Selena Blake's Blog, page 58

This is what writing feels like

My friend Samantha Hunter sent me a link to this and I had to share. This is exactly what writing feels like to me. Almost like Flight of the Bumble Bee. LOL

Ready & Willing Chapter 3

If you're not subscribed to my newsletter, you can still get access to chapters of Ready & Willing, my paranormal free read. Just click the link below. It will take you to Pay with a Tweet.

All you have to do is send a note to Twitter or Facebook, via the buttons on Pay with a Tweet, with the link back to this post. The website makes it a simple 2 step process.

And then you get to download the third chapter. Check back each Tuesday for a new chapter. Did I mention you're helping to spread the word about Kaden and Ava's romance? How awesome of you!

— Get Chapter 3 —

Giveaway at 1000 Books to Read

 

1000 Books to Read needs your support to get to 1000 Likes. Love books? Check them out. They're hosting a big 'ol giveaway sometime soon. How soon depends on you!

Snippet Saturday–Action–November 19

This week's Snippet is all about action. I have a love/hate relationship with action scenes. But, I happen to love the action in Seduced by a Cajun Werewolf. Enjoy.

 

The footsteps in the stairwell grew louder. She glanced from him to the door and back. The moment stretched on and he tried to read her mind but her thoughts were rapid fire pistons.

"Alright," she said, sounding breathless. The single word was music to his ears. She stared at his hand for half of a second before taking it.

He kissed her and then left her to push the dresser in front of the door.

"What are you doing? That's our way out."

"There's another way."

Her gaze swerved to the balcony. "Are you suggesting we make a rope out of the bed linens and shimmy our way down?"

Parts of him stirred at the thought of her luscious behind shimmying. "I'd love to watch you shimmy…some other time."

He glanced out at the rapidly rising sun. "How do you feel about sunlight?"

"Sunlight?" The word was quick and shrill. Had there not been men after them, he would have taken a moment to enjoy how comical her expression was.

Instead, he nodded grimly. He'd heard that vamps had become immune to sunlight but he didn't want to test it on her. The roof really was the best way out since he had no idea who was after her or if they'd shoot first and ask questions later.

"I prefer to stay out of it unless I'm wearing SPF 50."

He wrapped her jacket around her and cinched the belt tight. It came down well over the tops of her boots. But her hands and face were bare. "Let's go."

"Great," she said with a grumble. But she sheathed her weapon and started after him. He lead the way to the balcony and down to the end of the building. Behind them, the door to her suite crashed open. Gunfire ricocheted through the room. His heartbeat quickened along with his footsteps.

They were on the top floor, and he quickly gauged the distance to the roof line. Sometimes being super strong came in handy. Now was one of those times.

He let go of her hand and pointed a finger to the roof above. "Up you go."

"You're joking." She glanced down at his finger and then up at the rooftop.

"Nope." He grabbed her around the waist from behind and, as gently as possible, hurtled them both to the roof. Voices from below drove him forward.

The tarred pebbles crushed beneath their feet as they ran across the expanse. When they reached the edge, he surveyed her hands and face. Her skin was turning pink far too fast for his liking.

An alley stretched between the buildings, and she looked at him with an arched brow. Effortlessly, she stepped onto the ledge, lifted her arms, and soared through the air with a grace he had to admire. She landed easily on the other side and turned to look at him.

Wasting no time, he leapt after her, and they took off running again. He didn't dare look back. Pushing ahead was their only option. Right now, he didn't care who was after them, or why. But he very much wanted to stay alive.

When they came to the side of the building, Cayenne put her hand on its edge and soared over it as if it were a vaulting horse. The fire escape groaned under their weight as he joined her. Rusted metal flaked off as they descended.

"Do you see them?" she asked when they were almost to the bottom.

"No. But they've probably got this place staked out." That was a professional operation if he'd ever seen one.

She dropped to the pavement next to him and pushed her hair out of her face.

"You read my mind. There's a car park on the next block," she said, and he admired that she had an exit strategy. Side by side, they raced down the sidewalk and into the concrete parking deck, up a flight of stairs and along a row of cars.

 

Don't forget to check out the other Snippet Saturday authors:

Lauren Dane
Anne Rainey
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Taige Crenshaw
Vivian Arend
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon
Shelli Stevens
Lacey Savage

Review: Straight To The Heart by Samantha Hunter

Straight To The Heart by Samantha Hunter

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Like your heroine's kick butt and your heroes equally tough? Ben is a former Navy SEAL (and he's still got it!) Joanna is a US Marshall, used to catching her man. Ben doesn't want her protection. Joanna must protect him at all costs. Problem is, chemistry is undeniable and so is their attraction.

A great winter read to heat you up. The love scenes were inventive and unique. Ben is a true blue hero.

View all my reviews

What a Writer Wants

[image error]I'm generally one of those people who doesn't write articles or workshops or discuss the industry unless I'm fairly sure I know what the hell I'm talking about. Likewise, I don't like to read articles, or take workshops, or listen to discussions from folks who don't have a clue what they're talking about.

But in this instance, for this series, I'm pretty sure I can speak, er, write, with some authority.

What started off as a rather cheeky, and perhaps a little snarky, post about publishing and publishers and why I need one has become more robust as I've thought about it. These thoughts have grown organically and I'm sure I'm not the only one who could chime in on the topic.

Over the years I've come to determine just what it is I want as a writer.

Why hadn't I figured that out before? Like parenting, you don't really know what you're getting into until you pop out that first baby. Up until then you can read books and blogs on the subject, work hard at producing that little darling, but until that moment…until the publisher calls and says I want to buy your book…well, you're still on the outside with your nose pressed against the glass looking in on the world of published authors, book editors, literary agents and the publishing industry as a whole.

What I've determined I want has come about after I did my research. Wrote a career plan. Followed it. Published with two different ebook publishers. And dipped my toe into the self-publishing waters via Kindle, BarnesandNoble and Smashwords.

So what do I want?

A publisher who respects my time and talent.
A publisher who promotes me and my books, rather than me promoting me, my books, and oh yeah, my publisher.
An editor who will give it to me straight. The good, bad and ugly.
A copy editor who will catch those little mistakes that sneak in after countless hours of reading the same manuscript over and over.
A publicity person who actually does their job. Who sends out books for review. Who promotes the publisher and the authors. Who has a solid plan for marketing the company and the books.
Publishers who are professional.
A publisher who pays on time, every time.
A publisher who doesn't give excuse after excuse as to why something happened or didn't happen.
A publisher who understands that distribution is REALLY important and actually goes after ALL the avenues available.
A publisher who understands that we're in this together.
A publisher who respects their authors AND their readers.
A publisher who's not afraid to take chance and swim against the current.
A publisher who's stable and responsible and who understands how to run a business.
A publisher who wants to be a publisher. Not a baker. Not a photographer. Not an editor. Not an author. But a book publisher.

That's not too much to ask, is it?

Ready & Willing Chapter 2

If you're not subscribed to my newsletter, you can still get access to chapters of Ready & Willing, my paranormal free read. Just click the link below. It will take you to Pay with a Tweet.

All you have to do is send a note to Twitter or Facebook, via the buttons on Pay with a Tweet, with the link back to this post. The website makes it a simple 2 step process.

And then you get to download the second chapter. Check back each Tuesday for a new chapter. Did I mention you're helping to spread the word about Kaden and Ava's romance? How awesome of you!

— Get Chapter 2 —

Snippet Saturday: Sexy–November 12

This week's topic is near and dear to my heart.

All hale sexy.

I have this theory. We all need a little sexy in our lives. No, I'm not talking sex. I mean sexy. I mean the inner confidence, the feeling of being desired, the attention. Anyone can be sexy. It starts in the mind. It can even be subconscious and unintentional.

In the case of Seduced by a Cajun Werewolf, this scene strikes me as one of the most sexy I've ever written. There's something about a strong, confident Alpha male giving his life over to fate and standing alone in the rain, waiting for his life to go one way or the other. Did I mention he's shirtless? Oh yeah, and she's in her underwear?

Enjoy.

 

"So this is your job? Killing people?" He rolled backwards over the bed, feeling like a playful, eight week-old pup. Her eyes flashed silver. He wasn't particularly afraid of her—and if he could take a time out, he was sure he'd laugh at the whole situation.

The woman he loved more than life itself had been hired to assassinate him, and here she was dancing around him in her lingerie, trying to slice him to bits. Yes, the Fates had a brutal sense of humor.

"Why are you not afraid of me?" She stopped to look at him. Her heaving breasts threatened to spill over the top of the lacey cups of her bra. Standing in the doorway, with rain splattering her feet, she was a vision. Lithe, toned, and delicious.

"I used to kill your kind for a living." He cocked his head to the side, watching her through his lashes as his words sank in.

She let out a piercing battle cry and leapt at him. He caught her wrists and held them high over her head.

"I will kill you," she promised. Her features hardened, and her tone was filled with fury.

"I'm not afraid of death."

Her eyebrows drew together and frowned as if she hadn't understood him. That glossy hair he longed to run his fingers through trailed over her shoulder in a way he found far too alluring for their present situation.

"My turn," he said. "Why do you kill?"

"Because it's what I was trained to do."

"You aren't very good at it."

She moved so quickly he hardly had time to react. Her blade sliced into his arm, and he growled low in his throat as he spun out of the way.

"Then again, I'm not used to fighting a mere woman. Perhaps women are not made to fight. To kill."

"Would you like to see my kill book?" Her fangs peeked over her lips again.

"Not particularly."

When she swung this time, he kicked the sword out of her hand. She hissed like a cat who'd just had its tail stepped on.

"Perhaps your heart just isn't in it." He gave her a dark, lingering look. And before she could reply, turned and walked out onto the balcony.

Rain poured down upon him, drenching his jeans and soaking his hair. Through the thick precipitation, he could make out a few landmarks and skyscrapers. They were on the top floor of a building. The balcony stretched left and right. The thunderstorm carried the salty scent of the ocean and put on a great light show.

A sharp pain seared his back.

"You're stupid to turn your back on me, wolf," she said, her voice raised above the roar of falling water.

"I told you—I'm not afraid of death."

The point of her sword moved to the base of his neck. A chill broke out over his skin. The feeling…couldn't be fear. He'd thought about it for so long; had welcomed it on more than one occasion. All this time, he'd thought that she, Violet, was dead.

Life had seemed so dim. It hadn't mattered how many women had graced his bed. How many parties he'd attended, or how much money he'd made. Travel, food, and life itself had become tasteless and boring. Death would take away the pain. The monotony.

Slowly, he turned to face her. Her hair was plastered against her porcelain skin, and her eyes had turned that weird shade of blue and silver. Water dripped from her nose and ran like a river between her breasts, disappearing beneath the lacey edge of her panties.

"Who hired you?" The tip of her weapon was only inches away from his throat, and he was completely vulnerable. A rare feeling.

She frowned. "Why do you care?"

"Don't you think a dying man deserves to know who paid for his execution?"

"I don't know the person's name."

"You lie."

She remained silent as the wind picked up, driving the rain into his skin like BB pellets. She seemed unaffected by the sharp, stinging sensation. Her face remained placid, as if she'd done this, had stood in front of a man ready to carry out his death, a thousand times.

Perhaps she had.

"Well, Violet, I have nothing left to live for." He knelt in front of her, wondering if she'd go through with it. Perhaps he should call his brother and cousins. But he did not want them to think him a coward. Resigned, yes.

With that little piece of hope inside him dead, he had nothing left on which to cling. Everything—his life, their future, was in her hands.

Be sure to visit the other Snippet Saturday authors!

Lauren Dane
Anne Rainey
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Selena Blake
Taige Crenshaw
Vivian Arend
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon
Shelli Stevens
Lacey Savage
Selena Robins

FTF: Egyptian Voyage by T.J. Michaels

Also up this Friday, another special excerpt. You lucky wolfpups, you.

Two Kick-Azz Books, Two Kick-Azz Deals

EGYPTIAN VOYAGE by T.J. Michaels Blurb: The Empress III is the celestial Isis. Nature, universal fecundity united with spiritual rectitude. She is fertility, creation, intelligence and activity. Whatever the gender, the Empress year brings you in touch with your need to nurture and be nurtured. She is Earth-Mother incarnate. The Empress is not just about love—she's about creativity planted in the realm of the imagination. She is fertile, ripe and blossoming, with ideas, plans, creations. But know this, my friend—the upside-down Empress III tarot card has a completely different meaning. If the card is drawn by a woman, the upside-down Empress can represent that woman and indicate a partial success in regard to something important to her. But, if drawn by a man, it indicates a loss of love. Negative elements of the Empress are tendencies to be overbearing, vain, and using appearance to sway and manipulate. And in our story, this Empress is not drawn by a woman. Nor is it drawn in the typical manner of right-side up. Looks like we've got a bad guy to put down…

Enjoy the first two chapters of Egyptian Voyage, a story of love and murder on the high seas. [image error]

Get it on sale at Amazon.com Get it on sale a Barnes and Noble Get it for 30% off at Smashwords – Coupon code AQ73D BONUS Carinian's Seeker, Vampire Council of Ethics Book 1, is free on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com for a limited time (November 1 through November 14, only). Get it free at Amazon.com Get it Free at Barnes and Noble

FTF: Finding Home by HelenKay Dimon

Who's ready for a fabulous new excerpt? This is from Finding Home by HelenKay Dimon. You'll find it in the SEAL of My Dreams Anthology.

Run on over and get your copy from Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Enjoy!

—

Hal guided her through the room to the far hallway. Gun up and ready to pounce, he planned to get them out through the kitchen and through a planned zigzag of small homes and dirt alleys. He had to take care of a few problems first.

He stopped. Since Megan had a death drip on his pants and her body plastered against his back, the move slammed her into him. "Megan?"
"Yes?" Her whisper blew across the back of his neck, causing a blip in his concentration. But the real problem was the way she tugged on his pants. She'd hiked them into danger territory.

He propped his shoulder against the wall and tucked her in behind him. "Few things. First, you're shuffling."

"What does that mean?"

He slid her flat against the wall and shifted until he loomed over her. The only thing holding their bodies apart was her hands, which she had balanced between them.

His gaze traveled around the enclosed space just in case the owners of the voices he heard on the street decided to step inside. "You need to pick up your feet. The goal is quiet."

"Sorry." A pink stain raced up her neck and colored her cheeks.

When she started rubbing her hands together, her fingers brushed against his stomach and both of them froze. This close, he could see the green flecks in her eyes and the round angel face with full lips that begged for him to run a finger across them. She was a beautiful woman, curvy behind her conservative black suit and tall enough for her mouth to reach his chin. The lacy white shirt under her blazer hinted at her feminine side.

And her ability to stay calm and on her feet while the world crumbled around her…well, that was sexier than any of her other obvious female attributes.

He put his hand over hers and held them against his stomach. Something sparked in her eyes and her body went still. He sensed the second she remembered where they were.

"You are safe with me." He waited until she nodded to go on. "Hold my pants or my shirt. Do not let go."

"Got it."

"Also might be a good idea for you not to yank the pants up so high."

He gaze shifted to his lower half and her mouth dropped open. "I didn't-"

"Any higher and my belt will be at my neck. I can fight through most things, but having my pants at my ears will down my running speed."

She let out a half-laugh that sounded more like a squeak then put her hand over her mouth. "I'm so sorry."

"I've got swim trunks on, so we're fine." When her shoulders stopped shaking, he skipped to the tougher stuff. "The sun is at full power. You need to lose the jacket."

At this time of year, the temperature bounced from cool fifties at night to boiling high-nineties with no wind in the afternoon. A dark blazer might hide her identity but heat stroke could kill her. Wearing nothing but a blinding white shirt would put a target on her back.

She slipped the blazer off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. He tried not to notice her bare shoulders or the way the shirt stretched across her breasts. The slight definition of muscles down her tanned arms suggested she worked out. His brain processed the fact and stored it for later use in their escape. The not-so-smart part of him wanted to reach out and test her skin to see if it was as smooth as it looked.

She rubbed her hands over her exposed arms. "Better?"

"Yeah." He untucked his shirt and slipped it over his head, leaving the top of his wet suit on. "Slip this over your shirt. It will give you a bit of camouflage"

When she just stood there staring at him, he tried again. "Megan?"

She visibly snapped back to attention. "Right."

The shirt fell to her upper thighs. The baggy clothes took her from business and in charge to vulnerable. The bunny slippers probably had something to do with the change.

"We're going to get to the edge of this neighborhood then wait for the signal. Once we're clear, we'll get to the water and get you out."

She swallowed hard enough to make her throat move. "You do mean by boat and not by swimming."

"Are you afraid of the water?" He could knock her out if he had to, but he sure as hell hoped it didn't come to that.

"Terrified of sharks."

A phobia he could handle. "Won't let them near you. Promise."

She pushed away from the wall and put a hand on the back of his shirt. "Ready."

"I like your style, Megan White."

—

Now I know you're ready for those links: Amazon or Barnes and Noble.