Sky Purington's Blog, page 46

C'mon... Why Do You WRITE?

Why Do You Write?

I think for most authors the answer is simple… we have no choice. The words and stories are in our heads. We simply have to get them out.
But are there deep-rooted motives? Truth.
I know in my case that there are. I wrote my vampire stories because I was blown away by Anne Rice. Though not a romance writer, she was my idle. The way she painted vampires through words was astounding. Call me old school, but she's got 'something.' While I could never be her, she inspired me to write about vampires. She inspired me to 'class them up.' Yes, it can be done. And no, it's not the concept of humanizing them. It's the act of making them beautiful for who they are. A soul lost. A soul regained. New beginnings. Pride.
I wrote my Highlander Time-Travels because I fell in love with the concept of Highland Clans sticking together through the centuries. That my husband's clan and mine were intermarried for three hundred years during the medieval period was icing on the cake. History is amazing and it's mine… and yours! I wish more people took advantage of it. History was so proud and did everything it did especially for us. *winks*
Last but not least, I wrote about paranormal investigators for no other reason than I think that there should be more of them. I'm not a huge fan of the scientific outlook on paranormal activity but I respect it. Okay, I voiced my 'disclaimer!' Done. I openly invite all non-believers to comment at this blog. Now that would make for some good ol' fashioned debate. Let's chat electro magnetic fields. *grins*
I told you the 'why's' behind my writing. So what about you?

Why do you write?

My Very Own Sexy, Selfish Blog Feed.

Welcome! I'm officially on hiatus at this blog in March. What does that mean? Simple. I'm letting loose this month. While I'm part of a fantastic blog event called, the PROUDLY PARANORMAL BLOG HOP, the rest of the time I'm gonna free-fall here at A Writer's Mind. I intend to spout off at the mouth about my favorite topics… the paranormal, time-travel, fantasy, syfy and astronomy.

I know. Odd mix. But I own it.

Very rarely do I take a month for me… and you of course! In fact, A Writer's Mind has always promo'd other authors so…. don't frown at me for gettin' a lil' freaky.

Before I slam out with a 'ME' moment (can't help myself, sorry) allow me to celebrate first and foremost, the first official guest at the Paranormal/Syfy Paranormal Blog, Debra A. Soles. Super author and character interview. You really should check it out! She did such a great job.

Okay, back to the 'shameless plug.' I'm beyond happy to announce that The Georgian Embrace (Calum's Curse: Acerbus Lycan) has finally been released. This novel is the second in my Calum Curse series. It follows The Victorian Lure (Calum's Curse: Ardetha Vampyre).

COMING SOON (and check out the latest cover art provided by the talented Tamra Westberry) is The Tudor Revival (Calum's Curse: Ultima Bellum). How HOT is that cover? Woot!

So here's a bit about The Georgian Embrace…

Is it true love or is the allure just another dimension of the Georgian's embrace?

A man with a mission…

Paranormal investigator, Devin O'Rourke, is drawn to Isabel the moment he sees her ghostly image in a picture. While searching for proof of her existence, Devin finds himself in another time, danger lurking around every corner.

A woman in need of saving…

Eighteenth century, Isabel Savol, is on the run. With help from a friend, good fortune finds her sheltered and managing the construction of a house. When a handsome Irishman appears on her Georgian's worksite one day, everything she thought she understood about reality vanishes.

Untapped desire ignites between Devin and Isabel as they struggle to stay one step ahead of the time-warping house caught in Calum's Curse and the werewolf determined to finish the legacy it began.

BLURB:

"I'll get answers out of you eventually, Isabel."

Lord, he was persistent. Give him some hope then continue to whittle away. "I am quite sure you will but not this eve." She gracefully smoothed her skirts, lowered her voice—hid behind her lashes. "I'll not ask again. Share with me, Devin. I would really like to know what disturbs you so."

Devin's low chuckle warmed her insides. "You think to get answers from me by flirting? Good luck, lass. I invented that method."

Isabel's eyes flew to his. Insolence! She almost faltered at the devilish twinkle in his gaze, the languid way his come-hither eyes roamed her face. Indeed, he did flirt well. She squelched the lop-sided grin she felt beginning to erupt. "I see no reason for your secrecy." Isabel again leaned close and whispered in her best co-conspirator tone, "Then you really are a spy."

His thick-lashed eyes fell to her lips and he leaned closer as well. "In my own way, that is exactly what I am."

Now she was getting somewhere. "Ah, I knew it."

"Did you?" His gaze slowly slid down her neck and she'd swear his finger grazed the soft skin. Goose pimples rose on her flesh.

"Yes, I did." She continued to follow his gaze, could almost feel how he saw her…feminine…enticing. "It makes perfect sense."

"Aye." Devin's gaze fell to the swell of her breasts peeking out from the top of her dress. "You found me out."

A deep inhale, then he exhaled slowly, his hot breath flaming across her chest. Nipples tightened. Searing warmth flooded between her thighs. Isabel inhaled sharply. His eyes met hers, knowing. How did he do that? What exactly had he done without moving an inch?

"What did I find out?" she murmured, her mind swimming in pleasure, relaxed, not nearly as sharp as it had been moments before.

A ravishing grin crinkled the corners of his eyes, made enticing sweeps of his dark eyelashes. "That I'm not quite who I seem to be."

SKY HERE. Hope you enjoyed! If this story sounds like your cup of time-traveling, werewolf yumminess, then scoop up a copy of The Georgian Embrace at Amazon by clicking HERE.

Enjoy a fabulous weekend! Be sure to stay tuned. In celebration of The Georgian's Embrace's release I'm having a freebie weekend for some of my other titles. *grins*

~Sky

Winter Blog Festival! R.G. Porter's, DESTINY'S LIGHT

Welcome! Though it's the last day of my .99 CENT WINTER BLOG FESTIVAL, there's still fun to be had! Today I'd like to welcome over 'muse sister' and romance author R.G. Porter. She and I were authors in the Song of the Muse Anthology years ago. Many of the talented authors in this series have since re-launched their titles. We all had such a blast and became friends through this anthology. I'm happy to spread the word about Robyn's story, Destiny's Light. It's well written and such a great tale!!!

A bit about the author…

Robyn wrote her first novel, Shadow of the Wolf, back in 2005, as a way to escape from a chaotic world. Though she never expected her writing to go anywhere, her first novel debuted through Wild Rose Press in 2007. Since then she has continued to write what she is drawn to. Whether it is a world where magic and shape-shifters exist or a place where vampires are ready overthrow the world of humans, her imagination weaves those places into stories. Currently she finds herself writing as much as she can. With her first book to be re-released Oct 1st, she plans to have many more novels out in the coming months. From her Darkness Unleashed series to her Guardian's of Nature series, she will continue to bring forth new tales of mystery, magic and mayhem.

DESTINY'S LIGHT

A wish to go back would unlock more than she expected…

For as long as Eutrepe could remember, the Muses had always been sent to help inspire mankind. She longed to go back again, but man had lost his faith. Centuries drifted by and Eutrepe was certain she would never walk among the humans again. The night Zeus summons her for a final task in the mortal world she jumps at the chance. It was a quest she was willing to take, that is, until the interference of a God and her memory is lost.

Ceris is a loner and musician. Stuck at an impasse with a song he needs to complete, but cannot, he wonders if the words will be locked inside his soul forever. Sure he will never release his thoughts, he ventures out into the night in hopes of some kind of inspiration. Never in his dreams did he expect it would come in the form of a woman with no memory who nearly dies at the hands of an oncoming car in the dead of night.

In order to reveal the song that fills Ceris' soul they must first unlock Euterpe's past before it's too late….

Their future is at stake, but first they must beat back the darkness before it time is up.

Excerpt:

Euterpe paced outside the great hall. She had done all she could to learn of the world of men. There had been great changes and she found that her amazement for the ingenuity of the mortals increased with each new thing she discovered. Still, she could not help but wonder where her quest was going to lead her. True, man had created wondrous inventions, but in another way, their creativity seemed to have dimmed over the ages. It broke her heart to know that so many had lost the ability to use their imagination. She knew it was there, hidden deep inside, but they had forgotten how to unlock it. Too much had been lost since the time of the gods.

"You may enter now, Euterpe. Zeus is ready to see you." A deep voice she had not heard in years broke through her thoughts. Before the door to the inner chamber stood her uncle, his eyes held hers for a breath or two. Taller than she had remembered, his onyx eyes matched his black untamed hair. He was as stubborn as her father was, but held hardly any of the fairness Zeus possessed. No, he was usually out for only what benefited him, and most of the time, that did not bode well with anyone unlucky enough to be in his path. Wrapping her arms around her waist, she held her head high in defiance.

"Hades, what are you doing here?" She asked. The last she had heard, Zeus had forbidden him to come up to Olympus. Too many times, he had tried to overshadow Zeus with trickery. "If I remember right, you were told not to return."

Hades' hand held fast to his scepter. "That's very cute niece, but unneeded, not to mention far from the truth. I came up here to speak with my brother. For as long as we have existed, I have never been forbidden to enter Olympus. I have chosen to remain below. You would do well to remember this." There was a bite in his words she could not miss.

Hades moved close, his mere presence sending chills across her skin. "I hope you aren't issuing a threat, dear Uncle. I would hate to have to mention this to Zeus, or your wife. They would both be very disappointed." Deep down, Euterpe wanted to push past him, but his body continued to fill the entryway.

His finger reached out and brushed the side of her cheek. "Dear Euterpe, we will have a long conversation one day about threats. I will explain them in depth to you, this, I promise." Before she could counter him, Hades' body burst into a dark mist evaporating before her eyes. Every encounter she had had with him always left her feeling out of sorts. He wasn't evil, but he'd always known what to say, or do, to unnerve her and tonight was no different. Just his touch felt tainted with darkness.

"Don't you hate when they get the last word?"

Purchase DESTINY'S LIGHT at Amazon and Amazon UK.

Winter Blog Festival! P.L. Parker's FIONA.

Welcome to A Writer's Mind's .99 CENT EBOOK WINTER FESTIVAL! Today it's my pleasure to feature a few of P.L. Parker's titles.

A bit about P.L. Parker…

"I love paranormal and as a result, it's the perfect genre for me. I started seriously writing about 5 years ago and have since published 5 novels, one short, and two Free Reads, Prophecy's Bride and Songbird. I am currently working on a sequel to Into the Savage Dawn and have another manuscript, The Chalice, which I am seriously considering self-publishing."

FIONA

Time shifts in ever changing motion. But can love survive the ravages of time?

Set against the backdrop of Ancient China, Fiona finds herself transported to a time of barbarian warriors and marauding nomads from the northern steppes. She discovers a new way of life in the arms of the handsome warrior Kellach, a man of noble stature among the Celtic settlements ringing the great Taklamakan. Desperate to return to the present while struggling against her mounting feelings, she finally accepts her fate, exulting in the rapture and delights to be found as Kellach's mate.

High Priestess Voadicia wants Lord Kellach for her own—and only the outsider Fiona stands in her way.

EXCERPT:

Step back in time 4,000 in time, to a place where Celts shouldn't be, yet they were!

Kellach was rooted to the spot. The woman before him was beautiful by any standard. Her huge green eyes
reflected the light from the candles and her trembling lips were lush and full. Her nose was small and straight and creamy skin graced her perfect visage. Long hair the color of silver moonbeams fell to below her waist, the sides pulled back in braids. One shoulder was bare as the shapeless gown slipped off, and the promise of full breasts tantalized his perusal. Who was she and why was she sleeping in his bed—and with a dog?

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" he growled at her. He was exhausted and, although she
interested him greatly, he wanted to sleep.

Fiona clutched the puppy tighter, he was yelling at her and too fast for her to understand. She tried to think
of something to say, but her mind wasn't working. She remembered, "Kellach's house," she screamed at him.

Kellach nodded, yes, it was his house. At least they had that covered.

"Go," she screeched and pointed to the door.

Kellach shook his head, trying to clear his mind. The woman appeared to know it was his house but was
screaming at him to go, this didn't make sense.

Purchase FIONA at Amazon.

RILEY'S JOURNEY

The research project was only for an "extended period." No one said anything about forever! Deceived and betrayed, Riley is sent back 40,000 years to be the mate of a man she'd never before met. Her journey will take her into a world fraught with dangers—a world made more treacherous by savage beasts, primitive Neanderthals, and the incursion of the aggressive Cro-Magnon man.

Surviving alone for five years in this vast wilderness, Nathan, along with his enormous dog, Demon, carve out a life in the perilous environment. Though thrown together by forces beyond their control, Riley and Nathan nevertheless find love—but can these two lost souls survive against such overwhelming odds?

EXCERPT:

The research project was only for an extended period. No one said anything about forever.

Finally, he broke the silence. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

"What do you expect me to say? Thank you? If even a small part of what you say is true, then I'm stuck here for eternity with a guy I don't even know, in a place I hate and with no future. Yeah, I guess that comes under 'thank you!'"

She rubbed her hands across her face. This was a nightmare! And not for a minute did she believe what he told her, at least not most of it. The guy was probably crazy, but if he was crazy, she must be too, because she had seen that bunch of strange looking humans and they didn't look like any people existing in her world.

"I'm really sorry. I didn't know Bethany would go this far. I made the mistake of saying at the drop point that I didn't think I would be able to last here alone much longer. She must have heard it." His face was a mask of regret.

"And that's supposed to make it all better?"

"I don't know what else to say. I'm sorry. I wish I could change the outcome, but there's nothing I can do. Maybe, if nothing else, they'll be able to figure out a way to bend time back so we can go home."

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but one of the things I noticed while I was at the facility was that it was really understaffed and it looked like it was being closed down."

Purchase RILEY'S JOURNEY at Amazon.

Visit P.L. Parker's Website ~ Blogspot ~ Myspace

Winter Blog Festival! Alisha Paige's, CIRCLE CITY.

Welcome to my .99 CENT EBOOK WINTER BLOG FESTIVAL! Today it's my pleasure to feature the very talented, Alisha Paige's latest titles.

Alisha Paige was born and raised in the South.

Her debut novel, Canyon Wolf Bride was Awarded Reviewer Top Pick Award and nominated as best Ebook Paranormal Romance by Night Owl Romance Reviews for the 2007 Fall NOR Awards, and awarded Recommended Read by My Book Cravings Reviews.

Alisha Paige loves to mingle real history and true life events within her romance novels and enjoys people watching and people listening when creating new characters. She writes paranormal romance, fantasy romance, time travel romance, contemporary romance and historical vintage romance while overlapping and bending genres.

She writes on her red porch while her kids play in the water sprinkler. She loves to read at the park, the beach in the summer, by the fire in the winter and in bed when it rains.

Her favorite things in life are the sound of her children laughing, her kitty cat curled at her feet, hazlenut coffee, candle light, thunderstorms, good books, nostalgic music, dark chocolate and red wine.

You can visit her online at her Website and email her at alishapaigewilson@yahoo.com where she loves to answer every single email from her wonderful readers.

CIRCLE CITY

WELCOME TO AXL WOLFDORN'S WORLD WHERE THE WOLFEN HAVE LIVED AND THRIVED IN UNDERGROUND CAVERNS FOR 1500 YEARS...

On the edge of civilization, there is a place called Circle City, Alaska. The last town before the Yukon Flats gives way to frigid desolation.

DON'T TAKE IN STRAYS IN CIRCLE CITY...

When Zoe O'Brien, a secluded widow, kills a crazed mother wolf and saves the only cub from sure death, she ignites a war between the Wolfen Clan and the Kontar Clan. The wolf people have been enemies of the dog people for centuries and the cub she takes in is heir to the Wolfen throne.

CAUGHT AND IMPRISONED BY WILD CREATURES WHO CARE NOTHING FOR HUMAN LAW...

Taken prisoner by the Wolfen for murder and kidnapping, Zoe is forced to see and do things with creatures she never knew existed, held against her will in a world she both desires and fears.

A MAN ON THE EDGE OF TURNING INTO A BEAST...

Axl Wolfdorn is coming of age, ready for his Unleashing and on the hunt for his Moonswan, the female he will choose for the Chase and the royal Feral Consummation.

A WOMAN WHO SHOWED COMPASSION....

But how can he consider bonding with a mate when the only scent deep within his nose is the tangy scent of the woman who saved his life, the very woman who forced his clan into war, the woman he must now kill to avenge his mother's death?

CIRCLE CITY: LORD OF THE WOLFEN ~ BOOK I by Alisha Paige

How much wild can one woman take? Do you have enough wild in you to make it to The End?

Purchase CIRCLE CITY at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

DEADLY R&R
Shay Reynolds was raised solely by her father and abandoned by her mother at an early age. Old enough now to take the reigns of her father's business, R&R Advertisting in Palm Springs, Florida, she's about as happy and as successful as a modern woman can get without a mother. Engaged to handsome Chase McMillan, an anchor on the popular national morning television show in New York City with her ads regularly nominated for the prestigious Clio Awards, she's a woman accustomed to life handing her roses. Her good fortune takes a nose dive when her fiance dies mysteriously. Falling into a deep depression, Shay confides in her chauffeur, Tommy Smith and agrees to hire his father's private eye service to investigate. Afraid to be alone, Shay shares her thoughts and broken dreams with Tommy. A serial killer is on the loose. Bad timing for Tommy who has always had it bad for his boss. Hot on the trail of a sicko who enjoys the shock factor of cryptic messages and creepy packages sent to the object of his affection, Tommy fights to shield the only woman who has never treated him like a hired hand.
Purchase DEADLY R&R at Amazon.

Winter Blog Festival! Caroline Clemmons', BE MY GUEST.

Welcome to A Writer's Mind's, .99 CENT WINTER BLOG FESTIVAL. Today it's my pleasure to feature a few titles by romance author, Caroline Clemmons.

Author Bio:

As long as I can remember, I've created adventures. Sure, the early ones involved me saving the West with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. Then I moved on to Nancy Drew and making up my own detective stories. Alas, I was not fated to be a private investigator--unless it's to discover who left the milk carton on the kitchen counter. Although I'm still a voracious reader, I love writing romances. Some sweet, some sensual; sometimes contemporary, sometimes historical, and sometimes a time travel that mixes the two. As long as I'm at my computer, I'm a happy girl.

I live in North Central Texas with my Hero and our menagerie of rescued pets. When I'm not writing or reading, I love spending time with family, traveling with Hero, browsing antique malls, and delving into family history. I love to hear from readers at caroline@carolineclemmons.com. For more information on my books, please visit me at www.carolineclemmons.com and http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com I'm all over the web including on Facebook as Caroline Clemmons author

Twitter @CarolinClemmons (no E in Caroline)

Goodreads, and LinkedIn.

BE MY GUEST

Aurora Kathleen O'Shaunessy comes by her flaming auburn hair naturally, and this independent city woman has an inner fire to match. Nothing stops Aurora--that is, nothing short of a Texas flash flood. This super-organized businesswoman might be running from the past, but she's using this journey to stop and smell the roses-- or rather the spring flowers in bloom across the Texas prairie.

Rancher Will Harrison rescues her from the raging waters and she's his guest for the next thirty-six hours. That's long enough for Will to fall head over heels in major attraction, and he has a hunch she might feel the same. He has a plan to keep her around until he convinces her to move out of the fast land and in to his life forever.

But two predators have other plans for Aurora. Can Will rescue her? Can Aurora save herself?

Excerpt:

The clock on the dashboard displayed one o'clock when Aurora found herself free to concentrate on lunch in Snyder. Clouds gathered and rumbled with thunder over the West Texas town. Aurora's empty stomach rumbled with them. After a hazardous morning, fatigue overshadowed her usually cheerful nature. She passed by the fast food places before she spotted the family restaurant recommended to her by the Texas State Trooper a few minutes ago.

Cars and trucks filled the parking lot. What a lucky break, she thought, when she spotted illuminated taillights and a car backed out of the prime parking slot at the entrance. Aurora saw the lone man in the dusty red pickup truck facing her, waiting for the space. He sat in the very same type and color truck used by two ruffians who had terrorized her earlier in the morning. Although she knew this man could not be one of those two men, an unreasonable anger bubbled up in her directed toward all cowboys, especially those in red trucks.

Her normally pleasant nature turned aggressive and she zipped the Mustang into the vacated park before the less maneuverable truck could occupy the space. The man honked the truck horn at her as she got out of her car. She just smiled and blew him a saucy kiss as she hurried into the restaurant. After all, any real gentleman would have let a lady have the only space in the first place, she told her nagging conscience.

Her conscience would not be quieted so easily. She must be in shock from her morning encounter. Never had she acted so rudely. Regretting her impetuous actions already, she thanked goodness the exchange occurred with a stranger and not someone she might meet again.

Seated in the corner booth, Aurora ordered a hamburger, French fries, and a large Dr Pepper. While she waited for her food, she reviewed the items listed under the town of Snyder in her Texas guidebook. Suddenly, she sensed someone standing beside her booth. As she looked up--and up--a huge cowboy with most of his left leg in a cast leaned his crutches against the side of the booth. He slid onto the seat beside her, which pinned her in the booth with him.

Aurora scooted to the right as far as possible. "Hey, who do you think you are? This is my booth, and no one invited you to share it with me!"

"Your car's sitting in my parking space, so I'll sit in your booth," he said calmly as he removed his Stetson and ran his fingers through sandy brown hair. He turned in his seat to hang the hat on the hook at the end of the booth by his crutches.

Aurora blushed when she realized this must be the man whose parking space she mischievously stole. Oh no, how terrible. He must have had to park a long way from the door and hobble in on those crutches. How embarrassing. The one time in her life she acted rudely, her victim turned out to be a man handicapped by a leg cast and crutches. Still, he had his nerve sitting beside her without so much as a "may I."

Her chin came up defensively. "Okay, I apologize. If you used one of those disability placards on your rear view mirror, people would know you have a problem."

"Lady, my problem is that you stole my parking space," Will Harrison said coolly. He lifted his left leg so that the cast-encased foot rested on the seat facing them, then swiveled to gaze at her.

Aurora smelled the cowboy's after-shave mixed with the clean scent of his breath when he turned his face toward her. His stone gray eyes met hers. She saw anger drain from his eyes, replaced by stunned amazement. He leaned toward her.

Her awakened senses rocketed into response. Each thread on the sleeve of his blue chambray shirt seared where it touched her arm. For a moment Aurora had the astonishing thought that this cowboy might lean further forward and kiss her right here in public. Equally astonishing, but fleeting, came the thought that she wouldn't mind a kiss from this man. Her tongue flicked across her lips and she gave herself a mental shake, unable to turn away from his mesmerizing gaze.

What can you be thinking? You have absolutely no business falling for some good-looking cowboy out here in the middle of nowhere. Get a grip on yourself.

Her heart quelled the voice of reason within her mind. Aurora's her stomach somersaulted from butterflies to flip-flops as she stared into the cowboy's wide gray eyes. She broke his gaze and peered at her folded hands a second before she threw them up in capitulation.

"Okay, Okay. I just don't know what came over me. I know you saw the parking space first, but I'm on Bubba-overload. Look, it's a long story, but it's been a real killer morning. Once again, I apologize and plead temporary insanity" She placed her hands palms down on the table.

His gaze raked over her, and one eyebrow elevated. "Well, well. I'm almost convinced there's remorse here. Almost--but not quite. Would you like to explain to me what 'Bubba-overload' is and what it has to do with me?"

"Listen, I apologized. Let's just drop it. Okay?" Surprised at the petulant tone in her voice, she adjusted the dark green scarf that held the hair back from her face

The man peered at her steadily, his voice polite but firm when he spoke. "No, ma'am, we can't drop it. I think I deserve an explanation after that 'Bubba' line. It sounded very much like an insult to me."

This man obviously had his hackles up and wanted a full explanation. After her morning's adventures, she found herself impatient with this cowboy, even though her mind recognized his request sounded reasonable. Finally, Aurora swiveled at her waist to face him as much as the limited space allowed. "Oh, well, if you insist. You wore that western hat and were in a pickup truck. At a glance, you looked like the typical red-necked Bubba. All you lacked was a big wad of tobacco bulging in your cheek."

She raised her hand and shook a finger at the man as if he were a delinquent school boy. "Listen, I've had my fill, and then some, with you guys. You follow me, whistle at me, lean out a truck window to sing to me, shout, or wave to me. I even receive various very rude gestures and get mooned. Believe it or not, I do nothing either to initiate or encourage any of this behavior."

A skeptical smile appeared and he raised his eyebrows. A flush of color heated her face at the memory of her behavior in the parking lot. She held up one hand to stop any comment he might make before she continued.

"Oh, I know, I acted brashly with you outside just now. Let me assure you, that's entirely unlike me. In fact, it's truly a first. I've never, ever done anything like that before."

She shook her head in wonder. "I don't know what came over me. As I said, it must have been temporary insanity due to Bubba-overload."

She pinched the fabric on the leg of the neatly creased blue denim jeans she wore. "Look at me. My jeans aren't skin-tight. They're not painted on me." With a tug at the hem of her hunter-green knit top, she added, "My shirt isn't too tight, it has three-quarter sleeves, and the neck isn't low or revealing."

Aurora moved her knees and elevated a foot to display canvas shoes. "I'm wearing my little Keds, not flashy pumps with stiletto heels. All in all, I think I'm dressed very sedately and not at all in a provocative way."

The cowboy slid his glance slowly up and down her then back to her face before he smiled a slow, lazy smile that lit up his eyes and brought a dimple to his cheek. He reached over to grasp her untouched water glass and took a drink from it, his eyes returning to her face as he sipped the icy water.

Her own mouth opened as she watched his mouth against the rim of the glass. The tip of her pink tongue slid against her upper lip as the water slid into his mouth. She could almost feel his lips as they received the liquid. To hide the rising turbulence in the pit of her stomach, Aurora glared at him. In vain she tried to avoid thoughts of his stare or the dimple that appeared with his smile.

She forced herself to concentrate on her defense. "Um, I just drive along in my little blue Ford Mustang, enjoying the scenery and minding my own business. I do nothing to call attention to myself. I even try to be a good sport about the immature behavior some guys display."

She took a deep breath. "I try to take it all in stride and just keep on schedule but"--Aurora slammed her hands against the top of the table--"this morning, two very frightening Bubbas tried to run me off the highway and hijack me or my car."

His eyes widened and his mouth gaped, but she continued, "I'm only here because a State Trooper happened by in time to interrupt my abduction. Frankly, that scared the life out of me. The longer I thought about it, though, the angrier I became. By the time I got to this restaurant, I had completely lost my cool."

Aurora took a deep breath and gazed at her hands. She recalled the fright that consumed her when she realized the two men followed her. Only quick thinking on her part prevented the two ruffians from succeeding at their attempt to run her off the road and get her out of her car. She shuddered to think what might have happened if not for the State Trooper. And never, never would she forget the faces of those two men!

She waved her hands in a fluttery motion. "When I saw you in a truck the same color as the one that ran me off the road...well...I guess I just went bananas, berserk, crazy. That's why I'm pleading temporary insanity." Aurora leaned back and crossed her arms in front of her.

At this moment the waitress appeared with their food. Aurora stared in amazement as the waitress set the burger, fries and Dr Pepper in front of her and a duplicate of the order in front of the man beside her.

The waitress flashed what she probably thought of as her most seductive smile at the man. In a low, honeyed voice, she asked, "Anything else today, Will?"

He seemed unaware of the invitation in her voice or the hopeful sparkle in her eyes. "Not right now, Norma Sue, thanks. Go ahead and leave the check now and save yourself time."

When the disappointed waitress left, Aurora appraised Will. How could he fail to notice the waitress' blatant invitation? Had he any idea how attractive he was? Hold on, this guy might be too good to be true.

Aurora gazed over he shoulder at the departing waitress. "How on earth did she know what to bring you? When did you give her your order?"

"When I came in." He leaned across her to get the salt and pepper. Will paused to flash her a truly breathtaking smile and the bottom fell out of her stomach again. "I also told her you'd pick up the check."

Purchase BE MY GUEST at Amazon and Smashwords.

THE MOST UNSUITABLE WIFE: The Kincaids, Book One
THE MOST UNSUITABLE WIFE is about a marriage of convenience that blossoms into real a true love match. The idea for the book came from a tiny kernel in the form of a story my grandmother told me about a girl in her hometown who quit school because of all the rumors and teasing she was forced to endure. Although my grandmother didn't know what happened to the girl, I wanted her story to have a happy end.
Wanted: one completely improper bride.

Even if Drake Kincaid had placed such an advertisement in every paper in the country, he couldn't have found a better candidate than Pearl Parker...which is fine with him. After all, his parents' will stipulates only that he marry by his thirtieth birthday, not that he marry well. And no one--including Drake's grandfather, the man determined to hold him to the ridiculous provision--could possibly think tall, bossy Pearl with her ragtag siblings and questionable "cousin" Belle will make a good wife. Until Drake realizes that in her startling violet eyes he sees a beautiful woman with a generous soul...

Their life together may not have started with hearts and flowers, but Drake and Pearl will soon learn that real love--with a breathtaking dose of passion--will make their marriage a true romance.

Purchase MOST UNSUITABLE WIFE at Amazon and Smashwords. 

Winter Blog Festival! J.D. Favor's, BAD HABIT.

I hope everyone had a super weekend! Welcome to A Writer's Mind's, .99 CENT EBOOK WINTER BLOG FESTIVAL. Today it's my pleasure to feature author J.D. Favor.

One lucky commenter wins! J.D. is graciously giving away one free download along with a t-shirt with a really cute graphic and the words, "Bad Girls Need Love Too…" Thanks J.D.!

J.D. Faver lives near Houston, Texas. She writes contemporary romance and mystery/suspense. Although she writes daily, she still finds time to enjoy family and friends. She also enjoys cooking, gardening, and painting.

She is active in several writer's organizations in the area. She belongs to National RWA and is a member of all three Houston area chapters: West Houston RWA, Northwest Houston RWA and Houston Bay Area RWA where she serves as Vice President. She is also an officer of Bay Area Writer's League and belongs to Houston Writer's Guild. She is owned by two cats and a small, yappy rescue dog.

She would rather be sailing or on a beach somewhere, but if she can't do either of those things, she would just as soon write. Visit J.D. at her Website.

Let's check out J.D.'s titles…

BAD HABIT~ Mystery/Suspense-Spicy Romance; 61k

In an effort to evade the men who killed her boyfriend, former model, Teri Slaughter, flees New York City and takes refuge in a San Antonio convent, masquerading as her own sister. But when hot and hunky homicide detective, Angel Garcia tries to protect her from the killers, he proves to be a threat to her heart. He takes her to the only "safe house" available: the one where he was raised. His parents and siblings take her in and teach her the real meaning of family and home. To protect the nuns, Teri uses herself as bait, leading the killers on a chase through Brackenridge Park on foot, miniature train and golf cart. In the end, the only one to catch her is Angel.

Purchase BAD HABIT at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

A TWIST OF FATE~ Humorous Contemporary Romance; 61k
Worlds collide when a Sex in the City girl meets a little House on the Prairie guy. Mel Hannigan is a slick, savvy New York City commercial photographer who knows what she's doing and where she's going…that is, until she heads upstate for a little drive time and ends up with her sports car in a ditch. That's where Helmut Engle finds her. He is a solid, down to earth farmer. In spite of their differences, Mel and Helmut give in to an irresistible magnetic attraction and share an exciting, intimate interlude. She returns to the city but can't get him out of her mind. She attempts to drag him into her world by the scruff of his red neck and he tries to remodel his world to suit her.
Excerpt...

Mel stared through it uncertainly. "What's in there?"

He put his foot on a bench and started unlacing his boots, the muscles working in his bare arms. "It is your room."

"My room? I can't stay here!" She gaped at him, open-mouthed. "Not the two of us...here alone...all night."

He slipped his boots off and set them outside the front door. "Where, then?"

"There's not a hotel in town?"

"What town? The nearest town is thirty miles in that direction." He pointed out the doorway. "Start walking, if you wish to make it by nightfall."

Mel swallowed hard. "It's just that..."

"Do not worry about me. I am a perfect gentleman."

A smile twirked the corners of her mouth. She visually cruised the tall, broad-shouldered man standing before her. Not her idea of a gentleman.

But he was her idea of a real hunk. In his stocking feet he stood about six-foot-five or six, at least a whole foot taller than her. "I see. Well, thank you for your hospitality, Mister...Mister…?"

"Engle. My name is Helmut Engle."

"Mel. Melanie Hannigan." She held out her hand to him.

He glanced at it and then enveloped her hand in his much larger one. It was warm, dry and rough, similar to having one's hand wrapped in a well-used baseball glove.

"Please call me Mel."

A flicker of amusement in the depths of his eyes. A dimple showed beside his mouth. "I will."

Oh, my God! He's cute! A bigger, badder Brad Pitt with his longish sun-washed, dirty blonde hair and dimples. I'm in so much trouble here. "Uh, Helmut. Can I borrow a bathrobe?"

"I do not have a bathrobe, but I will lend you a towel." He left and reappeared with a large rectangle woven of thick linen fibers.

It was soft and worn but, Mel figured it would be absorbent. She swallowed as his hand brushed hers. "Thanks. Thank you. Where is your restroom?"

"Behind the house."

"Where am I going to bathe?" Her voice crept up a whole octave.

He pointed to a corner of the kitchen where a large oval galvanized tub with straight sides sat gleaming. Mel envisioned the entire length of Helmut Engle in the tub and smiled in spite of her discomfort.

"Out here in the open?"

He expressed a loud sigh. "I will fix it. Just get ready. The water is almost hot."

Mel turned and entered the small, sparsely furnished bedroom. No particular color scheme dominated, but the bed was neatly made with a dark colored patchwork quilt stretched over the top and tucked in tight. No photographs or personal mementos were visible. The top of an oak chest of drawers and a plain nightstand stood empty.

She closed the door and shed her muddy clothes, wrapping herself in the large sheet of fabric.

She stood with her hand on the doorknob, gritting her teeth and giving herself a stern talking to.

What kind of woman would strip naked with a strange man on the other side of the door? What kind of woman would contemplate taking a bath in a metal tub in the middle of the stranger's kitchen? What kind of woman would look at this stranger with lust in her heart when she had barely learned his name...She sighed. A really dirty woman, that's who.

Purchase TWIST OF FATE at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Visit J.D. Favor's Website.

I'm in Heat. Are You Really Surprised?

Yep, no doubt about it, I'm in heat! Just like a wolf. But how and when did I become this way? Well, pretty easy answer. The very moment I first saw Joe Manganiello on one of my all-time-favorite shows, True Blood.

Truth told, it's bloody hard to shake me from finding anything/anyone in that series but vampires hot. After all, Eric the Viking vampire owns me, heart and soul.

At least he did.

I'd never been a huge werewolf fan. I liked them but the theory of a male werewolf hero never really attracted me like vamps did. Then I was sitting there one day watching True Blood, a few seasons in, and Sookie is suddenly saved by a guy. But not your average guy. Somehow this new character, played by Manganiello, had me sitting forward. Who the heck was this? The moment he walked on screen my eyes were glued. He was gruff, protective and quite frankly, hot as hell. Seriously, something about him really worked for me.
I can honestly say Manganiello gave me two things…

The first, he inspired me to write about my first werewolf in The Georgian Embrace (Coming February 29th). He showed me, hands down, that man plus wolf equals something beyond my wildest imagination. I finally 'got' the wolf craze! So even though my character is from Ireland, I took the sensual, rough masculine power that Manganiello offered and his protective qualities as inspiration. THIS was a real man! Though a beast he was still good. Something about that really grabbed me. Cursed plus honorable makes my 'creative' juices flow. *grins*
The second inspiration, Manganiello is one of the few males I've ever seen who absolutely, blow-my-mind-style turns me WAY on! I can't look at this guy enough. He's not classically handsome (which is my usual type) but damn, I drool over him. I keep trying to figure out the hold he has on me but can't. But why fight it? There are worse things than being totally whipped by Joe Manganiello!
Learn more about Joe HERE. (He's a year younger than me and eight inches taller at 6'5. Oh yeah, I'd be a puddle of girly lap-luvin' delight if my jellied legs worked when I stood next to him. He's what I call yummy tall!)
Learn more about Charlain Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series HERE.

Winter Blog Festival! Tara Manderino's, HEART QUEST

Welcome! Popping in for the first time? Well, it's all about finding the best and affordable books out there during A Writer's Mind's, 99. CENT EBOOK WINTER FESTIVAL continues with author Tara Manderino.

Author Tara Manderino loves to create stories and situations for the people running around in her head. She first began writing in third grade when she realized she couldn't afford her reading habit.

She writes and is published in a variety of genres and finds that each one is her favorite at the time. Her books are available at a variety of online retailers.

Tara resides in her native town in southwestern Pennsylvania. When she's not chasing Lydia, the boxer, she's writing her own stories, or reading, Tara likes to bake, watch old movies, and do a variety of crafts.

Visit Tara at her Website. Find Tara on Facebook and Twitter.

Tara will be featuring two of her titles today!

HEART QUEST

With one week to find the stolen stone from the Heart of Egypt, Luke Hayden, one of the premiere agents of the 1874 US Secret Service, travels in disguise across the continent When he learns Maj Bentzer, a woman he's loved in the past, plays a key role in the stone's disappearance, he's not sure he can trust his instincts.

Purchase Heart Quest at Amazon and Smashwords.

TAKING CHANCES

A gung ho PR person in charge of getting a reclusive country western singer to perform live at a small function is responsible for him possibly losing his ranch for children. Tyler Davidson would rather deal with a large concert hall audience than come face to face with a few people. Such thoughts are beyond Abie Halloway's thinking, but as she learns to understand what the ranch means to Tyler and comes to care for him in this sweet romance / inspirational, she realizes she does not want to be the one to cause his downfall.

Excerpt:

"Ms. Halloway." Ty's deep voice floated from behind her. She didn't even have to look to see if it was indeed him speaking. Just as his singing voice was so distinctive, so was his speaking voice. Now that she had heard it, she doubted she would forget it.

"What brings you here?"

"Abie, please." At his nod, she continued. "I brought over the contract…" Her words tapered and died off as his face instantly settled to stone.

"Then you've wasted your time, Ms. Halloway." He touched the tip of his hat, then turned on his heel to walk away.

Nobody walked away from her. She started after him. "Tyler! At least look at the contract."

He stopped and turned. His expression not softening one iota. "I. Don't. Do. Small." Each word was bit out in precise syllables. If Abie had less self-confidence, she would have wilted on the spot. Instead of backing away, she pulled the contract from her jacket pocket and held it out to him."Read it. Think about it." She held it out, but he didn't take it. Never had she imagined that his eyes could get any steelier looking. The paper vibrated in the air between them. He took a step closer and it took everything in her power not to back up.

"Ms. Halloway, I appreciate your determination, but it's wasted here."

"Tell me why." If he opened up to her, just a little, she might have a something to work with. Might have a better understanding of what would entice him to sign. She swatted away the niggling thought that she would know something about the man himself; that wasn't important. Still, it was strange that he refused to do benefits. He didn't seem to mind concerts. She had seen his bookings for that.

Tyler gave her a hard edged glare. "I don't do benefits." He took her by the arm and turned her back toward the drive, where her car was parked.

She tried to yank her arm from his grasp, but it was a band of steel.

Her eyes narrowed in thought. Maybe the good ol' boy act he used before, the whole church bit even, was nothing but a ruse. This must be the real Tyler Davidson. The literal strong arm tactics, the screaming. If she were a reporter she knew she would definitely follow the story, but since she wasn't, she would worry about her own problem – getting Tyler to sign the contract.

"I told you, Cayla, stuff it! I don't want to hear another word from your mouth tonight." The harsh female voice pierced the air.

Tyler abruptly stopped, pulling Abie to a halt beside him. She glanced at his face and froze at the expression. He had been stony before. Now he was downright menacing.

Not even seeming aware of his grip on her arm, or even that she was still attached, Tyler headed for the girls' dorm, practically dragging Abie with him. She tugged her arm free when they stood outside the door, and he looked down at her in surprise, as if not sure how she came to be there. His attention was immediately drawn back to the problem at hand when they again heard raised voices – much louder this time. He yanked open the door and was inside in a moment. Abie followed.

Purchase Taking Chances at Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Smashwords ~ Kobo Books ~ Apple Itunes ~ Sony

Winter Blog Festival! Stavros Halvatzis' SCARAB.

Welcome to A Writer's Mind's, .99 CENT EBOOK WINTER FESTIVAL! Today it's my pleasure to feature author Stavros Halvatzis.

Stavros Halvatzis was born in Alexandria, Egypt, but grew up in Greece and in South Africa, before moving to Australia to continue a career teaching creative writing, animation, and digital media at the tertiary level. Prior to that, Stavros, who trained as a film-maker and writer in London, worked, for a period of five years, as the resident screenwriter for Elmo De Witt Films, one of the "big five" film companies in South Africa. Stavros holds a PhD in Narrative Structures.

Today Stavros is featuring his best-selling novel, Scarab.

Short description of Scarab: Buried in a hidden chamber beneath the great Sphinx of Giza, lies the most potent secret in history. Older than the pyramids, older than Atlantis, it has the power to change the world. Powerful men will do anything to posses it. There is just one thing standing in their way -- the living Sphinx itself.

The story, which unfolds in Egypt, London, and South Africa is a fast-paced entertaining read on a fascinating subject -- quantum mechanics, with a dash of fanciful archeological intrigue, suspense, and some graphic content.

Sky here. I'm reading this story right now and really enjoying it so far!

Purchase your .99 cent copy of SCARAB now at AMAZON.

Visit Stavros Halvatzis' Website.