Samantha MacLeod's Blog, page 13

Samantha MacLeod’s Privacy Policy

This month, the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) go into effect for citizens of the EU. In light of those new regulations, I want to remind everyone of my privacy policy.

In other words, here’s what I’m doing with your information.

If You’re Just Visiting My Site

I do nothing.

Nothing, Jon Snow.

[image error]Don’t be hurt! I still appreciate you!

I don’t use cookies. I don’t track your IP address. I’m not even sure I could identify an IP address if my life depended on it.

So, if you’re here to read the Loki smut (click here, or here), your secret is safe with me.

If You Join My Mailing List

Thank you!!!!

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Seriously, independent authors like myself wouldn’t exist without the support of readers like you.

When you join my mailing list, I give you special offers I don’t share anywhere else, and you’re the first to see my new covers and hear about my new projects. I’ll also share special deals on other books I think you might enjoy. I only ever use your email address; I don’t track your name or location.

If you joined my newsletter list, either by clicking here or visiting Instafreebie, then you are a wonderful person who deserves a cupcake.

[image error]Go ahead, have two!

Also, if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed with the emails, you can always unsubscribe. The “unsubscribe” button is at the bottom of every email I send.

What Don’t I Do?

I will never sell your information. Ever. To anyone.

Also, I will never share your email address. Ever. With anyone.

Rest assured, your email is safe with me.

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Like what you’ve read? Click here to join my newsletter and I’ll send you a free copy of Tam Lin, my sexy modern take on the Scottish folktale.

Authors Aren’t Competition

I swear to Thor, I was going to write this post before the whole Cockygate debacle.

What’s Cockygate, you ask? I won’t spill any more virtual ink on this topic, but here’s the lowdown: Some crazy author tried to trademark the word “cocky,” and then she tried to get Amazon to pull ANY OTHER ROMANCE BOOKS with the word “cocky” in the title. (Want more? Check out Jenny Trout’s fantastic summary of the entire shit-show by clicking here.)

Does this affect me?

Well, not directly. I didn’t call my romance novel Cocky Norse God (although, hey, there could be worse names).

On the other hand, yes. This affects all writers, indie and traditional. It also affects anyone who might be just a teensy bit alarmed by the concept of trademarking a freaking word.

But really, this whole Cockygate debacle bothers me because it treats other authors as competition, as if writing a novel were some sort of epic Highlander battle in a crumbling castle during a thunderstorm…

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And that’s just crap

Look, it took me over two years to write my urban fantasy paranormal romance The Wolf’s Lover (click here for that blog post).

If I’m going to be the only author you read, or even the only Norse mythology inspired romantic smut author you read, you’d better be reading that book damn slowly.

What’s that you say? You’d like to read more than one book every two years?

GREAT!

Writing isn’t a winner-take-all game.

The way I see it, other romance novels that share common ground with my writing will help me sell my books.

If someone reads Janine Ashbless’s amazing short story Sweet Hel Below in The Sexy Librarian’s Dirty 30, Volume 2, they might just go looking for another Baldr/Hel romance and find Death and Beauty.

And if someone picks up Liz Meldon’s fabulous Lovers and Liars series and wants more Loki romance, hey, The Trickster’s Lover is right there.

So don’t think of other authors in your genre as competition.

Think of them as gateway drugs, pulling readers into your world.

[image error]You’re welcome

Like what you’ve read? Click here to join my newsletter and I’ll send you a free copy of Tam Lin, my sexy modern take on the Scottish folktale.

Check out my store!

I’ve got a store!

My shiny, new Payhip store offers ePub and mobi versions of The Trickster’s Lover, Honeymoon, Persephone Remembers the Pomegranates, and Claiming Thor’s Hammer.

Plus, since it’s my store, I can offer you a special deal.

Enter the coupon code LOKI and take 25% off anything and everything!

[image error]Yes. Yes, it is.

Click here to support your local independent romance author by shopping direct!

Like what you’ve read? Click here to join my newsletter and I’ll send you a free copy of Tam Lin, my sexy modern take on the Scottish folktale.

Novel Update: Bad Business Decisions

I’ve read a lot of articles about how to turn independent publishing into a successful business, and most of them offer some variation on this advice: Publish more! More! MORE!!!

Hey, that’s awesome, possum. In an ideal world, one where I’m writing blog posts while sipping chardonnay and watching the sunset from my veranda, I would love to publish more, more, MORE!

Sadly, this is a world where I’m sipping a mug of tea that went cold hours ago and watching the dirty dishes in my sink, hoping my kids will eventually stop screaming at each other before I have to go in there and, so help me God, Lay The Smack Down.

In other words, publication of The Briar and the Rose, the dark tragedy that is next book in The Loki Series, is going to be somewhat delayed. (Click here for a sneak peek, if that won’t drive you totes insane.)

Why?

Well, my virtual friend, I have got reasons! Step into my kitchen and I’ll tell you a tale. Here, grab yourself a glass of wine from the box on the counter first. And mind the floor – the cat’s been sick.

Reasons!

First, there are personal reasons.

I won’t dwell on these, because my personal life is, as a rule, uninteresting. But I’ve been having horribly painful, non-threatening medical issues for the past three weeks (ovarian cysts, if you’re dying to know), and I’ve spent most of my time curled up with a heating pad instead of writing.

I also have jobs – three of ’em – which are less painful than the cysts, but they never go away. And have I mentioned the children?

When one of the pieces of my juggling act life gets out of whack, something’s gotta give.

That something is writing. Unlike my teaching gigs, it doesn’t pay the bills. And unlike the kids, I won’t get arrested if I ignore it.

I was planning on releasing The Briar and the Rose in May, after spending April doing the final edits. But I haven’t done those edits.

In fact, the entire project has changed…

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Artistic Reasons

The Briar and the Rose was supposed to be a 30,000 word novella, like Honeymoon (the second book in The Loki Series). Most of Briar & Rose takes place in the distant past, where we learn what really happened when Loki tried to steal Iðunn’s apples of immortality. I started writing this one ages ago, before I even started my Baldr and Hel romance Death and Beauty.

I thought The Briar and the Rose was done. I even bought the cover.

Then, mostly thanks to a few suggestions from my AMAZING and very patient beta reader Jayne, I got an idea.

[image error]IDEAS, man!

My first version of Briar & Rose didn’t tell the whole story. I just mentioned the apples, and left out rescuing Iðunn, killing Thiassi, preventing war with Skadi… and the goat. (If you don’t know what I’m talking about, click here.)

Added to the original myth, of course, are several other major characters, plenty of plot twists, and sex.

A LOT of sex.

[image error]Cause you know me…

Once I started thinking about the entire myth, a funny thing happened. I realized I actually had planned out the story. I already knew how Loki stopped Skadi’s army, and it even involves a character I’m thrilled to bring back.

It’s also an incredibly long story.

I’m over 50,000 words now and, at this point, I’m not even sure when it’s going to end.

Yup. It’s another freaking novel.

The Good News!

Yay! More Loki! Another entire freaking Loki novel, in fact, as well as lots more time crashing across the Nine Realms, hanging out/fighting with other Æsir, cameos by Hel, Baldr, Thor, meeting Hel and Fenris’s mother Angrboða.

And did I mention sex?

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The Bad News

Freebies!

Let’s kick off the week with some good news, shall we?

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Hey, The Trickster’s Lover is number 5 in Amazon’s Paranormal Romance!

And it’s FREE!!!

Thank you to all my fabulous virtual friends who helped make this happen.

Throwback Thursday: Backpacking in Montana

I’ve already blogged about my graduate student days in Chicago (click here for that post), which are partly to blame for Caroline in The Trickster’s Lover, the University of Chicago graduate student who gets involved with the Norse god Loki.

But what about Karen, the scientist in The Wolf’s Lover who spends the first part of the novel in a tent in Yellowstone National Park?

Well, it turns out I’ve also been backpacking in Montana, making me part of a very small Venn diagram.

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Here’s a picture of me from – I think – the summer of 2006, when my husband and I took our dog Ruby backpacking in the Gallatin Mountains outside Bozeman, Montana.

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No, this wasn’t the summer we lived in a tipi (click here for that story). So don’t let the massive backpack fool you into thinking we were actually hardcore.

Still, when I write about spending the night in a tent in grizzly bear country, I do actually know what I’m talking about.

While I didn’t see any bears or dream of any Norse gods on that trip, *sigh* we did hear wolves howl at night. Freaked the poor dog right the fuck out.

And, in case you’re wondering, Ruby the dog is still alive and well.

[image error]She’s not a fan of winter, tho.

But we don’t make her carry her own backpack anymore.

Like what you’ve read? Click here to join my newsletter and I’ll send you a free copy of Tam Lin, my sexy modern take on the Scottish folktale.

Glorious Purpose Giveaway!

Loki in my urban fantasy romance novels is based on the character in Norse mythology, and he’s not the same as Marvel’s Loki (for a complete breakdown of the differences between Norse and Marvel’s Loki, click here).

Although, admittedly, they’re both hot as hell.

So, in anticipation of the next Avengers movie, I’m combining my Loki with Marvel’s Loki for a fantastic giveaway!

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Yes, I’m giving away three signed Loki books and a really delightful scented candle from Lemon Cakes Candle Company.

Click here to enter!
Interested in the books?
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The Trickster’s Lover is an urban fantasy romance about Caroline Capello, graduate student at the University of Chicago, who has dedicated her carefully planned life to the serious study of Norse mythology.

At least, until Loki shows up in her bedroom.

Click here for The Trickster’s Lover on Amazon, and click here to find it elsewhere.

The Wolf’s Lover tells the story of Karen McDonald, wildlife biologist studying wolves in Yellowstone National Park, and Loki’s son Vali, who is trapped in the shape of a great, black wolf.

The Wolf’s Lover is currently free for members of Kindle Unlimited (click here to find it) and available in paperback elsewhere (click here for paperbacks).

Death and Beauty is a fantasy romance loosely inspired by the Norse myth of Baldr the Beautiful’s death (at the hands of Loki). When he finds himself in the land of the unglorious dead, Baldr strikes a bargain with Queen Hel, Loki’s daughter, in order to return to the land of the living.

Death and Beauty is also free on Kindle Unlimited (click here) and available in paperback elsewhere (click here for the paperback).

And that candle!
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The candle comes from Lemon Cakes Candle Company, and it really does smell like hot villainous space royalty. Click here to check it out.

May you be burdened with glorious purpose, my friends!

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Like what you’ve read? Click here to join my newsletter and I’ll send you a free copy of Tam Lin, my sexy modern take on the Scottish folktale.

Book Review: Predator by Liz Meldon

Is there anything better than discovering a fantastic new series?

Well, perhaps discovering that series during an epic snowstorm, while the kids are watching mind-numbing cartoons and you can curl up with a mug of hot chocolate and get intimate with a demon escort…

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I’ve been a fan of Liz Meldon since I discovered her Lovers and Liars series, which pairs everyone’s favorite Norse god Loki with Greek goddess Aphrodite to solve supernatural crimes (check out my review here).

When I saw Meldon was planning a series about a demon incubus working as a male escort, I one-clicked that bad boy so fast I almost broke a nail. And this book arrived just in time for a lovely snow day read.

Predator is the first book in Meldon’s new series, The Hunt, and it’s already got me hooked on her characters and totally invested in her world. There is the afore-mentioned sexy demon escort, Severus, who survives off of the life essence he gathers from humans in his job as a male escort. He’s perfectly snarky, independent, and tough… until he meets Moira.

Moira, graduate student and recluse, thinks she’s dying. Her body is changing into something unrecognizable and, to make a tough situation even worse, she’s never gotten to experience an orgasm.

Well, if she’s dying anyway, Moria figures she might as well book a male escort to go out with a bang. (Sorry. Couldn’t help myself.)

Is there explosive chemistry between Severus and Moira? Oh, yes! Are dark secrets revealed during the story? Heck yeah, even secrets I didn’t see coming.

The best part is, while Predator leaves you wanting more, Prey, the second book in The Hunt Series is just around the corner.

And you better believe I one-clicked the hell out of it!

You can find Predator here, and you can pre-order Prey, the second book in the series, right here.

Like what you’ve read? Join my newsletter and I’ll send you a free copy of Tam Lin, my sexy modern take on the Scottish folktale.

Beautiful Paperbacks!

My first paperback copy of The Wolf’s Lover made it through all the recent nor’easters to show up on Saturday.

And it’s beautiful!!!

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Teresa Conner really outdid herself with this one.

You Want it Darker?

I’m a huge Leonard Cohen fan, which is probably not a surprise to anyone.

And I’m channeling his last album You Want it Darker? for the third book in The Loki Series.

The Briar and the Rose tells a tragic and…yes…dark story from Loki’s distant past. It’s due for release in May, but hey, I’m a generous writer.

I’ll give you a little peek right now.

The Briar & the Rose Excerpt

It was a very long time ago.

I suppose it would now be called the Iron Age, although at the time it was, of course, the very pinnacle of human civilization. The amber trade was thriving, King Eadgils was both brave and wise enough to rule justly, the fish were plentiful, and the harvests did not fail. It was good time to walk Asgard, a time when guests were greeted with requisite hospitality, and sometimes, although it was a rarity, someone would even recognize me.

She was picking lingonberry when I first saw her. Oh, she could have been one of the Æsir, with her flaxen hair drifting down the generous curves of her hips. I actually thought she might have been one of the Æsir, at first, which is why I approached her so boldly. I was only a few steps away when I realized my mistake, but by then I was close enough to hear her singing. The lyrics have changed with the fickle ravages of time, but the tune was close enough.

The Briar and the Rose.

It’s a stupid bit of sentimental claptrap I’ve always enjoyed. I began to sing it too, walking alongside her. Her basket was almost full, and she balanced it against her round hips. She only glanced at me, refusing even to smile, but her voice matched my harmony. We sang together until the thatched longhouses of her town came into view, and her pace quickened.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

She turned to me and smiled.

Lingonberries ripen in midsummer, when the lazy, burning sun lingers in the sky and time can be deceptive. I hadn’t realized how long we’d been walking together and singing. The sun rested against the horizon, as close as it would come to setting. It was midnight, near midsummer. A powerful, potent time. The long rays of sun caught her golden hair as it drifted about her face, turning each strand to flame. The light fell across her full lips, the generous swell of her breasts pressing against the straps of her brooch. By the time I remembered I’d asked her a question, she’d turned to descend the steps to her village.

I was back the next day, finding her on a lonely stretch of beach, spreading the berries she’d collected on woven mats to dry in the sun. She was humming this time, although she began to sing when she heard my voice. She didn’t speak, but neither did she move away when my hand brushed hers as she lifted her empty basket.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

She smiled.

Oh, that smile poured through me as molten heat. She’d been eating the berries, her lips were stained red, and I could imagine how sweet she would taste. 

“Perhaps you’ll come tomorrow,” she whispered, gathering her basket and turning to the village.

I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from following her.

I was back the next day, of course. I paced the beach for hours, humming to myself. Waiting. She came over the hills in late afternoon, a basket on her hip, her hair pulled back in a demure sprang. She ignored my questions; ignored me almost entirely, in fact. But she sang with me, our voices raising and intertwining in the briny air and strong Nordic sunlight.

She turned to go once she’d spread her berries to dry on the mats. I touched her wrist as she turned. Not enough to stop her, but enough to feel her pulse fluttering like a hummingbird’s wings.

“What’s your name?” I whispered.

She looked at me from beneath thick lashes and smiled, a secret half-smile.

“I know who you are,” she said.

Of course. Sometimes mortals did. It was more common in those days.

“And who am I?” I asked, testing her.

“You’re Fire-hair,” she said, but she did not pull away from my touch. “The Lie-smith. The  Jötunn who vowed blood-brotherhood with the All-father.”

I said nothing, silently debating if it would be more advantageous to claim it or to deny it.

“You seduced Thor’s wife,” she said, “and cut off her hair.”

Deny it, I decided. Definitely deny it.

Like what you’ve read? Join my newsletter right here and I’ll send you a free copy of Tam Lin, my sexy modern take on the Scottish folktale.