Selena Blake's Blog, page 36
June 26, 2013
Review of Fangs, Fur & Mistletoe
Lisa Jung from Night Owl Reviews Said:
“Fangs, Fur & Mistletoe is a fun short read and is the first in the Mystic Isle series. CoCo is a great character. She is a vampire that has survived war and is part of a female coven from France. She finds a compatible mate in Grayson, a werewolf soldier. You get two lost souls finding love and passion on Mystic Isle. All is not smooth. The journey is rocky, but true love conquers all. I recommend this book and I’m looking forward to more Mystic Isle books. This is a great read anytime of the year.”
June 22, 2013
A Snippet from ASK FOR IT
Thought I’d share a particularly yummy exchange between the hero and heroine. Setting: shoe store.
“You’re a runner,” he declared quietly, sounding sure of himself and pleased with the discovery.
She nodded.
“Are you sure there’s nothing I can show you? Maybe you’ll find something that fits perfectly.”
For a brief moment she thought he was making an innuendo. Of course there was something he could show her, and heaven help her, she’d been waiting for years to see how it fit.
I Hate Being Suspicious
But it’s the reality of the world we live in.
Two young-ish guys knocked on my door the other day and asked if I’d like to have my grass cut. I have a company that comes out on a regular basis and they were here a week ago. The yard has grown since then, but it still looks nice and manicured.
What made me suspicious about these two is a) they weren’t wearing any sort of uniform or identification on a t-shirt b) their SUV didn’t have any sort of label or magnet or identification that says “hey, I’m in the lawn business” c) they weren’t towing a trailer of lawn equipment d) they bypassed my neighbor’s yard that is about a month and a half overdue for a haircut e) they immediately and quickly left my neighborhood after I said no thanks. They didn’t offer me a flier or anything with their company name or anything either.
Now I know that not everyone is going to form a company for a summer lawn service. But how hard is it to put your names, contact info, services, and pricing on a sheet of paper to hand out? Heck, the 13 year old boy down the street did it.
Here are a few other things that I think they could’ve done better (if they were legit, which I get the feeling they weren’t.)
Go to Walmart and drop $5 on matching T-shirts. It’s not much of a uniform, but it would show me you’re serious and the tiniest bit professional.
Create a flier (black and white will do.)
Order a magnet for your car doors from Vista Print. I think you can even get these free.
While you’re soliciting, go to each door… not just random houses. And no, my house wasn’t the only one with a car out front. If you actually want to make money, stop by each house.
Stay safe out there Wolfpack! If you see suspicious activity, make sure to let your neighbors know so they can keep an eye out. And/or contact the police!
June 21, 2013
Introducing Trevor Wyatt
How does one introduce a legend?
I guess you just say “World, meet Trevor Wyatt. Trevor, meet the world.”
When I first met Trevor he was standing behind the counter of an old shoe store in New York City. His back was to me and so I guess you could say, I met his backside first. And oh what a backside it is.
But as I learned more about this man that my heroine immediately recognized I couldn’t help but be a little in awe of him. First because JJ assures me he’s “a god in the football world.” That means little to this football newb, but I could definitely admire his raw masculinity, not to mention power. But then because I realized he’s this wealthy guy working in a shoe store to help out a family member. And as his deeper secrets are revealed, I plain out fell hard for him. He’s really something else. And just when I think I know all his secrets, I learn a new one.
And did I mention, he kinda resembles a young Chris Hemsworth? Yeah. He puts the O in Yumm-o.
Here’s a little sampling to whet your appetite. But be warned, the advisory on this book states that you must keep a glass of ice water handy. You’ll thank me later.
* * *
Straightening her spine, she reached for the door handle and pulled. JJ didn’t know what she expected to find in the shoe store. Obviously shoes, but certainly not the gorgeous salesman behind the counter.
He stood with his back to her, a phone pressed against his right ear. He was tall with broad shoulders and plenty of chiseled muscle filling out the navy t-shirt and well-worn jeans.
Staring is rude, her mother’s voice whispered through her mind. JJ knew that but she couldn’t help herself.
There was something familiar about the man and she found it nearly impossible to tear her gaze away. Those muscles made her tingle in some very important places and it’d been a long time since her body had reacted so strongly, so quickly. There was no denying the increased heart rate, the sweaty palms, the way her knees trembled or her breasts tightened.
Stopping next to a display of walking shoes and she forced herself to look at the colorful laces and take a deep breath. The scent of synthetic material and rubber soles was thick in the air.
Where did she know him from? A covert glance from the corner of her eye let her take in his profile. Holy smokes. At this rate she’d need a glass of ice water before he even turned around.
As if she’d called his name, whatever it was, he hung up the phone and turned toward her. JJ bit back a gasp as she took in the golden blond hair and sparkling blue eyes. She’d know that handsome face anywhere…his strong jaw, full lips, and that sexy dimple in his cheek.
Trevor Wyatt was only one of the best looking men to have ever played in the NFL.
June 20, 2013
More About Ask For It
Yesterday I mentioned I have a new contemporary romance coming out June 27th. But I figured you’d want to know a little more about it. First thing to note: this is a full length novel. The longest novel I’ve published thus far. If you took Ready & Willing and tacked Fangs, Fur and Mistletoe on the end, that’s about how long this book is.
For those of you detail oriented folks, it’s around 73,000 words, which is about the length of Bella Andre’s Sullivan books and the early Gansett Island books by Marie Force. For you category romance fans, it’s between Special Edition and Superromance in length.
So for those of you who want longer, meatier, complex books…this one’s for you!
ASK FOR IT features a fun cast of characters. You’ve got the girlfriends, JJ’s brothers (and handsome cousins), parents, agents, publicists, and of course, a villain. Because what book would be complete without a bad guy?
If you read my free read, Instructing Adam, and were wondering what becomes of Cindy and Adam, you’re in luck. Cindy is one of the secondary characters in this book. She and a few of the other characters get some scenes in their own POV which is so much fun. And we’ll get more scoop on her relationship with Adam. Yum! (#LoveNerds)
I’ll be back tomorrow to introduce you to the hero, Trevor Wyatt.
June 19, 2013
Yes, you can start a sentence with And
Following up my notes from last week, I thought I’d point this out.
However, this is a stylistic preference rather than a grammatical ‘rule’. If your teachers or your organization are inflexible about this issue, then you should respect their opinion, but ultimately, it’s just a point of view and you’re not being ungrammatical. If you want to defend your position, you can say that it’s particularly useful to start a sentence with these conjunctions if you’re aiming to create a dramatic or forceful effect.
This is one of my favorite things about language. It is constantly evolving. Constantly changing to meet our needs and our time and our ever evolving humanity. There’s are a reason we no longer speak in thous and shalts. Even my spell checker is flagging those two words. Why just this week I heard about a group of inner city kids using yo as an alternative to he/she…a much needed word in my opinion. Not sure about yo though. It makes me think of yo dawg. Yes, I’m dating myself. LOL
So if anyone gives you grief about starting a sentence with AND. you can tell them that I (and this dictionary) says hell yes you can!
Coming Soon: ASK FOR IT– contemporary romance
Looking for a hot new contemporary romance for your summer? Yeah, you’re gonna need a glass of ice water with this one.
Watch for ASK FOR IT June 27,2013.
June 17, 2013
Book of the Week: Fangs, Fur & Mistletoe
EXCERPT
“I remember everything,” she whispered, her fangs lengthening.
“This?” he whispered, a large hand splaying across her lower back. Hot. Strong. Possessive. Pulling her closer until their hips brushed.
“Yes.” The word came out as a hiss.
He took her hand and laid it over his heart. The organ beat out a steady rhythm against her palm. She soaked in the heat of his skin, the strength of his chest. “And this?” he asked, his deep voice seducing her as easily as his touch.
“Yes.”
She remembered the sound of his heartbeat thundering in her ears. His pulse, visible in the strong artery in his neck. She’d wanted to taste his blood, sink her fangs into him as he entered her.
She still wanted that.
He cupped her cheek with his other hand and dipped his head. The light from a nearby lamppost lit his eyes. Just as they had all those years ago, his irises flared, and for the briefest of seconds she thought that maybe he could see to the depth of her soul. No one, not even Valencia and certainly not Dmitri, had ever studied her so intensely.
“And this?” he murmured again, their lips less than a centimeter apart.
She smelled whiskey on his breath, one more memory of this night. All she had to do was close the distance and find out if he kissed as well as he did in her dreams.
Just like that night on the battlefield, his thumb traced her jaw line. And just like that night, desire warred with the knowledge that they were not destined to be together.
But she hadn’t come to Mystic Isle for together-forever. She’d come for hot-shout-my-name-sex. She’d come here… to come.
So this time when he glanced back and forth, staring so deeply into her eyes, gauging her response, she let her lips do the talking.
