Cynthia Eden's Blog, page 84

Angel Quiz…and a Kindle Giveaway

To celebrate the ANGEL OF DARKNESS release, I'm giving away a Kindle. It's the holiday season, and it just seems fitting that someone gets a Kindle as a gift this year.  So I'm running this contest–from now until noon on December 17th.  To enter, just complete the WHICH ANGEL ARE YOU? quiz.   At the end of the quiz, you will be asked to enter your email address so that you can register for the giveaway.  That's it–you take the quiz, find out which angel you'd be (so many angels…so little time…), then you enter your email address. The winner will be randomly selected from all the entries that I receive.

Good luck!!

Now for some rules and regulations:

Open to all readers, 18 years or older, in US or Canada, who are legally allowed to participate in such a contest as allowed by their local laws. All federal, state, local, and municipal laws and regulations apply. Void where prohibited. No purchase necessary. Grand prize winner drawn randomly by random.org. By participating in the contest, participants agree to be bound by the decisions of the contest sponsor. Winner will be notified via email and posted on the blog. Limit one entry per person.

Here's a link to the Kindle that is being given away.

Good luck!

ANGEL BETRAYED

I've received emails asking me about the next Fallen book…so I thought it was time that I shared the blurb for that book. (I was holding off a bit so as to not provide too much ANGEL OF DARKNESS spoiler info. So, if you haven't read ANGEL OF DARKNESS yet, you might want to wait a bit on reading this blurb.)

The second Fallen book is called ANGEL BETRAYED, and it will be out in July of 2012:

And here's the blurb for that book:

A LITTLE BIT OF ANGEL LUST

Sammael–call him Sam–was an angel once. An angel of death. But the dispassionate, watch-from-above thing just wasn't working for him when it meant watching evil torture innocent souls day in and day out. It might have cost him his wings, but these days, he gets to apply the direct method on the bad guys. Problem is, what's making his life difficult is a bad girl…

Seline O'Shaw needs protection, and with the hounds of hell on her tail, she's not going to quibble too hard about where she gets it.  Sam's virtue is questionable, but he's smoking hot, massively powerful, and owes her a favor.  So what if she's getting a little case of angel lust? There are some damn deadly sins after her hide…

***

So for the folks who are enjoying Sam and want to know more about him–his story is coming soon!

12 Days of Christmas–CAN'T FAKE THIS with Casey Crow

Once upon a time, a new writer came to my local RWA Chapter meeting. There were three things that I learned about this woman within a few moments of meeting her: 1. Her name was Casey Crow. 2. She loved Nora Roberts. 3. She had a warm smile to offer everyone at the place. And 4.–Casey *would* be a published author. Her determination was immediate and unshakeable. Casey knew what she wanted, and she was determined to achieve her goals.

Well, let's flash forward a bit…that new writer is now someone that I consider to be a great friend. She still has warm smiles for everyone that she meets (I don't think Casey can meet a stranger–she makes friends far too fast), and…she's also now a published romance author! I am so proud of her! And to celebrate her new release–a very sexy take on the 12 Days of Christmas (CAN'T FAKE THIS), I'm giving away 2 Kindle copies of this new book to commenters today.

I interviewed Casey about her release, and this is what she had to say…

Cynthia: Can you please tell readers a little bit about CAN'T FAKE THIS?

Casey: CAN'T FAKE THIS started out on a whim. At the last minute, I decided to enter this 10,000 word contest. I'd written spicy mainstream, but this was my first dive into erotic waters. I didn't win the contest, but after having what I thought was a good start, I added some more words and low and behold, this erotic became the first manuscript I sold. It also finaled in the Golden Claddaugh book contest.

The story is about a divorcee ready to reenter the dating world. Anna Ryan is determined to be the best "product on the market," which requires a lot more experience so she propositions sexy police officer Chase Harris to teach her how to make hot, passionate love as opposed to just having sex. He takes it a step further, instructing each lesson based on The Twelve Days of Christmas.

Cynthia: I love that you incorporated the 12 Days of Christmas into this story! Is there a favorite "day" in  your story that you'd like to share?

Casey:  Chase gives Anna two Dove chocolate candies to symbolize Two Turtle Doves. This is my favorite day because it's so different from the rest. It's the only day they don't make out.  Anna would definitely disagree with me, and in fact gets in a huff because Chase makes her talk when she wants much more than that!

Cynthia: What was the most challenging part of writing this story?

Casey: By far the most difficult part was coming up with so many detailed sex scenes and making each one fresh and unique.  It sounds funny saying that because really there are worse things to have to right about than sex, you know? But twelve days equates to a lot of stripping down, and there are only so many ways you can take off your clothes. LOL

Cynthia: Since CAN'T FAKE THIS is a holiday-themed story, I'm curious…at what time of the year did you write the story?  And if you wrote it in say June or March, how did you get yourself in the holiday spirit?

Casey: I wish I had a better story, but I didn't have to break out the Christmas CDs in the middle of July. I wrote the original 10,000 words (for the contest) for a few weeks in October so as luck would have it, it was late November, early December when I decided to add more to the story.  I do think writing CAN'T FAKE THIS added to my Christmas spirit. It's such a fun story.

Cynthia: What's your favorite holiday tradition?

Casey : Every Christmas Eve, we go to my Dad's. It's a mad house with all the grandchildren opening gifts at the same time. Paper is flying everywhere and the noise level makes my Dad take out his hearing aid.

My favorite part of Christmas though is seeing my two children's faces when they come downstairs Christmas morning. Of course, they wake me up at the crack of dawn and I'm holding them back until I can grab the camera and beat them down the stairs.

Cynthia: When did you know that you wanted to be a writer?

Casey:  In high school and college, I was a bit of a nerd. Okay, that's a lie. I was a big nerd. I only read text books. I didn't even read my first romance novel until I was twenty-five. I picked up Christmas Keepsake for fifty cents at a library book sale. After that, I was hooked.  I began reading more and more and found particular joy in Regencies and Contemporaries.

My mom, an avid reader of all romance genres, first encouraged me to write. About the time I started thinking, "I could do this," she said, "You can." Thank goodness too, because I love it. I turned my hobby turned into a serious career almost two years ago.

Cynthia: Do you have advice that you could give to aspiring authors?

Casey:  You will get rejected, but don't give up. Constantly educate yourself through conferences, online writing classes, and contests. I read RWR (Romance Writers Report), the trade magazine published by Romance Writers of America, cover to cover.  Most importantly, keep on writing. The more you write, the better you become and this your voice time to find its own unique, true identity.

Cynthia: What's next for Casey Crow?

Casey:  Thanks for asking! I have two other manuscripts on submission right now with various agents and editors. HUSTLER'S DREAM is about a southern socialite pool shark who hustles the wrong guy, or is he? FEELS SO RIGHT is about a country music agent and her ex-boyfriend songwriter. I'm also half way finished with FAST DREAM, the sequel to HUSTLER'S DREAM, about a female NASCAR tire changer in love with the driver.

I recently was offered a contract from Siren Publishing on DANCE WITH A MILLIONAIRE, which features a ballerina. It will be out in e-book in March 2012 and print in July.

I swear these are not autobiographical! But, I'm passionate about the things I enjoy, and they invariably make their way into my writing. My tagline is "Sexy, Sass & Southern" and all my heroines are just that.

Thanks, Casey!! And if you'd like to win a Kindle copy of CAN'T FAKE THIS, just leave a comment or question for Casey. I'll be picking 2 winners.

And here's a little more about CAN'T FAKE THIS…

Blurb:

Anna Ryan is a woman on a mission. She's sassy, pretty, petite, and ready to reenter the dating world after a messy divorce. She will kiss a few frogs, but that's okay because she needs the practice. As a romance author, one would think she knows about sex. Sure, she can bump and grind, but what she desires is passion – hot, steamy, mind-blowing chemistry.

She capitalizes on the instantaneous lust with Chase Harris, deciding he is Frog #1. Sucking up her anxiety, she proposes a plan no man can refuse – sex with no strings, no commitment, and complete control. The catch is he must teach her "to make love" and do it for the next twelve days, a Christmas present to herself. The confirmed playboy is intrigued by the idea and takes it a step further by using the traditional carol The Twelve Days of Christmas to illustrate each lesson.

Anna needs to sow some wild oats so that means letting him go, even if Chase says he loves her. Bachelors talk a good game, so why does the intense look in his eyes have to be so real? Like he means it? Like she is…the one?

***

Casey Crow is a Summa Cum Laude graduate from the University of Alabama with degrees in Business Management and Dance.  She received her Master of Business Administration from the University of Mobile.  Casey resides in Mobile where she stays busy with her two young children.  She also works as a dance choreographer, pageant coach, professional emcee and model, and certified Miss America preliminary judge.  In fact, she is a former Miss University of Alabama.  Casey writes erotic and spicy contemporary romances with the tagline "Sexy, Southern & Sassy."  Visit her at www.caseycrow.com.  Follow her on Twitter – caseyecrow and Facebook – Casey Crow.

Tis the Season of Giving

If you're like me, you're well on your way to being in the middle of full-on hectic holiday time. There are cookies to bake. School parties to attend. Too many presents to wrap.  Family dinners. Shopping.  Full parking lots. Angry horns.

Happy holiday sounds.

I love the holidays, no matter how frantic and wild they can become.  Because under that frantic wildness, well, it's a time to sit back and enjoy the life that we have.  And no matter what my five year old may think, it's not just about getting presents at this time of  the year.

It's about giving. About helping people.  Yes…it's time for my annual giving post. The post that lists easy ways for you to give and help out others. The post that asks you to share some of your favorite ways to give, too.

(And a big thank you to the folks on Twitter and Facebook who shared their giving ways with me before Thanksgiving!!)

So let's start the list…

ONE WARM COAT–Do you have a coat in the back of your closet that you aren't using anymore? Has your child gotten too big for his coat and you're buying him/her a new one? Then donate that old coat to OneWarmCoat.org.  This is the way that One Warm Coat works (taken directly from their website):

Donors clean out their closets and give their coats.
Volunteer leaders organize coat drives and collect coats in their home towns.
Social service agency volunteers and staff distribute the coats to those in need.
Sponsors help us get the word out in cities across the country.

If you'd like to donate a coat, visit their donor page.  On that page, you type in your zip code, and you can see a listing of the places that are donation sites in your area.  McDonald's is collecting the coats in my area.

THE SALVATION ARMY–I've been a fan of the Salvation Army Angel Tree program for years. I've volunteered locally and seen for myself the difference that this program can make.  You can "adopt" a child in your area for the holidays.  The child's holiday wishes (ex. Legos, a bike, or a Barbie doll) are listed on a form for you.  You buy the presents and they are given to the family so that child will have a present to open at Christmas.

You can also donate used clothes, household items, books, etc., to your local Salvation Army.  These items are always needed and–you can even get a tax deduction for them. Come on, that's win, win.

WOMEN'S SHELTERS–On Twitter, several people told me that they like to donate directly to their local shelter for abused women and children.  They donate new or gently used clothing, toiletries (shampoo, soap, toothbrush), and toys for the children.  You can contact your local shelter to learn more about donation information.   This is a great way to help people directly in your community–people who are in need of some kindness after a very difficult time.

A FAMILY IN NEED–Some other very helpful folks on Twitter told me that, during the holidays, they go straight to those in need. Instead of donating to an agency, they find a needy family to help in their areas.  Some people talk to school counselors to see if there are children who need a little extra help at this time of the year. Some people find out from neighbors and try to help those who are having a hard time.  One person told me that she anonymously leaves the presents on the doorstep of a family that she knows is struggling.  And another told me that she bakes a pie each year for an elderly neighbor who doesn't have any family to visit during the holidays.  There are lots of things you can do–big and small, to help out.

SMILE TRAIN–This is another organization that was listed during my Twitter Chat on giving.  This is the information in the banner on the Smile Train site:

EVERY YEAR MORE THAN 170,000 CHILDREN ARE BORN WITH CLEFTS: MOST

CAN'T AFFORD SURGERY.
Give a child back their future with surgery that costs as little as $250

The surgery and the changes that the surgery can make to a child's life are truly amazing.

HOMELESS SHELTER–Do you have a few extra canned goods? Then donate them to your local homeless shelter. Clear up some cabinet space and give someone a warm dinner at the same time.

SHELTER PETS–Love animals?  Then help them from the comfort of your own home. Visit The Animal Rescue Site and just click their link to feed shelter pets.  By clicking their link, you will provide, "the value of  .6 bowls of food for rescued animals."

***

And I know there are hundreds (thousands!) of other ways to give.  Please share your favorite ways to give with me. And have a happy holiday season!!

Interview at the USA Today HEA Blog

Want to learn more about my angels? Want to learn why my Kensington editor once told me, "No serial killers!" (Yes, a girl can apparently have too many serial killers…) Then head over to the USA Today romance blog (Happy Ever After) for an interview that shares all my secrets. (I do have some secrets, you know!) And a big thank you to Pamela Clare & Joyce Lamb!

Thank you!!

I just want to offer a huge thank you to everyone who came out and helped me to celebrate the ANGEL OF DARKNESS release. I had a great time at the party, and I hope you did, too!  All of the giveaways will stay open until noon (Central time) today, and then I will pick winners.

Again, thank you!!!

Finishing Up the Party with Dale Mayer

This is it…the last party post of the day. Where has the time gone? Thanks so much for celebrating with me!!  And as a thank you, in addition to the lovely prizes that Dale is offering with this post (thanks, Dale!), I will also offer up a $20 Barnes & Noble gift card to a commenter because everyone has been so awesome today, and I want to say THANK YOU!!

I first met Dale Mayer when she and I were paired together for the Brava Writing With the Stars Contest. I quickly realized–Dale knew how to write some great romantic suspense. In fact, her book, TUESDAY'S CHILD has been nominated for BEST PNR – PSYCHIC TALENT (2011) by The Romance Reviews. Go, Dale! And Dale has a new book that I can't wait to read…

***

Here's the blurb for the book:

Hide'n Go Seek blurb (book 2 in the Psychic Vision series)

A twisted game of Hide'n Go Seek forces an unlikely alliance between a no-nonsense FBI agent and a search-and-rescue worker.

Celebrated search-and-rescue worker Kali Jordon has hidden her psychic abilities by crediting her canine partner Shiloh with the recoveries.  But Kali knows the grim truth—The Sight that she inherited from her grandmother allows her to trace violent energy unerringly to victims of murder.  No one knows her secret until a twisted killer challenges her to a deadly game of Hide'n Go Seek that threatens those closest to her.

Now she must rely on FBI Special Agent Grant Summers, a man who has sworn to protect her, even as he suspects there's more to Kali and Shiloh than meets the eye.  As the killer draws a tighter and tighter circle around Kali, she and Grant find there's no place to hide.

Are her visions the key to finding the latest victim alive or will this twisted game of Hide'n Go Seek cost her…everything.

Amazon link – http://amzn.com/B005Y8538W

Allromanceebooks.com – http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hide039ngoseekaparanormalromanticsuspense-624870-140.html

***

And an excerpt…

Twenty minutes later, Kali made her way to the kitchen. She fed Shiloh on the deck in the morning sunlight. Running her fingers through her shoulder-length hair, she remembered last night's painting. She headed to her studio to take a look. She'd almost reached it when apprehension washed over her.

The door was closed.

She never closed the door after painting. It wasn't good for the wet canvases, besides, the room only had a small window so the paint fumes built up fast. A frown wrinkled her forehead. Had she simply forgotten? She had been deadly tired last night.

Bolstering her courage, she pushed the door wide and flinched as the fumes rushed out almost stinging her nose. "Oh gross."

Holding her breath, Kali crossed to the window, shoving it as far open as it would go. Fresh air surged into the small space. She'd love a huge studio, except painting wasn't exactly a full time career for her – no matter how much she'd like it to be. It was a release for when depression and madness overcame her soul. Maybe later, when she no longer did rescue work, she could indulge her art as a creative hobby instead of as an outlet of pain and turmoil.

Walking around the easel, Kali stopped midstride.

The painting stood where she'd left it. With surreal and strangely enticing clarity, blacks and purples and browns popped off the canvas. Heavy paint splotched at places, then thinned and stretched across the top.

She stepped back and frowned. Up close, besides the heavy amount of paint, the picture resembled a distorted nightmare. Not surprising. Still, she caught a glimmer of an intentional design. She tilted her head and looked at it from a different angle. Nothing changed.

Sniffing the air, Shiloh ambled into the doorway.

Kali smiled down at the dog. "Not very sweet smelling, is it?"

She glanced back at the jumble of colors and stilled. There. She studied the abstract mess, letting the colors move and form to reveal the image hidden within.

Shivers slid over her spine.

Oh my God.

No way.

Kali blinked. It was.

There was no mistaking the image of a person buried under small bushes, civilization of some kind crouched on the horizon with a series of rough rock formations soaring behind the bushes.

"What the hell?" she whispered.

Kali was not a great artist, by any means. Blind escapism kept bringing her back to the process because it worked. She painted with wild abandon. The paint slapped on canvas with no thought discharged her emotions. For some reason it always worked.

And it always looked like shit.

This, on the other hand, was ingenious. Sure the subject matter was gruesome; however, given her volunteer work, not unexpected. Especially after finding the letter.

The artistic abandon was still there. The paint was so thick in spots the picture was almost three-dimensional. The terrain had depth and movement. The light was dark and terse, yet still shone with gruesome clarity—and way beyond her artistic abilities.

"It's fucking brilliant."

It was also scary as hell.

***

Scary as hell…interesting way to end the day. But let's go with that scary line…what scares you?  Leave a comment to be entered to win a copy of Tuesday's Child and copy of Hide'n Go Seek. And don't forget, commenters to this post will also be entered in the giveaway to win the $20 Barnes & Noble gift certificate. Good luck! Thanks for coming to the party!

Go Out of This World With Edie Ramer…

I always enjoy reading excerpts from books–excerpts can give me a taste of the story, a hint about the characters,and excerpts can sure hook me on a good book. I hope that you've enjoyed the excerpts that were shared today (and that will be shared–cause I've got another one coming up now!). My next guest is very busy author Edie Ramer, a sweetheart of a lady with a gift for spell-blinding stories. (And she comes to the party bringing a lovely giveaway–thanks, Edie!)

***

An out-of-the-world romance and 2 giveaways

by Edie Ramer

Thanks to Cynthia for having me at her fun release party. I'm so eager to read Angel of Darkness. I have a thing about angels. I also have a thing about any of Cynthia's books!

In July, I published Galaxy Girls, a scifi romance with a lot of humor and some serious stuff. One reviewer called it "a cross between Gilmore Girls and Third Rock From the Sun." Soon I'll publish a Galaxy Girls novella, titled Mixing It Up. It's a stand-alone, but I usually like to read series books in order. So here's an excerpt from Chapter One of Galaxy Girls, which introduces all of the Galaxy ladies:

***

It was the best day of Phyrne's life, even before landing on Earth five days ago. She, her mother Liss, her aunt Ki and her cousin Deena strutted through the gleaming casino with the one thing that brought them across thirty-one solar systems to New Jersey.

Money. Bundles of money. Their purses stuffed with money. Lovely, lovely money.

She wanted to laugh, dance and do cartwheels. But not yet. Later. Twenty-five-year-old women didn't do cartwheels on Earth. Even after they'd known great sorrow and now knew great joy. Double joy. Freedom for the first time in their lives. And money with which to enjoy the freedom.

A plume of acrid cigarette smoke coiled in front of her and she made a face. The casino was just like she'd seen on the monitors on Kergeron, but the constant noise was louder, the motion more intense, the air sizzling with excitement. Music blaring, machines clinking, voices talking, colored lights blinking.

Avid eyes stared at the machines, but a few followed her and her family. She faced forward, careful not to catch anyone's gaze, but in her peripherals, she saw auras, flashes of colors tinted with the deep pinkish red of carnality.

She clamped down on her pheromones. The worst timing for her make-me-a-mom chemicals to fire up. She didn't want men following her. She didn't want men in her new life. She didn't want men.

Fighting the urge to release stray scents that would make men howl, she kept her gaze on the back of the nice hostess leading them out of the busy casino.

Out into the new life they would live as average Earthlings. The life her aunt Phyrne had envisioned for them ten years ago.

She quivered with an eagerness she hadn't felt since she was a young girl, before she'd experienced the shock and pain of a fist on her face. Hard to believe she would escape Kergeron while she was mated to Argon and he was ramming her like she was the hill and he was the bulldozer.

But Argon was dead now and here they were. Free.

Better yet, free and rich.

The casino hostess opened a door and ushered them into a corridor. The smile she gave them was strained, brown spikes dulling her peach aura.

"Since you insisted on cash, we thought it would be safer for you to leave from the back."

Her eyes darted away from theirs, and the brown spikes bled into the peach.

Phyrne shivered, her excitement turning to trepidation, though the darkening aura could mean anything. The hostess could be thinking about a sick child or a lover who beat her. Or she could suffer from one of many health issues they'd seen on the monitors back on Kergeron.

A lifetime of watching Earth TV had primed them for their new life, but they didn't know everything. Deena could use her telepathic skills to find out what the hostess was thinking, but her jaw was rigid, her thin face tense with the effort of blocking out the cacophony of thoughts.

Phyrne ached for Deena. The plethora of auras in the casino had distracted Phyrne, colors flashing and popping wherever she looked, others shrinking and cringing. Easy to see who was winning and who was losing. But how much worse to have hundreds of thoughts swarming into her brain like an army of buzzing blusts?

The hostess took the lead again, hurrying past a stairway, elevator and bathroom. No glitz here, the walls white and stark, the mud-colored carpet so smooth the soles of Phyrne's shoes slipped. Feeling like a clumsy udzo, she slapped her palm against the wall to keep from falling.

The others moved on, and she scurried to catch up. The hostess opened the back door, bidding them good day, speaking so fast her tongue tripped and she had to say it again. Phyrne didn't need to read her thoughts to know she was thinking: Go. Get out. Hurry.

Maybe the hostess needed to pee. Kergeronians had elimination emergencies, too. That came with the human body they shared with Earth people, the genetic similarity confirmed by tests conducted in the previous century on a few Earth specimens. Unwilling Earth specimens.

Phyrne's relatives chirped goodbye to the hostess and hurried out into the air that smelled like salty ocean mixed with car fumes. A black dumpster on one side and a sign on the other said Deliveries Only. Across the street was a huge concrete structure Phyrne identified as a parking building for cars. One lone van was parked by the curb, beige and nondescript.

The door behind Phyrne clanked shut. The Earth sun slunk under a black cloud—on Kergeron they called it a death cloud. The sky dimmed, the air chilling Phyrne's arms, bare from her elbows to her cold fingertips.

From the beige van, a bright blue aura pierced the gloom, jewel colored and so bright her breath caught. As she twisted to view it better, Liss stopped and Phyrne ran into her.

"Oomph." She bounced back, her mouth open to ask what was going on, when she saw two men stealing out from behind the dumpster. Blood red auras seethed around both men.

The small hairs on Phyrne's arms and the back of her neck rose. The last time she'd seen an aura that color, she'd ended up in the clinic, her body bruised from her cheek to her thighs, one eye covered with a patch and an arm in a sling.

Liss stepped back, grabbing Phyrne's forearm. "Let's run. I feel the tall one's anger. He wants to hurt us."

The men pulled out guns.

"Too late to run." Deena's voice quavered. "We'll have to do something else. I'll take care of it." She swallowed but stood tall and tossed her head.

No! Phyrne's mental scream sliced through Deena's walls. Deena looked at her, grimacing, lifting one hand to the side of her head.

"I'll stop them." Phyrne pushed past Deena. She was older and stronger than Deena, plus she possessed a powerful weapon. The ultimate weapon.

She was ovulating.

***

I'm giving away an e-copy of Galaxy Girls to a commenter. If you've read GG already, I'll be happy to send Mixing It Up instead as soon as it's available. I'm also giving away Dragon Blues to a commenter, about a saxophone-playing former dragon (now a man) and a martial arts expert who wants to avenge her sister's murder.

So, here's my question. What would your ultimate weapon be?

Edie Ramer

http://edieramer.com

Joyce Lamb is a TRUE SHOT

When I read paranormal romances, I"m a happy woman. When I read romantic suspense novels, I'm a happy woman. But if you put those two subgenres together, and you give me paranormal romantic suspense–I'm so excited you almost need to slap me.  So get ready for some slapping.

My next guest is a woman who perfectly blends paranormal romance and romantic suspense.  Perfectly. I devour her books and look ahead eagerly for her next release. The lady in question? Joyce Lamb–and one commenter is going to win a signed copy of her new book, TRUE SHOT.

Hi, Cynthia's readers! And congratulations, Cynthia, on your release day! I can't wait to read Angel of Darkness.

I'll be celebrating my own release day Dec. 6, when the third book in my True trilogy, True Shot, comes out.

Romance writers who embark on writing trilogies are advised to save the best story for last, and I definitely did that. I so looked forward to writing True Shot that I sometimes had trouble focusing on writing the other True books!

Here's a little about True Shot:

Samantha Trudeau is a psychic spy for a secret government agency that she's recently discovered has gone rogue. She goes on the run and ends up at the Trudeau family cabin at the same time as a vacationing Mac Hunter, a burned-out journalist and good friend of Sam's estranged sisters. The bad guys show up to reclaim Sam (for a sinister purpose, of course), and things go from bad to worse when a drug wipes out Sam's memory, leaving her dependent on the un-spy-trained Mac to get her to safety.

Mac and Sam are a hoot together. Sam has a serious, down-to-business, where's-my-gun attitude, while Mac fights his battles with words and humor — not something that works all that well when you're dealing with ruthless rogue government spies. Though it is pretty entertaining.

I love Mac and Sam together! Especially when Mac comes out swinging, completely counter to his nature, to protect Sam. Sigh. I've fallen hopelessly in love with all of my heroes (as it should be!), but Mac is the one I most wish actually existed.

I hope you'll get a chance to check out True Shot. To help you out, I'll give a signed copy to a commenter here!

Oh, and while I have you: I run a new-ish romance novels blog at USA Today, called Happy Ever After (happyeverafter.usatoday.com). HEA is planning to review Cynthia's Angel of Darkness AND we're going to run an interview with her in December. I hope you'll get a chance to stop in and say hi!

Thanks for having me, Cynthia! You rock. : )

Caridad Pineiro has a CRAVING for you…

I hope you've been enjoying the guest posts today. I'm so glad that you came to the party (and don't forget, the fun continues until 11 PM tonight! More posts are coming!), and I'm very happy that you're celebrating with me. I always love it when a book releases. And I've sure been eager for ANGEL OF DARKNESS to release!

I am also very glad that so many of my writing buddies are participating in the release party. My next spotlight is on my friend, Caridad Pineiro. Caridad is a NYT best-selling author. She writes fantastic stories–stories that grab hold of you and just don't let go.  She's also an incredibly kind and generous lady.

Because she's so awesome, Caridad is going to give a commenter a copy of her e-book ROOKIE OF THE YEAR and a $10 Amazon gift card. Very sweet deal, Caridad! Thank you!

Right now, let's turn to a new release that Caridad has–her sexy paranormal, AMAZON AWAKENING, will be available on 12/1. Yes, I am so ready to load it onto my e-reader!  And once you learn more about the tale, I think you'll want to read it, too!

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Counting down the days until the release of my first ever erotic paranormal romance, AMAZON AWAKENING, from Nocturne Cravings. It was so different for me to write a story where I pushed beyond the sexual boundaries I'd explored in so many other stories, but primary for me in writing these novellas (another 5 on their way in 2012 and 2013) was to have an intense and believable romance. For me, it's all about the romance during whatever physical intimacy is happening. Even if I'm being daring and walking the edge during a love scene, there has to be a growing bond between the hero and heroine.

With that, here is a little blurb for you about AMAZON AWAKENING as well as a sexy excerpt!

Rey Peralta has been sent to persuade Paola Lopes to return to Brazil and take up her place as Priestess of the Guardians, protectors of the sacred realm hidden deep in the Amazon rainforest. He knows Paola is the one they need to ensure their survival—but he doesn' t expect the instant blast of desire that sparks between them. Her beauty and power call to him, enticing him to merge with her physically and spiritually; a desire that only increases when they give in to their passion and make love. Can he convince Paola to accept her destiny and stay with her people—and by his side?

WARNING

This excerpt contains mature subject matter so do not open unless you are at least 18.

(If you can't see the widget below, you can cut and paste this link:

http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/72902685?access_key=key-7hf866rrigwutty0jsg)

Erotic Paranormal Romance Amazon Awakening Excerpt

To enter Caridad's giveaway, just tell me a secret (or not so secret!) craving that you have (come on–this is in honor of the Nocturne Craving line!). For me, I'll always crave chocolate. Always.