating a story complete or perhaps left open for a sequel. The novel allows me to have such a free reign in the development of the characters and their interactions with each other. I get to see my creations evolve over the course of the novel, I have the luxury of the length of the novel form to allow them to change and to create circumstances that can force them to adapt over time.
SKY:   Thanks so much for joining me today, Suzannah. Wishing you much success in your writing career!
  Excerpt
Lucy shook back her waist length hair; it clung in wet strands to her olive-skinned shoulders as she emerged from the lagoon.  This was her island, her home. Twenty-four hours from now people ready to criticize and find fault with everything and anything would invade it.  Her stomach clenched in a tight knot.  Nerves were her biggest enemy. They often blew the hell out of her attempts to present herself as cool, collected, and unaffected.  Well, daddy, wherever you are…this is it. I have done what I promised you I would do.  I’ve built it.  It’s real daddy, I can see it from here.  I wish you could see it. Can you?  I hope so. It was your dream and mine, I hope to hell it works. She gave herself a quick brush down, gently flicking the silver sand onto the pathway leading through the rainforest to her private dwelling. Tomorrow was D Day…Dudes Day.  Today was the last chance to change anything.  Lucy looked out from her wide verandah at the sparkling newness of the resort.
Dudes down Under  curved around the lagoon seeming to blend into the crystal water. The separate bungalows at varying levels half hidden from view by the rain forest nestled around them. It was her baby, her pride in it a tangible thing. She had poured her heart and her entire inheritance into her dream, her father’s dream. Daddy was gone, their dream resort was here, real at last and waiting.Every bungalow was individually created to reflect a part of her Australia. The Great Barrier Reef lent itself to every imaginable color combination. The feeling of being in the water  heightened by the floor to ceiling aquariums in every bungalow, leading through corridors of terrariums  and out to a private pool and spa ceilinged with rain forest vines, and a glass archway that could be soundlessly closed over by remote control.  The pool in each began inside the lower level of the bungalow, the guests could swim from the wet bar area inside and arrive outside without leaving the water. Surround sound systems unobtrusively allowed music of the guests choice to be played in any of the 8 rooms decorated to the absolute comfort of any individual.  Quality not quantity was apparent in every room. Furnishings lovingly hand crafted by the best of the best…every accessory original and exquisite.
Lucy hugged herself and smiled as the memory of her father and his laughter at her youthful exuberance invaded again. This dream had begun with him. She had been raised with his vision of a classic place where people could come and find nirvana…piece of mind in absolute luxury.  Each bungalow was unique. Beautiful stationery lay on the desks inside the library off the master bedroom. Handwritten letters replacing the urgency of email. Time was in abundance here. The urgency of the world outside would disappear for the duration of the stay. Lucy took a last glance down at ‘Dudes’.   She dressed in a white cotton sarong, wound her ebony mass of hair into a chignon, and headed down to the main reception area.   About the Author
Authors are meant to enjoy talking about themselves, right? Wrong! It is so difficult to blow your own trumpet without sounding big-headed or apologetic or both at once … “I do apologize for sounding big-headed.” You get my drift? I can do this straight up or in my normal (Occasionally) manner.

So here we go…I have had the privilege of having 3 books published by Taylor Street Publishing. Books one and two are biographical and written under my pen name of Stacey Danson. ‘Empty Chairs’ and its sequel ‘Faint Echoes of Laughter’ have been well received and for that I will always be so very grateful. They are difficult books to read, dealing as they do with the explosive topic of Child abuse in its most horrific of forms. When I was writing Empty Chairs I badly needed a release of some sort; somewhere I could focus my mind apart from the memories I had to relive. ‘Dudes Down Under’ is the result.

The book is Romantic and dare I say it very funny in an over the top, off the wall, ‘what the hell did she just say?’ way. The characters I loved writing. They became my friends. They gave me an avenue to explore strong women, vulnerable men, and love with all its faults and foibles. They also allowed me to explore comedic writing to its fullest extent.

Reviewers tell me they cried laughing at the comedy … and at times simply cried. I have a sequel (Dudes Does Hollywood) in the planning stages.

I have also recently completed a psychological thriller…phew! Challenges are something I never avoid. Only time will tell if my exploration of different genres will be successful.

http://twitter.com/pursoot
http://sooozsaysstuff.blogspot.com/ 
www.amazon.com/Suzannah-Burke/e/B007WHBWZQ

*Don't forget to comment for a chance to win a digital copy of Dudes Down Under! Be sure to leave your email addy. Contest ends Sunday, October 21st, 6 PM EST.*

Find Love When You're Least Expecting It. The Witches Dream by Victoria Danann.

 Today I'll be interviewing, Victoria Danann, author of The Witch's Dream (The Order of the Black Swan- Book Two), a paranormal romance published with 7th House. ***ATTENTION: Victoria is having a Release Day Party on Facebook  for The Witch’s Dream. There will be discounts for ebook purchases and info on how to win a gorgeous “World of Black Swan” mousepad. (seen below) ***   My Familiar Stranger (The Order of the Black Swan- Book One)Date of Publication: April 21, 2012ISBN: 978-1-933320-49-6ASIN: B007V8RAKWNumber of pages: (estimated 370)Word Count: 111,268Purchase Links: Amazon   Smashwords BOOK TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/embed/wIDjWBWHg2k
  Book Description Minutes ahead of inevitable assassination, Elora Laiken is forcibly transported to an alternate dimension similar, but not identical, to her own. She is stranded. Alone. Far from home. A stranger in a "strangish" land.

Of course a girl could suffer worse problems than having gorgeous suitors. Perhaps more importantly, in the midst of an epidemic of vampire related abductions, can she stay alive long enough to choose between an honor debt, true love, or the breathlessness of single-minded passion?

My Familiar Stranger is a full length, stand alone, Paranormal Romance novel that also sets up the foundation for the Black Swan series. It is loved by fans of paranormal romance, fantasy romance, and urban fantasy.

Erotica quotient: A few steamy scenes. No menage. No BDSM.

The Witch’s Dream By Victoria Danann (The Order of the Black Swan- Book Two) Genre: Paranormal Romance / Paranormal Adult Fantasy / Urban FantasyPublisher: 7th HouseDate of Publication: October 14, 2012ISBN: 978-1-933320-56-4ASIN: not yet assignedPages: 260 (5×7 book)Word Count: 97,000
 Purchase Links: Amazon    Smashwords BOOK TRAILER: completed and will be released October 1st
  Book Description
He was left behind when Elora Laiken made her choice. Now he’s had it with love, but a transplanted witch who happens to be the world’s best tracker hopes she can change his mind.

The Witch’s Dream begins with B Team on loan for temporary assignment to Black Swan headquarters in Edinburgh where they are supposed to fill in for stretched-thin resources and assist with a werewolf issue. They’ve been given permission to stop in Ireland for a few days and help Ram and Elora celebrate their handfasting at the palace in Derry.

When they reach Edinburgh, the afterglow of an elftale wedding quickly turns all business. A simple werewolf sanction becomes a diplomatic issue requiring the one thing Elora doesn’t have – finesse. A missing person report turns into a demon abduction. From New York to Ireland to Edinburgh to Siena to the Texas Hill Country to Napa Valley. From promises to rages to hunts to epiphanies.

This is a story that proves that love can find you when you’re least expecting it – even when you’re far, far from home.

Erotic quotient: A few steamy scenes. No menage. No BDSM.

Interview SKY:   What inspired you to write this book?

VICTORIA:   The Witch's Dream is the second book of a series called The Order of the Black Swan. It's a true serial in the sense that each new book picks up where the last ended. So this book was inspired by the first, My Familiar Stranger. You could say that, book by book, I'm creating a saga. Reading in order is highly recommended.

SKY:   If you could spend an hour in real life with one of your characters, who would it be and why?

VICTORIA:   I don't think it will come as a surprise to anyone who has read these first two books that I'm totally in love with my character, Rammel Hawking. I did an interview with him for Characterfest in which he took me to task for all I've put him through. I came away from that experience feeling like I had spent an hour with him.

SKY:   Tell us a little bit about the conflict in your story.

VICTORIA:   The first book left one of my heroes heartbroken and with his confidence destroyed where women are concerned. In this book he is aggressively pursued by a witch who is perfect for him, but his hurt is too new for him to let his guard down and give her a chance.

SKY:   Tell us about your book cover and how it relates to your story.

VICTORIA:   I do my own ads, book covers, and book trailers. I like to include elements of the story. This book begins at a handfasting in a palace in Ireland. One of the surprises in store for readers is that the gorgeous guy on the cover is not the love interest. You'll have to read it to find out who he is.
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SKY:   Are you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details.

VICTORIA:   Book Three, The Summoner's Tale, is dues to release on Valentines' Day. The cover and description are on my website in the Black Swan Series section. But I will tell you this. The first book built the world, introduced the characters, and set up the story. The second book is pure romance. In fact I have informally subtitled it "a love letter to Paranormal Romance". In a sense, it's the second act of a three act play. The third book is a fasten-your-seatbelts sort of climactic ride with some of the resolution readers are begging for.

SKY:   Did you enjoy writing one scene above all the rest? If so, share.

VICTORIA:   Yes, the postscript. There is a fairytale theme throughout these books in the sense that I pay homage to the importance of these stories and their archetypes on our culture and subconscious approach to fantasy - in a very Jungian way. So, naturally, I must have a happily ever after ending. The postscript is also linked very closely with the music used in the book trailer. Truthfully, readers will get the most out of watching the book trailer AFTER reading the book.

SKY:   How long have you been writing? How long have you been published?

VICTORIA:   It's my opinion that, if you watch closely, children will show you who they are by the time they are eight-years-old. At that age, I could be found either singing /playing a musical instrument, designing evening gowns, or writing my version of Bobbsey Twins novels.

I did design evening wear for Pendragon for several years and was copied by the biggest name designers. I still see my designs in movies sometimes. I'm a utility player in a Classic Rock band which means I play keys, rhythm guitar, and sing back ups/some leads.

The answer to your question is in two parts. In a sense I started writing at eight. I showed a PNR manuscript to my spouse in my early twenties and, after hearing his comments, didn't write again for several decades. I didn't understand at the time that he is the exact opposite of my audience. He is not allowed to come anywhere near my writing now. My first book was Indie published the end of April and became an Amazon Best Seller within six weeks. 

SKY:   What genre/genres do you prefer to write? Are there other genres you’d like to write in the future?

VICTORIA:   Paranormal Romance.  Old enough to know not to say never, but I have no interest in anything else at this time.

SKY: Thanks for joining me, Victoria. Wishing you much success!



 Excerpt from The Witch’s Dream She could see from records that Storm had been in trouble at school from the first day of first grade. Like a lot of the knights, he was too smart to be suited for the public school curriculum and the system isn’t set up to cater to individuals. Also, most adults have a really hard time liking children who are smarter than they are.

He seemed to have been born knowing things, like math for instance. His mind would grab on to a concept on first presentation and then, while his classmates struggled, he would be looking around for something to do. That something usually ended up being disruption.

Storm was loved by his parents, but school faculty was another story. He had a reputation with the teachers for instigating pandemonium in the classroom. He was the triple threat: smart, bored, and a natural leader. It wasn’t that he was a class clown, nothing so obvious or exaggerated. He just quietly went about doing whatever the hell he pleased and ignoring objections. In short, no one in his life to that point had given him adequate reason to believe that anarchy was not the best policy.

Peers wanted to be like him. If that wasn’t possible, they would settle for doing whatever he was doing. So Storm’s experience of the public school system was time spent in the hallway, the principal’s office, or in trouble at home with his parents agonizing over what to do.

At one point they thought sports might be the answer. He had an extra helping of athletic talent and one of those bodies that would have said yes to any physical demand. Unfortunately he never saw the point. To him sports represented an endless, mindless, repetition with some arbitrarily established goal that made no sense when he broke it down and it turned out to be… well, boring. Put it all together and he was a public school educator’s nightmare. He was also a textbook ideal candidate for Black Swan.

One day he was sent to the Vice Principal’s office under protest claiming that, for once, he wasn’t doing anything wrong. He sat down in his usual chair to wait for the usual carpet ride, but, instead, the door opened to reveal too many people crowded into a smallish room. That included the V.P., Storm’s parents and a tall, serious-looking guy with a piercing gaze and an unmistakable air of authority. Storm sat up straight and had only one thought. Uh oh.

The stranger wore slacks, highly polished loafers, and a sports coat.  He guessed the man was old, thirty-five maybe, but he looked hard all over like one of those athletes who can’t repeat enough Iron Man triathlons to please themselves.

Engel Storm’s father worked for the Randolph Moldavni vineyards as head winemaker. The work was personally fulfilling and he wasn’t chained to a desk in a cubicle, but it didn’t cut a path to either greatness or riches. His mother worked part time as library receptionist at the local branch of the University of California. Between the two they made enough to take care of three kids in solid middle class fashion. They could eat steak, but not every day. They had good health insurance with the vineyard. They could take a summer vacation if they drove and stayed in motels. It was an upbringing no child should complain about, but most do anyhow.

Storm’s background hadn’t afforded an education on the finer points of better men’s’ clothing, but even to an untrained eye there was a vague sense that the stranger’s style was expensive.

“Have a seat, son.” Vice Principal Rodgers motioned to an ugly metal chair with green leatherette seat and back. Storm noticed that there was a small tear in the seat that showed a little white stuffing. His mind was racing, partially occupied with the fact that Rodgers had called him “son”. He decided that meant he was in even bigger trouble than he thought, but, on the other hand, his parents looked serious, but not mad. The tall guy leaned against an old book case and looked really, really out of place against the backdrop of venetian blinds that were partly bent and a room that needed repainting.
Mr. Rodgers, better known to the student body as “Tums” as it was said his tummy entered a room five minutes before the rest of him, sat down with a plop that forced air out of the vinyl cushion seat. Another boy his age might have had to suppress a snicker, but Storm sometimes seemed more like an adult than a kid.

Author Bio
For the past thirteen years, Victoria has illustrated and authored Seasons of the Witch calendars and planners.

Though works of fiction are a departure for her, she has had this series simmering on the back burner of her mind for years. In addition to authoring and illustrating Seasons of the Witch, she plays rock music and manages one of Houston's premier R&B/Variety/Pop bands.

This series will include some of my actual experience in the paranormal with fictionalized anecdotes from my journals during the years when I was a practicing "metaphysician", but most of the material is fantasy.

Visit Victoria's Website ~ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

A Going Under Novel. Shallow by Georgia Cates.

 Today's feature is Shallow (Going Under Series- Book 2) by Georgia Cates, a Young Adult Contemporary.
Amazon Barnes & Noble Book DescriptionNick Hawke likes his car fast and his girls even faster. He blows through females quicker than his muscle car races down the drag strip in Collinsville and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Determined to avoid the devastation he has watched his father endure in the aftermath of his mother leaving, he believes there is no room in his life or his heart for a relationship lasting more than one night. He seeks happiness in things that won’t let him down...fast cars, parties and one night stands. To his absolute dismay, all of that changes when he unexpectedly runs into an old friend and is introduced to Payton Archer, the first girl he ever wanted for more than one night. There’s only one catch...she is completely immune to him and his smooth talking ways.

Payton Archer is looking for what Claire has with Jessie, but she has given up on finding it...at least until she leaves for college in the Fall because she is certain that is where she will find the perfect guy to fit into her perfect world. She plans on Summer being nothing but three uneventful months of fun, but it turns out to be anything but ordinary when Payton is introduced to Nick Hawke, one of Jessie’s old Collinsville friends. She is shocked by her immediate and intense attraction for “Hawke” because nothing about him is what Payton is looking for. Sure, he’s hot and sexy but he comes from
Collinsville and that is definitely not on her list of prerequisites. Everything about him makes Payton’s heart speed because he is exciting and dangerous, but his fast car and the dangerous chances he takes isn’t what scares Payton the most...it’s the way Nick Hawke makes her feel every time he looks at her. Can Payton find that moment of total fearlessness and make the decision to leave the safe, shallow end of love to risk going under completely?
ExcerptChapter 1
Sex Tricks Jedi
Payton
Why the hell was I driving to Collinsville to watch Dane Wickam race? And better yet, how had I let him talk me into making a two-hundred dollar bet that he would win? I didn’t know jack about racing and if I had to guess, Dane didn’t either. Sure, his parents bought him a fast, new Porsche for graduation, but that didn’t mean he knew how to race it.
I came to a stop at a red light just before we entered Collinsville, Jessie’s old stomping ground, and looked up in my rearview mirror at him sitting in my backseat. “Hey, Jessie, do you know this guy Dane is going to race?”
“Yeah, I went to school with Hawke at Collinsville. We were in the same class.”
“Hawke?” I laughed and the only thing I could picture was some guy with a big hooked nose like a bad cartoon. “What kind of name is Hawke? His mom is wrong for doing that to him.”
“His name is Nick Hawke, but everyone calls him Hawke and the name suits him pretty well. He’s well known as somewhat of a predator.”
That didn’t sound like a compliment. “A predator? You mean like a hunter?”
I watched Jessie laughing in my mirror. “No, girls are his chosen prey.”
Claire turned around in her seat to look at Jessie. “That’s funny because I was under the impression that the Collinsville ladies’ man left when you came to East Franklin.”
“No, Hawke was always the favorite among the chicks. They love his pretty face. I swear he can sweet talk himself into any girl’s pants, so I want you to keep your distance from him. I don’t want you falling for any of his Jedi sex tricks.”
What tha’? I spun around to look at Jessie sitting in the backseat behind Claire. “Did you just say Jedi sex tricks?”
Somehow in the midst of turning to look at Jessie, I forgot I was the one in the driver’s seat and my foot accidentally slipped off the brake and pounded onto the accelerator.
“Payton, look out!” Claire squealed just before I rammed into the back of the car stopped in front of us.
The whole thing happened in a split second. Shit. My parents were going to kill me. I didn’t have the best driving record ever, but at least I’d never gotten into an accident. So much for my clean accident-free driving history.About the Author Georgia resides in rural Mississippi with her wonderful husband, Jeff, and their two beautiful daughters. She spent fourteen years as a labor and delivery nurse before she decided to pursue her dream of becoming an author.

Blood of Anteros, Book One in The Vampire Agápe Series, was her first novel and it was released in September 2011. She decided to briefly step away from the paranormal genre to try her hand at a young adult contemporary romance when she wrote Going Under, but returned to the paranormal romance platform to complete the second book in The Vampire Agápe Series, Blood Jewel.

Her current work in progress is Blood Doll (The Vampire Agápe Series #3), to be released in January 2013.

Georgia Cates Blog Georgia Cates on Facebook Georgia Cates on Twitter Shallow on Goodreads

Sweet to Saucy. A Writer's Mind Turns Five!

 It seems like just yesterday I launched what was almost called, The Blue Blog. I’m sure you can see why such a title seemed appropriate. As it turned out, The Blue Blog already existed. Besides, did that title really scream, “Hey, this is a writer’s blog!” Nope. Sure didn’t. Within an hour something a bit more appropriate popped into my head and A Writer’s Mind was birthed.

I knew I wanted my blog to be a place that welcomed readers and writers alike. My son was one and I’d just published my first release, Fate’s Monolith. Since then, five years later, I’ve welcomed over three hundred authors to A Writer’s Mind and published nine more stories. To celebrate A Writer's Mind's fifth anniversary, I’ve invited over the four authors who commented on my very first post. Please make welcome, Donna Michaels, Clover Autrey, Lainey Bancroft and Rynne Raines. Naturally there’s a MEGA GIVEAWAY INVOLVED. Every author has generously donated one of their titles to the celebration pot. So what’s this big prize? A total of EIGHT eBOOKS! (either PDF or gifted to your Kindle). The titles include The MacLomain Series Boxed Set by me (Sky Purington), Highland Sorcerer by Clover Autrey, Cowboy-Sexy by Donna Michaels, Welcome to Eden by Rynne Raines and In The Air Tonight by Lainey Bancroft.Enter to win this AWESOME BOOK BUNDLE by either commenting on this blog post (please include your email addy) OR by entering the rafflecopter at the end of this post. Contest ends Friday, October 19th, 12:01 AM EST. *PLEASE NOTE* This bundle includes books with content that ranges from sweet to X-rated saucy. You must be 18+ to enter.Before I tell you about each book offered in the giveaway I thought I’d share A Writer’s Mind’s very first post dated October 11, 2007 titled, “I’ve Arrived!” *grins*“Here I am, blog 101, fresh off the grill. This is my first time blogging and love it already! For those of you that already know me, stop rolling your eyes, I won't ramble on. For those of you that are hearing the 'real' Sky in your internal ear right now... a grin and wink your way. Have no fear, I like to talk about writing, reading and everyday life. I have a beautiful son turning 2 next month, a husband that inspired my novels and live in New Hampshire, where the maple trees are getting ready to slam out an amazing shade of red this year. I love history, magic and romance. Could you guess? Ah, but I've a particular fondness for Scotland and Ireland. I can't help it, it's in the genes. But enough about all that. I think in this case, I'd like my first post to be dedicated to my mom. Aye, my mom, hero and best friend. She's a second time breast cancer survivor and the reason I kept writing long after I decided to throw in the towel and give up. Thank you, mom.And in her honor I hope that you all remember that it's BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH. Please, get your yearly check-up ladies. I care!”'Present day' Sky here. It's five years later and I still care. If you're a woman with a history of breast cancer in your family, PLEASE SCHEDULE your first MAMMOGRAM at 35 so that your docter can get a base reading and spot problems right away if they arise. If you do not have a history, 40 is fine. Early detection is the key.Let’s learn more about the titles being given away… HIGHLAND SORCERER by Clover AutreyCharity Greves has the gift of healing. So when a naked bleeding Highlander materializes out of the air into her kitchen, she does what any rational free-thinking herbalist under the same circumstances would do--she heals him. She didn’t expect to be drawn back to the 13th Century where a dangerous whacked-out witch holds the handsome Highlander captive.Nor is she prepared to be drawn so strongly to him that she’ll do whatever it takes to save him.Imprisoned by the witch, Toren Limont the High Sorcerer and Protector of the Faes’ magic, uses the last of his magical reserves to go forward in time and find a healer the witch doesn’t have any influence over. He merely seeks the small respite a healing can give him in order to continue to withstand the witch’s tortures long enough for his clan and siblings to flee.Until Charity falls with him through time as either his salvation or his entire clan’s downfall.Purchase Highland Sorcerer at Amazon  and many online bookstores. COWBOY-SEXY by Donna MichaelsFinn Brennan is used to his brother playing practical jokes, but this time he's gone too far--sending Finn a woman as a ranch hand. And not just any woman, but a Marine.When 1st Lt. Camilla Walker's commanding officer asks her to help out at his family's dude ranch until he returns from deployment, she never expects to be thrust into a mistaken engagement to his sexy, cowboy twin--a former Navy SEAL who hates the Corps. But before long, Cammie is wishing their fake engagement could be real.The Corps took Finn's father, his girlfriend, and threatened his naval career. He's worked hard for another shot at getting back to active duty. The last thing he needs is a headstrong, unyielding, hot Marine who not only tempts his bed, but soon has him rethinking his goals.  Purchase Cowboy-Sexy at Amazon and many online bookstores.
WELCOME TO EDEN by Rynne Raines 
Eden Series- Book One 
Within the walls of Eden, temptation rules and anything goes….  
Psychiatrist Caitlyn Ward never imagined setting foot inside the hottest fetish club in Los Angeles until the day a patient’s concerns about sexual desires went beyond her expertise. Now, determined to uncover the answers needed to alleviate her patient’s mind, Caitlyn ventures into a world of dark and forbidden pleasure beyond her wildest dreams.  Purchase at Amazon  and many online bookstores.
IN THE AIR TONIGHT by Lainey Bancroft 
As reigning queen of Toronto’s talk radio, Lacy Monroe has found the venue to rise above her questionable past without stifling her natural tendency to speak freely. Until the media dubs her "Loose Lacy," and a fan crosses the line from "caller" to telephone stalker. 
When her apartment is broken into, Lacy grows desperate to discover the identity of her caller. Could it be Mark, the ex-boyfriend who dumped her because he felt she’d prostituted herself for her job? Johnny Rock, the sexist drive-time DJ at the station where she works? Or could the caller be firefighter Reid Walker, the winner of her Dream Date contest? Reid believes the subject matter of her show should be censored, yet he doesn’t seem to mind setting her sheets ablaze. 
Lacy searches for answers and discovers the past she thought she’d escaped has everything to do with her present problems. Purchase at Bookstrand  and many online bookstores.
THE MACLOMAIN SERIES BOXED SET by Sky Purington 
THE KING'S DRUIDESS - Chiomara will not be swayed from prophecy. If the Gods of Ireland request that she couple with the king, so be it. If it is also their wish that he marry another woman, who is she, a simple Druid, to stand in their way? But King Erc is in love with Chiomara. Will he risk the whole of his kingdom for what lays in his heart?

FATE'S MONOLITH- Arianna has been haunted by the dream of a phantom Scottish warrior. Her infatuation with the dream intensifies until All Hallows' Eve when she's whisked back in time. Iain MacLomain has long awaited the arrival of his promised bride. She claims to not be the woman intended for him but she fits the description given him of her. Her defiance will end up costing them everything and rips them apart. However, a Scottish Chieftain with magic at his disposal is capable of most anything. Will he hold Arianna in his arms again or is she lost to him forever?

DESTINY'S DENIAL- Caitlin relives the same nightmare every night for three years. Then one day, the dream seeps into reality when an ethereal Scotsman visits. When Caitlin discovers a family heirloom in the attic she soon learns the truth about her dream. Ferchar MacLomain found what he was looking for. Caitlin. To bring her to Cowal will spell disaster-a foreseen threat to himself, his clan, and Caitlin. As a visionary, it's his obligation to protect her. As a man, he's determined to ignore his heart. Can he thwart his destiny? Or will he forever be a slave to the gods of old.

SYLVAN MIST- Coira refuses to acknowledge the Scotsman haunting her. Why should she? She carries no magic and she's newly engaged. She much prefers a proper English gentleman to a barbarian living six hundred years in the past. However, as one whirlwind day will prove, she has little choice in the matter. William MacLomain did not call her back, yet she arrives. Coira is not the woman meant for him. Or is she? Her arrival marks the start of a highland war unlike any Scotland has witnessed before. Soon, he finds himself in a tangled web of duty, loyalty and unexpected love. A love so unattainable and powerful it may cost him the war; and his heart.

This boxed set is intended for a mature audience. Purchase at Amazon  and many online bookstores. *Thanks for joining A Writer's Mind for it's 5th anniversary! Don't forget to enter the contest by either commenting (be sure to inc. email addy) or entering the Rafflecopter. Contest ends Friday, October 19th, 12:01 AM EST.* http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/c587a90/

Witches, Magic and Voodoo. Autumn Dance by Jacqueline Paige.

 Today it's my pleasure to feature Jacqueline Paige, author of Autumn Dance (Book IV in the Magic Seasons series). Congratulations on your recent release, Jacqueline!
 Book DescriptionAt the autumn gathering twelve angry and determined witches use their power to draw out the killer before anyone else can become a victim.

With his magic ability Dade has control like no other— if he had that in his everyday life he could have the one thing he wants.
 
Coralee is a woman that represents grace and simplicity.  She has the skill of being able to feel emotion, aura and see beyond the now.  The pain sometimes associated with this gift has forced her to live her life from a distance.  She decided early in life what she wanted, and returned from her years away at school set to obtain her biggest dream. Unfortunately she has found the past few years lacking just that as she waits for the man she wants to stop and look at her instead of every female that throws themselves in his path.  
 
Dade is a man that follows life simply, yet his charitable personality brings him a wealth of   satisfaction.  He is the first to lend a hand, the last to stay and help and the one everyone calls when something goes wrong.  Even though his own generous nature fills his life, he still manages to find time enough to get himself into a mess at every turn and spends most of the time imploring forgiveness from the one sexy voodoo woman he can’t seem to get close to. 
 Excerpt   Steven slumped down in the seat as Dade drove them back to Cora’s to unload everything.  Closing his eyes he sighed.  Sleep! Soon! “Do you know where I can get a horse?”

He opened his eyes and looked at Dade.  “There’s a horse on the list?”

Dade looked at him and frowned.  “What? No!”

Steven sat back up.  “Should I even ask what the hell you want a horse for?”

Dade smirked.  “You said you wanted to see me top all of you guys.”

Steven pinched the bridge of his nose for a second.  “And you need a horse to do this?”

Dade nodded.  “Yeah, a white one.”

Steven put his head down and chuckled.  “Do you even know how to ride a horse, I’m assuming you planning on riding it.”

Dade shrugged.  “How hard can it be?”

“Oh! I can’t get in shit for taking pictures this time.”  He took a calming breath trying not to laugh again.  “I have a patient, well his parents own a horse farm, if you’re serious.”

Dade grinned.  “I’m serious.”

He leaned over towards him.  “You’re not going to ride a horse into Cora’s house are you?
  Heart Book I in Animal Trilogy
Three women without knowledge of their true heritage...

Three men that have waited for their mate all of their lives...

Hearts and tempers collide with wild passions and animal instincts in the Animal Trilogy
Heart

Torn from her sheltered life, Rayne is alone and scared after she discovers her fiancé is not the man she thought he was.  Unable to accept the corrupt world he belongs to, she flees to the furthest possible location she can reach on her own.  Nothing could ever prepare her for the journey and what she finds out when she arrives.

Is she strong enough to survive on her own?

The epitome of the lone wolf, Devin stays in the wilderness and far away from people, avoiding the decision of whether to accept his title as leader and alpha of the pack.  One alluring woman stirs up his resolve and passion when she disturbs his solitary world.  The man inside is tempted in a way he can’t understand but his wolf knows he’s found his mate.

Can he have her without succumbing to the responsibilities waiting for him?

To be released November 1st  at Eternal Press .  

Excerpt
 
If nothing else she was warmer now.  How long would the rain last?  Do I want to wait it out and then try to find a washroom – in the dark?  Rayne shook her head before she could go any further with that thought. There was no way she was getting out of this car until it was light out, rain or no rain.  How many hours until daylight?  She debated very briefly whether she could squirm around and reach the purse to get her phone.  Highly doubtful.  Besides being cocooned in the puffy material, the phone was off for a reason and turning it on just to check the time wasn’t worth the risk of Aiden being able to trace the location.  Truthfully she didn’t know if that was possible even though all the movies referenced it being so, but understanding what type of man Aiden was and what he was capable of, she wasn’t taking any chances.

Working one arm free from the bag, she shifted far enough forward to reach the ignition; he couldn’t track the cars clock.  Turning the key, her heart sunk when she noted the time, there were too many hours left until dawn.  She looked out the windshield and froze, her heart jumped into her throat. Afraid to so much as breathe, Rayne stared at the animal a few feet away from the headlight.  Her brain first said dog, but that was no dog.  That was a wolf; it had to be a wolf.  Were wolves that big?  It seemed bigger than in any pictures she’d seen.

She sat there looking at it, not sure if she should honk the horn or just sit and try not to get hysterical waiting for it to leave.  The car may be metal, but the roof was something this animal could probably get through. As she continued to stare at it she couldn’t help thinking it was a beautiful creature. It’s grey and brown fur looked soft and thick, not that she’d ever be able to find out if it was.  It was the way the haunting grey eyes watched her that made her decide not to honk the horn or scream as loud as she could, which had crossed her mind briefly.  Rayne was fairly certain it was as surprised to see her as she was to see it.  Didn’t wolves travel as group?  A pack?  She wanted to look around and see if there were more in the trees, but the logical part of her brain said she was better off not knowing.  Never argue with the logical part.

She was sure she stopped breathing all together when it took a step closer to the car and then turned quickly back towards the trees.  As she was reaching for the keys it stopped and looked back at her for the length of two heart beats before it bolted into the trees and disappeared.

Turning off the key, she sat in the dark leaning back against the seat while she tried to remind her body how to take air in. In this moment with her heart beating so loud she could hear it, or at least it felt that way, Rayne reached the decision that she was not getting out of the car until daylight, and even then was questionable.  One more conclusion was also not turning the lights on again; her mental state was much better not knowing what else was outside of the car.  She checked to make sure the door was locked, she did know a wolf wouldn’t just walk up and use the door handle, but she felt better knowing that she was locked in and more importantly other things were locked out.
Pulling her arm back into the sleeping bag, Rayne shuffled down as far as she could and closed her eyes.  The sooner she slept, the closer daylight was to getting here.  Over the noise of the water beating off the car, she thought she heard a howl.About the AuthorJacqueline 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 her  Website .

Sexy Shape-shifters. Sharp Change by Milly Taiden.

 Today's feature is Sharp Change by Milly Taiden (Black Meadows Pack- Book 1), a Paranormal Erotic Romance published by Etopia Press.
Word Count:  39,232Amazon    All Romance Ebooks DescriptionThoughts of Chase, the Alpha of the Black Meadows pack, made her heart torpedo in her chest and rockets go off in her stomach. The better-than-a-sundae delicious-looking man with golden brown skin, enough muscles he could share them with his friends and still have left over, turned her to a puddle of goo.

The man had so much sex appeal her girl parts were ready to lift a white flag in surrender just by looking at him, even thinking of him made her tongue wag. Looking at him was like viewing a shot of your favorite dessert and knowing you couldn’t get your hands on it.
ExcerptHoly hell!

She’d done it.

Sophia stared at the computer screen and couldn’t believe her eyes. Number and letter sequences in front of her drove her excitement. A slow sliver of fear raced up her spine when she thought of what could happen if the information got into the wrong hands, but it wasn’t enough to stop her from smiling ear to ear.

She’d finally singled out the particular chromosome in the DNA strand that made shape-shifters shift. This little baby was the hottest ticket in Shifterville. It’s what bonded with the rest of a person’s DNA and created the furry beast that lived inside them.

If it were a person she’d kiss it, hug it, probably spank it for being bad and making it so hard for her to find it. She grinned; she couldn’t help herself. Julia would be able to have a choice in life now after being attacked by a rogue werewolf the previous year.

The one positive outcome was that her sister had met River, the beta of his pack and her current husband. Talk about love at first bark. His animal had taken one look at her sister and had literally rolled over for her to pet his tummy. It was sweet and kind of creepy, considering how damn big he was in his wolf form.

River was a real nice guy too, but nothing beat freedom of choice in Sophia’s mind. He loved her sister and treated her better than any other man she’d ever been with, not to mention the man was absolutely gorgeous. Then there was his brother, the pack alpha.

Thoughts of Chase, the alpha of the Black Meadows pack, made her heart torpedo in her chest and rockets go off in her stomach. The better-than-a-sundae, delicious-looking man, with golden brown skin and enough muscles to share with his friends, turned her into a puddle of goo.
BloopersMost writers will tell you that a book is NOT written in a day. We sometimes have this awesome idea in our heads and just start writing to get it on paper. I may start a book before I even write the outline. That’s how badly I want to write. So sometimes mistakes happen.  One of the mistakes I made through Sharp Change (I noticed this BEFORE I submitted) was that I kept forgetting my heroine’s eye color. In one scene she gray and in other areas it was light or dark brown. When I went back to read through it I was like ‘OMG she’s got a rainbow in her sockets!’ It made me laugh and freak. I now wondered what else I didn’t realize was multi-color. Another mistake I made was call her Sofia. Her name is Sophia. But the Latina in me kept changing it to Sofia. Don’t know why, but I had Sophia and Sofia all over the place. My sister noticed this one. She asked me if my heroine had multiple personalities. LOL. I asked why and she said because I kept referring to her in two different names. And the last mistake I will admit to is leaving a big BLANK when I couldn’t remember what word I wanted to use. Then when I went through the story I found all these BLANK spots and had to try to figure out what the heck I was trying to say. LOL. It made for some interesting reading.About the Author Milly Taiden was born in the prettiest part of the Caribbean known as the Dominican Republic. She grew up between New York, Florida and Massachusetts. Currently, she resides in New York City with her husband, bossy young son and their little dog Speedy.

She began writing when she learned to put words together and her first book consisted of two homeless dogs living in a park for her second grade English class. She didn’t win a prize, but she acquired a love for writing that never went away.

When she’s not working full-time, texting with her best friend Heidi in England, chastising her son for pulling the dog’s ears, shopping with her sister Jewel or watching scary movies with her husband, she can be found writing on her laptop. She’s addicted to shoe shopping, chocolate and Dunkin Donuts coffee.

A major reader when she can get her hands on a good book, she loves reading all Mina Carter, Cynthia Eden, Cynthia Sax among others.

Visit Milly Taiden at her Website ~  Facebook ~ Twitter @Milly Taiden

Sensual. Thrilling. Action-packed. Edge of Oblivion by J.T. Geissinger

 Today's feature is, Edge of Oblivion (Night Prowler Novels, Book Two), by J.T. Geissinger, a Paranormal Romance published by Montlake Romance. Leave a comment for a chance to win an eCopy of Edge of Oblivion. Contest ends Friday, October 5th, 6 PM EST.
ISBN: 1612184197ASIN: B007SX0246
Number of pages: 384
Word Count: 98,000 DescriptionMorgan Montgomery is waiting to die. Branded a traitor by her tribe, the Ikati shape-shifter has no hope for mercy—until Jenna, the Ikati’s newly crowned queen and Morgan’s former ally, offers one last chance for redemption. Morgan must infiltrate the Rome headquarters of the Expurgari, the Ikati’s ancient enemy, to destroy them once and for all. The beautiful renegade has just a fortnight to complete her mission or forfeit her life. Because she does not travel alone…
Xander Luna is a trained assassin and the Ikati’s most feared enforcer, famed for his swift brutality and stony heart. Fiercely loyal, he is prepared to hate the traitor under his watch—until they come face to face. For Morgan Montgomery arouses something unexpected inside of him, something that threatens everything he believes in and the fate of the tribe itself: a love as powerful and passionate as it is forbidden.

Sensual, thrilling, and action-packed, Edge of Oblivion will enthrall readers with nail-biting suspense and heart-pounding passion.
ExcerptCaught on one of the heels of her shoes, the hem of her dress tangled beneath her feet. The delicate fabric gave way with a soft ripping noise and she pitched forward, unable to throw her arms out for balance because they were cuffed tight behind her back. She fell to her knees on the cold marble floor with a bone-crunching jolt that startled a pained gasp from her lips, but just before she fell flat on her face, something stopped her.

A pair of hands. Strong and warm at her shoulders.

She was caught and steadied, pushed gently back to her knees where she rocked, finding her balance. Then she lifted her head and looked up—

—into a pair of eyes, brilliant amber rimmed in kohl, that stared out from a sun-darkened face of such cold, savage beauty it sent a thrill of pure fear humming along every nerve. Adrenaline lashed through her body, primitive and chemical, and abruptly awoke the animal inside that bristled and hissed and screamed danger! at the top of its lungs.

He was huge—tall and thickly muscled, far larger than any of her lithe, sinewy kin—and had shoulders so wide she crouched in a pool of thrown shadows at his feet. His black hair, tipped on his wide forehead to a widow’s peak, was cropped close to his head. His clothes were black as well, simple and form-fitting, made for ease of movement. On his back was a pair of crossed swords, sheathed in leather scabbards. On his belt and boots were more weapons, gleaming wicked in the light.

But all this paled in comparison to the more imminent threat of his eerie, amber eyes.

They fixed on hers, unblinking, unfeeling, and she realized with another jolt that this man staring back at her in absolute stillness with that beautiful face and those scorching, fire-lit eyes wasn’t anything she’d ever seen before. He was alive, his body was alive, but behind that mask of perfection, there wasn’t a shred of humanity or mercy or kindness or feeling. There was nothing. He was dead.
Soul dead.

“Xander,” said a voice from her right. Leander’s, she supposed, aware on a molecular level of her thundering heart, her frozen muscles, the stranger’s gaze that had dropped to the pulse beating wildly in the hollow of her neck. His nostrils flared with an inhalation, and for one wild, horrified moment, she thought he might lean down and tear out her throat with his teeth.

But he didn’t. He only lifted that piercing gaze back to hers and, in a motion of fluid, predatory grace, drew her to her feet. He released her and stepped back, never blinking, his attention never wavering, those piercing dead eyes never leaving her face.

“Xander,” Leander said again. “This is Morgan. Your flight for Rome leaves at one o’clock.”
About the Author
A life-long lover of reading and a self-professed “book addict,” J.T. Geissinger didn’t realize her dream of writing a novel until a milestone birthday forced her to take stock of her goals in life.

Always believing the right time to commit to putting pen to paper would magically announce itself, it took waking up one cold January morning with a shiny new zero as the second number in her age to kick start her determination.
 
More than a year and two unsold novels later, it was time to take stock again.
 But her determination matched her initial procrastination, and she kept on writing and learning and trying to improve, trusting that if it was meant to be, it would be.
 Then, during a trip to Italy in honor of their 10th wedding anniversary and the honeymoon she and her husband never took, she received an email that would change her life. It was from a literary agent, and it contained the three words every aspiring author longs to hear: “I loved it.”

The manuscript was sold to Montlake Romance who published it six months later. Hitting the Amazon bestseller lists in both the US and the UK within weeks of publication, Shadow’s Edge was book one of the Night Prowler Novels. Book two, Edge of Oblivion published October 2nd, and book three will follow in the spring of 2013. Three additional installations in the Night Prowler series are planned for the future. Find J.T. Geissinger at her Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Don't forget to comment for a chance to win an eCopy of Edge of Oblivion. Contest ends Friday, October 5th, 6 PM EST. 

Sexy Supernatural Love Triangle! Interview With Roxanne Rhoads- Hex and the Single Witch.

 Today it’s my pleasure to welcome over talented author, Roxanne Rhoads. Not only is Roxanne multi-published but she owns  Bewitching Book Tours , Fang-tastic Books  and Roxanne’s Realm . In celebration of Roxanne’s latest release, Hex and the Single Witch (Vehicle City Vampires-Book One), I’ll be hosting an interview. Before I get started, BIG news! Roxanne will be running a tour-long MEGA giveaway that includes multiple prizes. Check out the swag... Prize Pack 1: A Fang-tastic Tote Bag, glow in the dark gloves, a Bewitching Charm bracelet (made by BookSwag Shop), , Bewitching Broom pen, mini witch hat notebook and various book swag from Bewitching authors. Open to US Shipping OnlyPrize Pack 2: Bewitching Charm bookmark (made by BookSwag Shop), Bewitching Broom pen, mini witch hat notebook and various book swag from Bewitching authors. Open to US Shipping OnlyPrize Pack 3: Bewitching necklace (made by paragraphic), Bewitching Broom pen, mini witch hat notebook and various book swag from Bewitching authors. Open to US Shipping OnlyPrize 4: $10 Amazon Gift Card delivered digitally. Open internationallyPrize 5 (with 5 winners): 5 ecopies of Hex and the Single Witch. Open internationallyWant in? Then be sure to enter the Rafflecopter at the end of this post!Let's learn a little bit about Hex and the Single Witch then it's interview time.Hex and the Single Witch (Vehicle City Vampires- Book One) by Roxanne Rhoads is a Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy published by Bewitching Books.

Word Count: 83,000 Amazon Kindle       Smashwords     Barnes and Noble     Print Book Description Anwyn Rose is descended from a long line of powerful witches yet she can barely cast spells young witchlings have mastered. She has one functioning witch gift, the power of knowing, which she puts to good use as a Detective on Flint’s Preternatural Investigation Team.It’s a new era in Vehicle City, supernaturals are running the town. The P.I.T has their hands full with paranormal crimes. Top priority is a serial killer, who appears to be a vampire, draining young women in the city.Anwyn is on the case with her sexy partner Detective Mike Malone. Complicating things is her relationship Galen, a vampire who looks more guilty than innocent, although Anwyn trusts her instincts even if her power is on the fritz.Mysterious spells, compromising situations, and a possible demon on the loose make it hard to focus on the case, but Anwyn has to make things right before the human police execute the wrong vampire.Hex and the Single Witch contains magick, a little bit of mystery, a lot of supernatural mayhem, and a sexy love triangle that will leave you wanting more. InterviewSKY:  Welcome, Roxanne! Hex and the Single Witch sounds like my kind of read. What inspired you to write this book?

ROXANNE:  The original background for the story came to me while I was driving through downtown Flint one day. After leaving the main strip of Saginaw Street that is the “downtown” area, many places look like ghost towns. Businesses are boarded up, empty, and falling apart. Houses are even worse off. There are entire neighborhoods in and around Flint that are completely or almost completely empty. Out of fifty houses two may still have residents. That’s scary on so many different levels.Suddenly an idea popped into my head- “what if, after all the humans left, Others started moving in?”And the basic back story to my series came to life. Flint, Michigan becomes a hotbed of supernatural activity. Ghosts, ghouls, vampires, demons and were-creatures move in making the human population the minority.  SKY:  How did you come up with the title?ROXANNE:  I wanted something fun and catchy that fit with the story. I went through a long list (I have a notebook where I jot down possible titles) and then added to it with ideas. Hex and the Single Witch is finally what I settled on.SKY:  If you could spend an hour in real life with one of your characters, who would it be and why?ROXANNE:  Mike Malone. Read the story you’ll understand. LOL. SKY:  Tell us about your book cover and how it relates to your story.ROXANNE:  The backdrop of the cover is an actual image of downtown Flint- brick paved Saginaw Street, the lighted arches…it’s all in the book. A local photographer, David C Lucas took the photograph and allowed me to use it as the backdrop for the cover. Then Dawne Dominique put everything together and created the finished product along with the custom series logo design for Vehicle City Vampires based on the actual arches that grace downtown Flint.SKY:  Are you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details. ROXANNE:  Book Two in the Vehicle City Vampires series will pick up directly where Hex and the Single Witch leaves off. Some loose ends from book one will be tied up and more secrets revealed.SKY:  What sort of personality does your hero have?ROXANNE:  Well we have a triangle in this book so in a way there are two heroes though one shines as the hero (Malone) and the other (Galen)…he’s more of the anti-hero right now though he may step up to the plate in book two. So I’ll describe Malone. He’s your typical hot cop, all American guy next door. He’s gorgeous but a little rough around the edges. And being a cop he definitely has a hero complex and loves nothing more than to save the damsel in distress. Sometimes he comes off as an ass and a lech but underneath the hard exterior he’s a very sweet guy.SKY:  What sort of personality does your heroine have?ROXANNE:  Anwyn is the girl that never really fit in. Being a witch in a world of humans made her feel left out especially when her grandmother didn’t want her immersed in the world of Others either. Her father was killed when she was young, her mother checked out of reality when he died and her grandmother raised her though her focus was on Anwyn’s mom. So Anwyn was often left to fend for herself. To add insult to injury her magic never quite formed so her power is not “legendary” like that of her mother’s or grandmother’s. This created a lost and empty feeling inside Anwyn that she’s been trying to fill for a long time. Being part of the P.I.T. Crew is a way for her to fill that void, but even there she doesn’t always feel like she fits in.SKY:  Tell us about your favorite writing environment. Is it indoors, outdoors, a special room, etc.ROXANNE:  I have a corner in my bedroom that is my “office”. I am surrounded by my things and I can look out upon the woods behind my house. It’s great because sometimes I just stare at nature…the birds, the squirrels, the leaves…and contemplate what’s next in the story.SKY:  What sources do you use for research?ROXANNE:  Anything and everything. Internet, books…The local library knows me by name and when they see me come in they have my stack of books that I ordered online ready for me. I am true nerd. I have my library card number memorized (but I don’t even know my driver’s license number LOL)SKY:  It’s time to promo. What is your favorite marketing tool?ROXANNE:  Oh the wonderful world wide web is amazing. 24/7 promo available all over the world. Facebook is my number one tool for connecting to everyone. It helped me launch my business and is my number source of networking connections and promotion.SKY:  How long have you been writing? How long have you been published?ROXANNE:  I was born with a pen in my hand. I have been writing for as long as I can remember. I was on the school newspaper staff, college paper; my first poems were published when I was 11…so I’ve been writing a long time.SKY:  What genre/genres do you prefer to write? Are there other genres you’d like to write in the future?ROXANNE:  I have written everything over the years- poetry, non-fiction, essays, newspaper articles, magazine articles, erotica, erotic romance…but I love paranormal romance the most.SKY:  Do you prefer to write short stories, novellas or novels? Why?ROXANNE:  Short stories are my favorite to write because I can churn them out in one sitting. I like to be able to complete something fast and check it off my to-do list. Novels take forever for me to write.SKY:  If you could make changes to a story you’ve already written, which would it be and why?ROXANNE:  I would add more humor to showcase the witty witch hiding inside Anwyn. I hope this will shine in future books as her character develops and becomes surer of herself.SKY:  Thanks for joining me today, Roxanne. Wishing you much success always!  About the AuthorStory strumpet, tome loving tart, eccentric night owl...these words describe book publicist and erotic romance author Roxanne Rhoads.When not fulfilling one the many roles being a wife and mother of three require, Roxanne's world revolves around words...reading them, writing them, editing them, and talking about them. In addition to writing her own stories she loves to read, promote and review what others write.
Roxanne is the owner of Bewitching Book Tours and operates Fang-tastic Books, a book blog dedicated to paranormal and urban fantasy books.When not reading, writing, or promoting Roxanne loves to hang out with her family, craft, garden and search for unique vintage finds.Visit Roxanne Rhoads OnlineAuthor blog www.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com
Book Blog www.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
Bewitching Book Tours www.bewitchingbooktours.blogspot.com
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http://www.facebook.com/FlintFangFest Twitter @ RoxanneRhoads  Roxanne can also be found on  Linked In ,  Goodreads  and  Google+ http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba112f117/"

Time Travel. Fact or Fiction? You Tell Me.

Most would say the very idea of time-travel is preposterous. Others would disagree.
Personally, I’m open to just about anything. Granted, I write about time-travel so no surprise there. However, I fully recognize that technology is moving forward at breakneck speed. I can assure you that I was unable to hop on the internet in eighth grade. Nor was I able to text my mom to say that I was at a friend’s house. Nope, I was too busy playing ‘Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?’ on my DOS computer. That big, clunky box that cost my parents (bless them) a whopping $2000. That was only twenty years ago, folks. Pretty darn amazing how far we’ve come since then, eh? So if technology is advancing so quickly what's to say time-travel doesn’t become possible in the future? Hey, Einstein believed it’d be possible! And just look how far we’ve come since the beginning of the twentieth century… “According to Kurzweil's The Law of Accelerating Return, since the beginning of evolution, more complex life forms have been evolving exponentially faster, with shorter and shorter intervals between the emergence of radically new life forms, such as human beings, who have the capacity to engineer (intentionally to design with efficiency) a new trait which replaces relatively blind evolutionary mechanisms of selection for efficiency."

"By extension, the rate of technical progress amongst humans has also been exponentially increasing, as we discover more effective ways to do things, we also discover more effective ways to learn, i.e. language, numbers, written language, philosophy, scientific method, instruments of observation, tallying devices, mechanical calculators, computers, each of these major advances in our ability to account for information occur increasingly close together.""Already within the past sixty years, life in the industrialized world has changed almost beyond recognition except for living memories from the first half of the 20th century. This pattern will culminate in unimaginable technological progress in the 21st century.” (Read more about this via Wikipedia’s Accelerating Changes) Albert Einstein said, "With the proper technology, such as a very fast spaceship, one person is able to experience several days while another person simultaneously experiences only a few hours or minutes. The same two people can meet up again, one having experienced days or even years while the other has only experienced minutes. The person in the spaceship only needs to travel near to the speed of light. The faster they travel, the slower their time will pass relative to someone planted firmly on the Earth. If they were able to travel at the speed of light, their time would cease completely and they would only exist trapped in timelessness." So what’s to say at such a startling rate of technological advance, humankind won’t soon unlock the key to time-travel? If we do, is that a good or bad thing?A few years back when vacationing in Vermont I met a woman visiting from China. We got chatting about not only books but the idea of time-travel. While I was always a fan of the concept she made some excellent points. Her concerns were that if it did someday become possible it could quite possibly be a terrible thing. Why? Simple. Imagine what that technology would do if put in the wrong hands.

She feared that our very civilization might be different now. Our loved ones might never have been born because of a change in the sequence of events prior to their births. Hence, we were never born. Just imagine if the ability to time-travel was put into the hands of extremists? Scary thought. It’s hard for me to believe that we won’t eventually figure out how to do it. Ever the optimist, it’s my hope that when we do it’ll be a world much different than the one in which we currently live. Because if not, my friend’s words will most likely prove true. The mind-blowing thing? We won’t even know it because we’ll already be living a different life than what we now know. In fact, we might already be living in a world manipulated by our future descendants and their ability to time-travel. What are your thoughts on time-travel? Do you think we’ll someday have the technology or is this too much of an ‘out there’ concept? If we do figure out how to travel through time, is that a good or bad thing?  I’d love to hear feedback on this topic.Best,Sky

Death is a Bitch. Make Welcome, Cate Masters!

 Today I’d like to welcome over Cate Masters, author of Death is a Bitch, an urban/fantasy dark paranormal published through Decadent Publishing. Congrat's on your recent release, Cate! Attention readers: Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter at the end of this post for a chance to win an eCopy of Death is a Bitch. ASIN: B008RQFJEQNumber of pages: 113
Word Count:  43,000Cover Artist:  LFD Designs Decadent Publishing    Amazon   All Romance Ebooks Book DescriptionEternity can suck when it’s all work, work, work. Death harvests souls even when they stack up faster than pancakes in an all-you-can-eat-buffet. No wonder she can’t shed the Grim Reaper rep.
As the patron angel of death and dying, Azrael works closely with Death but is dying for true intimacy. She’s the only immortal who’s ever aroused such powerful emotions in him. One taste of her leaves him needing her like humans need air and food, but will a demon’s lies leave a bad taste?

No one escapes Death – except King Sisyphus. Twice. With the help of Damien the demon, Sisyphus tries again, and she’s determined to have justice. Some say Death’s a bitch, but only when she has to be. But will the price of justice be a broken heart?
ExcerptDeath stepped from the shadowy curtain of night along a deserted stretch of road toward the mangled hunk of cherry-red metal that used to be a sweet Z240 sports car. Stardust glinted in the black hair that dipped to her waist. She kept a safe distance from the wreck. Inside, a thirtyish man slumped behind the wheel, the air bag deflating away from his near-lifeless body. Blood oozed from a nasty gash to his head. Should have worn his seat belt. Too late for life lessons, though. Those weren’t her expertise anyway. Just the opposite.Leaves crackled in the underbrush beyond the nearby trees. Death gripped the silver charm bracelet on her wrist, her senses on high alert. Her finger poised near the hidden latch, ready to release a stream of lightning.A deer. It stilled, its wide eyes fixed on her.Seeing nothing else, she continued with a modicum of caution. Taking souls didn’t exactly make her popular, and after so many millennia, she should’ve been used to it. The bad jokes. The Halloween parodies. A scythe? Please. She’d never used cheap props. Only the finest weaponry. No mortal ever suspected the intricately designed baubles adorning her bracelet were anything more than ornamental.Moonlight gleamed off the curves of the sports car, and she ran a gilded nail along its hood. She wouldn’t mind taking one of these babies for a spin. In its former condition, of course, before this guy took the curve too fast and wrapped it around a tree. Humans always rushed everywhere, sometimes straight into her arms.The man’s moan signaled she had no need for weapons. This one would give her no trouble. She fingered his blond hair, matted with blood. What a shame. So young, and so handsome. He’d leave at least one lover grieving, no doubt.His eyes fluttered open. When he looked up, recognition intensified the flicker of life in his eyes.She needed no introduction. They always knew her, unmistakable in the glimmering black filament gown, its folds revealing a glimpse into infinity.The stilettos usually earned a second glance, the four-inch heels glistening like fool’s gold. The butterfly tattoo spanning her upper arm likewise drew curious looks, which inevitably changed to horror when the souls recognized the face imprinted within that colorful ink: their own.View more about Death Is A Bitch at http://catemasters.blogspot.com/2011/04/death-is-bitch-dark-paranormal.html Author BioCate Masters loves romance with a dash of magic and mayhem! Multipublished in contemporary to historical, sweet to erotic, fantasy/dark fantasy to speculative, she sometimes mashes genres. Reviewers have described her stories as “so compelling, I did not want to put it down,” and “such romantic tales that really touch your soul.”

When not spending time with her family, she can be found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company. Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.

Cate loves to hear from readers! Friend her on Facebook or Goodreads, or email her at: cate.masters AT gmail.com

Visit Cate Masters at her Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Coffee Time Romance ~ Amazon ~ Smashwords

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