Sky Purington's Blog, page 57

It's all about the Bling! Jewelry Designer, Dawn Marie offers 25% off on her new Beaded Dreams Collection!

Welcome! I hope you're all having a fantastic weekend so far. As many of you know I feature not only authors but artisans. Today it's all about the jewelry. After all, it's time to update your 'bling' for the summer. We ladies will be exposing a lot more skin and wouldn't it be nice to show off some hand-made jewelry with that new sexy-as-get-out sundress?
I'd like to share with you a very talented friend of mine, Dawn Marie of Designs by Dawn Marie. I 'met' Dawn Marie last year when I purchased one of her pieces. I absolutely love it and highly recommend her work! As it turns out, Dawn Marie started a brand new line called Beaded Dreams Collection. To celebrate this new collection, she's hosting a 25% off sale. All you have to do upon ordering is enter the coupon code THANKS25. Dawn Marie would like to share a little bit about this new collection.


From Dawn Marie's lips to my blog…

"The Beaded Dreams Collection came to fruition as a result of searching for and finding my passion. I've been designing jewelry for years and created various styles. However, when I began using tiny seed beads and creating small works of art, a light inside me began to shine brighter. The more pieces I created, the more I began to realize my dreams. So for me, Beaded Dreams is the shining star on top of a winding road of learning, growing and now creating my destiny.
I hope you enjoy the collection as much as I enjoy creating pieces that belong to it. Each piece represents many hours of hand-stitched beading, using the finest beads, gem stones and pearls. Every design is one of a kind and is a reflection of my spirit and my soul."

Thank you for letting me share my Beaded Dreams Collection with you! Namaste."

~Dawn Doucette
Designs By Dawn Marie
Click HERE to view more pieces from the Beaded Dreams Collection.
Find Dawn Marie at… ~Designs by Dawn Marie ~ Dawn Marie's Blogspot ~ Twitter ~ Dawn Marie's Facebook ~ Designs by Dawn Marie's Facebook ~ Etsy Shop ~ Artfire Shop
For those of you who participated in Jennifer Jakes' End of Week Character Blowout be sure to check back in Monday morn. I'll be announcing the contest winner in the upper right hand corner of this blog.

Don't forget, my Monday Covers It feature is right around the corner. This week I'll be welcoming over author Alisha Paige to chat about her latest book cover.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Cheers
~Sky

CHARACTER BLOWOUT. Sexy Rafe McBride Shares All. Jennifer Jakes', RAFE'S REDEMPTION. Chance To Win!!!

Welcome! If you're swinging in for the first time you've arrived just on time. Today is day two of A Writer's Mind's END OF WEEK CHARACTER BLOWOUT. What does that mean? Well, I've the pleasure of having the hero and heroine from Jennifer Jakes', RAFE'S REDEMPTION visiting. Yesterday I interviewed Maggie Monroe. Today, Rafe McBride. But it's not as simple at that. These interviews are nearly identical and created to see how well the characters really know one another. So sort of like The Dating Game blog style!

As this event is fairly new I'm adding snippets of Maggie's responses alongside Rafe's responses so we can get a first-hand glimpse at how each responded. How much fun is this?! *Wide grin*

Before we go any further I'd like to remind everyone that Jennifer Jakes is graciously hosting a contest... "I will give away 1 e-copy (PDF) of RAFE'S REDEMPTION to one lucky reader who leaves a comment about whether they enjoy an Alpha hero or a Beta hero. ((Rafe is definitely an Alpha))"
Here's a little something about the story, then it's on to the interview with too-hot-for-words Rafe McBride.

He rode into town to buy supplies, not a woman.

For hunted recluse Rafe McBride, the raven-haired beauty on the auction block is exactly what he doesn't need. A dependent woman will be another clue his vengeful stepbrother can use to find and kill him. But Rafe's conscience won't let him leave another innocent's virginity to the riff-raff bidding. He buys her, promising to return her to St. Louis untouched. He only prays the impending blizzard holds off before her sultry beauty breaks his willpower.

She wanted freedom, not a lover.

Whisked to the auction block by her devious, gambling cousin, and then sold into the arms of a gorgeous stranger, outspoken artist Maggie Monroe isn't about to go meekly. Especially when the rugged mountain man looks like sin and danger rolled into one. But a blizzard and temptation thrust them together, and Maggie yearns to explore her smoldering passion for Rafe.

But when the snow clears, will the danger and secrets that surround Rafe and Maggie tear them apart?

Time to get to know Rafe better…

SKY: Tell us a little bit about you.

RAFE: I'm a former Army Captain, now living in Colorado. I came here after the War Between the States and became a trapper. Maggie and I now have a cattle ranch here.

(Maggie's response… artist from St. Louis. My trip to San Francisco was the opportunity I'd waited a lifetime for – to travel and sketch the West…)
SKY: Remembering the moment you first laid eyes on Maggie, what thoughts come to mind?
RAFE: That she was going to be trouble. And she was. But she's also the best thing in my life.

(Maggie's response… That he was cleaner than the other men bidding on me. Then I hoped he was reasonable and would grant me my freedom because he looked dangerous in a delicious way…) 

SKY: She has one trait you adored from the start. What is it? Hands down, she appreciates one of your traits…what do you think that is?

RAFE: Her fight, her fire. Through everything that happened to us, she's always kept her independence. Sometimes to the point of making me crazy. What does she appreciate about me? (grin) I keep her warm at night.

(Maggie's response… His kindness. He is the most unselfish man I've ever known. As for what he appreciates about me . . . I'd say it's my outspoken nature. Even though he claims it's my ability to bake…)

SKY: She has one trait you'd change if you could. What is it? You figure there's probably a trait she might want to change about you… care to share?

RAFE: Well, she's better than she used to be. . .but before she used to take NO caution. Too many times I thought she'd be killed. As for me? She probably wishes I didn't like cookies so much. She has to bake. A lot.

(Maggie's response… there are times when I wish Rafe would let me carry some of the load. I'm not going to break just because I'm a woman and I'm very capable of helping him. Me? Oh, I know what he'd say. That I'm stubborn. But I'm no more stubborn than he…)

SKY: Ah, love is in the air. What is the single most romantic thing you've done for her?

RAFE: Hmmm. I did teach her to Waltz. . .there might have been nakedness involved.

(Maggie's response… Given me a long, hot bubble bath including washing my hair)

SKY: *Sly grin* Hmmm, they were waltzing, he washed her hair… I'll bet there was nakedness involved somewhere there. Sorry, you two got me all distracted. Back to the interview! She has a feature that draws your eye every time. Care to share? She can't stare at you enough… but where is she staring? Now's the time to gloat about your thick head of hair. *Sky sniggers* Truth! Do you think it's your eyes? Chest? Etc.

RAFE: Maggie is the perfect package. Everything about her makes me hard . . .HAPPY! I mean happy. And, I'd say she likes my hair. She runs her fingers through it a lot.

(Maggie's response… His eyes. They are the most interesting shade of gray. Stormy and cool when he's angry and liquid steel when he's . . .aroused. I think he loves my hair. When we're in bed he has an unconscious habit of wrapping and unwrapping a strand of my hair around his finger…)

SKY: Ha! Rafe, you're a riot. My kinda guy! How do you think Maggie would answer the following… Our favorite thing to do together is…?

RAFE: (blushes) Next question, please.

(Maggie's response… Oh! I can't say that in front of other people!...)

SKY: You two! So descreet. Waltz + hairwash + hard (I mean HAPPY) equals two very sensual characters! *chuckles* All that lust and romance aside, you and Maggie don't see eye to eye on what issue?

RAFE: Actually we don't argue much anymore. But when we first met. . .whew, you don't have the kind of time it would take to tell you about that stubborn woman.

(Maggie's response… Well, we mostly agree now. But after I was almost killed, we had a huge fight on whether to stay in Colorado. He felt it was too dangerous for a woman. I did not agree. Do you care to guess where we live? (grin)…)

SKY: She said one thing to you that you'll never forget. What was it?

RAFE: The first time she told me I was a good man. My past made me think . . . well, no one had ever told me that before.

(Maggie's response… He told me he was proud of me. That's something my father never said…)

SKY: Rafe, you are fabulous m'dear. I can't wait to dive into Rafe's Redemption to learn more about you and your love. Thank you so much for visiting A Writer's Mind. You, Maggie and of course, your creater, Jennifer Jakes are welcome back anytime!

Maggie is such a great heroine. One well worth getting to know better. Take a few moments to read her interview HERE. Remember, you can comment after her interview as well to be entered to win an Ecopy of Rafe's Redemption.

Can't wait to read RAFE'S REDEMPTION? Purchase now!

Jennifer Jakes' ~Website ~ Blog

Join Jennifer at Facebook or follow her on Twitter @erotichistory.

Contact Jennifer at authorjenniferjakes@hotmail.com

Don't forget... 1 e-copy (PDF) of RAFE'S REDEMPTION goes to one lucky reader who comments about whether they enjoy an Alpha hero or a Beta hero.

Contest ends Saturday, May 20th at 12 AM EST.

Have a few minutes to spare? Learn more about the cover for Rafe's Redemption HERE.

~Sky

CHARACTER BLOWOUT. Heroine Interview. Jennifer Jakes', RAFE'S REDEMPTION. Love Historical Westerns? Chance to win big!!!

It's that time again! A Writer's Mind END OF WEEK CHARACTER BLOWOUT continues. For those of you unfamiliar, this particular blog feature is all about interviewing the hero and heroine from some of your favorite tales. Thursday, the heroine. Friday, the hero. But it's not as simple as that. Nope. These questions are designed to see how well the characters know one another. Grilled with similar questions, The Character Blowout is much like The Dating Game blog style!

So let's have some fun. This week it's my pleasure to welcome Maggie Monroe and Rafe McBride from Jennifer Jakes', award-winning novel, RAFE'S REDEMPTION. Today we'll be getting to know Maggie a bit better… and how well she really knows her man.

This just in... Jennifer Jakes would like to run a contest! From her lips to my blog... "I will give away 1 e-copy (PDF) of RAFE'S REDEMPTION to one lucky reader who leaves a comment about whether they enjoy an Alpha hero or a Beta hero. ((Rafe is definitely an Alpha))"

For those of you who might be on the fence about the difference between Alphas and Betas, I pulled some 'quick pick' descriptions of each off the net and listed them at the end of this post.

Before we begin, here's a little bit about RAFE'S REDEMPTION…
He rode into town to buy supplies, not a woman.

For hunted recluse Rafe McBride, the raven-haired beauty on the auction block is exactly what he doesn't need. A dependent woman will be another clue his vengeful stepbrother can use to find and kill him. But Rafe's conscience won't let him leave another innocent's virginity to the riff-raff bidding. He buys her, promising to return her to St. Louis untouched. He only prays the impending blizzard holds off before her sultry beauty breaks his willpower.

She wanted freedom, not a lover.

Whisked to the auction block by her devious, gambling cousin, and then sold into the arms of a gorgeous stranger, outspoken artist Maggie Monroe isn't about to go meekly. Especially when the rugged mountain man looks like sin and danger rolled into one. But a blizzard and temptation thrust them together, and Maggie yearns to explore her smoldering passion for Rafe.

Alright, time to get to know Maggie better!

SKY: Tell us a little bit about you.

MAGGIE: I'm an artist from St. Louis. My trip to San Francisco was the opportunity I'd waited a lifetime for – to travel and sketch the West. I didn't even mind the bumpy stagecoach . . . until the wheel cracked and we had to stop in a Colorado outpost.

SKY: Oooh, never a good thing when the wheel cracks. But I'll bet it was all meant to be. Remembering the moment you first laid eyes on Rafe, what thoughts come to mind?

MAGGIE: That he was cleaner than the other men bidding on me. Then I hoped he was reasonable and would grant me my freedom because he looked dangerous in a delicious way – one that could compromise my heart and therefore my independence.

SKY: I like the sound of Rafe already! He has one trait you adored from the start. What is it? You know without doubt he appreciates one of your traits. Share what you think that is.

MAGGIE: His kindness. He is the most unselfish man I've ever known. As for what he appreciates about me . .  I'd say it's my outspoken nature. Even though he claims it's my ability to bake.

SKY: He has one trait you'd change if you could. What is it? Oh yeah, there's a trait you know he'd change about you…fess up!

MAGGIE: Can something be a blessing and a curse? Because there are times when I wish Rafe would let me carry some of the load. I'm not going to break just because I'm a woman and I'm very capable of helping him. Me? Oh, I know what he'd say. That I'm stubborn. But I'm no more stubborn than he.

SKY: My kind of gal! Nothing wrong with wanting to carry your own weight. Ah, love is in the air. What is the single most romantic thing he's done for you?

MAGGIE: Given me a long, hot bubble bath including washing my hair. Decadant.

SKY: Nice! He has a feature that draws your eye every time. Care to share? His eye constantly roams to a particular part of your person. Tell, tell!

MAGGIE: His eyes. They are the most interesting shade of gray. Stormy and cool when he's angry and liquid steel when he's . . .aroused. I think he loves my hair. When we're in bed he has an unconscious habit of wrapping and unwrapping a strand of my hair around his finger.

SKY: *Smiles* Rafe sounds incredible. How do you think he would answer the following… Our favorite thing to do together is…?

MAGGIE: Oh! I can't say that in front of other people!

SKY: Of course you can! *Grins* But I appreciate your descreetness. Now, you and Rafe just don't see eye to eye on what issue?

MAGGIE: Well, we mostly agree now. But after I was almost killed, we had a huge fight on whether to stay in Colorado. He felt it was too dangerous for a woman. I did not agree. Do you care to guess where we live? (grin)

SKY: I can only imagine! Rafe said one thing to you that you'll never forget. What was it?

MAGGIE: He told me he was proud of me. That's something my father never said.

SKY: Well, Maggie, sounds like you've found yourself a keeper. Rafe sounds amazing. I can't wait to have him over tomorrow. So curious to see how he answers some of these questions! Fantastic interview. Thanks so much for visiting A Writer's Mind!

What they're saying about RAFE'S REDEMPTION…

5 Tea Cups!

This is a powerful book from beginning to end, with endless moments of suspense. I found myself with tears in my eyes and my stomach in knots. I just could not put this book down …. I truly enjoyed reading this story and recommend it to anyone that loves to read a good romance story with a little of suspense into it.

Monica – Happily Ever After Reviews

Can't wait to read RAFE'S REDEMPTION? Purchase now!

Jennifer Jakes' ~Website ~ Blog

Join Jennifer at Facebook or follow her on Twitter @erotichistory.

Contact Jennifer at authorjenniferjakes@hotmail.com

Don't forget... 1 e-copy (PDF) of RAFE'S REDEMPTION goes to one lucky reader who comments about whether they enjoy an Alpha hero or a Beta hero.

Contest ends Saturday, May 20th at 12 AM EST.

Be sure to pop back in tomorrow as I welcome hot-as-heck Rafe McBride to A Writer's Mind. You don't want to miss this!

Have a few minutes to spare? Learn more about the cover for Rafe's Redemption HERE.

As promised, quick pick descriptions of Alpha's and Beta's....

The BETA male...

"The beta hero is the best friend and Mr. Nice Guy rolled into one. He doesn't enjoy confrontation but when the chips are down you can count on him to be there." ~Magna Alexander, Heroes With Hearts   "The kind of men who will change your flat tire, open doors for you, help your kid with his homework, and bring you soup when you are sick." ~All About Romance

The ALPHA male...

"He has to be successful- a man of achievement. Independent. A ruler – a man of power. Strong, handsome, vigorous. A leader. These males are the tough, hard-edged, tormented heroes. Yes an Alpha hero has to be tough, hard-edged and forceful, but underneath it all they have to have a heart of gold and be capable of the deepest all consuming love that their heroines deserve."    ~We Write Romance

~Sky

MONDAY COVERS IT. Jennifer Jakes', RAFE'S REDEMPTION.

Happy Monday morn! As always, the weekend flew by. I hope you enjoyed yours as much as I did mine. What better way to start out your work week than by taking a peek at a fabulous book cover and learning a few details about its creation. Today's MONDAY COVERS IT feature is the book cover for Jennifer Jakes', RAFE'S REDEMPTION.
From Jennifer's lips to my blog…

"I am so happy with the way the cover for RAFE'S REDEMPTION turned out. It blends the cold mountain setting with the heat of Rafe and Maggie's relationship. I'm a still a fan of faces on the covers -- IF the artist matches the author's description of the characters. And my artist, Angela Anderson did a wonderful job!

RAFE'S REDEMPTION won Best Book Cover at Happily Ever After Reviews for the month of March."

RAFE'S REDEMPTION at a glance…

He rode into town to buy supplies, not a woman.

For hunted recluse Rafe McBride, the raven-haired beauty on the auction block is exactly what he doesn't need. A dependent woman will be another clue his vengeful stepbrother can use to find and kill him. But Rafe's conscience won't let him leave another innocent's virginity to the riff-raff bidding. He buys her, promising to return her to St. Louis untouched. He only prays the impending blizzard holds off before her sultry beauty breaks his willpower.

She wanted freedom, not a lover.

Whisked to the auction block by her devious, gambling cousin, and then sold into the arms of a gorgeous stranger, outspoken artist Maggie Monroe isn't about to go meekly. Especially when the rugged mountain man looks like sin and danger rolled into one. But a blizzard and temptation thrust them together, and Maggie yearns to explore her smoldering passion for Rafe.

But when the snow clears, will the danger and secrets that surround Rafe and Maggie tear them apart?

Read an excerpt HERE.

Sky here. LOVE the cover, Jennifer. Thanks so much for sharing!

What they're saying about RAFE'S REDEMPTION…

5 Tea Cups!

This is a powerful book from beginning to end, with endless moments of suspense. I found myself with tears in my eyes and my stomach in knots. I just could not put this book down …. I truly enjoyed reading this story and recommend it to anyone that loves to read a good romance story with a little of suspense into it.

Monica – Happily Ever After Reviews

Can't wait to read RAFE'S REDEMPTION? Purchase now!

Jennifer Jakes'  ~Website ~ Blog

Join Jennifer at Facebook or follow her on Twitter @erotichistory.

Be sure to pop back in Thursday and Friday as I welcome RAFE'S REDEMPTION's, Maggie Monroe and Rafe McBride to A Writer's Mind's END OF WEEK CHARACTER BLOWOUT!

Interested in meeting another great author? Perhaps win a prize? Pop over to The Write Life next!

Best Regards,
~Sky

TREAT YOURSELF. Book Trailer Breather. Rae Summers', Let's Misbehave.

The weekend's finally here! Today launches my TREAT YOUSELF. BOOK TRAILER BREATHER blog feature. Grab a cup of java and relax. It's all about kicking back and enjoying a great book trailer.

This week I'll be featuring the trailer for Rae Summers', LET'S MISBEHAVE.

From Rae's lips to my blog…

This story came to me as I was driving home from work one evening, singing along to the song Let's Misbehave written by Cole Porter. The song is an integral part of the story, and I'm extremely grateful to Alfred Publishing for giving me permission to use it. When it came to making a book trailer, that song was, of course, my starting point.

Let's Misbehave is set in London in the 20s, so I knew I wanted to make the trailer look like a silent movie of that period. Finding the footage was the most fun part of the process. I spent hours surfing rare film footage from the 20s, and the documentary entitled 'Looking for Lulu' about 20s actress Louise Brookes was a godsend. It's amazing what you can find on YouTube!

[Disclaimer: using pictures, videos or music you find online may be a breach of copyright. And my apologies if I have inadvertently breached copyright by using any of this footage!]

I'm very lucky in that I work in the film industry, so I know the basics of editing and have access to people with knowledge, but really this trailer was quite simple to make and anyone could do it, given time and patience. I cut it together using nothing more than Windows Movie Maker, which comes standard with many computers, and it was huge fun just playing around and learning as I went along.



Having trouble viewing this video? Click HERE.

Sky here. Rae, thanks so much for sharing. I LOVE this trailer! We're going to have to chat about how you did that with the videos! Back to business. Here's a bit about LET'S MISBEHAVE…

Blurb

Gabrielle is the quintessential Flapper, a wild child who turns her back on home and a resentful and unloving mother to become a nightclub singer. She wants nothing more from life than freedom and pleasure.

Sebastian is a dutiful son, following in his father's footsteps and on the verge of marrying a suitable bride. But as the Twenties roar to their conclusion, he finds himself torn between duty and the urge to indulge his adventurous streak.

From the moment Gabrielle and Sebastian meet, the tension between them simmers. When he rescues her from a boorish suitor, Gabrielle discovers a kindred spirit beneath Sebastian's serious demeanour, and she sets out to seduce him into one last passionate fling before he settles for a loveless marriage.

But the fire that burns between them threatens to consume her. Will Gabrielle survive falling in love with the one man she cannot have?

Purchase links for LET'S MISBEHAVE can be found at Wordpress. What they're saying about LET'S MISBEHAVE…

From The Romance Reviews: 4 Stars

"LET'S MISBEHAVE displays the excellence every novella should aspire to. The writing is clear, sharp, and precise with wonderful description."

"The story may be short, but it's sexy, fun and entertaining. If you are looking for a quick read that will sweep you away into a dramatic yet amazingly sweet love story, LET'S MISBEHAVE is the story you need to read. The jazzy world Rae Summers creates will please you immensely and it is hard not to love this story about two complete opposites finding love."

You can read more reviews HERE.

Read some excerpts… Opening…. Further along….

Enjoy a wonderful weekend everyone!

~Sky

CHARACTER BLOWOUT- HIS TURN! Skhye Moncrief's, FERAL FLAW. X-Rated Fun! Chance to Win!

Welcome back! It's day two of A Writer's Mind's END OF WEEK CHARACTER BLOWOUT! For those of you popping in for the first time, let me fill you in on the latest. Every Thursday and Friday, an author−better yet the characters from their latest story−will be visiting this blog to be interviewed. Thursday, we'll grill the heroine. Friday, the hero. But it's not as hum-drum as that…
These interviews are designed to see how well the hero and heroine really know one another. Sort of like The Dating Game blog style!

This week I'm stoked to welcome Darla (AKA-crazy Darla) and Commander Goro. These delicious character's are straight out of Skhye Moncrief's latest sci-fi erotica, FERAL FLAW. Yesterday I interviewed Darla. Today its Goro. If you have a minute or so to spare after reading this post, I highly recommend that you take a peek at Darla's Interview. Because this event is new and blogger was down for a day, I've also added snippets of Darla's responses from yesterday after each of Goro's responses.
Before we begin, Skhye would like you to know that she's hosting a contest. One lucky commenter chosen from yesterday's and today's post will be entered to win an Ecopy of the first tale in Moncrief's FERAL SERIES titled, FERAL FASCINATIONS. Contest ends Saturday, 12 PM EST.
Ready to kick back and enjoy a little T.G.I.F. time? Okay then! Let's begin by learning a little bit about FERAL FLAW…

Sexual espionage never got any deadlier!

As the Blood Wars between psychic werewolves and vampires continue, Commander Goro's deepest desire, his love, his promised mate, is taken from him in the worst possible manner. He learns she's given birth to his arch enemy's child, a deadly rumor for both his honor and her life. If he discovers she's a sex spy, he'll have to kill her. Now they must mate to disprove the rumor of sexual espionage. Although he'd postponed that moment of divine completion bonding their bodies through mystic sex and blood exchange to safeguard her from the treacherous game of manipulation—a game he and his intended play with everyone aboard his starship, he has no choice but to mate. Just one problem stands in his way…

Psychokinetic earthling Crazy Darla, manipulator extraordinaire unequaled by none other than Goro, realizes the only way to survive the rumored lie is to run for her life. But there was always something more in her motives than fantasies of delicious sex with the man she's craved for years. Even though those motives felt carnal. Something else, pure and, perhaps, metaphysical haunted her. Perhaps in his goddess, Destiny? She had to believe in those feelings of love. But to trust is to show weakness in handing over one's fate to another who just might ritually disembowel you.

Who is playing whom in the battle of masterminds? Sexual espionage never got any deadlier. With the secret baby, bounty hunters, an entrancing crystal, and a space opera between werewolves and vampires forcing Goro and Darla into dark secluded corners, pushing them into carnal sexual interludes and dangerous blood exchanges fueled by the frenzied blood lust of were-mates, the future holds both promises and lies in the psychic war. And one wrong move means you've succumbed to the deadliest thing in the universe, your FERAL FLAW.

Read Chapter One at New Concepts Publishing.

SKY: Tell us a little bit about you.

GORO: I lead a were-assassin movement against the psychic emperor's reign through mind control. We fight for freedom of thought for all sentient beings in the universe, including those already zombified by the emperor.

(Darla's response… grew up the tortured child of a preacher. I never really fit in anywhere because I had this damned psychokinetic power my parents denied.)

SKY: Remembering the moment you first laid eyes on Darla what thoughts come to mind?

GORO: She was so fascinating in how she had the capacity to love a mate—so different from those of us who've lost everything in the Blood Wars and had no reason left to love.

(Darla's response… Who is that muscle-bound hunk and sexy black leather?)

SKY: She has one trait you adored from the start. What is it? Hands down, she appreciates one of your traits…what do you think that is?

GORO: Her intelligence. She would have to be smart enough to dance with me in this epic war of good verses evil. And she's beautiful.

(Darla's response… He was so damned calm. So deep and philosophical. But I can't discount his muscles)

SKY: She has one trait you'd change if you could. What is it? You figure there's probably a trait she might want to change about you… care to share?

GORO: She needs to learn a little more self-control.

(Darla's response… he's so damned hard to read. Of course, I'm equally manipulative, and we work as a team.)

SKY: Ah, love is in the air. What is the single most romantic thing you've done for her?

GORO: There isn't much a warrior can do on a warship stocked with nothing more than rebels, living on half-rats. But I managed to buy her that pale blue dress on the Jennian priest's moon! The way it looked against her pale skin and brown hair…

(Darla's response… He just keeps saving my life from zombification. If that ain't romantic, nothing is.)

SKY: She has a feature that draws your eye every time. Care to share? She can't stare at you enough… but where is she staring? Now's the time to gloat about your thick head of hair. *Sky sniggers* Truth! Do you think it's your eyes? Chest? Etc.

GORO: Holiest Devros! Who can hold a steady gaze when the woman never stops trying? Touching? Plotting our carnal consummation! If only she'd try to ease off, I could stop and ponder soft curves… Ah! Breasts. The holiest of wells. I will say breasts. To tap the pleasure. The love. The life. To live again beyond fighting the war.

(Darla's response… Okay, I had this horrible addiction to porn flicks during my teen years. You can only imagine where my eye roams!)

SKY: How do you think Darla would answer the following… Our favorite thing to do together is…?

GORO: Our secret rendezvouses usually end in her displeasure at not having sexually bound our souls together. *clears throat* I wouldn't want her to know how those moments of touching, tasting, and breathing keep me focused. Surely she knows that already. Darla is no fool.

(Darla's response… Foreplay!!! Okay, that's me and my wishful thinking because he's always insisting we slow down to prevent creating our psychic were-mate bond through blood exchange—inevitable with SEX.)

SKY: You and Darla don't see eye to eye on what issue?

GORO: Finalizing the blood bond. Becoming were-mates. It's too risky. If she's captured by the emperor, she will shapeshift when the forty-eight hours have passed since we last exchanged blood. And the emperor will know she is not my captive. Rather, my willing mate. I dare not live one moment imperiling my promised mate's life.
(Darla's response… When to have sex and create the blood bond of were-mates.)

SKY: She said one thing to you that you'll never forget. What was it?

GORO: Truly, it's because of her intelligence. When she came up with the term "blood fucker" for earthlings who choose to willingly create were-mate bonds with psychics, I knew she was the only woman who could dance with me in this dangerous game of sexual espionage I needed to play in the Blood Wars.

(Darla's response… "No." Or was it "Stop!" He doesn't really favor either word. He just blurts one or the other. Grrrr.)

SKY: Seems like you and Darla are a match made in… (Sky clears throat) Sounds like y'all are gonna make it the long run! Thanks for joining us today, Commander Goro. Having you over was a real pleasure!

Fall in love beyond this reality...

Skhye's Website ~ Facebook ~ Blog ~ Newsletter Group

Don't forget! One lucky commenter chosen from yesterday's and today's post will be entered to win an Ecopy of the first tale in Moncrief's FERAL SERIES titled, FERAL FASCINATIONS. Contest ends Saturday, 12 PM EST.

~Sky

CHARACTER BLOWOUT- Heroine's Interview. Skhye Moncrief's, FERAL FLAW. X-Rated Fun! Chance to Win!

Welcome! It's finally that time. A Writer's Mind's END OF WEEK CHARACTER BLOWOUT has arrived. Here's the scoop on what to expect every Thursday and Friday. An author−better yet the characters from their latest story−will be visiting this blog to be interviewed. Thursday, we'll grill the heroine. Friday, the hero. But it's not as cut & dry as that…
These interviews are designed to see how well the hero and heroine really know one another. So this is sort of like The Dating Game blog style!
This week I'm pyched to welcome over Darla (AKA-crazy Darla) and Commander Goro. These delicious character's are straight out of Skhye Moncrief's latest sci-fi erotica, FERAL FLAW. Today, of course, I'll be interviewing Darla. Tomorrow, Goro. Please keep in mind these posts are RATED R!

Before we begin, Skhye would like you to know that she's hosting a contest. One lucky commenter will be chosen from today and tomorrow's post to win an Ecopy of the first tale in Moncrief's FERAL SERIES titled, FERAL FASCINATIONS. Contest ends Friday, 12 PM EST.

Ready to have some fun? Let's beginning by learning a little bit about FERAL FLAW…

Sexual espionage never got any deadlier!


As the Blood Wars between psychic werewolves and vampires continue, Commander Goro's deepest desire, his love, his promised mate, is taken from him in the worst possible manner. He learns she's given birth to his arch enemy's child, a deadly rumor for both his honor and her life. If he discovers she's a sex spy, he'll have to kill her. Now they must mate to disprove the rumor of sexual espionage. Although he'd postponed that moment of divine completion bonding their bodies through mystic sex and blood exchange to safeguard her from the treacherous game of manipulation—a game he and his intended play with everyone aboard his starship, he has no choice but to mate. Just one problem stands in his way…

Psychokinetic earthling Crazy Darla, manipulator extraordinaire unequaled by none other than Goro, realizes the only way to survive the rumored lie is to run for her life. But there was always something more in her motives than fantasies of delicious sex with the man she's craved for years. Even though those motives felt carnal. Something else, pure and, perhaps, metaphysical haunted her. Perhaps in his goddess, Destiny? She had to believe in those feelings of love. But to trust is to show weakness in handing over one's fate to another who just might ritually disembowel you.

Who is playing whom in the battle of masterminds? Sexual espionage never got any deadlier. With the secret baby, bounty hunters, an entrancing crystal, and a space opera between werewolves and vampires forcing Goro and Darla into dark secluded corners, pushing them into carnal sexual interludes and dangerous blood exchanges fueled by the frenzied blood lust of were-mates, the future holds both promises and lies in the psychic war. And one wrong move means you've succumbed to the deadliest thing in the universe, your FERAL FLAW.

Read Chapter One at New Concepts Publishing.

SKY: Tell us a little bit about yourself, Darla.

DARLA: I grew up the tortured child of a preacher. I never really fit in anywhere because I had this damned psychokinetic power my parents denied. But what do you do? Do or die. I tried to blend into the social woodwork by opening a little florist shop. And then he walked through the door and changed my life. Totally saved me! I had no idea I dated a psychic bastard who was out to use me for reproductive purposes. But Goro helped me see the light. At the time, I feared all those probe stories you hear about alien abductions. But I learned all too quickly that there was so much more to those tales…

SKY: Remembering the moment you first laid eyes on Goro, what thoughts come to mind?

DARLA: Who is that muscle-bound hunk and sexy black leather?

SKY: Yum, nothing like a little leather. He has one trait you adored from the start. What is it? You know without doubt he appreciates one of your traits. Share what you think that is.

DARLA: He was so damned calm. So deep and philosophical. But I can't discount his muscles! I love men with excellent exercise habits!

SKY: Totally agree. He has one trait you'd change if you could. What is it? Oh yeah, there's a trait you know he'd change about you…fess up!

DARLA: He's so damned hard to read. Of course, I'm equally manipulative, and we work as a team. But, ugh, I'd just like to know when he's playing his part behind working crew members or taking a stab at me.

SKY: Ah, love is in the air. What is the single most romantic thing he's done for you?

DARLA: He just keeps saving my life from zombification. If that ain't romantic, nothing is.

SKY: ROFL! Yeah, guess that's a plus, eh? He has a feature that draws your eye every time. Care to share? His eye constantly roams to a particular part of your person. Tell, tell!
DARLA: Okay, I had this horrible addiction to porn flicks during my teen years. You can only imagine where my eye roams! Check out the picture I know represents what I've felt through his leather pants. (guy with erection)

SKY: Damn! *Gawking* How do you think Goro would answer the following… Our favorite thing to do together is…?

DARLA: Foreplay!!! Okay, that's me and my wishful thinking because he's always insisting we slow down to prevent creating our psychic were-mate bond through blood exchange—inevitable with SEX. So, I just can't help myself. Goro worries when I get a little too frisky. But you can't blame him when there's a psychic asshole out there dominating a good half of the universe through mind control!

SKY: You and Goro just don't see eye to eye on what issue?

DARLA: When to have sex and create the blood bond of were-mates. God, do I have sex on the brain or what? My father warned that would happen if I didn't stop thinking about sex. If he knew about all the dinner-and-a-movie sleepovers I had with my best friends, he'd faint dead away at the pulpit. Uh, yes. Daddy was a preacher.
SKY: He said one thing to you that you'll never forget. What was it?
DARLA: "No." Or was it "Stop!" He doesn't really favor either word. He just blurts one or the other. Grrrr.
SKY: Great having you over, Darla! Can't wait to see what Goro has to say tomorrow. *wicked grin*
Fall in love beyond this reality...

Skhye's Website ~ Facebook ~ Blog ~ Newsletter Group

Don't forget... one lucky commenter will be chosen from today and tomorrow's post to win an Ecopy of the first tale in Moncrief's FERAL SERIES titled, FERAL FASCINATIONS. Contest ends Friday, 12 PM EST.

Be sure to pop back in tomorrow as Commander Goro answers similiar questions. Should be interesting to see if he and Crazy Darla are on the same page!

~Sky

CHARACTER BLOWOUT- HER TURN! Skhye Moncrief's, FERAL FLAW. X-Rated Fun! Chance to Win!

Welcome! It's finally that time.  A Writer's Mind's END OF WEEK CHARACTER BLOWOUT has arrived. Here's the scoop on what to expect every Thursday and Friday. An author−better yet the characters from their latest story−will be visiting this blog to be interviewed. Thursday, we'll grill the heroine. Friday, the hero. But it's not as cut &  dry as that…
These interviews are designed to see how well the hero and heroine really know one another. So this is sort of like The Dating Game blog style!
This week I'm welcoming over Darla (AKA-Crazy Darla) and Commander Goro. These delicious characters are straight out of Skhye Moncrief's latest sci-fi erotica, FERAL FLAW. Today I'll be interviewing Darla. Tomorrow, Goro. Please keep in mind these posts are RATED R!

Before we begin, Skhye would like you to know that she's hosting a contest. One lucky commenter will be chosen from today and tomorrow's post to win an Ecopy of the first tale in Moncrief's FERAL SERIES titled, FERAL FASCINATIONS. Contest ends Friday, 12 PM EST.

Ready to have some fun? Let's begin by learning a little bit about FERAL FLAW…

Sexual espionage never got any deadlier!


As the Blood Wars between psychic werewolves and vampires continue, Commander Goro's deepest desire, his love, his promised mate, is taken from him in the worst possible manner. He learns she's given birth to his arch enemy's child, a deadly rumor for both his honor and her life. If he discovers she's a sex spy, he'll have to kill her. Now they must mate to disprove the rumor of sexual espionage. Although he'd postponed that moment of divine completion bonding their bodies through mystic sex and blood exchange to safeguard her from the treacherous game of manipulation—a game he and his intended play with everyone aboard his starship, he has no choice but to mate. Just one problem stands in his way…

Psychokinetic earthling Crazy Darla, manipulator extraordinaire unequaled by none other than Goro, realizes the only way to survive the rumored lie is to run for her life. But there was always something more in her motives than fantasies of delicious sex with the man she's craved for years. Even though those motives felt carnal. Something else, pure and, perhaps, metaphysical haunted her. Perhaps in his goddess, Destiny? She had to believe in those feelings of love. But to trust is to show weakness in handing over one's fate to another who just might ritually disembowel you.

Who is playing whom in the battle of masterminds? Sexual espionage never got any deadlier. With the secret baby, bounty hunters, an entrancing crystal, and a space opera between werewolves and vampires forcing Goro and Darla into dark secluded corners, pushing them into carnal sexual interludes and dangerous blood exchanges fueled by the frenzied blood lust of were-mates, the future holds both promises and lies in the psychic war. And one wrong move means you've succumbed to the deadliest thing in the universe, your FERAL FLAW.

Read Chapter One at New Concepts Publishing.

SKY: Tell us a little bit about yourself, Darla.

DARLA: I grew up the tortured child of a preacher. I never really fit in anywhere because I had this damned psychokinetic power my parents denied. But what do you do? Do or die. I tried to blend into the social woodwork by opening a little florist shop. And then he walked through the door and changed my life. Totally saved me! I had no idea I dated a psychic bastard who was out to use me for reproductive purposes. But Goro helped me see the light. At the time, I feared all those probe stories you hear about alien abductions. But I learned all too quickly that there was so much more to those tales…

SKY: Remembering the moment you first laid eyes on Goro, what thoughts come to mind?

DARLA: Who is that muscle-bound hunk in sexy black leather?

SKY: Yum, nothing like a little leather. He has one trait you adored from the start. What is it? You know without doubt he appreciates one of your traits. Share what you think that is.

DARLA: He was so damned calm. So deep and philosophical. But I can't discount his muscles! I love men with excellent exercise habits!

SKY: Totally agree. He has one trait you'd change if you could. What is it? Oh yeah, there's a trait you know he'd change about you…fess up!

DARLA: He's so damned hard to read. Of course, I'm equally manipulative, and we work as a team. But, ugh, I'd just like to know when he's playing his part behind working crew members or taking a stab at me.

SKY: Ah, love is in the air. What is the single most romantic thing he's done for you?

DARLA: He just keeps saving my life from zombification. If that ain't romantic, nothing is.

SKY: ROFL! Yeah, guess that's a plus, eh? He has a feature that draws your eye every time. Care to share? His eye constantly roams to a particular part of your person. Tell, tell!
DARLA: Okay, I had this horrible addiction to porn flicks during my teen years. You can only imagine where my eye roams! Check out the picture I know represents what I've felt through his leather pants. (guy with erection)

SKY: Damn! *Gawking* How do you think Goro would answer the following… Our favorite thing to do together is…?

DARLA: Foreplay!!! Okay, that's me and my wishful thinking because he's always insisting we slow down to prevent creating our psychic were-mate bond through blood exchange—inevitable with SEX. So, I just can't help myself. Goro worries when I get a little too frisky. But you can't blame him when there's a psychic asshole out there dominating a good half of the universe through mind control!

SKY: You and Goro just don't see eye to eye on what issue?

DARLA: When to have sex and create the blood bond of were-mates. God, do I have sex on the brain or what? My father warned that would happen if I didn't stop thinking about sex. If he knew about all the dinner-and-a-movie sleepovers I had with my best friends, he'd faint dead away at the pulpit. Uh, yes. Daddy was a preacher.
SKY: He said one thing to you that you'll never forget. What was it?
DARLA: "No." Or was it "Stop!" He doesn't really favor either word. He just blurts one or the other. Grrrr.
SKY: Great having you over, Darla! Can't wait to see what Goro has to say tomorrow. *wicked grin*
Fall in love beyond this reality...

Skhye's Website ~ Facebook ~ Blog ~ Newsletter Group

Don't forget... one lucky commenter will be chosen from today and tomorrow's post to win an Ecopy of the first tale in Moncrief's FERAL SERIES titled, FERAL FASCINATIONS. Contest ends Friday, 12 PM EST.

Be sure to pop back in tomorrow as Commander Goro answers similiar questions. Should be interesting to see if he and Crazy Darla are on the same page!

~Sky

MIDWEEK MEET & GREET. Cynthia Vespia's, LIFE, DEATH and BACK.

Welcome! Tuesday has arrived and with it, the Midweek Meet & Greet. Crawl Inside a Writer's Mind. Today I'd like to introduce author Cythia Vespia. Must admit, her work sounds fantastic. I won't keep you waiting a moment longer. First, a bit about Cynthia, then it's on to the interview!
Cynthia was drawn to writing at a young age. After high school she established a successful career as a freelance journalist writing everything from features and fillers, to reviews and human interest stories.
Her first novel, a medieval fiction entitled The Crescent, was published in August, 2005. The novel was unanimously praised as "an engaging, descriptive read" which prompted a sell-out at Borders Bookstore in less than one hour during the first official signing.

A short story (a satirical look at the afterlife) titled Death's Grand Design was published online shortly thereafter and once again met with reviews that honored her attention to detail and the flow of her prose.
In May of 2006, Theater of Pain was released. This suspense thriller unfolds within the eccentric world of professional wrestling where competitors would do anything to reach the top...even murder.
Today Cynthia writes quality, character driven novels full of suspense as well as dark fantasy. Cynthia likes to refer to her novels as "Real life situations that you could find yourself in, but hope to God you never do." In her spare time she enjoys reading, movies that involve a strong plot/characters, and keeping active through various forms of martial arts and as an active fitness competitor.
Let's learn more about Cynthia's latest release, LIFE, DEATH and BACK.
Life goes by in a blink.     One moment can change everything.               For most, death is the eternal end.
Bryan Caleb has unfinished business. Even as he struggles with his own mortality Bryan must find the compassion within himself to help guide Lisa Zane, an emotionally and spiritually drained young girl, through her troubled life to find her purpose. For it is only with Lisa's help that Bryan can rescue his very own son from the life of crime he has fallen into before Kriticos Caleb's fate mirrors his father's...in death.
SKY:  Welcome, Cynthia! So glad to have you over to chat about your latest paranormal suspense, Life, Death and Back.
CYNTHIA: Thank you for having me, Sky. It's a pleasure to be here to discuss Life, Death, and Back. I've already been receiving some great feedback on the novel and it is only a few months old yet. People are intrigued by the unknown, that's one of the reasons I wrote this particular novel.
SKY:  Congratulations on the feedback! I love anything paranormal and your character, Bryan already has me intrigued. Would you mind sharing a bit of his back story?
CYNTHIA:  I made Bryan out to be a bit of the "every man." He doesn't have tremendous strength, or super intelligence. He wasn't endowed with super powers or mutations. Bryan is just a regular loving husband and expectant father...until he is suddenly struck down by a drunk driver in the middle of the street. That's when everything changes. Now the rules have changed. Bryan is no longer amongst the living. He's something of a ghost, an apparition. But I let him keep his emotions...there's no story without emotion to draw in the reader. What I wind up with is a very complex and juicy character that I really had no limits with. You tell me how someone who comes back from the dead is going to act? Its creative freedom at its finest.

SKY:  No doubt! Sounds intriquing. Lisa, young and troubled, also sounds like a very complex character. Let's hear a bit more about her. Anything you'd like to share.

CYNTHIA:  Lisa came to me from tapping into that side that all humanity shares and it is the capacity to just give up on life. Most of us fight that evil and find a reason to pull ourselves out of bed in the morning. But there is a large portion of society that just takes up space because they've quit on themselves. Unfortunately a lot of that population is young teenagers. I wanted to paint a picture of a girl who has really had a bad run in life and is deserving of this second chance I'm about to offer to her.

SKY:  Nice. We've read the blurb for Life, Death and Back and looked a little closer at the two main characters. Tell me, what inspired you to write such an intriguing story?
CYNTHIA: Again, its fascination with the unknown. I'm no stranger to death in my lifetime. No one gets out of life alive and I think because of that it is very natural to want to explore what goes on afterwards. We've seen some very successful depictions of the afterlife in contemporary media such as movies and stories like Ghost, The Lovely Bones, and The Crow. I had my own version of the story I wanted to tell.
SKY: You've already published other stories. What makes Life, Death and Back stand out for you? Was it a story that'd been in your mind for some time or did it form because of other tales you'd penned?

CYNTHIA: Life, Death, and Back is actually one of my earlier works that had been repackaged and brought back to life (excuse the pun) to become this story within a story. Essentially the novel itself spans three different generations. The timeline is one of the more complex I've had to work with because I put these characters aside for a time and revisited them years later to complete the tale.

SKY: Did you plot out this story or did it speak to you as you wrote and the characters took over? If it was a bit of both, share!

CYNTHIA:  I don't like to plot much because you lose the spontaneity of the story. When I write it is like reading the novel for the first time and I like to see where the characters will take me. Life Death and Back was one of those stories that just flowed. I had bits and pieces in mind of where I wanted to head with it but ultimately the novel wrote itself.

SKY: You could sum this story up with three powerful words. What would they be and why?

CYNTHIA: Ha, Life, Death, and Back! The title itself catches you because I'm sure at first it sounds like a non-fiction. At closer introspection you come to realize it isn't. Its a tale woven of realistic elements that surprises you as you read it. And I suppose hope, faith, and gratitude could be another three powerful words to choose but that basically comes from my own life's mantra.

SKY:  It was great having you visit, Cynthia. Wishing you the very best with this title. I know I'll be picking up a copy. I say we slam out with your favorite excerpt from Life, Death and Back. The floor's yours!

CYNTHIA: Thank you Sky. This is an unedited excerpt from the opening chapter. To find out what happens next visit:

CHAPTER I

The first sojourn from life to death was very much the epitome of birth. Brilliant flashes of light were aglow all around bathing snapshots of memory, minute but hardly trivial.

When the ride stopped and the suspension of disbelief released him, Bryan was curious to find his own corpse stretched out at his feet. It lay on the grassy lawn in front of his office building, twenty feet from where he had initially been walking.

The corpse, his corpse, stared up at him through one wide eye. Sightless now it still echoed the feeling of shock that he had felt the very moment the vehicle had struck him.

Though he wanted to look away from the tragic scene utter terror and confusion gripped him still. Pedestrians and motorists surrounded the accident and sirens wailed in the distance. He was oblivious to it all.

All Bryan wanted to do was crawl back inside his body, stand up and say, "Hey, look at me, I'm fine. Not a scratch." Then there were strong impulses pulling him into the belief that this was just a nightmare. At any moment he was going to respond with a shudder and a cold sweat but he would wake, frantic at first, until he found himself in bed next to his lovely wife, Holly.

He hadn't bothered to wake her that morning. She was radiantly aglow in her pregnancy as she slept. It was their very first child and they were overjoyed to be experiencing this miracle after only one year of marriage.

Bryan had kissed her on the cheek and gone on his way to the law firm. His place of business was another joyful experience to be able to share with Holly. Bryan was the youngest of his class to seek and sustain a substantial position within a reputable law firm. Of course it helped that his father had owned and maintained the firm since Bryan had been a boy. But now it was his own, inheriting it when his father had passed away just two years after Bryan had graduated from law school.

It was an unusually cloudy day in Stanford, but nevertheless Bryan was in an upbeat mood. Whistling as he crossed the street to his offices he had never even seen the drunk driver's vehicle coming. Perhaps he had not wanted to. As the saying goes he had been looking upon the world with rose-colored glasses up to that point. No harm could befall him, he was indestructible. Throughout life Bryan had truly felt blessed, now it was all gone. In an instant his entire life had been snuffed out. His promising future was no more. All that was left was another casualty in the war of drinking and driving. He was no longer Bryan Adam Caleb outstanding lawyer, loving husband, expectant father, and genuine nice guy. Now he was just another statistic.

But Bryan didn't understand what was happening. If he was dead, why was he still on this Earth? What happened to the other side? So many unanswered questions tore through his mind.

He refused to believe it.

As paramedics encompassed the accident scene Bryan turned and ran. His mind was in frenzy and he just needed to get away, get some space to determine what in the world was going on.

His pace quickened to the point where he felt as though he had wings and could lift off. Finally he came to a stop at the end of the block and to his surprise he was not at all fatigued. His leg muscles did not ache and he was not breathing heavy. In fact, he was not breathing at all.

Still in disbelief he went to check his pulse for some sign that he was still alive. His fingers passed straight through his arm. There was no solidity to his wrist at all. He tried two more times with nothing but the same result.

Bryan looked around frantically for help. With his head on a swivel, something above him caught his eye. Lights gleamed up in the sky like as though a great crystal was wedged between two clouds precariously placed for the sun to shine off it.

He stood awed looking at the magnificent colors waning in every direction. It brought him a smile and a sense of peace. After a moment he even thought he glimpsed his loving father's face high above beckoning him to come forward and join him.

Bryan began to imagine just how nice it would be to be at his father's side again and to see his mother again in perfect and simple bliss.

The lights shone brighter and began to descend down towards him. Bryan stood stock still as they came closer and closer. The bright glare was such that he had to close his eyes but the pleasant images still remained. He felt his feet lift off the ground and he began to rise up with the jubilation.

Many wondrous memories were encompassing him now. Simple joys he new as a boy, more substantial and rich emotions of love and faith and virtue that he'd experienced as a man. Those worlds of days long since past were uniting on a grand scale and lifting Bryan up higher and higher into ecstasy the likes of which he had never known before. But with this cataclysm of extraordinary peace came relevance and a fear.

This illuminated structure of memories was a portal allowing him access to the other side. It was the ever after, bounty and life everlasting would be soon to come. Bryan's time here on Earth had been full but was now over. But he wasn't ready to leave yet.

"No," he stated. His voice was low at first as he still clung to the tranquility of the descending portal and the majesty of what it was.

He tried hard to shake it off, feeling indifference of a strong nature. Something was wrong. He did not belong here, not now. There was too much left for him to do. He did not want to leave his unborn child fatherless. The Caleb Family Law Practice was on a steady rise; Bryan needed to leave his legacy before he left this Earth.

As his will to stay grew stronger and stronger he shouted "No!" more defiantly than before and this time it broke him away from the suction of the light.

To find out what happens, order your copy of Life, Death, and Back right now.

What they're saying...

"For those who have often asked 'is there life after death', Life, Death, and Back opens our minds to ideas beyond traditional beliefs. While none of us really know what happens after our spirit leves our physical being, Vespia's novel helps us look at th afterlife from a new perspective. This book is a good story, told in a believable style, that has us wondering if there really are angels that are sent to help us through the rough times. Perhaps that's all any of us are looking for - just the possibility that we are not alone, even when things appear to be hopeless."

~Linda Thompson, host of AuthorsWebTV.com

"I am … enjoying the heck out of your book. It is stunning and a quintessential page-turner. The story drew me in before I even knew what was happening. I was caring about these characters and their lives and situations and there was an invisibility about the craft that I do find characteristic of exceptional fiction. The story is so well told that you are drawn in, but you don't see the seams…. In short, I am riveted."

~Dr. Niama L. William

Cynthia can be reached through her website at CynthiaVespia.com

MIDWEEK MEET & GREET. Cythia Vespia's, LIFE, DEATH & BACK.

Welcome! Tuesday has arrived and with it, the Midweek Meet & Greet. Crawl Inside a Writer's Mind. Today I'd like to introduce author Cythia Vespia. Must admit, her work sounds fantastic. I won't keep you waiting a moment longer. First, a bit about Cynthia, then it's on to the interview!
Cynthia was drawn to writing at a young age. After high school she established a successful career as a freelance journalist writing everything from features and fillers, to reviews and human interest stories.
Her first novel, a medieval fiction entitled The Crescent, was published in August, 2005. The novel was unanimously praised as "an engaging, descriptive read" which prompted a sell-out at Borders Bookstore in less than one hour during the first official signing.

A short story (a satirical look at the afterlife) titled Death's Grand Design was published online shortly thereafter and once again met with reviews that honored her attention to detail and the flow of her prose.
In May of 2006, Theater of Pain was released. This suspense thriller unfolds within the eccentric world of professional wrestling where competitors would do anything to reach the top...even murder.
Today Cynthia writes quality, character driven novels full of suspense as well as dark fantasy. Cynthia likes to refer to her novels as "Real life situations that you could find yourself in, but hope to God you never do." In her spare time she enjoys reading, movies that involve a strong plot/characters, and keeping active through various forms of martial arts and as an active fitness competitor.
Let's learn more about Cynthia's latest release, LIFE, DEATH and BACK.
Life goes by in a blink.     One moment can change everything.               For most, death is the eternal end.
Bryan Caleb has unfinished business. Even as he struggles with his own mortality Bryan must find the compassion within himself to help guide Lisa Zane, an emotionally and spiritually drained young girl, through her troubled life to find her purpose. For it is only with Lisa's help that Bryan can rescue his very own son from the life of crime he has fallen into before Kriticos Caleb's fate mirrors his father's...in death.
SKY:  Welcome, Cynthia! So glad to have you over to chat about your latest paranormal suspense, Life, Death and Back.
CYNTHIA: Thank you for having me, Sky. It's a pleasure to be here to discuss Life, Death, and Back. I've already been receiving some great feedback on the novel and it is only a few months old yet. People are intrigued by the unknown, that's one of the reasons I wrote this particular novel.
SKY:  Congratulations on the feedback! I love anything paranormal and your character, Bryan already has me intrigued. Would you mind sharing a bit of his back story?
CYNTHIA:  I made Bryan out to be a bit of the "every man." He doesn't have tremendous strength, or super intelligence. He wasn't endowed with super powers or mutations. Bryan is just a regular loving husband and expectant father...until he is suddenly struck down by a drunk driver in the middle of the street. That's when everything changes. Now the rules have changed. Bryan is no longer amongst the living. He's something of a ghost, an apparition. But I let him keep his emotions...there's no story without emotion to draw in the reader. What I wind up with is a very complex and juicy character that I really had no limits with. You tell me how someone who comes back from the dead is going to act? Its creative freedom at its finest.

SKY:  No doubt! Sounds intriquing. Lisa, young and troubled, also sounds like a very complex character. Let's hear a bit more about her. Anything you'd like to share.

CYNTHIA:  Lisa came to me from tapping into that side that all humanity shares and it is the capacity to just give up on life. Most of us fight that evil and find a reason to pull ourselves out of bed in the morning. But there is a large portion of society that just takes up space because they've quit on themselves. Unfortunately a lot of that population is young teenagers. I wanted to paint a picture of a girl who has really had a bad run in life and is deserving of this second chance I'm about to offer to her.

SKY:  Nice. We've read the blurb for Life, Death and Back and looked a little closer at the two main characters. Tell me, what inspired you to write such an intriguing story?
CYNTHIA: Again, its fascination with the unknown. I'm no stranger to death in my lifetime. No one gets out of life alive and I think because of that it is very natural to want to explore what goes on afterwards. We've seen some very successful depictions of the afterlife in contemporary media such as movies and stories like Ghost, The Lovely Bones, and The Crow. I had my own version of the story I wanted to tell.
SKY: You've already published other stories. What makes Life, Death and Back stand out for you? Was it a story that'd been in your mind for some time or did it form because of other tales you'd penned?

CYNTHIA: Life, Death, and Back is actually one of my earlier works that had been repackaged and brought back to life (excuse the pun) to become this story within a story. Essentially the novel itself spans three different generations. The timeline is one of the more complex I've had to work with because I put these characters aside for a time and revisited them years later to complete the tale.

SKY: Did you plot out this story or did it speak to you as you wrote and the characters took over? If it was a bit of both, share!

CYNTHIA:  I don't like to plot much because you lose the spontaneity of the story. When I write it is like reading the novel for the first time and I like to see where the characters will take me. Life Death and Back was one of those stories that just flowed. I had bits and pieces in mind of where I wanted to head with it but ultimately the novel wrote itself.

SKY: You could sum this story up with three powerful words. What would they be and why?

CYNTHIA: Ha, Life, Death, and Back! The title itself catches you because I'm sure at first it sounds like a non-fiction. At closer introspection you come to realize it isn't. Its a tale woven of realistic elements that surprises you as you read it. And I suppose hope, faith, and gratitude could be another three powerful words to choose but that basically comes from my own life's mantra.

SKY:  It was great having you visit, Cynthia. Wishing you the very best with this title. I know I'll be picking up a copy. I say we slam out with your favorite excerpt from Life, Death and Back. The floor's yours!

CYNTHIA: Thank you Sky. This is an unedited excerpt from the opening chapter. To find out what happens next visit:

CHAPTER I

The first sojourn from life to death was very much the epitome of birth. Brilliant flashes of light were aglow all around bathing snapshots of memory, minute but hardly trivial.

When the ride stopped and the suspension of disbelief released him, Bryan was curious to find his own corpse stretched out at his feet. It lay on the grassy lawn in front of his office building, twenty feet from where he had initially been walking.

The corpse, his corpse, stared up at him through one wide eye. Sightless now it still echoed the feeling of shock that he had felt the very moment the vehicle had struck him.

Though he wanted to look away from the tragic scene utter terror and confusion gripped him still. Pedestrians and motorists surrounded the accident and sirens wailed in the distance. He was oblivious to it all.

All Bryan wanted to do was crawl back inside his body, stand up and say, "Hey, look at me, I'm fine. Not a scratch." Then there were strong impulses pulling him into the belief that this was just a nightmare. At any moment he was going to respond with a shudder and a cold sweat but he would wake, frantic at first, until he found himself in bed next to his lovely wife, Holly.

He hadn't bothered to wake her that morning. She was radiantly aglow in her pregnancy as she slept. It was their very first child and they were overjoyed to be experiencing this miracle after only one year of marriage.

Bryan had kissed her on the cheek and gone on his way to the law firm. His place of business was another joyful experience to be able to share with Holly. Bryan was the youngest of his class to seek and sustain a substantial position within a reputable law firm. Of course it helped that his father had owned and maintained the firm since Bryan had been a boy. But now it was his own, inheriting it when his father had passed away just two years after Bryan had graduated from law school.

It was an unusually cloudy day in Stanford, but nevertheless Bryan was in an upbeat mood. Whistling as he crossed the street to his offices he had never even seen the drunk driver's vehicle coming. Perhaps he had not wanted to. As the saying goes he had been looking upon the world with rose-colored glasses up to that point. No harm could befall him, he was indestructible. Throughout life Bryan had truly felt blessed, now it was all gone. In an instant his entire life had been snuffed out. His promising future was no more. All that was left was another casualty in the war of drinking and driving. He was no longer Bryan Adam Caleb outstanding lawyer, loving husband, expectant father, and genuine nice guy. Now he was just another statistic.

But Bryan didn't understand what was happening. If he was dead, why was he still on this Earth? What happened to the other side? So many unanswered questions tore through his mind.

He refused to believe it.

As paramedics encompassed the accident scene Bryan turned and ran. His mind was in frenzy and he just needed to get away, get some space to determine what in the world was going on.

His pace quickened to the point where he felt as though he had wings and could lift off. Finally he came to a stop at the end of the block and to his surprise he was not at all fatigued. His leg muscles did not ache and he was not breathing heavy. In fact, he was not breathing at all.

Still in disbelief he went to check his pulse for some sign that he was still alive. His fingers passed straight through his arm. There was no solidity to his wrist at all. He tried two more times with nothing but the same result.

Bryan looked around frantically for help. With his head on a swivel, something above him caught his eye. Lights gleamed up in the sky like as though a great crystal was wedged between two clouds precariously placed for the sun to shine off it.

He stood awed looking at the magnificent colors waning in every direction. It brought him a smile and a sense of peace. After a moment he even thought he glimpsed his loving father's face high above beckoning him to come forward and join him.

Bryan began to imagine just how nice it would be to be at his father's side again and to see his mother again in perfect and simple bliss.

The lights shone brighter and began to descend down towards him. Bryan stood stock still as they came closer and closer. The bright glare was such that he had to close his eyes but the pleasant images still remained. He felt his feet lift off the ground and he began to rise up with the jubilation.

Many wondrous memories were encompassing him now. Simple joys he new as a boy, more substantial and rich emotions of love and faith and virtue that he'd experienced as a man. Those worlds of days long since past were uniting on a grand scale and lifting Bryan up higher and higher into ecstasy the likes of which he had never known before. But with this cataclysm of extraordinary peace came relevance and a fear.

This illuminated structure of memories was a portal allowing him access to the other side. It was the ever after, bounty and life everlasting would be soon to come. Bryan's time here on Earth had been full but was now over. But he wasn't ready to leave yet.

"No," he stated. His voice was low at first as he still clung to the tranquility of the descending portal and the majesty of what it was.

He tried hard to shake it off, feeling indifference of a strong nature. Something was wrong. He did not belong here, not now. There was too much left for him to do. He did not want to leave his unborn child fatherless. The Caleb Family Law Practice was on a steady rise; Bryan needed to leave his legacy before he left this Earth.

As his will to stay grew stronger and stronger he shouted "No!" more defiantly than before and this time it broke him away from the suction of the light.

To find out what happens, order your copy of Life, Death, and Back right now.

What they're saying...

"For those who have often asked 'is there life after death', Life, Death, and Back opens our minds to ideas beyond traditional beliefs. While none of us really know what happens after our spirit leves our physical being, Vespia's novel helps us look at th afterlife from a new perspective. This book is a good story, told in a believable style, that has us wondering if there really are angels that are sent to help us through the rough times. Perhaps that's all any of us are looking for - just the possibility that we are not alone, even when things appear to be hopeless."

~Linda Thompson, host of AuthorsWebTV.com

"I am … enjoying the heck out of your book. It is stunning and a quintessential page-turner. The story drew me in before I even knew what was happening. I was caring about these characters and their lives and situations and there was an invisibility about the craft that I do find characteristic of exceptional fiction. The story is so well told that you are drawn in, but you don't see the seams…. In short, I am riveted."

~Dr. Niama L. William

Cynthia can be reached through her website at CynthiaVespia.com